Edna Hart Vara Postcard
on Walpole Street
Friday, January 1, 1926
We're off on Diary No. 4... I slept til nearly 1 o'clock today. The High School played the Alumni at hockey and lost 8 - 0. One of their men played for the B.A.A., one for Noble & Greenough, one for Springfield Y.M.C.A. College so we didn't have much chance. We play Hopkinton here tomorrow. That will be more in our class...
Saturday, January 2, 1926
... We played Hopkinton and won 3 - 2. We had to play 2 overtime periods and I scored the winning goal. I felt pretty good because I was somehow inspired and carried the puck all alone from our goal thru their whole team and pushed it past the goalie. I didn't do anything else the whole game. I had my hockey stick busted twice tonight. We went over to Natick and Beany and I got three between us...
Friday, January 8, 1926
... Played hockey all afternoon because we play Hopkinton up there tomorrow. Issy came up but went home about 10 o'clock and went up to a dance. She had on a keen new dress and I never saw her look so -- well, I don't know. I'm crazy about her...
Sunday, January 10, 1926
... We cleaned off the hockey rink. A gang of us were there will 10:30 because we have a game tomorrow. We made a snow plow and fastened it on front of the car and it took us about 4 hours. We scraped it too. Got home and ate and went right to be. Tired as the devil. No studying.
Monday, January 11, 1926
We played Wellesley over there instead of here. If we had known that we wouldn't have worked so hard last nite. They won 1 - 0. It was a close game and they scored near the end of the last period. The second team played their second team and lost by the same score. We play Canton here Wednesday. Canton and Dover have never met before so we are looking forward to the game...
Wednesday, January 13, 1926
... We played Canton here and won 4 - 1. It wasn't such a good game as we had Monday. The two second teams played and ours won 2 - 0. That was a better game. We play Natick Monday...
Thursday, January 14, 1926
... Got the car started and drove down to Needham with Carleton Nichols, me doing the driving... He scouted around getting advertisements for the program of the Senior play...
Friday, January 15, 1926
... We had hockey practice this morning...Notice here how small Dover is compared to some of the towns our athletic teams play against:
<XEROX OUT OF DIARY>
Tuesday, January 19, 1926
... Poor Mr. Durgin is having hard luck. During the Christmas vacation his little daughter had diphtheria and was in the hospital a couple of weeks. Now his wife has scarlet fever and is in the hospital since Saturday. He can't go anywhere or do anything, of course. Little Marjorie still has to have a trained nurse and he has to pay the sub at school our of his own pocket, and with Mrs. In the hospital, they say he is worrying himself sick as to how he will pay...
Wednesday, January 20, 1926
... A man came around selling Congloleum rugs and Mother got one for the dining room...
Tuesday, January 21, 1926
... There was a church supper... Beany took the gang in the Ford. Issy and Chick came up here to study and I took Issy home in the car. Going into the garage the driveway was muddy and hard to steer and I was going too fast and I went right thru the door that had blown half open. A hell of a mess. Dad and Beany came out and helped me pry it off. A hard blow to my what-do-you-call-it? I thought I was better than that.
Friday, January 22, 1926
... Forgot to take the water out of the Ford so I came home this noon but couldn't get it out as it was frozen. Fixed it after school... Temperature went down to 3 above tonight.
Monday, January 25, 1926
... Did most of my studying in the afternoon and the High School went on a sleigh ride tonight. Went a long way around to Natick, had eats and then back the same way. I think it was through Sherborn but no one seemed to know where we were...
Tuesday, January 26, 1926
... The only ice around was down in Charles River on the place Walker-Gordon dammed up for their ice, so we played Natick there and won 3-11. The last time any of us were on skates was a couple of Sundays ago when we played Medfield, but we did well. I got the first goal and Louis and Ally got the others. It was quite a surprise for Natick, as they have a good team, but we have better...
Friday, January 29, 1926
... Worked trying to get the car started this afternoon but Beany finally got up to the garage and they thawed out the carborator. Went down to a party at Nichols' tonight. The upper classes of the high school and the teachers were there. Carleton was the life of the party because he found some booze somewhere and took enough to make him feel good. Ally had some too, but he didn't show it. We had a good time. Issy had on a wonderful new dress. Pretty keen!... I drove her home afterwards and got back and into the garage safely...
Wednesday, February 3, 1926
... Our hockey pants came today. They are bright orange. Orange pants and maroon jerseys and stockings sounds hideous but it really is good. We will be seen... Got report cards today. Mine was the best I have had since I have been in high school...
Thursday, February 4, 1926
Had the best snowstorm today I ever remember... It stopped about dark and the snow was nearly up to my hips on the level and drifts three to six feet deep. Went out this afternoon and had a great time... No school, of course. There won't be any tomorrow, either. Dad didn't get out on the train til nearly 9 p.m...
Friday, February 5, 1926
... I went up town about 9 o'clock and the road commissioner was around and he gave me a job shoveling. Shoveled all morning around the center with a gang and then followed a plow up Walpole Street just above Francis'. There was a straight place about half-a-mile long and the drifts were over my head all along. We were there for nearly three hours. There were only two men in the gang I was with. One shoveling and one driving the tractor. The rest were just the high school fellows. Beany was with us. Got home about 7 p.m. and I didn't go back...
|
Edna Hart Vara Postcard |
Shoveling snow with the plow on Walpole Street |
Saturday, February 6, 1926
The men were out all day on the roads but they didn't have my company. I shoveled at home. Cleared out the driveway. Took me four hours...
Sunday, February 7, 1926
... Beany was working on the roads all day. I went skiing with Louis Corriveau this afternoon...
Monday, February 8, 1926
... Beany worked again on the roads. I was going to but the thermometer was 4 degrees below 0 and I couldn't find either of my sweaters til it was too late. That sounds like a thick excuse, but its the truth... The roads will be OK for school tomorrow... It seems like years since we have been to school.
Wednesday, February 10, 1926
Had another blizzard today as bad as the one a week ago. Went out on the roads this morning but without enough clothes and had to quit about 1 p.m. of cold. I was frozen. Went back after supper and was on a tractor til about 1 a.m. when the group went home for the night. Shall go out in the morning. 8 hours today. There won't be any school for a week. They picked the time to give us the week's vacation that would have come two weeks from now.
Thursday, February 11, 1926
... Went out about 2 o'clock on a plow and didn't get in til nearly 7 p.m. It took us eleven hours to do just Claybrook Road. About every house we would pass they brought us sandwiches and hot coffee so we didn't have to eat when we came home. I went right to bed. Am going out tomorrow.
Friday, February 12, 1926
... Worked this morning but was so tired I went home about noon... The Senior play was tonight. It went off pretty well and there were more there then I expected. I didn't see any of it because I was in the check room...
Wednesday, February 16, 1926
We got up early and went in town to the Arena and had the ice from 8 til 9. We played the school where Bennie Moltman goes and got beaten 3-0. Our excuses are that we haven't been on the ice for over two weeks and they have; that we are not used to that size rink and banks and they are. However, they didn't score til the last period, when we began to tire. School began again but we didn't get there til nearly 10:30. The roads are terrible and coming home we figured in two minor smash-ups...
Friday, February 19, 1926
... The girls played Needham High inbasketball and lost 38-12. However, it was a pretty good game. Issy and Chick were on the team...Started out to the movies tonight with Winters and the girls but his car kicked out and he couldn't start it so Beany came and towed us home...
Monday, February 22, 1926
... We played in Hopkinton and lost 1-0 in overtime. The ice was terrible. They only had two rocks for goals instead of cages so it was hard to tell a goal. In the 3rd period Louis shot and it hit the stone and bounced over it. The goal umpire, a Hopkinton man, said no goal. I didn't see it myself, but the only thing to do is to have cages for goals. Then there is no dispute. The game was terribly fast and rough. The most exciting one to play in we have had this year...
Friday, February 26, 1926
... Went to the movies after supper at the new Needham theater. A wonderful theater but the pictures weren't so good. About in the middle of the show the place filled up with smoke but they announced that it was just soft coal from the furnaces. It went right away...
 Needham Chronicle |
The new Needham Paramount Theater on Great Plain Avenue replaced the old second floor Needham Theater. |
Sunday, February 28, 1926
... Mr. Railey and Jack came out this afternoon and stayed til quite late in the evening. Mr. Railey told me that when he went to New Orleans this summer in the car he would take me with him if I could go. I would like to look over Tulane. As he graduated from there he could show me around... Of late there has been quite a collection of stray cats living under the garage and giving concerts at night so I shot three of them today. I don't know where the rest were.
Monday, March 1, 1926
... Election day today. Dad was running for selectman on nomination papers and here are the results: Comiskey - 209, Higgins - 189, Walker - 187, McKenzie - 172 He is in but it was close...
Wednesday, March 3, 1926
... Played Holliston down here and won 5-0. I scored two goals...
Friday, March 5, 1926
... Played over in Marlboro and won 3-1... The best crowd of fellows and the best referee we have had all season. The only trouble was the ride up and back - 20 miles each way. Went to the movies tonight with the girls and Winters in Needham...
Tuesday, March 9, 1926
... Ted's birthday. He was 10 years old...
Saturday, March 13, 1926
... Had a long talk with Mr. Durgin and some of the other fellows in the library about athletics next year and what to do with the money the town voted us and hockey letters...
Friday, March 19, 1926
... Went to Natick to the movies tonight... I don't like the place half as well as I do Needham...
Saturday, March 20, 1926
Rained this afternoon and snowed about 3 inches afterward. Went up to the library after supper and then for a ride...
Sunday, March 21, 1926
... Got up late and took a bath and studied all afternoon. The family went to ride...
Monday, March 22, 1926
Just like summer all day. The birds sang all around and everybody felt great in school and out. I started warming up a little after school with a baseball...
Friday, March 26, 1926
.. Louis Corriveau has been sick the last couple of weeks. At first they were not sure of just what he had, but now they find he has a tumor between his heart and lung. He will go in to the Mass. General Hospital in a few days for treatments as they can't operate. I hope he will be able to play ball this season, but I doubt it.
Saturday, March 27, 1926
Louis died tonight about 5 o'clock. He had a tumor 5 inches wide in his chest that pushed his heart and lungs around and smothered him. Of all the rotten tricks that was the worst...
Sunday, March 28, 1926
Went up with a gang of the fellows and saw Louis tonight. He looked rather terrible. Not a bit natural. There was a big crowd there and twice as many to come as the wake is tonight and tomorrow night. The funeral is Tuesday. There is a memorial session in High School that day and everybody will go. Our new baseball uniforms will have a black band on the left arm all season. Charlie was rather pathetic and thanked everyone when they went for coming. That was the hardest part of it...
Monday, March 28, 1926
What a change in school! Hardly a word above a whisper all day. The school sent flowers and they collected money for them today. They got nearly $20 during the noon hour. I gave one dollar. Their house was packed tonight with millions of flowers. Beany stayed til about midnight. A new set of parallel bars came today and we put them together and fooled around on them up in the Town Hall...
Tuesday, March 30, 1926
Went to the funeral this morning and then over to the cemetery. The funeral was in South Natick and the burial somewhere in Natick. I took the Ford. There were nearly 40 cars in the procession and the whole high school and teachers were there...
Thursday, April 1, 1926
... Went up to Charlie's this afternoon with Chick and stayed there all afternoon... Charlie won't go out or do anything. He's coming back to school Monday...
Friday, April 2, 1926
... Mother and John went in town on the 9 and Chick and Issy met them on the 1. Beany came out on the 6 and Johnny Heard and I met the others and went to see Ben Hur. A wonderful picture. I wrote all day, completing a book report. I have got to do a 1500 word thesis for Monday...
 Edna Hart Vara Postcard |
Dover Depot in 1926 |
Saturday, April 3, 1926
... Got up about noon and went up to the library and brought home some books to assist me on my thesis. The subject is "South Carolina." I wrote for an hour on it after supper. Didn't get very far along on it. Played ball this afternoon some...
Thursday, April 8, 1926
... Issy and I can't go with Winters any more because he got tired of taking us and got a new car that only seats two people.
Friday, April 9, 1926
... Had our first baseball practice and it went pretty good. I guess we will be ready for Wellesley next Thursday. Got our report cards today and I did very well. The play Beany has been rehearsing was given tonight and it went off good...
Saturday, April 10, 1926
... Burned over the baseball field this afternoon and then had practice on the old field. There was a fire today that didn't amount to anything...
Sunday, April 11, 1926
...There was a fire today. I didn't go to this one...
Monday, April 12, 1926
... Our suits came and they are great. We had a short practice and fixed up the diamond as best we could...
Tuesday, April 13, 1926
... Played Wellesley here and lost 7-2. It was a good game...
Lineup:
1st base - G. Walker
2nd base - Francesco
S.S. - C. Corriveau
3rd base - J. Walker
R.F. - Mitchell - Walsh
C.F. - Treadwell - Maker
L.F. - Heard
P - Maker - Treadwell
C - Bond
Wednesday, April 14, 1926
... Studied and went up to the library after supper... There was a great exhibition of northern lights tonight.
Friday, April 16, 1926
...A good fire today. The exhibition went off well. Jerry Walsh had the grippe we learned when we got up there. As he was to be in all our stunts on the bars, we had to spend the time while the girls did their stuff to get a new act. It went fairly well. Issy got second prize of the girls again. Paul Nobles, class of 1930 got the cup and two medals. He got second prize and Billy Quinn got third. George Maker, 1926, got first prize....
Saturday, April 17, 1926
... I drove down to Needham and got a haircut... Had to drive right thru Needham Square in the traffic but made it all right.
Monday, April 19, 1926
... Helped put up benches at the ball field this morning and had practice this afternoon... Went over to the marathon this noon. We watched it from the Wellesley College grounds...
Wednesday, April 21, 1926
... I cleaned up a lot of leaves on the terrace this morning. Played Needham here this afternoon and lost 8-5. We led 5-3 until the last inning, when we went to pieces... Chuck and Mitchell had a collision. Chuck bit Mitch's forehead and made a bad out there. He broke off one front tooth and loosened two others. I took him to the dentist tonight...
Friday, April 23, 1926
... We played in Sudbury and won 46-4. That is the worst score I ever heard of. We didn't have any substitutes to put in so our first team had to play the whole 7 innings. It was too one-sided to play a full game. I didn't do as well as most of them. I only got 5 runs. Went to the movies tonight in the Ford...
Tuesday, April 27, 1926
... Played Walpole here and lost 11-1. Everyone played terribly. I never played a more rotten game in my life. I let three grounders thru my legs and made one wild throw that let in a run...
Friday, April 30, 1926
Played Weston here and won 12-1. Not an error for our team. I played the best game of the season. I made three hits at bat, the first of the year for me, one a two-bagger...
Wednesday, May 5, 1926
I went over to Framingham with Carleton Nichols and I succeeded in getting my license. The test wasn't half so hard as I expected but I did quite a bit of driving around. We played in Medway and won 11-0. We played as well today as we ever have. I only got two hits and no runs...
Thursday, May 6, 1926
... Took Mother and the baby and Ted down to Needham and they all got haircuts. Had practice after supper. There was a church supper. They had the best food that I have ever eaten at one...
Friday, May 7, 1926
... Played Wayland and lost in the 10th inning 8-5. We all played a great game and were tied 5-all in the 1st of the 10th. Then Dover, with the bases full, had an epidemic of wild throwing. Everyone but I tossing it here and there, letting three runs score. There went the ball game. It was a tough one to lose. Went to the movies after supper at Needham...
Saturday, May 8, 1926
... Took the kids down to the movies in Needham this morning... Beany went around getting ads for the senior number of the school paper. Took him over to Natick this afternoon for the same reason and then went over to Wellesley to the ball game... Went to a no-account fire about 10:30. There were a lot of bad ones all around but they seem to pass up Dover.
Sunday, May 9, 1926
.... The Chickerings arrived home from Florida tonight...
Tuesday, May 11, 1926
Played over in Weston and won 10-5... I got a home run the first time up...
Thursday, May 13, 1926
... There was a fire today and I forgot to mention that yesterday there was a bad one. Two alarms! Tough luck there was a ball game on. Had practice after supper...
Friday, May 14, 1926
... Got kicked out of school for fooling, but it was during the last period so I didn't miss much...
Monday, May, 17, 1926
... Everyone is running because the school has been invited to send a team to a track meet held in Hopedale Thursday. It is a tri-county league affair. Dover does not belong but they want us there even if our points won't count. We haven't had any training but I guess we will come in somewhere... Went up town after supper and was tossing a light shot-put around. It weighed only 8 lbs. But I could only put it 43 feet. That was the local record...
Tuesday, May 18, 1926
Great day for my birthday. Not a soul remembered it except Isabelle. She
gave me a nice necktie when I went down with her after baseball practice...
Had try-outs for the 880 this recess. I came in fourth, so I don't have to
run in Hopedale...
 George Walker Photo |
Isabelle |
Wednesday, May 19, 1926
... Spent the whole morning having our pictures taken. There was the grammar school graduating class, the editorial staff of the paper, the baseball team, the hockey team, and the girls' basket ball team. We played Medway this afternoon and won 23-1. We didn't have any trouble at all. Johnny Heard got 7 hits in 7 times at bat. Geo. Maker got 6 hits in 6 at bats, 4 of them doubles. I got a double and a single in 5 times up... Had tryouts for the 100 yard dash. I came in second. I would have won if I had got off to a good start, but I slipped.
Thursday, May 20, 1926
A long, eventful day. Went up to Hopedale this afternoon and I had a load of girls in the Ford. Beyond Medway we got lost, and didn't get there til some of the things had been run off. I entered in the high jump and came only 6th, and in the shot put, but didn't qualify. We got 3rd in the shot put, 6th in the high jump, 2nd in the half mile, and 4th in the 220 relay. Did a little studying and then went down to the movies... Had a slow leak in one tire we had to keep pumping up, and a blowout right near home. We put the spare on in Chick's yard, and then I took every one home. The thing was in the garage all morning having a new radiator connection put in...
Friday, May 21, 1926
Another long; eventful day, in which things began to happen about 5 o'clock this afternoon. There was a fire and I took John up...he has been appointed a reserve in the department. I got into it myself and didn't get home til nearly 8 o'clock... Issy and I went to the movies... When we came out I had a tag on my wheel for parking without lights. I went over to the police station with two others who had parked near me and got tagged. They just looked over our licenses and registrations, copied down the necessaries, and let us go, telling us we would probably get a summons. Hope I escape...
Wednesday, May 26, 1926
... Played over in Natick and lost 11-3. It was a good game except for the third inning when they scored 6 runs... The Ford didn't run right and I don't know what is the matter with it. I guess it needs a good overhauling, but I haven't any money...
Friday, May 28, 1926
... We played Medfield this afternoon here and won without any trouble 15-5. Beany pitched the first few innings and they got their runs then. Dick Bond couldn't play so Ally caught a good game. Their pitcher had only one hand, the left one, and it sure was peculiar to watch him play. He held his glove on his right stump when he threw and he could put it on or take it off in plenty of time. He stopped a couple of grounders that came thru the box...
Monday, May 31, 1926
... We all went up to the Memorial Day exercises at the Town Hall and cemetery. Then after dinner we went down to Needham and saw them beat Wellesley H.S. 5-4... We took John over to the doctor about noontime. He was trying to pole vault a few days ago and landed on his back instead of on his feet. He can't play baseball until further notice...
Friday, June 11, 1926
... We beat Walpole on their field this afternoon 6-1. We all played good ball, and revenge is sweet... Went to the movies tonight in Needham... The family went to Wellesley to the movies but got flat tires so didn't see much... In the game today I got three hits in five times up and one run.
Saturday, June 12, 1926
... Went in town this morning with Mother and John. I got a blue coat and white flannels, a pair of knickers and a pair of stockings. Went to a baseball game in Wellesley. They beat Framingham 12-3. The score at the beginning of the 8th was 1-1...
Tuesday, June 15 1926
... I studied this afternoon and then I took the usual gang to the movies in Needham... All the teachers were there. Mr. Gibbs, the principal of the grammar school, has a car and he took them...
Friday, June 18, 1926
... Played in Medfield and won the last game of the season 7-2.... The team went to the movies in Needham tonight... We had a wild ride home, two or three Fords of us...
Sunday, June 20, 1926
... Fixed up the top of the back seat on the Ford this morning by sewing a heavy piece of canvas over it. Played ball this afternoon for Al McLaughlin's team. He got one up to play the town team. We won 4-0. I played good, especially at bat, getting a home run with three men on. I hope that attracts some attention...
 Dover Historical Society Photo |
Sanger High School on Springdale Avenue |
Tuesday, June 22, 1926
... Went to school this morning and turned in our books and returned our baseball uniforms. Had an assembly in which we presented Mr. Durgin with a gold baseball and Mr. Harris with a gold football as they were the very excellent coaches. Graduation was in the evening. Everything went off very well...
Wednesday, June 23, 1926
... Went down to Needham with a car full to the movies this after... Then the reception tonight. It wasn't half as bad as I anticipated. I took four or five ladies down the receiving line. Issy..looked wonderful in her new outfit...
Thursday, June 24, 1926
... Beany went in town and got each of us baseball pants, stockings and caps as we had to turn in the high school stuff. The town team played Medfield here and lost 9-5. Both John and I played the whole game in our regular positions and did well. We each got a run. The high school players are the whole team...
Friday, June 25, 1926
...Picked strawberries this morning and got 12 quarts. Sold five of them this afternoon. Mother kept the rest. Went swimming over in Norwood this afternoon. Ted, Bill, Noble, Beany and I... The family went to the movies...
Wednesday, June 30, 1926
... There was a band concert and midway by the Legion tonight. I didn't win a thing but I didn't spend quite a dollar... The town team played in Sherborn and lost 6-0...
Monday, July 5, 1926
... Took off paper all morning and listened to the Rockingham Speedway in Salem, N.H. over the radio this afternoon. Even over the radio the motors of the cars made a terrible roar. I sure would like to see one of those races. John got some great bargains in fire works which he shot off this evening. All the kids around came up here with their night stuff. We had quite a party...
Tuesday, July 6, 1926
... Finished the removing of the wall paper today. The Ford has gone up to the garage in preparation for the trip and summer. We leave for Brewster tomorrow. There has been a general upheaval in getting ready...
Wednesday, July 7, 1926
... On the way down somewhere in Barnstable, the darn car stopped and we pushed it into a garage which was fortunately across the road and they fixed it so that it got us to Brewster...
 Walker Family Photo |
[At Brewster] |
Tuesday, July 13, 1926
John Cousins and I decided to go up to Dover this morning so we got started about 11 in the morning and made the run up without mishap in about four hours... I called up Issy and we went up to the tea room and had supper with Dad...
Wednesday, July 14, 1926
... Got up about noontime and took Johnny down to Needham... Then we got Issy and spent the afternoon riding.. down to Woonsocket and home thru Uxbridge and Milford. About 90 miles in all. Went up to the library after supper at the tea room...
 Louise Emmons Album |
The Tea Room on Springdale Avenue |
Thursday, July 15, 1926
Picked currants this morning and left for Brewster about 10:30... The Ford sure is outdoing itself. It has done its work very well in the last few days...
[Away at Brewster]
Tuesday, August 31, 1926
We packed and Beany and I loaded the Ford... Started about 11:05 and were on the road about four hours. An uneventful trip... I hated to leave and Dover is so damn uninviting...
Thursday, September 9, 1926
... Took John over to Framingham this morning while he got his license. He didn't have any trouble. There will be a war now as to who has the Ford. Started taking the paint off the glass today. John took the car tonight and went to the movies...
 Louise Emmons Album |
Faculty at the Hodgson Portable School 1925 L-R: George Durgin, Principal; Helen Thompson [McGill], English; Madame Allen, French; Doris Fish [Schaffner], Commercial; Marion Stark [Robinson], Latin and Basketball Coach; Lawrence "Bucky" Harris, Math, Physics and Chemistry. |
Monday, September 13, 1926
At school we just got our books and lessons assigned for tomorrow. There is a new English teacher and a new principal, Mr. Kempton. I hope he will be as good as Mr. Durgin, who has gone to Bridgewater High. Had a football meeting and we hold first practice tomorrow afternoon. There is a gang out for the team, but like last year, our best practice will be in the morning as so many work after school.
Tuesday, September 14, 1926
... Had football practice this afternoon. Only about half the squad was there. Charlie Corriveau, captain, will not be able to come out for two weeks because he is working at the store and one of the Higgins' boys is to be married and Charlie must be there while he is on his honeymoon...
Wednesday, September 22, 1926
... No practice but we measured out the field we are to play on and put in the goal posts and got the place ready to mark. Studied a little.
Thursday, September 23, 1926
... Got up early and met Mr. Harris at the train. We put in one goal post before school. Had a good practice after school. Learned tonight that Sudbury has canceled the game with us which was to have been a week from today. I don't know who we will take on. Studied and then got the fight and heard the ring side seconds of the passing of a champion...
Friday, September 24, 1926
... Put up the goal post that remained this morning. Took Mr. Harris to Needham and Wellesley and he got games with both places; Wellesley for next Wednesday...
Tuesday, September 28, 1926
... Had a good practice today. Got a flock of new plays for Thursday. During scrimmage I got a clip on the jaw that nearly knocked me out. I couldn't stand for about 5 minutes I was so dizzy...
Wednesday, September 29, 1926
... Went down to Needham before school and had my helmet fixed up at the cobblers. Got back in time for the end of signal practice. We lined the field after school. It has been mowed...
Thursday, September 30, 1926
... Played Wellesley here and lost 7-6. I didn't know the signals very well and made a lot of rotten passes that lost a lot of ground. But I intercepted a forward and went 50 yards for our only score. Defensively I think I did better than most of them...
Friday, October 1, 1926
... I hurt my left hand somehow playing yesterday and it was terribly swollen between the knuckles and the wrist and I couldn't use it for anything. Went to the Dr's tonite and he said it was just a sprain and to soak it in hot water off and on...
Sunday, October 3, 1926
... John had an old wreck of a Ford given him, a 1915 touring, which runs and that is about all. It has only one tire. He spent the day painting it green and white...
Monday, October 4, 1926
... Practice this afternoon. I have been shifted to the backfield. Didn't get into any scrimmage on account of my hand, which has not gone down wholly...
Thursday, October 7, 1926
... Left for East Bridgewater about 1:30 and got there about 3:00. We lost the game 19-0, but that wasn't so bad. They outweighed us about 15 pounds per man and the ride down was tiring. After the game Don Leavitt and I staggered about and looked the place over...
Tuesday, October 12, 1926
... Played Medfield here this morning and played a scoreless tie. We expected an easy game. I was all pooped after the game. Never did so much work in my life. Carried the ball three out of five times and when I didn't, I went into the line to make a hole for someone else, as our linemen were rotten -- all except Paul Schaffer. I made three-fourths of the tackles in the last half too. I don't know what happened to the rest of the team. I'm not boasting here. Straight goods...
Thursday, October 14, 1926
... Had a long practice after school and got our report cards and I found I had failed in English and Latin. Everything else was all right...
Friday, October 22, 1926
... We played Medway here and lost 6-2. We scored on a safety. I never happened to see a game where that happened. The team as a whole had a lot more fight than in the Medfield game, but I didn't play quite as well...
Tuesday, October 26, 1926
... In Wellesley Hills I ran into the state highway inspector. I was stopped and my headlights were found to be improperly adjusted. I was afraid they would ask to see my license because I didn't have it with me. That would mean a five dollar fine..
Wednesday, October 27, 1926
... Had signal practice this morning. Chuck Francesco has been back to school after nearly a month's absence on account of a flock of boils he was carrying around. He may not be able to play football at all this year. The school threw a Halloween party tonite, but it terminated at ten on account of the game tomorrow with Millis. Something tells me we will be beaten.
Thursday, October 28, 1926
... Had our pictures taken of the squad this noon. Lost to Millis here this afternoon 14-0. They had the best team we have been up against all season and we played our best game against them. In the last quarter I made five line plunges on one march and gained 40 yards. Then the game ended with a touchdown in sight. The rest of the backfield made about 20 yards on the same march...
 Emily Chickering Bertschy Photo |
Dover High School Football Team 1926 |
Friday, October 29, 1926
.... I wrote all morning. I am athletic editor on the school paper and I haven't prepared a thing yet. I had quite a bit to do...
Saturday, October 30, 1926
... The kids were out fooling around, as this Halloween.
Monday, November 1, 1926
... Had a good practice this afternoon. Mr. Busher was around and he showed the line some things. He was All-Conference guard in 1924, playing for Pacific University in California...
Wednesday, November 3, 1926
... We were smeared by Wayland 33-0 over there. They were a dirty bunch of players. I wasn't able to do much because I was covered every minute. However, I did manage to intercept a pass and run it back 60 yards. If I had been faster, I could have scored but they had two men who caught me...
Friday, November 5, 1926
... Mr. Harris has a new Ford runabout, but no license so he leaves the car here and drives around in the afternoons for practice. He left it back over the weekend and told Beany he could use it whenever he wanted to. So he has taken Mickey to the movies in it tonight. Soft!.
Monday, November 8, 1926
... My throat was so sore I couldn't swallow. I didn't go to school. It wasn't til tonight that I could eat anything... Worked around all morning, mostly digging bulbs. Went over to the Dr.'s this afternoon and he gave me pills and advice, or rather orders. I must go over tomorrow to have my throat painted again..
Tuesday, November 9, 1926
... Of course I had a wonderful time in the house all day with nothing to do. Went to the Dr's tonight and after painting my throat again he said I could go to school tomorrow if I felt like it, but I can't play football for a while. And we play in Newton tomorrow. Of all the putrid luck!...
Thursday, November 11, 1926
... Got our report cards today. Mine wasn't so good, but I went up in everything. Three C's and a C+...
Monday, November 15, 1926
... Had a good practice this afternoon. I haven't been in uniform since the Wayland game and I was rarin' to go...
Thursday, November 18, 1926
Darned if we didn't win today. The season is a success! 11-0 was the score. A bad pass from the center sent their man back over his own goal line where he was smothered for two points for us. Then late in the game I scored a touchdown. I took the ball to their one yard line on an end run for a first down. Then it took me three tries to put it over. I kicked a field goal from the 25 yard line soon after the next kickoff. The game ended a few minutes after that. I didn't study at all. Went to bed right after supper. Never felt so battered and bruised and worn and generally aged as I do now.
Tuesday, November 23, 1926
... The girls opened their basketball season today beating Medway 78-6. It is a rotten game to watch anyway and the one-sidedness of it made it worse...
Thursday, November 25, 1926
We closed the football season this morning by beating Holden High of Worcester 7-0. They kicked off to us and we carried the ball over in three minutes. I made the touchdown by a 20 yard run on a double pass. I also kicked the extra point. The ball was in the middle of the field the rest of the game... Saw a game in Wellesley between the town teams this afternoon which was won by Natick 13-6. Went to the movies tonight with Johnny Heard and Beany in the Ford in Needham...
Monday, November 29, 1926
... Elected a captain for football next fall. Joe McGill was it...
Friday, December 3, 1926
... The football team went to the movies in Needham tonight. The picture was rather appropriate being Richard Dix in "The Quarterback." When we came out there was about 3 inches of snow on the ground and the old Ford has no top. We brushed it out and had a good ride home... The show was the best I have seen for a long time.
Thursday, December 9, 1926
... I had to stay after school to write a theme before I could get a mark in English on my report card which we got today. It was better than last time. I went up in French and Physics...
Sunday, December 12, 1926
... Spent the afternoon down at the place where we made the dam last year. Tried to put up another one but it isn't very water-tight...
Monday, December 13, 1926
... Went down to the dam but there was no one there hardly and as it was raining I withdrew my services...
Wednesday, December 15, 1926
... Went up to the pond and to my surprise the ice was fine. Skated and played hockey all afternoon. There were all the fellows who are coming out for hockey and we had what might be called a preliminary workout. I wish it was football starting over again. I hate hockey and baseball compared to football...
Friday, December 17, 1926
... Had to stay after school today so it was too late to go up to the pond. Went up after supper tho. There was a gang there. Although the moon was not out (cloudy), we played hockey. Came home about 11 p.m. I walked home alone, passing up rides. I'm taken that way sometimes.
Tuesday, December 21, 1926
... They had hockey practice but I went out in the woods and got a Christmas tree for the school party tomorrow night...
Thursday, December 23, 1926
... Had a good hockey practice this afternoon. As school let out at noon we had the whole afternoon... Had a very exciting time as the dog left his day's meal on the floor ..and Charlie and I were the only ones who could stand it so we cleaned it up...
Friday, December 24, 1926
... Went out and got a Christmas tree, set it up and decorated it. Took me nearly the whole afternoon...
Saturday, December 25, 1926
... M. Claus treated me all right. I got several pairs of keen socks, a tobacco pouch, a bill fold, handkerchiefs, a pound of Edgeworth, a carton of cigarettes (Johnnie Walkers), a collar pin, and the prize of the lot was a wrist watch. Its a nice one, and ought to last me a good while...
Thursday, December 30, 1926
... Went skating this morning. The water has backed up over the snow at Francesco's and froze... Went down to Reed's after supper with a gang and we played cards, fooled around.. and tried to dance...
Friday, December 31, 1926
... Beany went in town with Dick and Gerry Hodgson tonite. I bet they are having a hot time this minute (12:10). I wish I could have gone along, but I don't dance. So I got the celebrations from the various places over the radio which seemed pitifully inadequate... What a fool I am not to be dancing. I can't kid myself any longer that its a lot of hooey. I really am missing some fun. Well, all in all, I have had some darn good times this year. Lets hope 1927 will be even better...
Adieu, 1926!