Tag: geneabloggers

I now have a page about the diary entries, see that for more information.

Jan 10 1945

Wednesday Jan 10 1945

Went to school. Got a few more pictures of Van Johnson. Went to the basketball game at Webber. Juniors won 24 to 20 Cencors lost 16 to 12. Had a lot of fun tonight, home on the bus. Got home at 6:30. Got a box from Gene with German helmet + a parachute money bullets + a kerchief. Dad went to the hospital again. Went to see him for about 20 minutes. Put up my hair. Got out some movie stars am going to trade them off for Van.

Jan 11 1945

Thursday Jan 11 1945

Went to school. Got a movie book after school. Gave Jackie 15¢ to get me one. Came home + did my English + study my science going to be a test tomorrow. Went to the show with Frankie and saw “A Girl in the Case” and “Cry Havor.” It was a wonderful show. Put up my hair + ate a hot dog. Tonkin called me up. The kids at school are going to get me picture of Van Johnson. They’re swell kids. Got a letter from Gene. 

My response:

I try to keep the text as is when I transcribe but sometimes I’m not sure I even understand it. I think the Cencors means seniors but when I looked up the two movies, I found nothing. So I’m pretty sure I am either reading them wrong or my grandmother spelled those two wrong. There is also the possibility that they weren’t movies but something like a local play performance. I’m not sure.

I recently went home and looked at old year books to see if I could find my grandmother. I had been under the impression that at 15, she was in high school, like I had been. This was not the case! I forgot that at that time, high school was 10-12th grade and she was still at the middle school or junior high. I couldn’t find her yearbook for that year sadly but did find her in high school the next year.

I found it very interesting what Gene sent to her as well! Seems odd, but really, there was a war going on. I’m sure these things were more readily available to him then other things. It also sounds like her dad was experiencing some health problems. He was about 54 at this time and I really don’t know much about his health from that time, just his end really (which doesn’t happen for another 20 years at this point).

Jan 8 1945: Monday

Went to school. In aud. we looked at some pictures of Van Johnson Oh! I think he’s wonderful. I’m going to start a scrap book of him. Went to all the drugstores and got 4 movie books + a scrapbook for Van. Got a lot of pictures from Tillie. Gave her most of my Alan Ladd. Listen to the Lux and Gild Theater. Put up my hair. Went to bed + cut out some more pictures of Van Johnson

Jan 9 1945: Tuesday

Got 3 points in the office. Went to school. Got a lot of pictures of Van Johnson from Tonkin also a sweet letter. Got a movie book. After school I went over town with Frankie then we went to volleyball. Tonkin acted strange. Got home ate supper did the dishes. Started to work on my scrap book when Tonkin came over. We went for a walk she told me something that I cannot tell anybody. She’s swell. Did my scrap book. Wrote a letter to Van Johnson.

Off in side box: Tonkin gave me my concerate ticket

My response:

I love my grandmother’s loyalty. Even in her journal she doesn’t tell what Tonkin told her. I am curious about this ticket – I think she meant concert but I’m not sure. I suppose I’ll find out as I go along! As for the aud she mentioned, I think that’s auditorium. Kind of like my high school’s version of advisory maybe? I’m not sure. On my next visit home, I’m going to see if I can find some old yearbooks to see if that would explain it. I am also curious about the points she got in the office. I’m not sure what those mean.

6 Jan 1945: Saturday

Got up at 10:30. Listen to the radio programs. Pracise my play alone. Later I called up Frankie, she came over and we pracise together. We went over to Buds. He wanted us to go over town with him but I couldn’t. So Frankie did. Listen to the radio programs. Read love books too. Went to the store. Dick and Betty came over. Couldn’t fix the record. Got a quart of ice cream. Washed my hair and put it up. Got an awful cold. Saw Bob tonight.

7 Jan 1945: Sunday

Went to Sunday School. Meant my new sunday school teacher is she wonderful. Read the funnies. Went to the court and saw “She’s For Me” and “A Guy Named Joe” with Van Johnson. Oh! I think he wonderful. He’s my favorite movie star. I love him. Came home took my bath and put up my hair. Came up the stairs and looked through my movie books for pictures of Van. found some. I’m going to get some new books of him tomorrow.

My response:

Funny… I have no idea who Bob is (although he was mentioned in my last post but without emphasis) but from the underlining, I take it he is someone my grandmother likes. This is funny to me because Bob is not my grandfather – my grandfather’s name is Bobbie (not Bob, never Bob) and I know they met later in life.

I also love her adoration of a movie star. I had many movie star crushes when I was 15 too so it’s nice to see that we weren’t all that different 🙂 Also, the Court is a a theater that I remember going to as a kid too. It wasn’t the best one in town as it only had one theater but I remember it fondly. I saw Jurassic Park there and loved that movie – plus it was cheaper than other places and only walking distance away. It still exists, although it’s changed quite a bit since the time my grandmother went there.

I am transcribing my grandmother’s journal from when she was 15. To see more information, read the first post here. I leave all spelling as it is in the journal 🙂

Wednesday:

Went to school today. A lot of kids found out about the party. Worked in the office got one point already. Went to the hosipily for Miss Stevenson. Saw Charlotte. Got a Sunday with Frances, Don, and Bob. Went over to Buds. Bob, Don, Dot, Lillie, Tellie, were there so was Bob and Corn. Talked for a while. Came home and put up my hair. Sorted out my love books. I’m going to read one now.

Thursday:

Went to school. Didn’t do much in school. Went to volleyball at Ames Church. Played volleyball there. Got socked in the face with the ball. Came home. Stoped at Buds and talked for a while. Went home. Got a box of German stuff from Gene and a wonderful letter. Went to the show and saw Kay Kaiser in Around the World + O My Darling Clemtime. Came home. Put up my hair. Warp a present. Went to sleep.

Friday:

Went to school. Had a lot of fun in the office helping Mr. Case. Got out of fourth hour to help him. Six hour I got out for about 10 minutes to pass out envelops. Went to Billie Lou’s party at Tonkins. Had a wonderful time. Got a tube of lipstick as a prize. Had ice cream and cake. Wanted Mike to go to the show with Tonkin and I but couldn’t. Tonkin and I saw Charles Boyer in Together Again. Tonkins wonderful.

My Thoughts:

Isn’t she succinct? For her it seems her diary was a recording of her daily life, which I love, but I wonder if she’ll ever write about deeper things. There was the brief mention of Gene, one of her older brothers, who is in WW II at that time. I wonder what happened to those letters.

One thing I love about reading her diary is seeing places she went to that I also know. For example, we went to the same high school. So when she talks about her school, I can imagine it quite nicely (she told me once that it hadn’t changed since she went there). The church where she played volleyball was only a block or two away from my elementary school and I passed it quite a bit. I expect the volleyball to come up again – she LOVED volleyball!

Also, funny note, I never knew my grandmother to be so into movies. TV wasn’t on when we went to visit her unless it was golf or bowling that she was watching. I don’t think my grandparents went to movies much when I was younger either. Maybe she got her fill in as a teenager 🙂