NOVEMBER 7

1939 Spent most of my day in the Edda office correcting tests - no fun. People kept rushing in and out - I'm lying here surrounded by blankets, hot w bottle, aspirin, Spence's ointment hoping to heat the flu. Georgia told me an unbelievable rumor about Wilma - I don't believe it + I wish G would keep quiet. 

1940 3:15 Well, I'm a much worse teacher than I was last year at this time. I may be wiser, but you'd never know it. Went to Don Cossack's. -- Disillusioned at dinner - Why did those damn women have to spoil things? - I guess Bob is really rotten -- Damn. 

1941 11:30 Egg Tempera -- Lunch w/ Wilbur + Emil. Music class -- painted a little - Got Chilson made up for a costume party. Knitted - All the time Leonard, Leonard, Leonard.

1942 12:30 (about) (Yeah, nuts to you) - Allies moved in on French possessions in Africa...the 2nd front... I didn't do so well today... too much Rawshia...inked a deal for Don put on 2 figgurs. OH FOO... I HATE ME.

1943

NOVEMBER 6

1939 Back to college! - I gave a test in Gen. Eng. at H.S. + then went to Auggie - accomplished nothing - except flutter around about Philo. Tonight carmeled apples, sweater -- open meeting. 

1940 Well, Marion this looks to me like a characteristically sloppy job of teaching to me... We are now so far behind the 8 ball, we'll never get on top... I should get very worried about it. But I don't. tsk. Bridge Club. Bore. Pineapple meringue... cold tonight. 

1941 Thurs Damn Leonard - can't get him off my mind! Spoils everything... Even Siberian singers - the Rawshin moosic just hurt because I knew he was near -

1942 Fri Damn him again - even if he was good enough to take me to the Siberian Singers... had another picnic after the program in the Club... And Bob (I don't know why he should irritate me so!) ... Gee, I wish I could have another date w/ Harley! 

1943

NOVEMBER 5

1939 Sunday - I was conscious only a small portion of the day - just long enough to eat + wash my face + fix my nails!

1940 Depressed, lonely, cold - all day today... Grey November... kicked out M. for the rest of the week. Felt good... Nat'l election... looks like Roosevelt's in again. Personally, it's okay with me.

1941 Wed Leonard went out with Marion -- the hag. Thought he had better taste -- Hope I have guts enough to take advantage of the next opportunity I have to talk w/ him. - DJ. + I went to Range in Heaven. 

1942 Thurs (Maybe he does, maybe he doesn't!) ... I was irritated for no good reason all day... But Leonard called, so I felt better. We went downtown - instead of going to the dance, we called on Don and had a picnic... we like him lots....

1943

NOVEMBER 4

1939 3:30! S.F.C. game (we won!) - Bob + Leo. + Donna + I rang the victory bell in Old Main then struggled over here where I made hamburgers and we ate + talked till now! -- I think Leonard is really attractive!

1940 10:30 ha ha ha ha (hysterically!) here I am going to bed again - tomorrow is just a BIG question mark... BUT I had such fun tonight. Harold FINALLY caught up with me --- after literally trailing me around the town... HOMECOMING date - went to Remsen + had a nice place all to ourselves...coke...danced... heavenly!

1941 Tues. Gr- o - a- n. Greek Architecture.  --- finished sleeve of my sweater. Eleanor's vacation is next week -- so no Chicago. 

1942 Wed 11:00 Hell! Even Basin Street was disgustin tonight [but not half as disgustin as you, babe!] Even by getting up at 10:00, I managed to get 3 Roosians on... Leonard made a pass at me when I was showing him the grill. I resisted!

1943

NOVEMBER 3

1939 Except for the test, I'm all through with my actual teaching- I really liked the kids... Last period Bob + Leonard traipsed in -- put an apple on my desk + stayed for class! -- They are such nuts -- took me down to the Palace afterwards - Bob took me to the lecture at school

1940 11:00 I seem to have absolutely no capacity for work! -- No ambition... No interest... Hope I get over this phase pretty soon... 4 weeks till Thanksgiving... Then three weeks until Christmas vacation... This is awful.. I shouldn't live for tomorrow; but for today... you're always disillusioned with that mechanism... rather nice day... slept till ten...church...dinner...picnic.. date with Freddie.. him I like... hope it is mootual.

1941 10:22 Thank goodness I don't have to count the days until vacation this yr.... Don't know if I'll be doing the job at Brookings or go to Chicago... Saw Sari tonight. Marj has a baby girl -- named it after Virginia -- I'm doing my damndest. 

1942 2:00 Whaddya know, I went to Jan Savitt with David's 'little" brother. He is very beautiful and has a lovely disposition* -- Unlike David. Mister Payne called this aft; I wonder if he thought about going -- nuts to him.)... *A little too affectionate, tho...

1943 10:30 Golly, where do the evenings go? I just wrote Jarv. + Leonard on my new blue "Love Letters" (only one of them was!) - Donna + I are certainly compatible... I'm trying to keep a jump + a half of Dorothy + it is a strain! Mother wrote - so sweet.

NOVEMBER 2

1939 And so to bed! - It still seems rather odd to be sleeping alone. - Eleanor has been gone 3 weeks now - She has a job she likes in a Real Estate office -- I'll die if she doesn't get home for Thurs. - Christmas. 

1940 3:00 Gee, really swell. Freddie is very attractive tall nice-looking - very sweet -- ! and asked me for a date tomorrow ! ! ! We went to a coupla nightclubs in Sioux City with Blanche + Allan. Fred knows his way around... Accomplished little today - Called Mother... Wish the pixies would correct those themes. 

1941 12:00 Well, in the next 10 days I'll see if I have any guts at all. - I'm determined (here we go again) to lose 10 pounds. Wrote letters, went to Honky Tonk (Wow) w/ DJ- Met Bob + Emil

1942 1:00 almost... And I've been up waiting for Wilbur (about time). Had a MARVELOUS letter from Don --- in NEW GUINEA. (Leonard didn't call!) started in the GRILL.

1943 11:30 Oh gosh, here's another night and I haven't written in here and caught up. Will I ever? - Wrote to my true love. I made market calls. Ate more than I intended to... Oh hell... Heard from Bill at Princeton. Oh Foo. 

NOVEMBER 1

1939 Wed. Everything was innocuous enough to-day. - I imagine teaching can become a bore. - Marg + her mother were over for dinner - Mother is always doing something unpremeditated like that --- that's what I admire in her so much -- 

     you said it!

1940 12:00 Most uneventful... wish I could have gone to game at Vermillion... or had a date to-night. (Eilers is supposed to take me to H.C. Dance tomorrow - finally - a date - hope its good)

1941 2:30 Went to Citizen Kane @ w/ Emil - Both puzzle me slightly. But I don't seem to care. - Wore myself out down town. Dad had to go to the hospital last night.

1942 12:30 Wilber phoned me today from Arkansas. (Gee, I'm a heel for not writing) he's in O.C's... Went out with Mr. Ira -- was singularly unimpressed but evidently it wasn't mootual...saw Lober + Lauderstien in the Java Room... They + Leonard + John had a Halloween Party - ha - too late to call. 

1943

OCTOBER 31

1939 I gave it to my 1st period class- they were quite floored. - it was so effective I was just looking for the opportunity to use it on my aft. classes. - But they must have had a hunch they were so quiet. 

3 days + I'm through.

1940 SHUCKS, honey, we might just as well go to bed... (I'll never get those damn papers corrected anyhow.) ----- A very uneventful day - very ordinary - Gee, only 4 weeks until Thanksgiving. Then only 3 wks until Christmas + oh joy 2 weeks of vacation ! ! ! ! !

1941 Gee, you're a dope -- Hell, I don't ever have adult control over my own mind -- Is the whole year going to be an epoch of frustration?

1942 Saturday Night 12:00 -- And me withoutta date - hell. Wonder if Bob's stopping in this morning irritated Leonard. I hope so, now! Blegen cracked my back -- my! --- Designed menus, did little fella in the lobby.- 

1943

OCTOBER 30

1939 (I smell nauseatingly of "Candy Soap") - My classes got a little rugged to-day. - If they show any more of the same stuff tomorrow... I don't believe H.S. seniors should have to be nagged at. I refuse to do it. (We gave Columbus to-night)

1940 Utterly nauseated with myself.

1941 I succeeded in not only up-setting myself, but Leonard, too. I'm certainly sick of platonics---

Damn Damn Damn

1942 Fri Another of the same...mild frustration. Disgusted w/ myself. Weak character no decision, no spunk...Saw " in the movies...not too bad...tried to get the menus designed...Mother + Dad + I went to The Glass Key...Augie beat N.O.--19-0.

1943 Sat. Most of the day in bed for me...nghaa.

OCTOBER 29

1939 All day, we expected a "special" from E. telling us what her job was- but no letter --- (we got a telegram yesterday) - Sary + I saw Bette Davis in "The Old Maid"- (God, I hope I'm not going to be one!) 

Is it possible-another Sunday gone?

1940 11:00 At least ---a start. If only I'd do this every night I wouldn't be in such a mess! --- I think I am a lousy teacher --- I cannot develope the kind of a class attitude I want --- I hope I do not get so bad that I let them walk all over me - Fraid I've got a good start ---Wish some of those men would materialize

1941 Wed We all went to Male Animal - very mediocre -- I'd like to play in Ladies In Retirement. 

I think I'm the psychopathic type ! ! ! ! !

1942 (yeah, I still think so) ... Gee, I shoulda stayed home tonight! -- but I didn't- Thur. I shouldn't have gone down to Lok's with John + Leonard!- But I did... It was misty. I was un conscious. 

1943

OCTOBER 28

1939 Sat.- The wasted luxury of holidays! I could have accomplished so much I did so little---just got myself clean--- I feel too warm, too bloated, 

too "soapy"---and faintly utterly nauseated with myself!

1940 11:00 Geez---It looks like that that papers is not going to get my attention---When am I going to start pouring it on?---struggled through Monday--- 4 to go, now...Letter fr. Jo--- she has written to Leonard--- Just as I though...migosh, what did she say? Afraid I don't care---Harley took me for a ride---   tsk, tsk

1941 Tues Mother + I went to the movies--(I can look at Robt. Montgomery + not be reminded of Frederic) Saw John at C. Theater this aft. ----he still disturbs me.

1942 Wed  Leonard and I went over to Cliff + Maureen's tonight --- and 50 other people, too... They are spunky little kids! Have 1 more panel... Maybe I'll do the waitresses uniforms! 

I love Leonard more deeply and more quietly...

1943

OCTOBER 27

1939 11:35 I really can say now I like Pr. Teaching- I'm crazy about the youngsters...Secretly, I was quite flattered when one of the boys- Jim- asked me for a date- 

1 of them wrote a theme 1 on why I dislike Pr. teachers! Saw Civic Theater play "The Tavern"- a little on the corny side, I thought.

1940 10:30 Inevitably, here I am back again. I sure hope eventually I can get so I look forward to coming back to my job. But not right now, I'm afraid! - Pried my eyes open this a.m. to have breakfast with family and Wilma- I almost went back to bed when they insisted on talking politics!- Slept intermittently all day...ate...so to bed.

1941 Mon God, faculty dinner. Lillian + I rustled around in the country after prairie grass + pumpkins + corn. -- - tables looked okay                    Emil came home with me                 hung pitchers

1942 Tues One and a half on today... My back gets tired, painting...Leonard started on the lettering...I love working with him. Washed my hair and wrote to R. H'wd #. 

Wilmer and Eleanor irritate me-----

1943

OCTOBER 26

1939 Day of teaching went quite smoothly, for a change. I am crazy about the kids. One night I am home for a ch.

1940 1:30 Well, went to Brookings...Wilmer took me down...Ray's ride didn't materialize...poor Hunk was nearly crushed when State lost their game to the "U"... I must break off with him. He likes me too well; and I don't like that. If he could just keep being "friends"...Ditched dance, came back with Kenny + Marg---gee, good to see...Wilma is here.

1941 Sun gee, I wish I had another one to spend. Dark + Gloomy. Mixed paint & worked on "Male Animal" set this aft...DJ + I + Clara went to a lect.--I heard all about Sid's "past"

1942 Mon Painted this morning---are in this afternoon. 4 Mister Williams wants me to "plagiarize" some letter-heads for him...Enlarged sketches...D.J. came by for a coke. She has a ring from Larry!

1943