OCTOBER 15

1939 1:30 Inevitably tomorrow brings reality + its immediate problems – Managed to make the Philo-Web alumnae breakfast. Came home + slept till time for tea. – Wore my formal for last time for awhile – I hope. Went out for a picnic – Donna + I talked till 1:30. I like her so much!

1940 11:00 Well, I lasted. Went pretty good… Is this all going to be “clawing up a cliff” like this? – God, I hope not. – I feel like it would be a good deal if they would let me snooker out between semesters if that job works out in Minneapolis – Gee, I wish it would! – Grades recorded tonight – What a mess!

1941 Wed Creative Wr. – Krause got off on a tangent. Wilber + Emil insisted on walking all the home w/ me.

1942 THURS

1943 FRI I WENT TO THE PROM ON THE Prairie State WITH VIC… IT RILLY NICE… GEE, THOSE BOYS LOOKED SO CLEAN, SO YOUNG, SO good. I FEEL POOHED OUR… VIC GOT OUT OF WEEK-END WATCH BY TELLING THE C.O. THAT “HIS GIRL WAS COMING FROM SOUTH DAKOTA!” IMAGINE… AND, WHAT’S MORE, I WAS INTRODUCED TO HIM IN THAT CAPACITY! MY FEET ARE A MESS. HEARD FROM KRIK.

OCTOBER 1

1939 Sun. And I swore I would never spend another Sunday like this one! – The moon came up yellow and full. It didn’t hurt so badly when it got higher + was paler. –

1940 12:30 MY GOLLY, HERE I’M NOT THROUGH CORRECTING THOSE DAMN TESTS YET… I’LL NEVER GET CAUGHT UP! – A VISIT FROM MR. C. TODAY. I WAS OVERRUN WITH FEARS + TREPIDATIONS! – BUT ALL WAS OKAY… LANDED IN MLLE AGAIN. LOOKED PRETTY GOOD… TODAY WAS PRETTY SUCCESSFUL FOR A CHANGE!

1941 (Mlle, this year, is without me.) – It looks as if I will have enough time this year to really make something of myself! – (Can I do it?) Went to Cr. Wr. – Emil, Bill Wilbur + I went to Looks – fun

1942 THURS LEONARD AND JOHN AND BOB CAME BY TONIGHT AND TOOK ME DOWN TO Look’s WITH THEM… WE ABSORBED BOB BERG and BOB RIEF, too… LEONARD GOT QUITE A SHOCK, I GUESS; DIDN’T SUSPECT I KNEW ANY “RIVAL” MATERIAL! WE TALKED and TALKED – Hemingway + hunger + company

1943 FRI OH GOD, HERE WE GO AGAIN! – PART OF HIM I LOATHE, PART I LIKE… I HOPE SOME REAL ISSUE ARISES THAT WE DIFFER UPON… WE SAW “TOMORROW THE WORLD” AND WENT DOWN TO THE VANGUARD… GAVE SOME MORE BLOOD TO THE RED CROSS. BOUGHT JOHN’S GIFT, FINALLY. ACCOMPLISHED A LITTLE. SAW VIC FOR A WHILE. Heard from Mother + Leonard.

SEPTEMBER 10

1939 SUN I went to church this morning (I’m going to go all the time) – Sari + I went bike riding I wore my new slacks – Saw Leonard. – Was over to Marjorie’s to-night.

1940 11:30 B-R-R-R – really turning cold – Gee, no “in between” weather at all… It seems like every minute in the day is filled for me – at school by 8:00 – till 6:00 – study from 8:30 – 11:30 – I bet I’ll get sick of this grind… I wonder if Jo + Bob + L will come tomorrow?

1941 Wed Registration… Emil’s here. Met Wilbur Haare…

1942 THURS (WHO’S AT THE HEAD of HIS CLASS IN MB. CORPS) WELL, I CAN WRITE radio SCRIPT IF I PLEASE MR. Witmer WITH SOME SAMPLE STUFF; (MIGOSH… COULD I TURN OUT one A DAY?) … HE HAD ME RE-WRITE ONE of HIS! – IT WAS A STRAIN… MISSED MY BUS… WILL RIDE HOME WITH A Ms. C… WAS IN A BLACKOUT… LONESOME

1943 FRI Spitznagels took us to dinner… a very fine meal. Then we saw Ren + family. The Eides… it was good. We drove out to Elmwood. There was music in the night… Time did not exist for us. We know one another well.

JULY 21

1939 Went on a lousy picnic out at Gitchemoaton- Everything was perfect except my mood. Phooey on all men!

(I found out after I got home some-one had called – Eleanor said it wasn’t Ray!)

1940 12:45 Sunday – a wash-out, if I ever saw one… Bill + I went swimming over at Drake – Too many people – water shy warm… Went to a foul show tonight (Safari) I had a feeling Bill was utterly mechanical

1941 Mon Feel slightly ill… But okay mentally, for once… Got through my lines ok at dress rehearsal – Afraid next week is going to be a dull one… Sewed eyes, drew a portrait of “Lady Bartock” for sets –

1942 TUES WILBER HAS GONE… DAMN… WOULD LIKE to HAVE SEEN HIM alone… BUT PEOPLE STARTED COMING OVER… SHIRLEE, first. THEN BOB H. and BILL THEN JOHN + WILBER. Mother MADE SOME COOKIES. WE WENT after ICE CREAM… HAAKENSON surprised ME, RILLY… ESPECIALLY AFTER our TRIP TO 2^nd ISLAND

1943 WED I’M DEAD… I WENT SWIMMING. THIS TIME WITH NOT SUCH DRASTIC RESULTS… DOTTIE and CONNIE ARE fun, RATHER. WILMER WROTE A SWEET LETTER. (WHO IS MR. PHILIPS?) … MRS. STOTE IRKED ME. BUT I WROTE THE DAMN THING OVER. SHE CAN’T BEAR TO MAKE A MISTAKE! BILL HAS GONE!

JULY 19

1939 Wed Nessa ragged me all day about my Mon. night experience in the backseat – I’m still having no serious pangs of conscience – tonight I went to Denis’s Concert – Ray’s suggestion (he was selling tickets) And who should sit beside me but Leonard – (I hope Ray saw him!)

1940 Well I hope I fixed Spence… We drove up to Luvesne – I was perfectly okay except I only said about 3 words all evening. – If he calls again, I swear I’m not going out with him… I saw a light in Bill’s window when we went by.

1941 ? Well, Jim certainly doesn’t waste any time… I suppose he figured he might as well play for the highest stakes… I was surprised – Just naïve, I guess. After the show we went down to White House. Sat on the beach – breezy – dark – swell.

1942 SUN WE WERE OVER TO DINNER AT Bryant's this AFTERNOON. D.J. and I SUN-BATHED, LATER. THEN WENT OUT TO THE COTTAGE AFTER A COKE. JOHN + WILBER TOOK THE HARDERS’ TESTS over THERE – THEY CAME HOME w/ ME. DAVE WAS OVER AT 11:00 (I’D JUST GOTTEN UP – TO SEE IF I HADN’T RELENTED!)

1943 MON LEONARD WRITES THAT HE’S BEEN ACCEPTED FOR A S.TP. – WON’T GO – BECAUSE OF EMINENCE OF SHIPPING + CONSEQUENT FREEZING of PERSONNEL… IT ISN’T RIGHT… DAMN… I FEEL BEATEN… ELEANOR AND I WENT TO “MORE THE MERRIER”… I COULDN’T CONCENTRATE…

 

JULY 11

1939 Marg is going back to the Hills in the morning – she wanted me to go back with them – But I guess I’d better stick to my job – Nessa + Sara + Marg + I ate hamburgers, potato salad – cantoloupe, sundaes in back yard and tonight Saw R. over swimming today

1940 This is killling me (but I love it) they all 3 called tonight! – Bill, the rat, about 8:30 – expecting me to go out with him then – Hunk came in during the conversation – I told Bill to call up his girlfriend of Monday.

1941 (Gee, the moon is perfect tonight… I wonder if Leonard misses me at all? - ) Slept until 10:30 this morning – Washed my hair (at last) Mike + I scrubbed our floor + rehearsed this aft. – broadcast a play tonight – “What a Life”, indeed!

1942 SAT PICNIC… WITH BOB BERG and JOHN and WILBER and BETTY Hervig + D.J. + BILL + Shirlee… WE WENT ON TOP of CACTUS – IT WAS CLEAR and BEAUTIFUL – and MADE ME ACHE FOR LEONARD. D.J. and I PLAYED TENNIS w/ JOHN + WILBER. IT WAS HORRIBLY hot!

1943 SUN There is a vague unrest, an uneasiness within me…! I’m restless, resentfull. What is the matter? – Got up + made French Toast this morning. Went to the Museum. Wore my dress. It’s tight.

JULY 9

1939 Sunday 11:00 – Eleanor + I went swimming about 1:00 – (I seem to be making no impression on D.Richards) tonight Nessa + Terry + I went to D.R.

1940 10:00 Well Mr. Clements explain your way out of this one! – I saw you out with another woman! – And I’m so heart-broken – Don’t you wish I were… I’d like a date w/ Hans. Played tennis w/ Donna

1941 Wed. Gee, I’m a heel – Didn’t even send Wilmer a wire – Well, I’m a pregnant menial in Geo. W. slept Here... tsk, tsk, hope I’m not typed! Our show went perfectly tonight – wonderful audience. I’m just as glad I’m not in Stage Door – Wish I could have one good part before I go home. – Gee, the moon’s perfect.

1942 THURS 12:30 WILBER and JOHN, DJ + I just BRUSHED off A PICNIC of BEER… I SHOULD DO THIS MORE OFTEN! Wonderful! – WILBER IS A SWEET KEED… IT WAS Bill’s BIRTHDAY… FRIED chicken + ANGEL-FOOD cake. I PUT MY HAIR OOP + BOUGHT THE Blue SHOES.

JULY 8

1939 11:30 Just as I was beginning to wonder if something had happened Mr. S. brought me my $75 check – I still can hardly believe it –

1940 11:45 Mon There I go asking for trouble, again. – Bill called up – we were going for a “30 min” ride – turned out to be a 2 hr one… We talked about hypnosis + mental stuff most of the time I must “crystallize” my ideas a little,  I guess

1941 Tues First experience trooping – well, it is an experience! – We played to a packed house at C. … Charming Cape-Codish town.. Tryouts tomorrow. Wish I’d hear from Leonard. Looks like I’ll have to rely on Cole

1942 WED DON’T KNOW WHY I SHOULD BE SO OWLY – WAS THO! BUT NOT WHEN WE WERE DANCING TO THOSE KEEN Basin Street RECORDS of course JOHN + WILBER DID COME OVER SO WE COULDN’T BE ALONE… OH WELL, OH HELL.

1943 THURS Ah yi, I nearly knocked myself out shopping. Ugh. Too many peepul. Bought gifts for Clara + Shirley + a cotton slip. A gruesome dinner in Macy’s basement

JULY 6

1939 This morning Pal awakened me for the last time… He was hit by a car about 7:00 – It was better that he should not have to go through recuperating from a broken paw – he was so old… a part of my life for 15 years – I’m getting pretty bored w/ merely books for company.

1940 2:00 Did some catching up with a phase of my career that I missed when I was young Gee, I had fun… I seem to have made an impression on Hunk… He wants to take me to Lawrence Welk the 8^th – L?) And  - I had fun dancing with Don Forney – attractive brat.

1941 SUN BEACH… BURNED.. BATH; DINNER… REHEARSAL… TALKED WITH DON BUCK… SAID G’B TO MR. WALDRON… MIKE + I WENT WALKING… SANG… CHILLY

1942 11:15 MON LAST WEEK of TEACHING Summer school – (NOW I’LL HAVE TO START THINKING about WHAT I’M GOING TO DO… ) PLAYED 2 SETS of TENNIS w/ WILBER. (HE BEAT ME, of COURSE!) – SHIRLEY HANSON had A PICNIC… NATURALLY, Leonard WOULD WANT TO TAKE ME TO DINNER TONIGHT.

1943 TUES Mrs. Stote, pink + grey, had her purse snatched… I didn’t do much today. No short stories, thank goodness… We couldn’t find Sully’s bag! I was dead + expired on the davenport

 

JUNE 29

1939 Thursday 10:00 Eleanor is home! I’m so very glad she didn’t stay in Chicago. I worked out at school most of the day. E + Mother + I went to a show.

1940 1:30 Saturday.. For an ecstatic moment I was really happy this morning – Folks had a party for anniversary – Clara upset me completely again… I no sooner get Leonard off my mind than something happens again! He told her he was going to the Hospital Monday - + not to tell me… I know I must quit worrying!

1941 MIKE + I SLEPT UNTIL 11 THIS MORNING BEST PART OF THE DAY WAS TURKEY FOR DINNER… (THE REHEARSAL OF SORORITY HOUSE HAD AN ORDER VERY SIMILAR) WROTE LETTERS – SAW HENRY! – DAMN.

1942 MON WOULD LIKE TO HAVE KISSED WILBER g’bye. HE’S SO DARN SWEET… I NEVER WANT TO SEE HIM, IF THE ARMY TAKES ANY of THAT away. LEONARD DIDN’T go TO RAPID CITY… THANK GOD. I ACTED LIKE A NIT-WIT ALL DAY TODAY… WENT AROUND ASKING FOOLISH QUESTIONS.

1943 TUES By some mechanism that takes care of those things, I’m adapting myself to the thought of not seeing Leonard – for a while, anyhow. Herman came over + went to the show with Sully + me. It rained, thank God as we came back.