12/21-12/27/47

12/21 Sunday Eight hours all overtime. M. [sic] Gallegos was elected President of Venezuela. The C.P. got 20,000 votes.

12/22 Lillian went to Alexander's for the Monday sale. She got Sylvia a coat with hood $13. Also gloves and a belt for me and a belt for herself. McManus and Ryan of the N.Y. Newspaper Guild were defeated as the right wing won an election. Mark Hellinger dead at 44. 4 hrs. O.T.

12/23 Eugene had a party at school. He brought candy and will ask these riddles. What has four eyes (i's) and can't see? Mississippi. What tree grows on an animal's back? Fir. What month has 28 days? All of them. What shoe is put on last? The one that's left. Sylvia knows them also. Molly was over yesterday to write the invitations for Shirley's shower. She brought Sylvia a toaster set and Eugene a snap 'em and score 'em game. Sec'y of Agriculture Anderson published the names of several hundred big traders and speculaters [sic] in grain and cotton. The Friendship Train packed with food was warmly welcomed in France. The new Italian Constitution was inaugurated amid the cheers of all parties. The Labor Party opened an attack against the British C.P. as a disruption. Three German industrialists received sentences up to seven years in prison. 4 hrs. O.T.

12/24 DEAR MOTHER AND FATHER I LOVE YOU VERY MUCH SYLVIA. I am now in 3A. My teacher is Mrs. Gerhold. I am the leader of group 1 in Arithmetic. Eugene [see scanned-in page] Lillian got the kids a "speedway" sled - $4.50, After lunch we went "belly-flopping" as Sylvia called it. The kids went down together and once I went down on top of them. Last night Norma G. had supper with Sylvia here which delighted them both no end. More Greek Anti-fascists were executed. UN correspondents for a Greek and Indian Communist paper were released by protests of UN Sec'y Gen'l Lee and others after a brief detention at Ellis Island. They had been legally accredited to the UN. Lillian read "Cass Timberlane

After he started that last, he probably remembered that he'd already covered that and crossed it out.  And he apparently let both Silvia and myself write in the diary, this time.

12/25 Christmas We went to Lillian's for a party. Mom, Pop, the Beckers, Edelsteins there. We gave Barbara "Bozo the Clown" and Susan a broom set and pull toy, also candy. Sylvia got pyjamas and a handkerchief set and Eugene shirt and tie. Sister Lillian didn't feel well due to her condition putting a damper on the party. Panama Assembly voted unanimously to refuse bases to us and we will withdraw all our garrisons. Greek guerrillas in the mountains announced the formation of a free gov't under Markos Vafiades. Students fought back against their persecuters [sic] with the formation of the Intercollegiate Academic Freedom Comm. The kids got their Christmas presents from the Kreislers. Sylvia got a plastic garden set and Eugene a beautiful "Tom Sawyer" later exchanged for "Robinson Crusoe" [the last phrase was added in between the lines]. We got Barracini's chocolates. Lillian read"B.F.'s Daughter" by J. P. Marquand M. Berger's "Eight Million" and Best Amer. Short Stories of '46 edited by M. Foley.

12/26 The kids went up to the Singers and got some knick-knacks then all four played here. More than a score of Arabs and Jews were killed in Christmas fighting in Palestine. 500 were rounded up and jailed in Athens as Communist sympathizers.

12/27 The kids had a snowball fight in the yard. The greatest snow storm in New York's history started Friday morning about 5 AM and ended Saturday morning about 2 AM. The total fall about 26 (25.8) [this latter number was inserted in black ink above the 26] inches topped '88's 20.9 inches  All traffic was halted as cars trucks and busses were stuck throughout the streets. Lillian went down 7:30 AM to get milk being sold from wagons in the street. She got three quarts at a grocery at the regular price but paid 25¢ a quart at a Sheffield truck and was asked 50¢ a quart at an independent truck which she of course turned down. She accumulated seven quarts of milk. 
 [newspaper clipping inserted here; see scanned-in page]

 Bobby Riggs defeated Jackie Kramer before 15,000 in the Garden 6-2, 10-8, 4-6, 6-2 to retain his professional hegemony. The record gate was $56,730. (5 hrs. with pay)
[see second scanned-in page with pictures of the snow]  

I remember walking with Dad, after the storm, on the sidewalk on Kingsbridge Road, near Aqueduct Ave., between what seemed like two walls of snow, which I could see over the top of, but not by much!