7/25-7/31

7/25 Sunday All the kids attended Arthur's 7th birthday party. Sylvia won a bubble water set. Eugene won a yo-yo in a "Simple Simon Says" contest. Later Eugene had another fight with Glenn and had an emotional upset. This was due to the fact that he doesn't want to fight this way - hands behind backs and bumping each other with bodies - but doesn't want to back out.

7/26 Eugene and I went berry picking and got lost in the woods where we wandered for an hour before we came out on the road a mile from our house. Later Abe Friedman called for us and Ev & Isabel taking us to his bungalow at Swan Lake for supper.

Between this entry and the next, he pasted in a baseball box score, scanned in below; the reason is left as an exercise to the reader. Hint - see the number he circled. Interestingly, the game was actually a week earlier; July 18.  

7/27 Sylvia has been very changeable in her moods. She is generally very uncertain in the morning then begins to warm up and plays about without our supervision. At night Lillian and I walked up to the Capitol Mansion Hotel. It is frequented by elderly Jewish people.

7/28 Sylvia made a big scene as Lillian went to Liberty to shop this morning. However after she was diverted she was O.K. Truman asked an end to inflation at the special session of Congress. He asked action on wages and prices, civil rights, housing, rent control, minimum wages and D.P. Quotas. The Greek gov't offensive was stalled and the general replaced. New French Premier Andre Marie was installed. Christian Dem. labor leaders were expelled from the Italian Labor Fed. on the issue of the gen'l strike following the Togliatti shooting. Susan Glaspell is dead at 66 and Joe Tinker at 68. An explosion in a Farben plant in Germany killed 300.

7/29 I played around with about ten of the children in the place. Eugene later during our shower told me much about "Superman". When I asked him whether he thought Superman was real he said "of course not".

7/30 Eugene's legs and arms are full of bruises covered with band aids. He has learned to bat pretty well. The Senate is filibustering the Anti Poll Tax bill.

7/31 Eugene hit the tough youngster of the place Arthur who fell squaling. Sylvia asked me to say a. b. c. then she finished "Pull up your pants and let me see". Who taught her this? Arthur.

This is the last dated entry in Book III. The next entry will be the "Index" to Book III.

7/18-7/24/48

7/18 Sunday Went to Walton with Eugene. Lillian and Sylvia, out for the first time, joined us there. I hit some with Lillian, she playing for the first time in years, but doing very well. Sylvia is rather thin having lost 4 or 5 pounds during her illness. Eugene heard "Joan of Arc" on "Tell It Again".

7/19 Lillian took Sylvia to Dr. Holzman for a final check-up. He said she was in good shape but prescribed some iron. Arabs and Jews agreed to another UN truce in Palestine. Left wingers have been swept out of office in N.M.U. elections. Max Bedacht was unseated as a delgate to the N.J.C.P. Convention. He has taken to "leftist" sectarian position on the Party leadership and the Wallace movement.

7/20 We left by bus for Feiner's Farm this morning in Ferndale, NY. We are paying $185 plus $3 per week for use of the refrigerator. The French Gov't fell over the arms budget. A Jap. C.P. leader was wounded by a crude bomb. Czecho. arrested 79 persons on charges of conspiring with the U.S. against their country. Stocks made the greatest drop in two years - 2 billion dollars. Peggy was born at 6 PM at Leff Sanitarium. She weighed 7 lbs. 11 oz. 

7/21 We picked berries. Twelve C.P. leaders were indicted under the Smith Act for consipiring to overthrow the gov't. Tito defied the Cominform at the Yugo. C.P. Convention. 

7/22 Eugene skipped lunch and supper as he didn't feel well. Lillian brought him a sheriff's badge, spurs and bandana when she got back from shopping in Liberty. He paraded around in the outfit. Sylvia got a celluloid doll which she kept in her plastic cup and was delighted all day with it. 

7/23 Eugene played Kings on the checkerboard with Bernie and Eddie. Also his baseball game. The Progressive Party opened its convention at Shibe Park. A 'Vet' 'bombed' UN headquarters with a "peace" note. Shipyard and Ford workers got 13¢ an hour raises. DW Griffith died at 73. 

7/24 Played baseball with the kids. Eugene and Isabel played 'mystery' all morning.

7/11-7/17/48

7/11 Sunday Played a chess game with Eugene which I left unfinished went I went to play B. Fellman losing to him. When I returned to Eugene he announced that I couldn't stop mate. Later I played with Eugene at Walton. Sylvia's temp was under 100° all day. She does a lot of coughing. When Eugene propounded a riddle to Sylvia and me "What nut doesn't grow." Sylvia guessed a "dough-nut". Eugene heard Baron Munchausen on "Tell It Again".

7/12 Won two out of three chess games from Eugene on the St. James grass. The kids later played "go fish" which was Sylvia's preference as she won when they chose. The Jewish Army won the biggest battle of the war capturing two towns. The Newspaper Guild left the City C.I.O. Council.

 7/13 Sylvia was up most of the night with a pain in her ear which she called her cheek. Dr.Holzman came at 4 PM. It was an inflamed ear. She got another shot of penicillin. Her temp was under 100°. She also got ear drops, argyrol in the nose. No aspirin. Eugene spent the afternoon at his school's indoor playground. He played a game in which a checker is hit through a hole in a board using a small stick. As the Democratic convention nears, Presidential possibilities besides Truman are Douglas, Pepper, Gov. Laney of Ark. Seymour Stedman is dead at 76.

Dad seems to be describing "nok hockey", which I remember playing regularly at the St. James park playground; perhaps it wasn't there yet.  

7/14 Sylvia normal and feeling fine today. Played tennis and chess with Eugene. His slogan these days is ""Heigh-ho Silver" as he starts to run. He made an Electric well driver. Jews seized Jerusalem's water supply. The Democratic Convention recognized the S. Car. white primary, called illegal by the Supreme Court. The A.L. All stars beat the N.L. 5-2 for the eleventh victory in fifteen years. Yankee pitcher Raschi started. Sam and Molly came over bringing some fairy tales and Mama brought "Jugglehead" a head with magnetized eyes, ears, noses etc.
 
Just looked up "Jugglehead"; a book says it was first issued in 1953. Inferior research, apparently. 

7/15 Sylvia was normal all day. I beat Schinesi and played some with Eugene. Also split four chess games with him during the day. Lillian went out in the evening ... Togliatti was seriously wounded by a 25 year old assassin, Antonio Pallante who fired three shots into him, one entering his chest. Strikes, riots, demonstrations and shooting followed in a dozen cities. Truman and Barkley were nominated on the first ballot as delegates from two Southern states walked out in protest against a strong civil rights plank. Russia blamed the Berlin crisis on the revaluation of the currency and setting up of a separate state by the Allied powers.

7/16 Sylvia fine. The kids played they were a couple entertaining guests. In the park I beat Karl B. while Eugene lost a chess game to him. Thousands picketed Gimbels in protest against the conspiracy of dept. store owners and Congress to smash the Union. Truman called a special session July 26. Greek guerrillas won victories over gov't troops in the Grammos mountains. The UN ordered a new truce in Palestine. Many progressives were arrested in Turkey. Condon was finally cleared by the US Atomic Energy Comm. Gen. Pershing died at 87.

7/17 Sylvia was out of bed today and looking very cute. I beat B. Fellman, Eugene standing behind the fence as usual. Steel companies gave 13¢ per hour raises but plan to raise the price of steel. A big managerial shakeup saw Leo Durocher replace Mel Ott as Giant pilot. Bert Shotton replaced Durocher as Dodger manager. Dusty Cooke replaced Ben Chapman as Philly boss.

I do remember watching Dad play tennis while I stood behind, outside the fence around the courts.

7/4-7/10/48

7/4 Sunday Sylvia temp still normal and no sign of measles yet. Eugene and I over to Clinton Walton for a little tennis. Later he heard "The Man Without A Country" on "Tell It Again". Sylvia's temp. rose to 101° tonight. Sensational young Bobby Falkenburg won the Wimbledon tournament over Jack Bromwich of Australia 7-5,0-6,6-2,3-6,7-5. Louise Brough won the Womens' title over Doris Hart 6-3,8-6. Bromwich & Jack Frank Sedgman won the Mens' Doubles over Mulloy and Tim Brown 5-7,7-5,7-5,9-7. Bromwich & Brough won the mixed doubles over Sedgman & Hart 6-2,3-6,6-3.

7-5 Sylvia's temp was 100° in the morning and 100 1/2° at night. She sneezed coughed and rubbed her eyes a little bit but was quite lively during the day. Poor Eugene is stuck in all afternoon. Our household things are in Ferndale and we are desolate. Count Bernadotte's peace proposals include cession of the Negev and Jerusalem to the Arabs. Hague switched to Eisenhower. Negro catcher Campanella is sensational in his debut with the Dodgers.

We are "desolate" because, as will eventually be seen, we are going to a place in Ferndale in the Catskills for the summer; details when Sylvia recovers.

7/6 With Sylvia's temp. rising we had Dr. Holzman come and he diagnosed measles. He ordered inhalations, Boric Acid solution in the eyes, cheracol, darken the room, fluids, ..., 10% argyrol in eyes. I spent the day with Eugene outside playing tennis with him and a game of chess. Union leader Alex Balint is dead at 36 and Carol Landis is a suicide at 29. I met the Alberts at Molly's and found them very nice. Finnish elections saw the left-wing Popular Dems. lose fifteen seats. They dropped from the first to the third party with 36 seats.

7/7 Sylvia's temp reached its peak with 105° in the afternoon, the rash breaking out on the face. She was very adorable. She kept repeating "popick". Played tennis with Eugene at Walton and beat Camille at St. James. I split chess games with Eugene and he split four games with a man at St. James. Russia refused to attend the Yugoslav C.P. convention because Yugo. had not attended the Cominform meeting. Many miners struck for a union shop. Eisenhower still refuses to succumb to the draft for the presidential nomination. 

7/8 Sylvia averaged 103° today. The rash broke out over the whole body. She's been eating practically nothing. Played with Eugene at Walton and beat Levy at St. James. Also won a chess game from Eugene at St. James. Eugene showed card tricks tonight. Three left wing local 65 leaders at a "House" labor Comm. hearing refused to answer questions about their political affiliations. They were Osman, Letz & Livingston. The Sokol Congress in Czecho. demonstrated for Benes and refused to cheer for Gottwald. Marchers were dispersed by the police. Satchell [sic] Paige, 40 year old Negro pitching star was signed by the Indians.

7/9 Sylvia's temp. ranged from 100° to 102°. Her rash is disappearing and she acts more naturally. Beat Camille and Bruhns in the morning and lost to Schinesi in the afternoon. Played some tennis with Eugene at Walton and he showed improvement. He also played some chess with Bruhns (Karl) and Camille. More left wing Union leaders including Paley, Bill Michelson and Sam Lewis refused to answer political questions at the inquisition, and were ejected from the hearings. British troops are murdering Malayan workers. Arabs refusing to extend the truce attacked Jews at Tel Aviv. MacLeish headed a large comm. to fight the "Nation" ban.

7/10 Sylvia's temp was under 100° today till 6 PM when it suddenly rose to 103°. Lillian called Dr. Seltzer who said she had congested lungs. He gave her a shot of penicillin. Later Sylvia became delirious. ... She also "saw" Eugene, leaves in Lillian's eyes, etc. Lillian called me to come home from work as she was burning up. Later the penicillin took effect and she cooled off. Played some with Eugene at Walton. Later he won commendation in a chess game with Paul Ellis.                               

6/27-7/3/48

6/27 Sunday Eugene heard "Michael Strogoff" over "Tell It Again". Lost another chess game to him although we hadn't' practised [sic] for weeks. He made a gantry crane with the erector set playing house at the same time with Sylvia the mother and he a child. Young Swedish start Lennart Bergelin upset Frankie Parker to reach the Wimbledon quarters in a tough 5 set match. Read Maugham's "Cakes and Ale".

6/28 Sylvia wasn't allowed to go out this morning but made a dozen sorties to the door threatening to go out. Eugene complained of a belly-ache at lunch-time.

6/29 Sylvia wanted to know if you grow if you eat when you're dead. When told you don't eat when dead, she said "Suppose you don't know you're dead". The Cominform severely criticized the leadership of the Yugoslav C.P., particularly Tito, Kardelz, Rankovic and Djilas for departing from Marxist principles, taking anti-Soviet positions, currying favor with imperialism. The party had refused to participate in the recent Cominform meeting. Russia permitted food to enter Berlin after closing the boundary to all surface traffic on June 19. Hundreds died in Japanese earthquakes and tidal waves. 

6/30 Eugene got all A's and S's with an 'improving' in penmanship. He will enter the fourth year. He likes to make up and guess riddles. Sylvia refused to go to the park with me this morning where I played with the girls - Sylvia, Louise and Chloe. Eugene drew for vacation books "The Golden Fleece And The Heroes Who Lived before Achilles" by Padraic Colum. "Alice in Orchestralia" by E. La Prade. "Winter Holiday" by A. Ransome "Caddie Woodlawn" by C.R. Brink "Blackfeet Indian Stories" by G.B. Grinell. "The Prince and the Pauper" - Mark Twain. Sylvia applied for a card printing her name three times. She drew three stories from the Russian by Marshak. "Small Rain" - Verses from the Bible J.O. Jones. "Katy No-Pocket" by E. Payne and "Ambrose Kangaroo" by E. Macintyre. The Yugoslav C.P. rejected the Cominform criticism and asked for mutual confidence. There have been 11000 casualties in the Japanese earthquake. Cooks' Union official A. Suisi was arrested for deportation. A new left wing labor federation was launched in Mexico to replace the C.T.M. 

7/1 Eugene brought home some leaves in order to find out in the Book of Kn. what kind they were. Sylvia stayed with him in the park while I went to the bank, after much persuasion. We began to pay a 10¢ fare today. Tito called for a Balkan federation consisting of Yugo. Albania & Bulgaria. Dept. Store owners appeared before Congress to ask for help in breaking unions led by left-wingers. Eugene's weight 64 lbs. Height 4 ft 5 1/2 in. Sylvia's weight 53 lb. ht. 3 ft. 10 1/2 in. 

7/2 Sylvia beat Eugene at "hit the penny". Later they started measuring books, rugs, halls, etc. The Czech S.D. party was merged into the C.P. Russia withdrew from the Berlin 4-power Kommandatura. Italian left wing socialists voted to take a position midway between proposals to continue the alliance with the C.P. and to split with them. Tito is isolated with Albania and Bulgaria supporting the Cominform's criticism. Mayor O'Dwyer moved to purge all supporters of Judge Valente and set up a group to fight "Tammany".

Although he says nothing about it in the text, this entry has a box score pasted in, of a no-hitter by Bob Lemon; see scanned in page below. .  

7/3 Had lunch at Mother's where Susan appeared, as round as a ball. Eugene lost a chess game to Pop. Yugoslavia threatened Albania for "insulting Tito". At night Sylvia came down with 104°. With Dr. Holzman away, Dr. Seltzer came and gave her a shot of penicillin. The temp. came down to normal. The doctor found nothing but a slightly red throat. Lil's cousin Lilly Albert with her husband Nate and son Tony came in suddenly from L.A. Only Lilly came up because of Sylvia and chatted with Lil for an hour and a half. Truman signed the $450 raise bill. 

I met Nate, Lilly and Tony many years later on a trip to L.A.; didn't realize that I had met them (at least Lilly) before!