3/15-3/21/53

Mar 15 Sunday Eugene's hike was called off again on account of rain. Last night Sylvia played the wheels at the bazaar for about 75¢. She won two dolls. Sylvia got two argyrol packs today as her cold was worse again today. Klement Gottwald is dead at 56. Seton Hall won the N.I.T. defeating the "Cinderella" team St Johns 58-46. Walt Dukes won the M.V.P. award. "All American team" Dukes, Gola, Beck, Houbregs, J. O'Brien,  

Mar 16 Malenkov offered to settle all issues with the West by peaceful means. His speech - to the Supreme Soviet was received with cautious optimism by Western diplomats. Herman Baruch is dead at 80.

Mar 17 Austin, Gold, Bressler, Shaftel, Gustafson and Young were discharged following their suspensions by city colleges for refusing to answer questions about their politics.

Mar 18 Lillian attended Zev Margules [?] funeral who died suddenly of a bleeding ulcer. Sylvia announced that she had a boy friend at last - Kenneth Walzer. A U.S. plane, fired on off Alaska by a MIG returned the fire. The State Senate voted a 15% rent increase. Millions on T.V. saw [an] explosion that rocked a desert like a quake when a trial atom bomb was exploded in Yucca Flat, Nev. 1500 troops were present in trenches two miles away. They felt shock but no heat. Seth Richardson is dead at 73.

Mar 19 The first franchise shift in Major League baseball since 1902 saw the Boston National League team transfer to Milwaukee. Picasso and Aragon were criticized for their drawing and publishing of an unflattering picture of Stalin. Indiana won the N.C.A.A. basketball Championship over Kansas U 69-68. Schlundt scored 30 points, Born - 26. 

Mar 20 The Board of Transportation proposed discontinuance of the 3rd and Myrtle Ave Els, elimination of free transfers and free passes for police and firemen, elimination of free rides for school children, dropping of 3,200 employees to save $24,800,000. A Turkish earthquake killed 500-1000 persons. West Germany ratified the Allied-German treaties in the face of riots by Communists. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences chose "The Greatest Show on Earth" as the best picture of 1952. Gary Cooper won the Male acting award for "High Noon". Shirley Booth won the Actress award for "Come Back, Little Sheba". Irene Bordoni is dead at 59.

Mar 21 Eugene went on a hike to Van Courtlandt [sic] Park with four other boys in his patrol. They built a fire, cooked food, played soft ball and he lost his hat. Lillian and Sylvia visited Sarah R. Sylvia played with Danny and his friends dodge ball, hide and seek and box ball. I changed the Three Bears to poetry for my girl scout writers badge. Sylvia. 
                                      The Three Bears
Mama bear was making porridge for herself, papa and baby.
It was too hot, so papa said, we could take a walk, maybe
There was a girl named Goldilocks who was taking a walk, too
She came upon the three bears house and walked in, now would you?
She saw three bowls of porridge and tasted them one by one
Until she came to baby's porridge, she said it was Yum, Yum
When she finished the porridge she went into the living room
She sat down on baby's chair and it fell down - boom!
So she went into the bed room she was tired you see
So she laid down on baby's bed and began to sleep soundly
Now the three bears were coming home thinking their porridge was cooled
but when baby saw his bowl, he knew he had been fooled
So they went into the living room and found damage there too
They went up to the bed room on baby's bed was their last clue
Just then Goldilocks awoke and when she saw the three bears
She jumped right out the window and went home to her own affairs
                                           Sylvia Edelstein

The intro line to the poem was written in the diary by Silvia, and scanned in below. Dad then wrote in her poem, and Silvia signed her name, also scanned in below.

3/8-3/14/53

Mar  8 The family met me at Al & Edith's. Eugene got his portable radio and Sylvia some scatter pins. We got Danny a basketball game and Debby a stuffed animal. She is adorable, crawling into everything, understands a lot and speaks many words in her own way. Al beat us both in chess. 23 more "Red" prisoners were killed in Koje prison riots.

Alan Pope was a childhood friend of Dad's; we often visited the family. 

Mar 9 Sylvia stayed home with an irritated throat and I with indigestion. Malenkov, Beria and Molotov gave the eulogies fo at Stalin's funeral. 25000 were in Red Square and another 10000 in the stands. Sergei Prokofieff is dead at 61.

Mar 10 Sylvia's ideal meal is meat loaf, beets and potato pancakdes. Anything made of potatoes is heaven. Both kids love pancakes, blintzes, etc. Eugene has Chopin's "Polonaise" now. Sylvia was still home. She gargles often and is champion of the family. Lil counts her gargling time. Her record is 100. She was dressed today.

Mar 11 Sylvia was still home although better. Eugene lost his second temporary mouthpiece. Dr Robbins will arrange to work on him without the need of any more. Two Czech Migs shot down an American jet fighter plane in the U.S. German Zone. Bella Dodd asserted that Communists had infiltrated high national posts including advisers to the President. A policeman charged with brutality was indicted by a grand jury. N.Y.U. "dropped" football.

Mar 12 Sylvia still home with her cold coming out now. She is writing a new story. Fred Toney is dead at 64.

Mar 13 Russian jets shot down a British bomber killing five airmen. England called it murder while Russia claimed the plane was violating its border. We both read "Lena Horne - In Person" - Moss &

Dad presumably intended to add the other writer of the book - Arstein. 

Mar 14 We went to the library where Eugene drew "Flashing Spikes" F. O'Rourke, "O'Henry" J.C. Nolan, "Space Cadet" RA Heinlein, "Mike Maroney Raider" D. Lavender "Story Magazine" Whit & Hallie Burnett. Sylvia drew "The Peterkin Papers" L.P Hale, "Danny's Country Store" HF Orton, "Petar's Treasure" C.I. Judson, "Jimmy's Own Basketball" M Renick. Then we got sodas and sundries and went to the Lido to Charlie Chaplin in "Limelight" and Charlton Heston and Jennifer Jones in "Ruby Gentry". Sylvia and Lil went to the Temple's bazaar at night while Eugene and I saw the N.I.T. final.

3/1-3/7/53

Mar 1 Sunday The kids participated in the Purim carnival. Sylvia was dressed as Queen Esther in the grand march. There were the usual games of chance. There were hamantaschen for sale. Ass't US Atty Greenberg testified Police Comm. Monaghan had told him of an agreement to keep the FBI out of civil rights probes involving police. Monaghan has denied this in a telecast. "Trigger happy" cop Stanley Davis was found guilty of killing a Bkl'yn Negro into whose home he had broken. Playboy Minot Jelke was found guilty of compulsory prostitution. Thje Senate unanimously condemned "Red" persecution of minorities. Mobs stormed Premier Mossadegh's home in Iran forcing him to take refuge. They are loyal to Shah Pahlavi on the oil and land redistribution questions.

Mar 2 Lillian went downtown for Scout supplies.

Mar 3 Americans were stoned in Tehran as Mossadegh regained control of the country. Voice of America officials continued to be grilled by the McCarthy Committee. Barrows Dunham, Temple professor was suspended for refusing to talk about his Communist affiliations.
Moscow announced that Stalin was seriously ill, having had a brain hemorrhage.

The last sentence was clearly written in later, hence the start of a new paragraph. 

Mar 4 A fire in the Utility Prod. Co 150 st & River Ave cost seven lives and injured 15. Brooklyn College instructors Murray Young and Elton Gustafson were suspended for refusing to talk about Communist affiliation. Jim Jeffries is dead at 77 and Clyde Milan at 65.

Mar 5 Stalin is worse.

Mar 6 Cornelius Hall died. Stalin is dead at 73. He never regained consciousness after his stroke. Millions passed his bier as he lay in state. Plans to raise rents 15% were held up by great protests by City residents. Eugene took the High School of Science entrance exam.

The first death was actually written in above the line of Stalin's death. 

Mar 7 Eugene went to Larry R's Bar Mitzvah. The services were at the Tremont Temple and the reception at the Park Terrace. Eugene and a couple of the other boys had the band play "They told us we were too young"as a joke on Larry and Jill Holland, his girl friend. Georgi Malenkov succeeded Stalin as Soviet Premier. Herman Mankiewicz is dead at 55 and Philip Rosenbach at 89. James Dawson is dead at 57.

It was a very fancy Bar Mitzvah; I remember it as the first time I saw an ice sculpture on the table; it was of a swan. As Dad wrote, we did have the band play that song, with the first line "They tried to tell us we're too young". We actually had to scramble, as Jill had left the room, and we had to tell her some story to get her back, so the band could play the song for her and Larry Rubinstein. 

2/22-2/28/53

Feb 22 Sunday The wallet came yesterday from Mrs Doherty. It contained $23. rather than $10. Lillian sent her six pairs of nylons. The family met me on Allen St again at 1:45 and we went to Yoneh Schimmels for sour milks, cheese potato knishes, cheese bagels milk and coffee.  Sylvia didn't like the sour milk while Eugene had only half. Then we bought a bed spread on Orchard St. $8. - asked $9.50, a brief case for Eugene and lunch bag for me $5, and a Mackinaw for Sylvia $6. A purge was reported in Hungary in which thirty Jewish Communist leaders were either dismissed or jailed or committed suicide.

I remember liking the sour milk a lot; maybe in later years. 

Feb 23 Wash Birthday Sylvia went on a cook-out to George Washington Bridge with her troop. About 12 girls came. They cooked stew and had a great time. She was home at 3 o'clock. Kid McPartland is dead at 78 and Allan Haywood at 64. Lost another chess game to Eugene. We all played some word games then the shooting the checkers close to the edge of the table.

I doubt that the cook-out was actually on the bridge, but that's what Dad wrote. 

Feb 24 Nationalist China denounced its friendship pact with Russia. National Indoors: Larsen d. Nielson 5-7, 6-4, 6-3. 6-3. Womens. Mrs Thelma Long d. B Schofield [sic] Davidson 5-7, 6-1 [sic], 9-7. Larson & Nielson d. Golden & Noel Brown 3-6, 12-[1]4, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3. Women's Doubles -  Long & Davidson d. Joan Piken and Betty Coumbe 6-0, 6-1 

Feb 25 The Jelke vice trial was opened to the public. 23 out of 29 policemen tried for taking graft from Harry Gross were found guilty and dismissed from the force. Von Runstedt is dead at 77 and Ex-Sen. Bob LaFollette Jr committed suicide at 58.
Sylvia went to the library with Susan and Herbert Howard after school. He treated them to 5¢ sodas. She drew "Araminta" by Eva K. Evans, "Bells for a Chinese Donkey" E.F. Lattimore, "Wendigo" [K]. Pinkerton and "A Month of Christmases", Siddie Joe Johnson. We both read "The Marx Brothers" Kyle Crichton. Lillian read ":Morning Journey" James Hilton and "The Sure Thing" Merle Miller.

I suspect that the new paragraph starting with "Sylvia" was an accident. The correction of "Herbert" to "Howard" is clearly done in different handwriting, surely Silvia's!

Feb 26 Henry Cabot Lodge, U.S. rep. to the UN warned Russia it would never capitulate on Korea. The N. Car. Supreme Court voided the conviction of Mack Ingram for "leering"at a white girl. Many articles were de-controlled with most of them announcing price rises. Prof Robert Gorham Davis named a score of professors as Communists while he was a "party" member at Harvard.

Feb 27 New reports of police brutality continue to be brought forward. In one case a Federal grand jusry refused to indict Patrolman William Brennan for the alleged beating of two Negroes for lack of evidence. Eugene drew "When Worlds Collide" Wylie & Balmer, "Famous Plays of Crime  and Detection" Cartmell & Cerf (for a school report on a play) "Center Ice" P. Harkins, "Army vs Notre Dame" 1913-1947 Beach & Moore and "Be Prepared" Rice E. Cochran - humor in Boy Scout life.

Feb 28 Mom and pop drove us to Lil and Harry's. The kids played in the basement. Peggy inveigled Lil and myself into playing with her - concentration and bouncy ball. Susan could not break into the game.

2/15-2/21/53

Feb 15 Sunday Sylvia has been troubled with an irritable throat for some time. She "clears" it frequently We renewed Dr Holzman's prescription of a mixture to relieve her. Eugene's habit of continually rubbing the back of his hand or else rubbing the tips of his fingers together is not better. Police Commissioner Monaghan and his two top aides viewed a secret film showing open activities of gamblers on city streets.

Feb 16 Sylvia stayed home today with her cold. She gargles, gets nose drops and vaporizer.

Feb 17 Sylvia was still hoarse. The Rosebergs were slated to die on Mar. 9. Many rallies were held to protest Soviet anti-semitism and to ask Russia to release its Jews. Bressler, Gold and Austin, employees of City Colleges were discharged for refusing to talk about their Communist affiliations.

Feb 18 Eugene lost his temporary appliance for his teeth and it was $15. to replace it. Lillian lost her wallet with about $10 today and fell low about it, but at 6 PM she got a call from a Mrs. Doherty in L.I.C. that she had found it (at Kings Rd. & Creston Av.) and was mailing it back. The Rosenbergs received another "stay" until at least Mar. 30 for another plea. Provoo received a 'life' term for treason. At the Amer. Assoc'n of School Admin. convention Mrs Agnes E. Meyer denounced the activities of McCarthy, Jenner & Velde as an inquisition menacing academic freedom and our democratic way of life. The State Supreme Court reversed the reversal of the referee's decision of the Giardello - Graham fight restoring the decision to the former. State Supreme Court Justice Schreiber upheld the ban on the press and the public at the Jelke vice trial imposed by Judge Valente, since sodomy was involved.

"L.I.C." would presumably have been Long Island City, although the abbreviation could have been "L.J.C."; I don't know what that could have stood for. 

Feb 19 I stayed home from work today. Sylvia returned to school. Eugene has a stuffed nose.

Feb 20 It was disclosed that five people had died recently after being refused admission to Fordham Hospital. Many cases of police brutality are again being publicized and demands for Monaghan's dismissal are mounting. It is also charged that the latter had made an agreement with the Justice Dep't, to refrain from investigations of police brutality. Three more U.N. employees refused to state whether they were Communists. Probers of the "Voice of America" heard employees charge there were many whitewashes of Communist activities. It was charged that Howard Fast's writing had been approved for broadcasting.

Feb 21 Lillian now has a cold. Anheuser-Busch bought the St Louis Cardinals from prison-bound Fred Saigh for $3,750,000. The latter was sentenced for income-tax evasion. Three "Voice" officials, Goldman, Berman and Taylor denied accusations of communist bias in their broadcasts. Former Italian Premier Francesco Nitti is dead at 84. Sylvia sent in this poem to Playmate Magazine
                                         Seasons
First comes summer when the air is burning hot, you see
And all the biting insects come out, such as the bee
Then comes autumn when the leaves fall down to the ground
And it gets cooler, that I've also found
And then before you know it winter's here at last
And the winter winds blow while the snow comes down fast
Then after winter comes the spring when it isn't cold at all
And many people think it is the best season of all

2/8-2/14/53

Feb 8 [Sunday] Lil and the kids met me on Allen St at 1:30 and we went to Katz's for hot pastrami sandwiches, soda, french fries. Sylvia didn't like the pastrami so we had to get her tongue. We then went into an Orchard St. store and got Eugene a coat $12 - asking price $14.
Lil took Eugene to Dr Holzman's for his final basal metabolism. The result was favorable. He can quit the pills except vitamin pills. 

This is not the way I remember things; I had a claustrophobic reaction to my second basal metabolism test, so it was not completed. Also, in addition to taking pills, I was also give injections of some sort. Unless, perhaps, that came later. 

Feb 9 Lillian had another bad day. Eugene visited the Hayden Planetarium with his class.

Feb 10 Eugene stayed in bed today with a stomach ache. The Russian legation in Israel was bombed in retaliation for the Soviet purge of Jews. Several were injured.

Feb 11 Eugene went to school as it was only a stomach ache. Lillian went to Eugene's school at night with Madeline to hear several speakers on various professions offered by colleges. The 10 day tug strike ended with a 17¢ per hour pay rise. Four N.Y.C. college employees refused to answer the Senate Internal Security Sub-Committee on Com their communist affiliations: Dr Oscar Shaftel, Joseph Bressler, Hyman Gold and Richard Austin. Bonn banned the Neo-Nazi secret society Freikorps Deutschland and seized four of its leaders. 30 were arrested in Israel on the bombing of the Soviet legation. Former Sen Reed is dead at 72 and Willy Meehan at 62.

Feb 12 We went to the Lido to see "Kon Tiki" the film of the historic voyage on a raft by Norwegian explorers from Callao, Peru to the Polynesian Islands on a raft. They were on the ocean for over 100 days in an effort to show that 1500 years ago South American natives may have migrated to the South Seas in this fashion. Two short films by Ben Hecht "Woman of Sin" and "Actor's Blood" both horrible we also saw. A cartoon "Droopy" was the hit for the children. Former U.F.A. head Gerard Purcell got 2 1/2 to 5 years for theft of the Association's funds. John D. Provoo was found guilty on four of seven treason counts while a Japanese prisoner. Russia broke off relations with Israel over the bombing of its legation. Eisenhower refused to grant clemency to the Rosenbergs. Former Sen. Elbert Thomas is dead at 69. Kid Gavilan retained his welterweight crown by a T.K.O.  over unbeaten Chuck Davey in 10 rounds. University educated Davey, floored four times, was unable to come out for the tenth.

Feb 13 46 Nazis received sentences by a French court for the massacre of 642 natives of Oradour-sur-Glane in 1944. Many were sentenced to death "in absentia". Two who were present also received death sentences. George Cranmore was killed in an auto accident at 36. Former Rep Roy Woodruff is dead at 72 and Raymond Knight at 54.

Feb 14 We shopped in Fordham, buying a light system, rye and juice glasses. Eugene got a jig saw puzzle, Sylvia a doll cut-out. It was revealed that the Pope has asked reported he has received many requests for clemency for the Rosenbergs although no record is present at the White House. It was revealed to have been oral. 1000 were killed in an Iran quake. Lev Mekhlis is dead at 64. I got Lillian candy for St. Valentines Day. Sylvia sent us both cards.