8/23-8/29/53

Aug 23 Sunday We went to Woodlawn where I beat Walter Waldman and played with Eugene. He had his new racket we got him Hy Eisenberg - $8, Eugene and I picked berries as Sylvia didn't have her slacks. Jim Taber [?] is dead at 36.

Aug 24 Sylvia played with Susan K. had lunch at her house then went skating with her. Eugene played punchball with his boys at the St James playground.

Aug 25 Split with Berman. Sylvia went swimming at Walton. In the morning she went to the library where she drew "Triumph Clear" L. Beim, "Nelly's Silver Mine" H.H. Jackson, "A Present From Rosita" C. Edell, "Larry's Luck" M. Urmston.

Aug 26 Last night we marched in and gave Lillian her presents. Sylvia had a set of necklace and ear-rings which she had bought in Alexander's all alone. Eugene and I had shopped together at Alexander's where we bought an umbrella and three handkerchiefs. The American Bar Ass'n voted to oust Communist lawyers from the profession. Communist strikers followed non-Communists in the return to work in France. Results have been insubstantial. New Premier Pella was confirmed in Italy.

Aug 27 Eugene played punch-ball in St James in the heat which reached 95° today.

Aug 28 Temp. 95.5°. India failed to win the necessary 2/3 vote to participate in the Far East Conference of the U.N. which includes Korea. Two C.P. fugitives - Bob Thompson and Sid Sternberg were captured by the F.B.I. in the Sierra Mts. 100,000 East Germans defied their gov't to seek food in W. Germany on the plan sponsored by the U.S. Nicolai Berezowsky is dead at 53.

Aug 29 Yesterday Lil and the kids went to the Kingsbridge to see Brandon DeWilde in an excellent 'Western' "Shane" and "The Lady Wants Mink". Last week they saw the French picture "Fanfan the Tulip". The heat today which reached 97° kept us quiet. We sat across the street and played "charades". I bought a parakeet today for Sylvia as she has been after us for a pet. It was $14 including cage and food. Eugene was the first to feed her tonight. We named her "Prissy". 

8/16-8/22/53

Aug 16 Sunday We went to Woodlawn where we picked our first berries of the season. I also played tennis with Eugene.

Aug 17 Eugene played with Bobby and Sylvia with Norma. We had a tube replaced in our television $5.50. Lillian read "East Side General" - Frank G. Slaughter. I read "On Our Way" Patterson, Mebel, Hill (Young Pages from American Biography [sic]).

It was actually ... American Autobiography. 

Aug 18 Sylvia went swimming at Walton (the summer school). I went to the library with Eugene where he drew "Men of Other Planets" K. Heuer, "The Story of Bobby Shantz" as told to Ralph Bernstein "Adventures in Time & Space" Healy & McComas, "Jill & I & the Salmon" Jack Russell, "The Exploration of Space" A.C. Clarke.

Aug 19 Eugene visited Bobby after the latter called up. Lillian went to see Sarah also. Sylvia went to Tibbetts with the vacation school group. I beat Burd at St James. Riots in Iran have cost 300 lives and the successive flight of Shah Pahlevi and Premier Mossadegh. Premier Laniel demanded French strikers return before talks are resumed. The biggest 1-man holdup in years saw $191,000 stolen in a Floral Park bank. Ed Flynn is dead at 61 and Bishop McConnell at 82.

Aug 20 Sylvia and Susan K went swimming at Walton then to the Fordham to see the three dimensional "The Charge at Feather River" and Count the Hours". I played tennis with Eugene then lost to Freddy Katz. Russia announced it had exploded an H-Bomb. This was confirmed by us.

Aug 21 Non-Communist gov't workers in France returned to work but the strike spread in private industry.

Aug 22 I beat Baldi at St James. Eugene and Sylvia looked for friends in the park in vain. Former Rep Knutson is dead at 72, Bert Andrews at 52 and Malcom [sic] Bingay at 68.

8/2-8/15/53

Dad made one long diary entry for our vacation in the Catskills, but then also made a few other entries.

Aug 2-15 We spent this period at "The Cranes", Kerhonkson, NY. We found a group of progressive people there with whom we had a pleasant time. In the morning I usually played tennis with Harry, Vicki and Eugene. Later there was horse shoes, badminton, volley ball, ring toss. Lillian participated in all these sports. We went to the pond before lunch. In the afternoon we usually sat around and chatted. After supper we all met at the barn where we had a delightful time with folk dancing, charades, cards, anagrams, ping pong and various other games. We saw Stalag 17 in Ellenville with Harry and Lee. Sylvia went to the day camp but usually was on the outskirts as she was older than the others. Eugene had no one but Peggy near his age. He played chess with me in addition to the tennis and I had a slight edge. We had a great time at the farewell party where we all loosened up a little. Eugene and I had two stomach upsets and Sylvia one. The food was not very good. The cost to us was $280. Sylvia and Lil went home with Harry & Lee. Among the other new people there were Murray and Barbara, Syma [?] and Harold, Minna [?] and Herb, Phil and Shirley, Vicky, Rae Greenberg and Mr Katzman and Sam and Fan. Sylvia learned to swim by herself. 

Aug 7 The Exchange of Communist and UN Pow [sic] began and continued daily. Returning Americans told stories of hardships and cruelties charging many died in prison. They stated many were being held to finish out prison sentences for various crimes and the U.S.threatened to retaliate if all Americans are not returned.

Aug 13 The Carpenters Union left the A.F.L. in protest against a no-raiding pact with the C.I.O. A French general strike in protest against raising of retirement ages and economy discharges started a week ago then waned and waxed with Communists pulling for an all out effort to overthrow the gov't.

Aug 15 We returned to the City and had supper at the Tuxedo. Friedrich Schorr is dead at 64.

7/26-8/1/53

July 26 Sunday Al & Edith picked us up in their car and we went to Woodlawn. Danny is gentle and adorable. Debby is cute and wanders about getting into everything. I won a chess game from Al and beat Warren Burd in tennis. Mom and pop came up also. I played with Eugene also and we quit when the courts closed. Sylvia went on for a while and Eugene chased. Previously I had volleyed on the grass with Lil and then with Sylvia. Eugene did most of the chasing.

July 27 Eugene played punchball in the park play ground, having finally contacted last years' boys. The three year war in Korea ended with the signing of a truce. An attempted revolution in Cuba saw many killed. I played some tennis at St James. Gen Plastiras is dead at 69 and Jennie Moskowitz at 85. 

July 28 Our table came today from Mallory - $69.50. I went downtown with Eugene to Harry Ross where we picked up the Stellarscope $16.50. He carried it home. I also deposited some bonds at the Fed. Res. Bank. 100000 East Germans crossed to the West Zone to get free food. Lieut. Arthur Miller was ousted from the police force as a "Red". 

July 29 We went to the library with the kids and Eugene drew "The Midnight Colt" G. Balch, "The Moon is Hell" JW Campbell, "Between Planets" RA Heinlein, "Fighting Sheepman" R.P. Tracey and "Say it Aint So, Joe -                       . Sylvia drew Hans C Andersens Fairy Tales, "Lou Gehrig, Boy of the Sand Lots" G Van Riper, Jr, "Sand in her Shoes" M. Lawrence, "Peachtree Island" M. Lawrence (again), "Everybodys Island" A.M. Lillie. We bought a tripod for Eugene's stellarscope which he'd assembled, in Camera Craft - $16. DeGasperi resigned. 

Dad left space, but apparently never got around to entering the author of "Say it Aint So, Joe".

July 30 Evelyn and Isabel came over bringing various sundries and apparel for Eugene and Sylvia.

July 31 Rev. Jack McMichael, before the "House" Committee denied he was a Communist and denounced the Committee.

Aug 1 Mom and pop came over as they are leaving on their vacation tomorrow morning also. We had lunch on the new table. Then they dropped us off at Molly's to say good-bye. Senator Taft is dead at 63 of malignant tumors.