5/16-5/22/54

May 16 Sunday Sylvia came home at 10:45 last night. She was thrilled at the good time she had. They saw the White House, House of Reps. (not in session) Tidal Basin memorials, Congressional Library. They stayed at the Harrington - collapsed a bed by their romping and were locked in a bathroom. They went by train. Sylvia bought us a little plant as a souvenir. Today we went to the Zoo on the first warm Sunday. Eugene and I walked and stayed even with the bus. We took three cameras. We had ice cream, sodas, peanuts, popcorn. We saw seals, elephants, pelicans. William March is dead at 60. 

May 17 Luis Taroc, Huk Communist leader gave himself up to Magsaysay as the rebel guerillas lost ground in their fight against the Philippine government. Gen. Guderian is dead at 65 and Pat McDonald at 75. 

May 18 The McCarthy hearings were recessed for a week as Eisenhower continued his refusal to allow his aides to disclose details of a top-level meeting held to cope with Mac. The U.S. claimed that arms from a Communist port had been unloaded at Guatemala. Frankie Costello was fined $30,000 and sentenced to 5 years imprisonment for tax evasion. Louis Stark is dead at 66. The Supreme Court in a 9-0 ruling outlawed segregation in public education setting aside the separate but equal doctrine laid down in 1869. 

May 19 Lillian's neck has been bothering her again for a few days. 

May 20 Charles Ives is dead at 79. Sylvia drew "Who was Sylvia" Nancy Hartwell, "Boarding School" Regina Woody, "Pam Wilson R.N.". D. Deming, "The Trolley Car Family", E. Clymer. Eugene drew "Big Book of Science Fiction" and "Possible Worlds of Science Fiction" both edited by Groff Conklin, "My Best Science Fiction Story" edited by Margulies & Friend and "Famous Football Players", RH Shoemaker.

 May 21 Lillian and Sylvia went down to the YWCA nat'l office for interviews for the summer camp. 

May 22 We went to Mrs. Nadler's house for the annual recital of her pupils. Mom and pop also came. Eugene and Sylvia won the most praise for their playing although several were very good. Afterwards we drove to the "Adventurer's" where we had hot dogs, french fried, coffee and cake. Sylvia had a hamburger instead of hot dog. The kids played the machines. Then we toured the new shopping center called the largest in the world.  

That was the Cross County Shopping Center. The program scanned in below was taped on the next page 

 

5/9-5/15/54

 May 9 Sunday We had Mothers Day here yesterday. I gave Lillian roses while the children got her candy. Today we went to mother's. Lil, Harry and the kids there also. We brought mom nylons, panties, perfume and lilacs. Pop won a chess game from Eugene. The bigger girls wrote stories. Peggy showed off her arithmetic. She cried when she had to leave because I couldn't ask her a few more "zamples". 

May 10 There is a move on foot to curtail or end the McCarthy hearings which have earned great criticism here and abroad. 

May 11 Several plans are in existence to end or curtail the interminable McCarthy Army hearings.  

May 12 A Republican move to end the public hearings on the Mac Army quarrel was beaten 4-3 in a Sub-committee vote. 

May 13 Eugene stayed home with a sore throat. He later visited the Armed Forces Exhibition at the Kingsbridge Armory with Larry and another boy but was not crazy about the show. Senator Clyde Hoey is dead at 76. 

May 14 Eugene stayed home again. Sylvia left for Wash D.C. this morning with about 13 Intermediate Scouts and three adults. 

May 15 Mikhail Botvinnik retained his World's Chess title by drawing with Vasily Smyslov 12-12, in a series of matches. Red China was admitted to the 1956 Olympics causing Nationalist China to withdraw immediately.

5/2-5/8/54

 May 2 Sunday Eugene got home at 5:45. He had a good time. Went up and back by car although some went by truck. Sylvia made fudge today with Lillian supervising. Determined won the Kentucky Derby. 

May 3 Lillian got a suit at Alexander's $14. and a skirt. Musial made a new record by hitting five homers in a double-header. ...

May 4 The McCarthy-Army hearings are being severely criticized generally for their poor taste and probable inconclusiveness. "The Teahouse of the August Moon" won the Pulitzer Prize for drama completing a grand slam. Lindbergh's "Spirit of St. Louis" won the biography prize. No prize for fiction was awarded. Earnest Hooton is dead at 68. 

May 5 Cpl Ed Dickinson former P.O.W. in Korea who had decided to stay with the "Reds" then changed his mind, received a 10 year sentence for collaboration with the enemy after a trial here. Lillian went downtown with Irene R. She got some material for sundresses. They also visited Dr. Rubinstein's office. 

May 6 The latest McCarthy scandal is a "secret" document which he brought out at the investigation as coming from F.B.I. files but which Hoover has disavowed.  

May 7 Sylvia's class went to the Museum of Natural History. They saw exhibits on our Pan-Amer neighbors. Sylvia was a student buyer for milk. Sylvia was chosen to play an old instrument by scratching it. McCarthy at the hearings challenged the authority of the Executive branch of the gov't. Roger Bannister 25 year old English student became the first man to crack 4 minutes in the mile run. He ran a mile in 3 min. 59.4 seconds. Vernon Rice is dead at 46. 

May 8 Wednesday, Sylvia drew "Mary Allen - Publicity Girl", Marcia Paul; "Peggy's Wish" Alletta Jones; "Mystery up the Chimney", H.F. Orton; "Champion Caddy", Marion Renick. Dienbienphu was captured by the Vietminh after a 55 day siege which held the world's attention. Thousands of French and Vietmanese were killed. The fate of Gen'l de Castries is unknown.