9/12-9/18/54

Sept 12 Sunday We went over to see mom and pop, walking along the reservoir. We had supper, looked at pictures. 

Sept 13 Sylvia started her first term at E.B.B. (Everything But Boys) Jr. H.S. She is in 7SP1 having made the S.P. class. Room #402 Official & Math teacher Mrs. Donovan, Core, Science, Shop,Gym, Hygiene, H-M Library. Eugene went to the main building at "Science" for the first time. He is in Class 3-9 Room 113. Official teacher Mrs Kaplan Subjects - Physics, Social Studies, Math, English, Spanish, S.T.L. Hygiene, Swimming, Music. 

Bronxites know that E.B.B. was officially Elizabeth Barrett Browning Jr. H.S. "S.T.L." was Science Techniques Lab. 

Sept 14 Pop and I picked up our car today. Then we called for Lil and I practised [sic] driving for an hour. In parking I backed into a hydrant and broke the back-up light. Eugene came home and complained his throat hurt. He had 103° fever. It was 101° after Lil treated it. 

Sept 15  We called Dr Holzman this morning as Eugene's temp. went down to 97°. The doctor diagnosed an ulcerated pharynx. Eugene got acromycin [sic] tablets, gargle, swab with gentian violet. 

Pop and I went out in the car for two hours. I drove in traffic, then practised broken U turns, parking making progress. 

 

Dad did start a new paragraph in the middle. 

 

Sept 16 Eugene's temp. shot up to 104° yesterday and he was quite ill and uncomfortable. Lil gave him his tablets throughout the night. In the morning he was much better and his temp under 100°.  

 

Sept 17 We all went driving this afternoon for the first time with pop at my side of course. We drove to the "Adventurers" where the kids played a few machines while we had hot dogs. 

Sept 18 Eugene didn't feel well this morning and went back to bed. When his temp rose to 103° Lil called Dr Holzman. He said it was a relapse with Eugene's throat looking a little worse but nothing else affected. He gave Eugene a penicillin shot this time and ordered the acromycin again. I went driving with mom and pop. Rocky Marciano remained the Undefeated heavyweight champ by K.O.'ing Ezzard Charles in the 8th round. Frank Erne is dead at 79.

9/5-9/11/54

Sept 5 Sunday We went to Woodlawn by cab Molly and Sam meeting us there. The kids played tennis then I played a little with each. Eugene's backhand is beginning to develop. The kids entertained with songs they learned in camp. Al Shakhet took us home. Chinese Communist attacks on Quemoy Island Formosa resulted in the death of two U.S. officers. Prof. Irwin Edman is dead at 57. 

Sept 6 Labor Day I played both kids at St James this morning and both showed improvement. Lil brought over fruit and milk & cookies and stayed till 2 o'clock when we went home to see the National Singles. Soviet jets downed a U.S. plane off Siberia. One man was lost. We visited the Rosenberg's tonight seeing their six room house for the first time. Bobby and Eugene played in the basement. Sylvia & Danny sat with the older people. 

Sept 7 Eugene played tennis with Larry in the morning and went over to them to play in the afternoon. We financed our auto at Nat'l City Bank making $1600 [?] loan, getting $1550 and payable $70 per month for two years. Lawrence Perry is dead at 78. Forest Hills V. Seixas d R. Hartwig 3-6, 6-2, 6-4, 6-4. D. Hart d L. Brough 6-8, 6-1, 8-6. Hart & Seixas d M.O. duPont & Rosewall 4-6, 6-1, 6-1. Seniors - D Freed d W. Maxwell. 

Because the page is torn, the amount of the car loan is not clear. 

Sept 8 Eugene played tennis with Larry again and some doubles with two boys they knew. Lil and the kids had lunch with Madeline and her mother and sister who came up from Bklyn. Eugene and Paul played chess. I arranged for the Automobile insurance with E.M. Apata [?]. Pop Warner is dead at 83 and "Bud" Fisher at 69. We both read "Doctor Dan" (Daniel Hale Williams) Helen Buckler. 

Sept 9 Lil & I went to Fordham and among other things bought Sylvia a loose leaf binder $4. Eugene played tennis with Larry. A S.E. Asia eight nation collective defense treaty was signed allying the East and the West. Dr Curtis Wilbur is dead at 87. 

Glued in here is a picture of us, with the caption "Eugene & Sylvia at Woodlawn Rock Sept 54". I did a little bit of picture editing, to make us more visible. The diary entry was written around the picture. 

Sept 10 We got the Auto check from Nat'l City Bank. Sylvia drew "Binnie Latches On" Marie McSwigan, "A Place for Ann" P. Whitney, "Glory Be!, "Up Goes the Curtain" and "Cinda" all by Janet Lambert. Eugene drew "Best from Fantasy and Science Fiction" Boucher & McComas, "Heritage of the Desert" Zane Grey, "The End of the World" K. Heuer, "Famous American Athletes of Today" H Molter, "Stars in the Making" Cecilia Payne-Goposhkin. Sylvia and Norma went to the Kingsbridge to see the revival of "Gone With The Wind" . They were very lukewarm about it. Deputy Chief Inspector Louis Goldberg quit the police force after being demoted for enforcing the law against bingo games. About 1000 were killed in an Algerian earthquake. 

Sept 11 Norma slept over here tonight while Jerry and Madeline went to see Joyce off to Alfred U. Andre Derain is dead at 74. 

8/29-9/4/54

Aug 29 Sunday We went to Woodlawn where I played some tennis with Sylvia who showed improvement since her stay in camp. We met Manny R. & Irving Moser who told of many former players at Crotona. Mom and pop called for us and took us home. Harry Goode & Molly were in the car. 

Dad had told us he grew up playing tennis at Crotona Park. 

Aug 30 Mom and pop took Lil and me to Ford Inwood where we were on the verge of signing for a car but a mis-understanding killed the deal. Lil & Sylvia went for Eugene Luis Taruc surrendered "Red" rebel leader got 14 years imprisonment. Lil & Sylvia called for Eugene. The kids thought each other had grown and conversed on the way home. Struthers Burt is dead at 71. 

Aug 31 Eugene played piano this morning. Sylvia plays jacks almost continuously. They played Monopoly together. France killed the European Defense Community when the Assembly voted down E.D.C. 319-264. Cardinal Schuster is dead at 74.

Sept 1 The verdict on the Army-McCarthy dispute put the blame on both sides. A hurricane raked many Eastern states. About 60 were killed and $500,000,000 damages were suffered. Sen Maybank is dead at 55. Sylvia drew "Star Spangled Summer" Janet Lambert, "Joan takes a Bow" Nora Benson, "A Sundae with Judy" Frieda Friedman, "Boarding School" R. Woody, "Sensible Kate" Doris Gates, "Gloria, Ballet Dancer" G. Malvern. Eugene drew "Worlds in Collision" I. Velikovsky, "West of Pecos" Zane Grey, "My Partner, Ben Hogan" Jim Demaret, "Mr Fullback" W.C. Gault, "Hornblower and the Atropos" C.S. Forester. 

Sept 2 We all went to see the Chevrolet DeLuxe at Kotters tonight. Then we got Eugene shoes at Tom McCann's $8. Eugene and I went to see "Dial M for Murder" at the Lido with Grace Kelly and Ray Milland. Also "The Miami Story". Lil and Sylvia who had seen the picture went home. Bert Acosta is dead at 59. 

Sept 3 Sylvia and Norma went to the Fordham where they saw "Susan Slept Here" with Dick Powell and Debbie Reynolds and "Gun Story" with Rock Hudson and Donna Reed. Meanwhile Lil Eugene and I put down a $25  deposit on a DeLuxe Chevrolet, fully Equipped, power glide, four door - $1840. No warranty, at Kotter Bros. 181st & Jerome Ave. Eugene and I played some tennis afterwards. 

"power glide" was the transmission; it did not have power steering, a nuisance when I learned to park with that car

Sept 4 We went to the Polo Grounds on Ladies Day to see the Giants Dodgers game. Eugene and Sylvia both kept score. Lil was very enthusiastic over the Giants rallies. We had ice cream, soda, hot dogs, peanuts. Death for peacetime espionage was enacted. Eugene Pallette is dead at 65. 

I remember that our seats were in the upper deck in deep right field, a long way from home plate. The box score was taped in here, and he wrote over the top of the tape; unlike other things taped in, it was attached only at the top, so you have to flip it up to read the next entry. 

8/22-8/28/54

 Aug 22 Sunday We went out to the Boy Scout camp today with mom and pop. Eugene was fine and in good spirits. He had earned two merit badges and was working towards three more. Judge Peter Schmuck is dead at 80. 

Aug 23 Beat Herb Levitt. Judge Peter Schmuck is dead at 80. 

Aug 24 Split with Zalazny. Eisenhower vetoed the 5% pay rise bill. Lil visited Molly and saw Sam also. 

It seems that Eisenhower used the "pocket veto", which may be why dad reported it earlier on 8/21.

Aug 25 We went out with pop to Ford on Fordham Road and got an estimate on a Fordor sedan. Eisenhower signed the bill outlawing the C.P. President Vargas of Brazil committed suicide at 71 when deposed by the Army after a political opponent had been assassinated. Violent demonstrations followed his death. Lillian read "The Adventures of Augie March", Saul Bellows. We both read Dr Cronin's "Adventure in Two Worlds" and Sidney Franklin's Autobiography. 

"Fordor" was apparently part of the name of some Fords. 

Aug 26 I gave Lillian a box of candy. Sylvia had bought her a pin before she left for camp which she had hidden in the closet. Lil went down to the "Y" and picked up Sylvia who arrived home from camp about 2 PM. They then went to mothers seeing Lil and the kids and Ida. Rachel had also been there. I paid Dr Robbins $23 for two double cavities, xrays & cleaning. 

This was mom's birthday.

Aug 27 Mom and pop took me to Ford's in Yonkers where the price quoted was no better than in Fordham. Sylvia played with Norma. 

Aug 28 The old I.L.A. was certified as the bargaining agent for the dock workers over the A.F.L. Nat Holman was re-instated to the City College staff. The Board of Ed. had deposed him in March.