1.34 Larry’s Diary, Jun 1949

1949 • Larry’s diary (age 15)
Jun 1  Cut Spanish because I was 20 minutes late. Watched some practice for pageant. Got impressions for new tooth. Windy.
Jun 2  Had last big meal at R&B. 3 weddings, 3 engagements, 1 pinning. I announced Mary Alice engagement with borrowed cat. Chased cat all over.
Jun 3  Had Spanish test, turned in Spanish books. Had three tests in typing, Sonora Daily colated copyrights of (???)
Jun 4  Station KROG came on for first time today but there were no commercials as they only played records from our store
Jun 5  Went to show and saw Don’t Trust Your Husband. Story of Whistler took place at Sonora, mentioned Jimtown
Jun 6  Had first dress rehearsal for pagent. Went to Tuolumne County Band for second time. KROG went on without advertisements
Jun 7  Had pagent tonight bought program. Had about 2,000 people there. Actors all had heavy make-up on faces. Robinson (Sugar Ray) got teeth knocked out.

Jun 8  Held second presentation of pagent. Got yearbooks, got many signatures. Dad went to S.F. Had pagent parade.
Jun 9  Carleen graduated from grammar school, but I had to stay home with the baby

Carleen’s 8th grade graduation, Carleen is front and center

8th grade graduation, back side of photo

Jun 10  LAST day of school, played at graduation. Walked with Vert after grad. Got all but 5 seniors. Got one A, B, B, B-, C in cards. Saw Dunlavy about horn.
Jun 11  Got horn at school. Got stayplate at dentist. Got Bass solos at directors house in back. Paid $1.00 for horn insurance
Jun 12  Saw show Maw and Pa Kettle. Went swimming at Phoenix Lake Plunge with sisters. Delbert R. and Larry K. rode back with us.
Jun 13  Went to TC Band for third time. Washed next doors windows for first time, got $1.00. Found out Father Harrington is going.
Jun 14  Signed up for the Centennial Pageant at the High School. Only about 20 showed up and they need about 250 men.

Jun 15  Dad took me to San Francisco on buying trip, mostly for toys for the store. Left at 5 am, got back at 7:50 pm. I got to drive most of the way
Jun 16  Mowed the lawn. Bolt from the lawnmower got lost when Carleen fooled around with it. Father Harrington got over $500.00
Jun 17  Killed bluejay with BB gun, think he was one who was killing baby chicks. Went to Presseys cabin and talked about new uniforms
Jun 18  Missed another day in this diary!
Jun 19  Played for T.C.B. for first parade at Tuolumne, then played for ballgame, then for dedication of monument at Tuttletown, got shirt as uniform fancy
Jun 20  Went to the Tuolumne County and practice, only about 15 people were there
Jun 21  Started to clean off the roof of the Orchid Shop. Dad is sleeping with me because Mom is sick again

Jun 22  Polished the bell of my horn with silver polish. Ezzard Charles won the world heavyweight boxing championship.
Jun 23  Dick O’dell came up alone. Having Social Insurance convention now in town. Saw show Big Jim. Saw Phyllis there.
Jun 24  Cleaned up downstairs. Went to the meeting of the pagent players, had name called for tomorrow
Jun 25  About 20 people went out for the centennial casting tonight, saw script and miniature of revolving stage. Asked Fisher for raise. NO!
Jun 26  Went to show and saw Mexican Hayride with Bud Abbott and Lou Costello. Sat in loges right in front.
Jun 27  Went to band practice. At first only one bass but at end had three. Show had a short dog story with actor named Gary Clemens
Jun 28  Drabkin boy came to my room and I gave him some stamps. Finished cleaning off the roof of next door

Jun 29  Went to the pagent rehearsal. I’m going to be a miner and main character in scene 5. also going to be in act 1
Jun 30  Finished cleaning off the roofs next door then washed them off. Also cleaned out drain.

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Larry and Dad took monthly trips to San Francisco to purchase stock from the Decca, Columbia, and RCA Victor wholesale dealers. Larry decided which records to buy as he knew all the popular songs as well as classical music. Other than Burl Ives’ “Big Rock Candy Mountain,” Dad didn’t care much about music. The only song he sang, which was constantly and off-key, was “Goodnight Irene, Goodnight.” It drove Claudia crazy.

On one buying trip, Dad got an incredible opportunity from a record store dealer, acquiring all the 78 records he had in stock. He added these to the inventory of thousands of records he’d bought from the music store in Virginia City. However, the owner knew that 78s were soon going to be replaced by new turntables for the longer playing 33s, and also knew Dad didn’t know. The music business was changing, and Dad got caught in the middle. When the new 33 long-playing records came out, and then the large-holed 45s, he was stuck with thousands of old 78s and an inventory of outdated players he couldn’t give away.

to be continued …

© 2017. Catherine Sevenau.
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