1950 • Larry’s diary (age 16)
Oct 1 Saw Father of the Bride with Spencer Tracy and Elizabeth Taylor. Sat with Ray Ghiorso and Bill Squires.
Oct 2 Mom at hospital for operation. Carried horn home for 2nd time for T.C.B. without rehearsal. Boys Sextette and Commissioners meeting at noon
Oct 3 40 seniors and I went to Sacramento to see Sutters Fort, State Legislature, and Charles Laughton. I really enjoyed his program. Rode back with Barbara Miles.
Oct 4 Went to bed at 3 up at 8 then to bed at 9 and up at 4 for Frisco. Band played Lights Out. Got ads. Yanks won first game of Series 1-0. Frosh initiation assembly good.
Oct 5 Dad and I went to San Francisco and got the biggest load yet. Boxes in front seat and tied to rear end. Got white and brown shoes $4.00
Oct 6 Band played in public first time for parade and game with C S. Calaveras A’s won 20-6, B’s lost 26-6. Wore white shoes. Wrote article for Wildcat about band
Oct 7 Had company from Vallejo. They slept in Dad’s room, and Dad slept with me. Mom came home from the hospital.
Oct 8 Saw show Treasure Island by Walt Disney version. Finished putting brown covers on Victor and started on Tempo
Oct 9 Pressey called off T.C.B. for a month and cancelled playing for the Masons. New girl trying out on my horn. Passed out 2nd issue of Wildcat.
Oct 10 Mike McReady carried my horn home for me. Polished whole horn and cleaned it. Saw show My Friend Irma Goes West Jerry Lewis
Oct 11 Played solo Auld Lang Syne for Elks Club. Dad there. Drove to Twain Harte with Joe home at 12
Oct 12 Gave both girls lessons on the Basses at the same time.
Oct 13 Went to Livingston. We won 12-0. Played in their 30 piece band. Undefeated. Home at one.
Oct 14 Teen-Toppers Dance. Rode around and up to Sylvan lodge with Bill, Don and Jake. Got membership card. Bonnie stopped in store but I didn’t see her
Oct 15 Saw Wyoming Mail filmed in Tuolumne County. Dad sick, kept store open all day till 7:00
Oct 16 Alice Purser ate here tonight. Made tape recording of Yuba. Also heard recording of big band
Oct 17 Hagemeyer questioned Dwyer. Threw out tape recorder. Recorded band. Asked Cassina about chorus. Turned in ads
Oct 18 Saw Asphalt Jungle. Got Community Concert tickets for 1950-51. Band notes for Wildcat
Oct 19 Went to the first B.C. and T.C.O. practice this year. All string Bass music. Had Geometry test. Saw white shoes at Baers
Oct 20 Sonora won over Tracy 13-6. Still undefeated. Band played for pep rally and game
Oct 21 Alan traded in player for a three speed one. Put out 3rd issue of Wildcat. Saw and talked to Barbara Miles selling book Awake.
Oct 22 Cleaned off the roof of the Orchid shop. Took all day carried it home in boxes to burn. Brought Wildcat books up to date
Oct 23 Rain first time in a long time. Passed out 3rd issue of Wildcat. 8th graders taking tests at school. M. Hamilton kicked out of band
Oct 24 Mr. Hagemeyer told us about going to Stockton for C.O.P. game. Got minutes from Pressey. Got $5 for cleaning roof. Playing Stars and Stripes and E. Pluribus Unum
Oct 25 Al Jolson died. Ordered senior pin. Am sleeping without shades
Oct 26 Brass Choir or German Band practice. 2nd time band room flooded. Band almost didn’t go to Ceres. Big band meeting 7th, I took names
Oct 27 Sonora was beaten by Ceres 27-0 first game lost this year. Band played. Went down and back with Mr. Hamilton. Sang in chorus first time
Oct 28 Transposed Arkansas Traveler from Trumpet to Bass. Article in Life about Michigan Band. Shriner’s Band didn’t play for Masons
Oct 29 Transposed Old Gray Mare and Wearing of the Green. Phoned Hagemeyer, finished pages and pages of History. Dad sick.
Oct 30 Wrote letter to Bonnie and Don. Cleaned off Hagemeyer’s desk.
Oct 31 Played solo for Aronos Club. Band played Halloween Parade. Got $17.95 pair of horsehide shoes. P.T.A. carnival at Fairgrounds. Had senior pictures taken.
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Current note from Larry: Mr. Pressley was bandmaster of the Tuolumne County Band (TCB) and the Tuolumne County Orchestra (TCO). He lived next door and I sometimes visited him in his small home. The Aronos Club was a social group of adults from Sonora, and Aronos was Sonora spelled backward. I had to transpose music from other instruments because there was no available music for solo tuba music. I was taking music theory class and sometimes carried my tuba home so I could practice in the basement of the Clemens’ store at night as I was not allowed to play the tuba at home due to too loud for a residential area. The store basement was fairly sound proof and tuba music from a music store basement was acceptable but a little unusual in quiet Sonora. I played the tuba because the school provided the instrument and it was offered to me.
to be continued…
© 2017. Catherine Sevenau.
All rights reserved.
Sherri says
If “Mr. Hamilton” was Mick’s Father, he was my Grandfather as Mick is my Uncle.
Catherine Sevenau says
Just spoke to Larry: even though Mick is mentioned in the diary, he does not remember him.
Linda Troolin says
The good old days. I remember practicing my saxophone on the front porch. No one complained but they should have…
Larry Clemens says
Just for clarification: Mr. Pressley was bandmaster or director of the Tuolomue County Band (TCB) and the Toulome County Orchestra (TCO). Pressley lived next door and I sometimes visited him in his small home. The Aronos Club was a social group of adults from Sonora and Aronos was Sonora spelled backwards. I had to transpose music from other instruments because there was no available music for solo tuba music. I was taking music theory class at Sonora High School. I sometimes carried my tuba home so I could practice my music in the basement of the Clemens’ store at night because I was not allowed to play the tuba at home due to too loud for a residential area. The store basement was fairly sound proof and tuba music from a music store basement was acceptable but a little unusual in quiet Sonora.
Kay G says
Hi Larry, I’m a huge fan. Even with scant details, I can see everything in my minds eye. Did you happen to write anything about you & your families experience during the war? From what I understand, everyone stateside pulled their weight. Thank you Larry!
Catherine Sevenau says
Spoke to Larry: “The war was before I had a diary, which is the only thing I put in writing over the years. I do remember a big 6 ft by 6 ft collection box near the court house in the park across from the Veteran’s Memorial building on Washington Street. It was for scrap metal, fat, grease, any kind of materials that could be used in building weapons an ammunition. There was daily news in the paper about locals being killed in the war. There were no cars on the street as gas was rationed, along with food. Many stores in town were closed but the saloons were all open; the end of the business district was the Uptown Theatre. Many in town had chickens to have eggs and meat. I was nine and ten years old at the time.”