1.74 Larry’s Diary, Jun 1952

1952 • Larry’s diary (age 18)
Jun 1  Valerie Nash had me over for supper, sister Polly and mother and cats there. Baked cherry pies. Took her to see Snow White at Los Altos theatre and then coffee. Wore suit to St. Pats
Jun 2  Looked through La Torre with Elaine in morn and Ginger in eve. Practiced String Bass at night. Orchestra dress rehearsal. Stayed up til 3 typing outline for spread. Had last big meal at Greek house, 3 weddings, 3 engagements and 1 pinning. I announced Mary Alice engagement with borrowed cat, chased cat all over
Jun 3  Paid rent $15.00. Radiator $15.50, bid and corsage $5.50. Mixer 1.00. Closed bank account of $10.00. Have real sore throat. Orchestra concert
Jun 4  M.E.N.C. (Music Educators National Conference) met at Dr. Downeys house. Informal get together
Jun 5  Saul, Art and I had frostie together, watched people go by. Got a 9 on final speech outline, got B on Harmony notebook but Pete said he gave me an A in course
Jun 6  Took Elaine W. to Frosh-Soph mixer. Played “Yuba” solo with Mary Jo on piano. Carried piano from lodge
Jun 7  Band played convert for alumni in outer quad. Took Janet E. Wurts to Senior Ball at Hotel Fairmont in San Francisco and to Fisherman’s Wharf and the Grotto at 3:30 A.M. Stayed overnight at Oakland at her house. Had dinner and met folks and sister, Sandy

Jun 8  Met Dad in San Francisco. Saw car, 49 Olds. Ate at Omar Khayyam’s, had Armenian food. Picked Elaine up in Oakland and drove back together. Had breakfast there

Dad’s 1949 Oldsmobile, Claudia, Betty, and Cathy

Jun 9  Electric clock got behind and I missed Band final. Olson didn’t say much. Guy from Wear Ever came to my room and tried to talk me into being a salesman. Took car to garage
Jun 10  Slept through Musicianship final. Filled blue book in Psych 5A final. Took Pat Whittaker to El Rancho and saw My Six Convicts. Dumped her and home early
Jun 11  Had Advance Brass final, short. Tearing down B33 brass shack. Practiced String Bass with Steva. Last night hashing. Gals sang to Bill and I, “Jolly Good Fellows” then water fight
Jun 12  Last day of finals. Had Musicianship make-up, Speach 2A and String Bass. Took Elaine to Garden Theatre in Willow Glen, Invitation. Hashed for 7 gals, just dropped in. Got A in Psych class. Home by 1. Elaine out after 11 o’clock lockout, but O.K.
Jun 13  Band played for Graduation. Turned in horn and uniform. Both Jim Day and Bob Day (our cousins who were half-brothers) graduated, both with honors. Saw George and Verda Day family.

Jim Day, H.S. graduation

Bob Day, military bef college

Jun 14  Tennis with Art at Campbell High, then swam at High school pool. Picked 20 LB. cherries to eat. Went to drive-in with Daniels family. Ate at their house and home by 1 A.M. after show The River

Jun 15  Neighbor lent me $2 to get home on. Drove my car home and ate cherries, cleaned up kids rooms, really dirty. Talked to Mac half hour about job at Moccasin. Jim Day married Thelma
Jun 16  Saw Mirk at Powerhouse about job, phoned to San Francisco. Drove Olds over. Played in Tuolumne County Band on Bass, played solos, O.K. Gave cherries to Mr. Hagemeyer and had frostie with him. Cleaned toys in store
Jun 17  Changed whole toy counter. Took Claudia out and played tennis till dark. Paid $25 fine to Muse for March accident (admitted I was speeding). Jake (Duane Jacobsen) working on road and Don Grant in mail
Jun 18  Went to canneries in San Jose with Art. He got job starting today. Talked to V. Governale. Took Olds down. Went thru Oakland and saw Elaine Wurts family. Killed owl with car. Saw wrecked Ford in Wildcat Canyon
Jun 19  Played tennis with Peckham, Ruth and fellow. Took Claudia out. Got first letter from Mom in Las Vegas. Grades were held up because I didn’t turn in gym clothes.
Jun 20  Wrote letter to Elaine’s Mom and paid $10.00 fine to Oakland for ticket. Sold 202 records to 1 lady, over $80.00 worth. Missed 2nd Dentist appointment. Ordered LPs
Jun 21  Went to Tuolumne Jubilee dance. Danced with a lot of girls I hadn’t seen for a long time. ’52 Chevy given away. Played tennis with Don Grant, last set I won 2-3

Jun 22  Dad and girls went to San Francisco and zoo. Went to church but couldn’t find key to store so didn’t open. Fixed window car. Painted frame also. Packed things into trunk
Jun 23  Saw Singin’ in the Rain, no Tuolumne County Band practice. Saw Jake and Nita. Took walk about Sonora Grammar and High schools. Lady bought over $200.00 of records. Rained in morn
Jun 24  Took Betty and played tennis. MacDonald asked me to play in jazz band next year at school, going steady with Bob Harter. Mom sent $1.00 to each of the kids.
Jun 25  Saw Carleen’s Green and Gold, lithographed in Texas. S.U.H.S. on cover. Took Claudia to play tennis and watched Square Dancing and baseball game. Haircut, and shoeshine. Bought pants pressers and dryers at 10 cent store

Jun 26  Took Gail Henrickson to show. Very nice gal. Used Dad’s car to drive her back and forth from Twain Harte. Watched baseball at S.U.H.S. Home by 1:30. 
Jun 27  Pat Partsin called me up in store from Twain Harte, talked for half hour. Drove own car back to San Jose. Dad paid me $50.00 and I paid Dr. Grosso $15.00 and Burkes $13.59 and gas for car $10.00
Jun 28  Unpacked belongings and cleaned up room. Played records all day. Threw out papers and junk. Wrote letter to Mom. Had french bread and popcorn for supper with cheese.

Jun 29  Went to St. Pats. Practiced on tuba. Batted tennis ball around at Bakesto Park. Art Daniel had 21st birthday today, talked to Ginger in drugstore
Jun 30  Got grades, 1.87 for school year and 2.2 for quarter. Telegram from Dad, job at Moccasin open. Looked at typing job and gardening work. Tennis with Art

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Note from Larry: In 1952 I bought my first car with my silver dollar collection, a gray 1937 two-door Dodge coupe. The picture of Carleen in front of the car was taken from the yard of our Sonora house on Green St. The wall behind her was marble stone with black mortar and a very few gold flecks in the marble rocks, quarried from Columbia. The view behind her is the back of the stores on Washington St. including a drug store, clothing store, and the rear of Clemens’ Music Store; the Clemens’ store does not show in this picture as it’s a little to the left. Most of the stores had a small parking lot behind and stairs going up into the stores, except Clemens’ had no parking behind it. It had a back door, but no stairs. It also had a basement, as did most other stores, as Green Street was about 15 feet lower than Washington Street, the main business thoroughfare. Kelley Cars and the Central Garage was a full two-story garage with parking downstairs and the car dealership and garage repairs upstairs, with gas pumps right on the main street.

Carleen 1952, Green St., Sonora

to be continued …

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