1952 • Larry’s diary (age 18)
Jul 1 Phoned up Dad. Decided to take job at Moccasin. Drove up today, packed car, drove in and met Mirk to work next shift 4 A.M. so slept here without going to Sonora
Jul 2 First day at work at Moccasin Power House $20.00 raise this year. On same shift as last year.
Jul 3 (no entry)
Jul 4 Worked morning shift and got double time, took Gail H. out, saw Singin in the Rain outdoor show. Drove way back up in the hills, clear night, drove her home at 1 A.M.
Jul 5 – 16 (no entries)
Jul 17 Got letter from Nellie K. asking me to come to play in Modesto band under Frank Mancini
Jul 18 1st of 3 days off, worked in store. Stopped in Groveland for dance western style. Chester Smith Band $1.25 to get in, danced most of time
Jul 19 Drove into Yosemite 2 A.M. No registration fee. Slept in car in A.M. Met Dick Maguire and slept in his tent tonight. LOTS of strong gals, firefall
Yosemite Firefall
Jul 20 Hiked up Vernal Falls and part of Nevada Falls to dance. Harp concert there, great! Stayed up till 2:30 with guy and 2 gals talking. Slept at Mirror lake. Tour of Valley floor. Left at 2:30 A.M. 3 hour drive
Jul 21 Was real sick all day on job. Saw Mirk and will take two days off and there is a three man shift. Fixed hole in sleeping air mattress
Jul 22 Saw Bob Durham and wife Hazel at Moccasin. Showed me picture of their baby, Pam. Bob’s still in Lodi working for telephone co. Talked to R. Payton for couple of hours about music
Jul 23 Had 2nd day off for sickness. Felt much better, worked in store
Jul 24 Went to Modesto and played with Stanislaus County Band 1st time, established 1919 by Frank Mancini. Hard time finding Mancini hall, hour late for rehearsal
Jul 25 Played band concert in Mancini bowl in Grenada park at Modesto, Nellie there. All new basses belong to S.C.B. Renolds. Play in 2nd chair, 8 basses
Jul 26 Weather been around 104 for last week straight. Went to Sonora and got radio fixed 2nd time
Jul 27 Church with family in Sonora. Took off the oil pan or crank case and the fly wheel under case to be cleaned, changed oil and clean out screen. Working in pit.
Jul 28 Got a letter from Elaine Wurts. Only working 3 days week in Oakland. Got 1st check $163.00 gross and $130.00 clear after taxes. Little more than $10.00 per day
Jul 29 It rained today and broke the heat spell for a while. Real cool on day shift. Hitchhiked to Sonora with Segale to get gaskets for car. Carleen burned out oil line.
Jul 30 I was late for work. Joan drove me over. Hit post on my way back and knocked chrome off and dented fender. Rushed mechanics to get job done.
Jul 31 Mirk gave me 3 more days for August making 7. No more 3 man shifts. I was the last one. Caused by my sickness and had effect. To Modesto for rehearsal.
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Note from my brother: The Firefall occurred nightly off Glacier Point and was viewed from Camp Curry on the Yosemite Valley below. It was discontinued many years ago. Marian ‘s father (Larry’s future girlfriend and wife), Hugh McLellan, actually built fires on Glacier Point over 100 years ago. Around 1910 he worked as a cowboy in Yosemite. He also killed one of the last Grizzly Bears while herding cattle into Yosemite and we still have a big tooth from the small grizzly bear. Grizzly bears have been extinct in California since 1922. We also have photographs of the small dead grizzly bear which he skinned. Hugh was a teenager (age 18) at the time.
Hugh McLellan
to be continued …
© 2017. Catherine Sevenau.
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