Assigned Diary Oct 17th 1922 B This afternoon after [hockey] I stopped in to see Abby and Bert. They both had colds and needed cheering up, but I can't cheer people up. Intead I teased Bert till she went and took a bath, and then I talked to Abby. She told me about the Jews here in college and said that they were the only ones who really didn't mind doing the dirty work, therefore if it weren't for the fact that they also like to study and that there is some prejudice against them, they would be running the whole college. I haven't noticed any prejudice here, nor have I seen anyone shirking hard work, --I'm not talking about .... I spent the evening helping put up scenery in Students. It was terribly interesting work and I loved it. The sophomores were rehearsing for their party and seemed to object to the noise. The scenery looks very shaky but maybe it'll be alright. We worked [until] eleven o'clock, so had to sign when we got back. Everyone in the tower was sitting up expecting a fire drill, but it didn't come.
Oct 18th I almost died in hockey, I never played worse, Fran (our captain) gave me the most awful looks and yelled at me to get into the game. At the end I was so blue that I almost just wanted to sulk, but then I couldn't blame it on anyone else. I was just [funk] and tomorrow I'm going to fight with all I have in me. Emmy Lu and I went to dinner in Joss with Abby and Bert. We continued our little game of family. Emmy & Bert are the twins, Archie & Algie, Abby is mama, I'm papa, Bobby is Grandma and Hedie the stray pup. It sounds silly but was very funny. I had to send Archie from the table cause he spilled my milk in the meat. After diner [dinner] I spanked Archie, but didn't dare rough Algie up cause she's a junior. I got over my blueness During the evening I helped again with scenery in Students. They were rehearsing so I met both Mr & Mrs Kennedy. I'm crazy about them both, they were terribly nice to us all and Mrs Kennedy told me that only a freshman would try to do Trig. while watching a rehearsal! We worked again until eleven.
Oct 19th I guess I'm not doing so well in Trig. I had a note asking me to come see Miss Cummings this evening. I feel like a saint I wrote four letters and remembered to mail them. Bert, Martie & Billie started on their trip to Syracuse, as a farewell gift to Algie (Bert), my son, I gave a book on how to attract friends. Golly, but I envy them, I'd give anything to go along but then freshmen haven't any ... cuts. Hockey went better I think, though we all made lots of fouls. At the end I at least had the feeling that I'd done the best I could, though I've got do better in the game to tomorrow.
Eighth hour I went to political discussion group. Same old woman spoke, whom I did not think very interesting. Better luck next time! My interview with Miss Cummings wasn't a bit bad. I apparently will have to improve in Trig.
Oct. 20th Why do I get so excited before a game? During afternoon classes I almost died. In English while Miss Wood was reading character sketches I didn't like, I wrote notes to Baldwin people which K. Johnson censured & will deliver. French was perfect torture. It's a deadly class anyhow but was worse if possible. Fran gave us a last few words of advice in K. Jones' room and then the game. I wonder if we looked as queer as we felt in those red bloomers & middies. As usual I can't remember the game itself, my impression is that as a team we played better than before, though individually we weren't so good. We were ahead until the last play & then they pushed it tying the score. The seniors beat the juniors 10 to 1, which is I think a great shame. After the game we marched with the juniors to their tree. I suppose it is a nice ceremony but we were embarrassed to death at having to sit & be sung to. In the evening I went with Heidy to the play, "The Master of the House". I think it's a pretty funk play, though I love watching Mr and Mrs Kennedy. Frannie spent the night so she could wake up in time to go to Mohonk.
Oct 21st It was cold when we got up but luckily clear. Pill met me at the trolley and we went down to the ferry with the first load. Crossing the river was very beautiful. The mist was rising & it looked as if the river were steaming. From the ferry to new Paltz we hung to the outside of a trolley and had a scream of a time jumping on and off. From New Paltz to Mohonk is about 7 mi. which we walked. I've never had such fun, though I'm glad I've been training the hills & steep. Golly, but I love to look across at mts, even little ones. Mohonk is, of course, a perfect fairy-land. It is almost too beautiful to be real. After a picnic lunch we climbed thru the rocks & up into the crevice. Gosh, I loved it, the air, the view, the beauty of it all. Then Heidy & I went swimming & almost froze tho' it was worth it. The ride home was fun. It's strange what difference there is in people after they've seen anything really beautiful! Emmy Lu & I spent the night in [Joss].
Oct 22nd We had a delightful breakfast in Kerr's room. It sure is fun sitting round in pajamas with a nice bunch, cooking and eating. I used to have an aversion to Jews but his summer at the Labor school I got over most of it and certainly being with Kerr would take the rest of it out of anyone. The man who spoke at chapel, anyone could spot as coming from a boys college by the expressions & jokes he told to keep peoples attention. I was not bored but it is a fact that now I can't remember what he was talking about though I do remember what he read from the bible 'cause I didn't like it. I spent one of those unsatisfying afternoons, when you have lots to do & mean to do it, then don't. Betty Small had a birthday party over at the Lodge & I had my first devil this year. After dark music, (I sat near people who talked, funny when you do the talking it's alright-but!), I worked in the Retreat. Hardly anyone came down tho' there seemed to be lots of dishes to wash.
Oct 23rd In Chem lecture Miss McLeod gave us a general outline of what we have done & then tried to open our eyes & stir our imaginations to the wonders of the world and science. She succeeded. She spoke of the huge boundlessness of each science and then of chemistry in particular. She sure did have us sitting just gaping. Scientists are often thought of as cold, unreligious, unimaginative people. They are just he opposite, but I haven't time now to prove my point. [In the margin, in red: You don't need to-I know it.] Played basket-ball during gym period, it was great but doesn't touch hockey. Hockey was lots of fun in pouring rain for practice though it wasn't so good! Another birth-day party at the Lodge, this time Abby Weed's.
Oct 24th Guess our south tower is pretty proud of having both Captain of Hockey Team (Fran) and chairman of organization committee (A.I.) up here. As per usual my Trig was all wrong. Miss Cummings is awful nice but terribly impersonal, I think that's because she is shy. Just discovered that lab instructor lives just below us. Must call on her. Practiced against seniors, they sure are good. Janet Fine came for dinner. She sure is one fine girl. I'm terribly sleepy & I hope those people in the sitting room have almost finished their latin.
Oct 25th I'm sorry but some-one has borrowed my pen so I'll have to use this. Jolly day, but French class is boring, it is absolutely deadly. 8th hr there was a class meeting to nominate class officers. A.B. conducted it extremly [sic] well. She would make an awfully good president, but who shall I vote for? It's between her and my room-mate! Emmy Lu (my room-mate) would be fine too. While they were discussing all the nominees for vice-president, Betty Hyde and I, who were among them, slid down the banisters. Both of us were eliminated and strange to say we are against each other for secretary. The elections are Friday. I went to the libe with every intention of doing my Trig., as usual it just wouldn't come out. I went over and poured forth my troubles to Heidy. She had a B on the stuff when a freshman, & promised to coach me up. Then she made me promise to go right to bed & try the stuff again right after break.fast. I'm going to. K. Johnson is spending the night. She is a scream. She arrived with an Aunt Jemima pancake flour box for a suit-case. Luckily she also had good in it. Remembering Dr T's words concerning the airing of clothes she hung them all out the window. Her shirt blew away! About eleven just after we had gotten to bed the darn fire-bell rang. In a real fire the members of the south tower would all burn.
Oct 26th Like Teddy Roosevelt's letters better than any I've read yet. He was a real live man, I wish I'd known him. He had more to be conceited about than anyone I read and yet he showed absolutely none. He must have been an almost finer father than he was president. I'll never forget what happened on the hockey field this afternoon. I undercut a hard ball and it hit Dot Hall (soph. cap.) on the fore head. She sort of staggered and I caught her. She had a black head-band on but when she put her hand to her fore-head & pushed it aside, it looked to me as if the blood just poured out. She looked at her bloody hand and said "isn't that boring!" They took her off and we went on playing. After dinner, I stopped in to see her. She was in bed and she sure is a good sport. I think she'll be able to play in the game Sat. In the libe tonight some girl helped me find books for a History topic. She was busy herself & probably in a hurry. I like her spirit of helping a poor, dumb freshman.
Oct 27th & 28th These have been some days! Fri afternoon we played the Juniors in hockey. Fran told us not to be overconfident but I guess we were anyhow; it was a funk game. We beat them 2-1 but the way we played we certainly didn't deserve to. Towards the end of the first half Fran go hit by the ball just over her eye. It swelled up in a second all blue and horrible looking. Dr B. rushed out and after looking at & touching it a minute told Fran to come off. Fran was all for staying in the game even though her eye was tight shut but they took her off. "A team without a captain is like a ship without a helm." Oh we were terrible. After the game I rushed to get dressed to meet Dad. He got up to college about 1.45 having missed Franny, whom I sent to meet him, at the station. She met us later a lodge & we all had dinner together. Gee, it was nice to see him again and I don't believe he is as scared of girls college as he says he is. I was pretty excited all the time cause the election results were to be read in the ... palace right after chapel. Father disgraced me in chapel by going over to talk to Azie (a cousin) during the hymn. Everybody in the guests seats was staring at him. I guess they thought he didn't know her & just wanted to look on her hymn book 'cause I didn't have one. We went straight from there to the ... palace. That was exciting. All the freshmen were there & a pretty good sprinkling of upper classmen. Dad was the only man. Of course there was much hubbub and noise. At last Pill read the results -- Brace- president, Driver-vice-president, Crutchfield-treasurer and Clothier-secretary. Oh no, father wasn't very thrilled! I guess I was pretty excited too. Golly, I'll never forget it though it is sort of a blur of shouting, handshaking, and back-clapping. Abby chaperoned me to see Dad off. At nine thirty all the officers had to go to 209 North and be sung to. That was terrible, especially since we each had to make speeches, they were mighty weak speakers. Needless to say the Tower didn't get to sleep early. A.B. (Brace) had to hold a regular reception. We broke all the glass in the place (literally) & had seven guests over-night. I was too excited to get to sleep & I woke up early with a game to look forward to. Went off-campus with Kay Johnson for breakfast. We had strict practice most of the morning, which was awfully foolish, I think. I was so tired that I fell asleep for half and hour before lunch & then again for a little while afterwards. The Juniors and Sophmores [sic] played first. It was a peach of a game 2-2. The Juniors played better than ever before. Just think the Sophmores [sic] have now tied every game. They're invincible, yet they can't beat anyone. Then our game with '23 began. Believe me that was a long hard fight every one of us was giving the best that she had every second. Luckily Fran was able to play. No score was made till the end of the first half when we just shoved her in. Between the halfs [sic] I just flopped & never wanted to move again. The second half was even more of a fight than the first. Gosh, it was a strain. Neither team scored so we won 1-0. Then comes another blur of shouting, yelling & stumbling. We had to go to the tree and be sung to by the juniors again. That was the best game I've ever played in though never was such a wreck as at the end of it. Fran's father took the whole team off to the Lodge to dinner; that was more excitement & fun. A few members of '24 were at the Lodge & they cheered us, then some people from '22 who were there answered the cheer we gave them. Just as we were getting up to go a whole crowd of '26 came to the window & sang to us. We sure were thrilled and appreciated it all. In the evening was sophmore [sic] party. Emmy Lu and I came as "Castoria Children cry for it". I was the Castoria & she was the children. The performance itself was lovely. I don't see how they did it. If i hadn't used up all the enthusiastic words I know I'd describe it. Any-how it was just great & will be described in the news. I was dead tired so I didn't risk sleeping in the tower where there were 4 guests, so I went to ... with Nell. It was so late that we were locked out & had to use a painter ladder to get to the roof & go in thru some-ones window. Their warden didn't hear us. Golly, it's been great!
Oct 29th A day of peace and quiet! Nell and I slept until quarter of ten & then ate a huge extravagant breakfast at the Lodge. I cut chapel to study, partly cause I don't like sermons.
I guess I'm queer but usually I don't get anything out of them. I'd rather go out in country alone. Anyhow I wrote up those last two wonderful days in this darn diary. Dot Reid took A.B. & me over to the Lodge for dinner. In the afternoon I started writing my pageant for History. I got interested and had lots of fun and wrote volumes. Poor Miss Barbour. Emmy and I went for walk after it got dark, around the lake. I got more out of it than I would have gotten from 20 sermons. It was beautiful. I guess Kay Johnson is going to park here permanently. She's nice but she sure is temperamental. She needs a real friend.
Oct 30th I'm furious! Not really but just sort off[sic]. Emmy and I have been planning to take Anne Hoague off campus to dinner tonight. Bert & Heedie [Hedie] don't think much of her and have been teasing us about her. They found we were going to the sandwich shop. In the middle of dinner, just when we were having a nice time, in they came. They sat down behind Emmy Lu, where Anne could not see them but where every time I looked up I could not miss them. They made awful remarks & faces all through the meal, I nearly died. Then they followed us all the way back & sat behind us in chapel. I was thoroughly embarrassed. Tonight there is to be dire revenge. Emmy & I are going to [Joss] a little before tea and hide in Cur's room till they are asleep. Then we'll try to get them gagged & bound & make them sleep in the bathroom while we occupy their beds. They'll be sorry. It's too bad I won't have a chance to write how this turns out, but I have no free time tomorrow and thank goodness this is the last entry in my "journel [sic] of life".