Hal came over. Audrey, Me, Norman & Bill went to Ina Ray Hutton Show. I started out with Norman & ended with Bill. After he took Aud & Norm home but before he had to try things. He tried to neck and pet. He really had Russian hands & Roming fingers. He’s succeeded in kissing but not petting hardly. Gads he tried hard. Got home at 11:10.
Mr. Platner said to forget it.
Editorial Note:
Ina Ray Hutton was a blond bombshell with talent. In the 1930s she parlayed a successful run with her band, the all-female Melodears, into the refracted limelight of Bing Crosby in The Big Broadcast of 1936, a huge accomplishment for a woman of her time. Her eponymous show began filming in 1951, when Lois attended a taping, and was picked up by a major network in 1956; the featured clip below is from the very first episode of Hutton’s 1956 season.
Norman asked me on a double date for tomorrow with a friend of his from New York. I asked Audrey to be the other gal—she’s in. Bill Gordon (Norman’s friend) came over tonight after he called. Gads!!! What a fast worker. He says I have a wise voice. But man! (as I said before) is he fast!!!!!
Mr. Plater (Science) gave me a failure notice today.
Went to the Hollywood Bowl with Mr. & Mrs. Mendleson, Lynn, Ricky, Bob & me. We saw “I am an American” day. The show was good. But I had an awful time as Bob wasn’t in a very gay mood. His dad bought him a car. I cryed my eyes out when I got home because of him.
Baby sat for Frances.
Editorial Note:
According to Richard M. Fried’s The Russians Are Coming! The Russians Are Coming! Pageantry and Patriotism in Cold-War America, I Am An American Day was conceptualized in 1938 by either Benjamin Edwards Neal, creator of the I Am An American Foundation, or The Helios Foundation, and signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1940. The day was celebrated annually across the United States on the third Sunday of May, and commemorated the citizenship of newly naturalized immigrants and youngsters who had just come of age to vote (then the age of 21).
Following the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor, the popular event acquired a patriotic immediacy and was used to reinforce and publicly display one’s devotion to the American cause, as a citizen. The end of the war augmented the event’s rhetoric as Cold War tensions focused the narrative on a need to find and report subversive activities; understandably, the popularity of I Am An American Day suffered and it fell out of favor. In 1952, Congress changed the name of I Am An American Day to Citizenship Day, and the date was moved from May to September 17th. It was again reformatted as “Constitution and Citizenship Day” at the request of late Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia in 2004, and now celebrates the signing of the United States Constitution in 1787.
Seen below, courtesy of the Los Angeles Examiner Negative Collection, 1950-1961 maintained by the University of Southern California, is the Hollywood Bowl decked out for I Am An American Day in 1951–the very same one attended by our Lois. Perhaps if you scrutinize the crowd long enough you can see her, seated between the Mendlesons and gazing forlornly at Bob.
Harvey is a wonderful as ever. Audrey & I bowled 3 games. Birch sat & talked to us all the time. He treated me to a coke & gave me a dime to go home on. Birch walked me to 5th again. He took my shoe & I had to walk to 5th with one shoe off. I bowled 90, 83 & 79. Hal called. Mrs. Mendleson invited me to the Hollywood Bowl this Sunday for “I am an American Day.” Lynn, Ricky, Mr. & Mrs. Mendleson are going. I called Bob & he’s going too. Maybe Mom & Dad too. Talked to Audrey over an hour on the phone.
We saw a real keen movie today in Science about how babys are formed in the mommies tummy. It hold all about how the sperm fertals the egg etc. I learned why you shouldn’t marry into the family.
Saw Mr. Platmers book eat a gopher. WOW! It was beautiful in a scientific way. Mr. Frisius is so wonderful. I don’t see how he can dot it. He’s so considerate & helpful & connsious of everyone. He goes out of his way soooo much, and for what? The kids treat him like dirt when they should be kissing his feet. Gads!! but I admire him.
Today in homeroom we got the Mirror & there was something about Sparky & Barbrak in it. The whole class was in an uproar over Harvey because he put it in. Then Mr. Moore called Harvey a flirty flirty, then someone said, “Harvey likes Lois” “Lois likes Harvey” & Mr. Moore said “Well you make a good looking couple. I don’t blame you Harvey—Lois is a very pretty girl etc. If I were only 40 years younger—-“ & at that moment Harvey’s & my eyes met & we both blushed a bit. I’m pretty sure he likes me. Jan put something in the “values loral” about Harvey & me (so she says & so I hope). Mommie says she saw some mateirl for my formal for the Sr. Prom. Bubie blacked out again today. Poor kid, she’s really got it rough. Ant Rose, Sylvia, Unc Joe & Abner came over. It is now 11:00 so I better go to bed.
Nothin’ much. Tommy doesn’t even try to sit with me on the bus anymore. I still think he likes me a little. I can see it in his eyes & the way he looks at me.
Weeded all day—Baby sat an hour & ½ (behind us). Went to T.T. meeting. Levy took me home he’s reel keen—19 years old graduated w’51. T.T. planning a horseback party 29th of May.
Nostos Algos 