Henry’s Diary Part 2 – 1936 with photos from the Black Album

While looking over Henry’s Diary 1936 post I realized that I had left out the last entries. I offer them here.  The photographs are from the same time period in the little Black Album full of contact photos.

There are a few words I couldn’t make out, but the gist of it comes through.  You can find other posts about Henry at Henry Cleage’s Journal 1936,  Follow up on Henry’s Diary,  Just Tell The Men – a short story by Henry Cleage and another short story Proof Positive

Henry

March 10   Nothing – home
did find accounting problem.  Brewer said three openings to Nacerema – invited me – Daddy not enthusiastic – social club, not for student at school – Brewer said that Alpha’s taking a batch – advised me to pay some on  my back fees.

March 11  school & home – Rained – cold. tomorrow two tests Friday – history & accounting.

March 12  Found out from kid no test in History tomorrow, just in accounting. he had better be right- However I have studied History for a quiz (oral) tomorrow – I will study accounting during two vacants tomorrow – I hope Mama & Daddy have gone to Boulé “Keno” party -now about 1:00 a.m. going to bed.

Daddy and Mama

March 13    Fri – after school (8:30) not enough money to go to the show, so I waited in Union till 7 o’clock class!  Went over to Margret’s tonite – walked home with Elmo, Marion, Micky 

March 14     had tooth treated – hair cut

March 15   Went to shine meeting with Brewer, argument whether to get Laertes or Gloster for Dexus Desus – Laertes

Everyone all bothered about going into  fraternity. 
took car to Neil Hendersons tonight. took so long they were mad.

March 16    Went to show tonite and saw two good pictures – “Old Kentucky” Will Rodgers, Bill Robinson –  & “Whipsaw” – Myrna Loy and Spencer Tracy

March 17  Hygiene class went to Risdon Creamery – again I collected fares.
Nothing of import

March 18    Late for History Lecture.
Tonite I went to show and saw “Man who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo” (Ronald Coleman) and “Remember Last Nite?” Robert Young.   Met Winafred DeGrasse at show –

March 19   Hygiene class didn’t meet so I didn’t got to school till 2:30

March 20    Accounting class didn’t meet.
I & Clark went up to do our geology lab work, but teacher had neglected to leave questions so came home with Clark.
tonight started to show with Bill Mitches after my 7 – 9 class – changed my mind
Paper due for English next week.

March 21    Sat. Done nothing but work on accounting all day –
am supposed to go to alpha meeting tomorrow to answer some questions.  Again at 3:00 o’clock all ? excited about being made – few will be made.  I could if I had the entrance fee, I think.

March 25
My birthday – 20

henry&oscar
Henry & Oscar Hand

June 14
Went to Carolyn’s house with Bassset in someone’s Model A Ford – and Gene (a boy from Carolina)  Oscar went with us the first time But Carolyn wasn’t home- she left a note for me (see note) – came back on west side and let Oscar out, he was mad!!!!!
went back to Carolyn’s (she was home) – Basset left and said he would come back for me-
Carolyn and I became better acquainted… Basset came at about 11:15 and we came home.

June 15

Went to Velma’s – and not sure whether or not we have a real date Sunday or not ??? – am supposed to have a date too with Nancy and Carolyn too-

I meant to have my tooth pulled today but decided to wait until after the St. Matthew’s Moonlight July 6. (I must learn to dance) and get some ? I got and get a job.

June 16
Nothing – had dentist fix a molar – said back Sat at 11 and he would fill it.  Played ball and went to bed.

Toddy & Louis
Toddy & Louis

June 20
Went to Carolyn’s – talked from 6 to 9:30 – some kids came over – Matthews, ?, Charlotte, etc -Toddy and Louis came over so I left – Went by Velma’s – we did have a date – she expected me.

June 21
Took Velma for a short ride – Mabel fixed it -!!

June 27
Went to Carolyn’s – me and Toddy took her and Clara ? & Wilberforce for a ride.-

Henry

August 29         Meadows
Arrived at meadows at about 7:30 (getting dark) Had seen Velma before I left – I have her ring now – after had gotten our trunk in – we went down to creek – other’s brought some wood up and started a fire – I stayed down watching the creek and the farm – as it was dark they worried and came and got me.

August 30        Meadows
Sunday Richard’s club gave a picnic – we played ball off and on all day.  Daddy came out and brought Bobby – wrote two letters – Velma and Carolyn.  Bobby deliver them.

Last night when the others were in bed Morrow, George, Paul, Hugh and I sat around camp fire and sang – Nice but a little chilly  (Benard’s parents came out)

August 31       Meadows
After breakfast some of us went swimming – after that we all worked on a raft till dinner – chopped heavy logs from a fallen tree – tied together with grape vines and barrel wire – after dinner went & christened it “Frogy Bottom” & launched it – it immediately sank – logs were too heavy – were we mortified – the same group sat around the campfire again sang after dark.

September 1     Meadows
“Gee! but I’m blue, and so lonely, I don’t know what to do, but dream of you!” (a song I like to sing out here)

Hugh fishing.

Boys are playing horse shoes just after dinner – we fished and swam today – George caught a pretty large bass and I, trying to throw him across river to Morocco – threw him in.

Illustration from Tom Brown’s School Days

I like to get on the hill and look down towards the creek in the evening and watch –  The other nite I was there, Morocco, George, Hugh and Benard were chopping wood.  Louis and Paul were sitting farther down the hill with their arms full of wood – It was almost nite – The faint light from the west gave the scene a surreal quality –
The grass uneven, the rolling land, the giant trees, the creek, all outlined in this light and the boys too reminded me of an illustration in the book “Tom Browns School Days.”

One thought on “Henry’s Diary Part 2 – 1936 with photos from the Black Album

  1. What a treasure! Your post using his words and photographs has captured those moments perfectly.

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