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I tried to find out something about the Children's day at the First M.E. church, but was unsuccessful. Perhaps someone reading this knows?
Saturday, June 14, 1919
Cloudy warm day. Helped wash Hudson in the A.M. Got ferns at Central park for Children's day at First M.E. Played tennis with Leslie Jones at River. Down street with H.H. and Nellie. Retired 10:30 P.M.
Friday, June 13, 1919
Beautiful bright day. Up 7:30 A.M. Helped father. Candled eggs. Delivered eggs. Father and Mother to Uncle Henry's house. To Central Park to play tennis with H.H., Guy, and Merlin Finch.
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Uncle Henry appears again, but I am no closer to knowing who he is. Maybe later?
However, I've gotten in touch with a relative of Merlin Finch--a man or woman by the name of Jan who is the child of Merlin's sister's daughter. It's kind of fun to make a connection, however obscure, across the years. I'm hoping for a picture of Merlin to add to this blog so we can see what at least one of Stanford's friends looked like!
Central Park was a popular place to go in 1919, especially to play tennis, apparently. As one Wikipedia article puts it,
And here is a postcard from some unknown early time picturing the tennis courts there:
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Uncle Henry appears again, but I am no closer to knowing who he is. Maybe later?
However, I've gotten in touch with a relative of Merlin Finch--a man or woman by the name of Jan who is the child of Merlin's sister's daughter. It's kind of fun to make a connection, however obscure, across the years. I'm hoping for a picture of Merlin to add to this blog so we can see what at least one of Stanford's friends looked like!
Central Park was a popular place to go in 1919, especially to play tennis, apparently. As one Wikipedia article puts it,
Central Park is the crown jewel of Schenectady's parks. It occupies the highest elevation point in the city. The Common Council voted in 1913 to purchase the land for the present site of the park. The park features an acclaimed rose garden and Iroquois Lake. Its stadium tennis court was the former home to the New York Buzz of the World Team Tennis league (as of 2008). Central Park was named after New York City's Central Park.Here is a photo, taken from Images of America: Schenectady, of Central Park in the 1920s:
And here is a postcard from some unknown early time picturing the tennis courts there:
Thursday, June 12, 1919
Up 5:30 A.M. To work at 144 P.P. [Park Place] from 7 A.M. to 4 P.M. laying sidewalk. Out on joy-ride with K.S.P. to look for camp site. Finch, Norris, Wagner, Larkin, Gemlich, Thorpe, H.H. & I went with Hudson. Fine time. To bed 11 P.M.
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I looked at Google street maps to get a picture of 144 Park Place and its sidewalk, and here it is:
I don't know if this is the sidewalk Stanford laid in 1919, but parts of it do look kind of old. It's possible! On the other hand, the sidewalk may have led to a front door that seems now to be gone along with its building. In 1920 there was a residence at 144 Park Place that housed four families.
Why was Stanford doing this work? It could have been a summer job, or perhaps, as John suggests, it was church work, some kind of community service. Stanford doesn't say, so we can only guess.
Another friend appears in the narrative: Gemlich. This may be Edward Gemlich who in 1920 lived with his parents about 3/4 mile from Stanford at 13 Close Street. In 1919 he was around 15 years old, which would be appropriate considering the boy Stanford mentions is probably a member of Kappa Sigma Pi, the Christian boys' organization.
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I looked at Google street maps to get a picture of 144 Park Place and its sidewalk, and here it is:
I don't know if this is the sidewalk Stanford laid in 1919, but parts of it do look kind of old. It's possible! On the other hand, the sidewalk may have led to a front door that seems now to be gone along with its building. In 1920 there was a residence at 144 Park Place that housed four families.
Why was Stanford doing this work? It could have been a summer job, or perhaps, as John suggests, it was church work, some kind of community service. Stanford doesn't say, so we can only guess.
Another friend appears in the narrative: Gemlich. This may be Edward Gemlich who in 1920 lived with his parents about 3/4 mile from Stanford at 13 Close Street. In 1919 he was around 15 years old, which would be appropriate considering the boy Stanford mentions is probably a member of Kappa Sigma Pi, the Christian boys' organization.
Wednesday, June 11, 1919
Beautiful bright warm. Played tennis with H.H. at river. Dinner. Candled eggs and read etc. Unloaded eggs. Mowed lawns. Helped Nellie. Read etc. To bed 9:15 P.M. Thank God for all good things.
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I'm not sure what Stanford helped his sister Nellie with, but this day was spent with family doing chores, mostly, which seemed alright with him.
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I'm not sure what Stanford helped his sister Nellie with, but this day was spent with family doing chores, mostly, which seemed alright with him.
Tuesday, June 10, 1919
Cloudy. Up 9 A.M. Cleared up. Candled eggs etc in A.M. To Country place in P.M. Hoed until 9 P.M. Garden looks fine. Took bath. Miss Bacon left for Syracuse. To bed 11:30 P.M.
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A little more about Nettie Almira Bacon: she was born July 8, 1877 and died May 4, 1956. She never married. She graduated from Syracuse University with a B.S. degree in 1907 and taught high school Biology and Algebra in Schenectady until she became a missionary. After retiring from her missionary work she lived with her sister Nellie in Minnesota until her death. She's buried in Center Creek Cemetery in Fairmont, MN. Her sister is buried there too.
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A little more about Nettie Almira Bacon: she was born July 8, 1877 and died May 4, 1956. She never married. She graduated from Syracuse University with a B.S. degree in 1907 and taught high school Biology and Algebra in Schenectady until she became a missionary. After retiring from her missionary work she lived with her sister Nellie in Minnesota until her death. She's buried in Center Creek Cemetery in Fairmont, MN. Her sister is buried there too.
Monday, June 9, 1919
Cloudy with pourdowns at intervals all day. Commencement exercises at 10 A.M. Major General Leonard Wood spoke. Walked around town with Wemple. Played pool and bowled at night.
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Major General Leonard Wood was an Army officer who was involved in the Indian wars (for which he received the Medal of Honor), the Spanish American War and the War with the Phillipines. He served under Teddy Roosevelt in the Rough Riders and was a controversial figure. You can read about him in Wikipedia: Leonard Wood.
He was also a physician, which may explain why he gave the commencement address to Union College and Albany Medical College on June 9, 1919. He's familiar to me because the Army post, Ft. Leonard Wood, MO was named after him.
I'm not sure who Wemple is, but I have two candidates: Herbert Wemple, born in 1900 and a student in 1920; William W. Wemple, born in 1899 and also a student. Don't know if either is right, but maybe I'll learn his first name later.
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Major General Leonard Wood was an Army officer who was involved in the Indian wars (for which he received the Medal of Honor), the Spanish American War and the War with the Phillipines. He served under Teddy Roosevelt in the Rough Riders and was a controversial figure. You can read about him in Wikipedia: Leonard Wood.
He was also a physician, which may explain why he gave the commencement address to Union College and Albany Medical College on June 9, 1919. He's familiar to me because the Army post, Ft. Leonard Wood, MO was named after him.
I'm not sure who Wemple is, but I have two candidates: Herbert Wemple, born in 1900 and a student in 1920; William W. Wemple, born in 1899 and also a student. Don't know if either is right, but maybe I'll learn his first name later.
Sunday, June 8, 1919
Cloudy day. To church & S.S. Miss Bacon talked in S.S. Some rain at night. Took nap in P.M. Mary Carlton here. No Epworth League. Baccalaureate service at night. Mr. Richmond spoke at First Presbyterian Church.
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We can see that Nettie Bacon is still in town, talking at Sunday School--about her mission, no doubt.
I can't find out who Mary Carlton is; she's not in the Closson Genealogy, and I don't find her in census records or the city directory. Maybe later Stanford will give us a clue. Or perhaps someone reading this knows who she was?
Mr. Richmond is actually Rev. Dr. Charles Alexander Richmond, the president of Union College and Chancellor of Union University (which includes the graduate school and Albany Medical College, among others) from 1909 until 1928. Dr. Richmond was a minister in the Presbyterian church up until he became president. He was a popular president, by most accounts, and he was also a poet of some note. Here is a poem he wrote that was published in 1917 in A Treasury of War Poetry:
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We can see that Nettie Bacon is still in town, talking at Sunday School--about her mission, no doubt.
I can't find out who Mary Carlton is; she's not in the Closson Genealogy, and I don't find her in census records or the city directory. Maybe later Stanford will give us a clue. Or perhaps someone reading this knows who she was?
Mr. Richmond is actually Rev. Dr. Charles Alexander Richmond, the president of Union College and Chancellor of Union University (which includes the graduate school and Albany Medical College, among others) from 1909 until 1928. Dr. Richmond was a minister in the Presbyterian church up until he became president. He was a popular president, by most accounts, and he was also a poet of some note. Here is a poem he wrote that was published in 1917 in A Treasury of War Poetry:
A Song
His poetry writing even captured the attention of The New York Times. On March 5, 1916, the newspaper published an article about his avocation entitled, "A College President Who Writes War Songs." Below is his picture:And the lilies of France are pale,And the poppies grow in the golden wheat,For the men whose eyes are heavy with sleep,Where the ground is red as the English rose,And the lips as the lilies of France are pale,And the ebbing pulses beat fainter and fainter and fail.Oh, red is the English rose,And the lilies of France are pale.And the poppies lie in the level cornFor the men who sleep and never return.But wherever they lie an English roseSo red, and a lily of France so pale,Will grow for a love that never and never can fail.
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| Rev. Dr. Charles A. Richmond |
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