Beautiful bright cool day. To Church & Sunday School. Took little walk in P.M. also nap. To Epworth League. Good service. Doris Smith and Gertrude Anthony lead. Walked around to Central Park etc. To bed 11:30 P.M.
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I haven't nailed down Doris Smith just yet, but I think Gertrude Anthony was an 18-year-old girl who lived in Schenectady with her family at 11 Spruce St in 1920, about 2.6 miles from the Clossons. Her father was a bookkeeper with GE.
Saturday, June 28, 1919
Beautiful bright day. Helped Father. Went down town etc. In P.M. Kappa Sigma Pi and Phi Beta Pi went on outing at Ballston Lake. Fine time played ball etc. To bed 11 P.M. Thankful.
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As I explained earlier, Kappa Sigma Pi is the religious organization that is also known as the Knights of Saint Paul. What Phi Beta Pi is, I'm still not sure. There was a Medical Fraternity of that name at the time, but no record of a chapter at Union College or Albany Medical College. It could be the group, though I can't help thinking it is somehow affiliated with KSP. In the book about Kappa Sigma Pi there is mention of a religious organization named Phi Alpha Pi, but none by the name Phi Beta Pi. Well, maybe Stanford will clarify at some point.
Ballston Lake is the name of a town not far from Schenectady and of the lake located in the town. Below is an excerpt from a Wikipedia article about it. It seems kind of an interesting place:
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As I explained earlier, Kappa Sigma Pi is the religious organization that is also known as the Knights of Saint Paul. What Phi Beta Pi is, I'm still not sure. There was a Medical Fraternity of that name at the time, but no record of a chapter at Union College or Albany Medical College. It could be the group, though I can't help thinking it is somehow affiliated with KSP. In the book about Kappa Sigma Pi there is mention of a religious organization named Phi Alpha Pi, but none by the name Phi Beta Pi. Well, maybe Stanford will clarify at some point.
Ballston Lake is the name of a town not far from Schenectady and of the lake located in the town. Below is an excerpt from a Wikipedia article about it. It seems kind of an interesting place:
Early settlers in this area feared attacks from Mohawks, who already inhabited the region and who resented the establishment of European buildings on their sacred grounds. One of Ballston's historic sites is Indian Rock, a large boulder where Mohawk tribesmen reputedly took white captives (children, in some cases) to torture and kill them.
Ballston Lake, a narrow, 3.7-mile (6.0 km)-long lake with a maximum depth of 120 feet (37 m) in the south of the region, was called "Shanantaha" by natives. It was known to early white settlers as Long Lake. The lake was part of the Mohawk River during the glacial age and archeological digs have unearthed artifacts indicating settlement around the lake as early as 3,500 BCE.
For a long time the depth of Ballston Lake was not determined, due to the multiple caves that prevented divers from going to the bottom. There has been an artifact found that is dated 2000 B.C. It is also believed that a lake monster exists within one of the hundreds of caves. That is called by the natives Big Tim and has been spotted by multiple people.
Friday, June 27, 1919
Cloudy with rain in middle of day. To country place to work in garden. Place looks fine. Quite a hard rain. Greased Hudson and Ford. Up to Merris's and around town. To bed 11:10 P.M. Thankful for health, education etc.
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I guess after their few days away, Stanford (and maybe his father) had to check the country place and catch up on the gardening.
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I guess after their few days away, Stanford (and maybe his father) had to check the country place and catch up on the gardening.
Thursday, June 26, 1919
Cloudy and rainy. Helped Father with business etc. Candled eggs in A.M. and P.M. Up to Merris's house to Marion Benedict's, Merlyn Finch etc. Home 10:30 P.M. To bed 11 P.M. Thankful.
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Marion Benedict is of course the future Mrs. Hanford Hillman Closson. Stanford doesn't indicate the nature of his relationship to her (or Hanford's, for that matter), but it's certainly interesting to speculate how well he and Hanford knew Miss Benedict at this time. When did they all meet? Maybe someone reading this knows.
In 1910, Marion and her brother Clifford lived with their parents Joseph and Alice Benedict at 424 Summit Avenue in Schenectady. Her father was a machinist for GE at the time. By 1920, other than their address (by then it was 630 Hamilton Street) nothing had changed but their ages. The Clossons lived about a mile from 630 Hamilton Street, where the Benedicts may have been living in 1919.
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Marion Benedict is of course the future Mrs. Hanford Hillman Closson. Stanford doesn't indicate the nature of his relationship to her (or Hanford's, for that matter), but it's certainly interesting to speculate how well he and Hanford knew Miss Benedict at this time. When did they all meet? Maybe someone reading this knows.
In 1910, Marion and her brother Clifford lived with their parents Joseph and Alice Benedict at 424 Summit Avenue in Schenectady. Her father was a machinist for GE at the time. By 1920, other than their address (by then it was 630 Hamilton Street) nothing had changed but their ages. The Clossons lived about a mile from 630 Hamilton Street, where the Benedicts may have been living in 1919.
Wednesday, June 25, 1919
Beautiful hot day. Up 6 A.M. Took breakfast at Perkins. Left Potsdam 8 A.M. Drove 258 miles home thru the Adirondacks. Fine trip. Arrived home 8:40 P.M. To bed 12 P.M. Thankful.
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Well, I may have finally found out something about Perkins. In the January 29, 1919 Potsdam newspaper I came across an ad for someone to work at a Perkins Boarding House, primarily in the kitchen. Upon further investigation, I discovered that the boarding house, owned by Mr. & Mrs. Perkins, was there in Potsdam for many years. This may be the Perkins where the Clossons ate two breakfasts. It may also have been where they stayed, but there's no way to know for sure without some indication of it from the diary.
Anyway, here is a story published May 22, 2013 (my birthday!) in the Oswego County paper that tells a little bit about the boarding house and its owners:
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Well, I may have finally found out something about Perkins. In the January 29, 1919 Potsdam newspaper I came across an ad for someone to work at a Perkins Boarding House, primarily in the kitchen. Upon further investigation, I discovered that the boarding house, owned by Mr. & Mrs. Perkins, was there in Potsdam for many years. This may be the Perkins where the Clossons ate two breakfasts. It may also have been where they stayed, but there's no way to know for sure without some indication of it from the diary.
Anyway, here is a story published May 22, 2013 (my birthday!) in the Oswego County paper that tells a little bit about the boarding house and its owners:
POTSDAM, NY – Tabatha Svereika of Hannibal, a senior majoring in aeronautical engineering and mechanical engineering at Clarkson University, received the following award at the University Recognition Day ceremony during the spring semester: The Perkins Family Memorial Award. Begun in the 1960s, this award recognizes the influence and support of the Perkins family. This family owned a boarding house that was located on the current site of the Newman Center in Potsdam. The Perkins family employed many Clarkson students in exchange for their board. The family was also known for loaning money to needy students, enabling them to complete their education. The award is now presented annually to deserving work-study students.Another piece in a Potsdam paper tells of one of the Perkins' two daughters:
1964: Nov. 19thIn the 1920 census, devoted Anna was listed as single, her occupation servant. Perhaps she was the one who waited on the Clossons in June of 1919.
Miss. Anna J. Perkins, 88, died. She was born Dec. 8th, 1875. Daughter of Ralph and Merian (Matthews) Perkins of Potsdam, NY. She assisted her mother in running the Perkins Boarding House. Her only survivors are cousins.
Tuesday, June 24, 1919
Beautiful bright day. Breakfast at Perkins. Up 7:30 A.M. Commencement exercises at 10 A.M. Fine address etc. Drove to Ogdensburg. In Canada for 15 minutes at Prescott. Sat around at night. To bed 12 P.M.
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I'm curious about the place called Perkins where they had breakfast. Is it a restaurant or cafe? John and I established it is not the Perkins restaurant we have now. But I couldn't find it, so I'll have to continue to wonder.
Ruth's commencement was held in the auditorium of the brand new Potsdam Normal School building that had at the time not yet been opened for classes. (It would be in the fall.) Below is a picture of the auditorium, and the building it was in.
Both pictures came from the book State University of New York at Potsdam, published in 2011.
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I'm curious about the place called Perkins where they had breakfast. Is it a restaurant or cafe? John and I established it is not the Perkins restaurant we have now. But I couldn't find it, so I'll have to continue to wonder.
Ruth's commencement was held in the auditorium of the brand new Potsdam Normal School building that had at the time not yet been opened for classes. (It would be in the fall.) Below is a picture of the auditorium, and the building it was in.
Monday, June 23, 1919
Up 5:45 A.M. Started from Holland Patent 6:45 A.M. Drove 124 miles. Arrived in Potsdam 1:45 P.M. Beautiful bright day. Drove to Parishill etc. To recital at opera house 8 P.M. Ruth sang well. Walked around town. Stayed at Bonney's. To bed 11:15 P.M.
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In trying to determine where was the opera house where Ruth had her recital, I came up with the first civic center, built in 1875. It apparently served multiple purposes in the town until 1934, when it was condemned. According to Potsdam Museum web site, the Town Hall and Opera House, as it is named in the photo,
I tried to determine who the Bonneys were, but was unable to come up with any people or place that would match.
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In trying to determine where was the opera house where Ruth had her recital, I came up with the first civic center, built in 1875. It apparently served multiple purposes in the town until 1934, when it was condemned. According to Potsdam Museum web site, the Town Hall and Opera House, as it is named in the photo,
was the scene for Normal graduations, plays, musicals, lectures, home talent shows. One outstanding feature of the auditorium was its perfect acoustic properties and architects came from Boston and other cities trying to find the reason. No one ever found the secret.Here is a picture of the building:
I tried to determine who the Bonneys were, but was unable to come up with any people or place that would match.
Sunday, June 22, 1919
Beautiful bright day. To Church and Sunday School. Read in P.M. Started for Potsdam 5 P.M. Mother, Father, H.H. and I. Drove 94 miles. Stayed at Holland Patent 12 miles north of Utica overnight. Fine place. To bed 10:30.
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The Clossons were going to Potsdam to visit Ruth at her college. It's 218 miles to Potsdam and 94 miles to Holland Patent, NY, so they went about half way to their destination the first day. I wonder how long it took them and where they stayed in Holland Patent. Did they stay in their car or in a hotel? There were a number of hotels in Utica and in Rome, NY (about 10 miles from Holland Patent) at the time, but none I could find in Holland Patent itself. Oh, well, another mystery.
Holland Patent is not a big town, even today. Below is a map showing its location (A) relative to Rome and Utica:
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The Clossons were going to Potsdam to visit Ruth at her college. It's 218 miles to Potsdam and 94 miles to Holland Patent, NY, so they went about half way to their destination the first day. I wonder how long it took them and where they stayed in Holland Patent. Did they stay in their car or in a hotel? There were a number of hotels in Utica and in Rome, NY (about 10 miles from Holland Patent) at the time, but none I could find in Holland Patent itself. Oh, well, another mystery.
Holland Patent is not a big town, even today. Below is a map showing its location (A) relative to Rome and Utica:
Saturday, June 21, 1919
Beautiful bright cool mild breezy day. Up 7:30. Got eggs in. Helped father etc. Down town trading etc. At river playing tennis with H. H. Took bath etc. To bed 10:30 P.M.
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I wonder if the trading downtown involved selling the eggs? I'd like to know more about the business of selling butter and eggs in that era.
Also, I wonder what kind of bathtub the Clossons had? Whatever it was, it's certain they didn't make gin in it!
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I wonder if the trading downtown involved selling the eggs? I'd like to know more about the business of selling butter and eggs in that era.
Also, I wonder what kind of bathtub the Clossons had? Whatever it was, it's certain they didn't make gin in it!
Friday, June 20, 1919
Rain in morning. Cleared up in afternoon. To library in morning. Helped grease Hudson etc. Down street in P.M. Played tennis and walked around with Floyd Smith. To bed 11P.M. Thankful.
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I found some more information about Floyd Smith. His middle name was Arthur and he was born in 1898, the youngest of four children of Eve and Charles Smith, who lived in Schenectady. Charles, Floyd's father, was a grocer. Floyd only lived to 1951, unfortunately, but in that time he married Helen Zemke and had one child. Below is a picture taken of him with two of his siblings in 1902. I found it attached to a family tree on Ancestry.com. Floyd is on the right.
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I found some more information about Floyd Smith. His middle name was Arthur and he was born in 1898, the youngest of four children of Eve and Charles Smith, who lived in Schenectady. Charles, Floyd's father, was a grocer. Floyd only lived to 1951, unfortunately, but in that time he married Helen Zemke and had one child. Below is a picture taken of him with two of his siblings in 1902. I found it attached to a family tree on Ancestry.com. Floyd is on the right.
Thursday, June 19, 1919
Beautiful bright mild day. Candled most all day. Uncle Henry here. Out riding at night to Rotterdam etc. Beautiful ride. Light refreshment at 10 P.M. Thankful.
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Rotterdam is a nearby town about 3 miles from the Closson residence. I wonder if they all went, taking Uncle Henry with them . . .
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Rotterdam is a nearby town about 3 miles from the Closson residence. I wonder if they all went, taking Uncle Henry with them . . .
Wednesday, June 18, 1919
Beautiful bright day. Played tennis with H.H. at river. Candled eggs. Repaired sidewalk at 108 Park Place etc. Out walking at night. To the Colonnade at Rexford. Fine time. To bed 11:30 P.M.
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Once again, Stanford is doing sidewalk work. Is this a part-time job? Maybe, but 108 Park Place is right next door to the Clossons. In 1920, two families lived at that address, according to the census, although the names are not those of friends or family members that I can discern at present. Curious.
The Colonnade was one of the names given to the Amusement Park at nearby Rexford, NY. It opened in 1906 and was closed and dismantled by 1935. It was also called Rexford Park, Luna Park, and Dolle's Park.
Here is a postcard with a picture of the entrance to the park. It was sent August 16, 1909, probably not long after the amusement park opened.
And here is a map of the park:
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Once again, Stanford is doing sidewalk work. Is this a part-time job? Maybe, but 108 Park Place is right next door to the Clossons. In 1920, two families lived at that address, according to the census, although the names are not those of friends or family members that I can discern at present. Curious.
The Colonnade was one of the names given to the Amusement Park at nearby Rexford, NY. It opened in 1906 and was closed and dismantled by 1935. It was also called Rexford Park, Luna Park, and Dolle's Park.
Here is a postcard with a picture of the entrance to the park. It was sent August 16, 1909, probably not long after the amusement park opened.
And here is a map of the park:
Tuesday, June 17, 1919
Up 6 A.M. Fixed Ford car, put spark plugs in etc. To country play [place?]. Hoed and cultivated the garden, mowed yard etc. To Uncle Henry's. Brought him home. Beautiful hot day. Out for ride around town. Thankful.
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Still don't know who Uncle Henry is, alas. He may have lived in Glenville, since the Clossons picked him up and brought him to their house. Who knows, though?
Here is a diagram of the ignition system of a Ford Model T such as the Clossons may have owned and Stanford may have worked on that Tuesday morning.
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Still don't know who Uncle Henry is, alas. He may have lived in Glenville, since the Clossons picked him up and brought him to their house. Who knows, though?
Here is a diagram of the ignition system of a Ford Model T such as the Clossons may have owned and Stanford may have worked on that Tuesday morning.
Monday, June 16, 1919
Cloudy and wam. Cleared in P.M. Cleaned storehouse, wagon house, garage, back of barn etc. Played tennis at college with H.H., Merlin, and Leslie Jones. Home. To bed 9:45 P.M. Thankful.
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The cleaning Stanford talks of doing is no doubt at the family's farm in Glenville, the property formerly owned by Thomas (and then Charles), and in 1919, by Stillman.
Below are pictures John took when we visited the property a few years ago, and an old map that shows where the two properties were in 1866.
Note on the map the location of both Thomas Closson's and Charles Closson's property (marked below the words Town Center--T. Closson & C. Closson).
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The cleaning Stanford talks of doing is no doubt at the family's farm in Glenville, the property formerly owned by Thomas (and then Charles), and in 1919, by Stillman.
Below are pictures John took when we visited the property a few years ago, and an old map that shows where the two properties were in 1866.
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| Thomas Closson's property in 2009 |
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| Charles Closson's property in 2009 |
Sunday, June 15, 1919
Cloudy with hard rain in morning and at noon. To Church and S.S. Children's day exercises fine. Took nap in P.M. To Epworth League. Walked with Everett Young and Charles Wagner. To bed 9:45.
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This Sunday, the third Sunday in June, is now set aside for Father's Day, but in 1919, Father's Day was not yet a National Holiday. Here is the link to a History Channel article: Father's Day. It talks about the first observance of a day set aside for fathers on July 5, 1908 in West Virginia. A church honored "the 362 men who had died in the previous December’s explosions at the Fairmont Coal Company mines in Monongah." Below is a picture (from the Mine Safety & Health Administration website) of the dead in the makeshift morgue six days after the explosion when nearly all the dead had been recovered.
After that, the next father's day was celebrated July 19, 1910 throughout Washington state, largely due to the efforts of Sonora Smart Dodd, who was raised by a widower and thought fathers should be honored just as mothers are. Here is an article about her: Dodd.
Thanks, Sonora!
Happy Father's Day to all who serve our country as fathers every day!
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This Sunday, the third Sunday in June, is now set aside for Father's Day, but in 1919, Father's Day was not yet a National Holiday. Here is the link to a History Channel article: Father's Day. It talks about the first observance of a day set aside for fathers on July 5, 1908 in West Virginia. A church honored "the 362 men who had died in the previous December’s explosions at the Fairmont Coal Company mines in Monongah." Below is a picture (from the Mine Safety & Health Administration website) of the dead in the makeshift morgue six days after the explosion when nearly all the dead had been recovered.
After that, the next father's day was celebrated July 19, 1910 throughout Washington state, largely due to the efforts of Sonora Smart Dodd, who was raised by a widower and thought fathers should be honored just as mothers are. Here is an article about her: Dodd.
Thanks, Sonora!
Happy Father's Day to all who serve our country as fathers every day!
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.
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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?
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 |
Saturday, June 7, 1919
Beautiful bright day. Hot in P.M. Cool in evening. Alumni parade in morning. Exercises on campus. B.B. game with R.P.I. Union won 7-3. Alumni night. Sophs took second prize in Song contest.
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The Alumni Parade is an old Union College tradition that dates back to 1911, when it became a part of their alumni weekend. Here is a write-up about it that appeared in the Union College Magazine for 2003:
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The Alumni Parade is an old Union College tradition that dates back to 1911, when it became a part of their alumni weekend. Here is a write-up about it that appeared in the Union College Magazine for 2003:
"Alumni Day" has been a part of the College from its earliest years, when graduates returned for Commencement. In the late 1800s, the College began to organize and actively encourage the alumni to return, and in 1911 the first alumni parade was held. Alumni Day has become ReUnion Weekend, and it is now held a couple of weeks before Commencement. Costumes à la the Class of 1924 are still part of the fun. College Day, the major fall alumni gathering, began in 1923. Interrupted during World War II, it returned as Homecoming Weekend.Here is a picture of a more recent Alumni Parade, taken from the May 27, 2009 edition of the Union College Magazine:
Friday, June 6, 1919
Cloudy day. Rain in A.M. and at intervals all day. Around college in A.M. Saw parade. Poured. To circus in P.M. Same Show. To library in evening. Walked around. To bed 10:30.
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The parade Stanford refers to must be the circus parade that preceded the show Stanford went to later in the day. This was of course the great Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, touring the U.S. that year after taking a year off during the great influenza epidemic of 1918. According to one website, the circus was indeed scheduled to be in Schenectady on June 6, 1919.
Stanford must have witnessed quite a parade, since according to one historical account, the combined Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey circuses "required 100 railroad cars to transport them and their animals, including 55 elephants." In fact, 1919 was the first year the two circuses performed together; though merged in 1907, they were touring separately until their joint appearance at Madison Square Garden March 29, 1919. Below is a poster that may have been used to advertise their show at Schenectady:
The springing tiger poster was designed in 1914 by Charles Livingston Bull, who was well known at the time for his paintings of wildlife. It is thought to be one of the best of its kind and continues to be used by the circus to advertise their shows.
Interestingly, the city of Schenectady suffered a circus fire in May, 1910. No one was killed, luckily, but residents must have remembered it every time the circus came to town.
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The parade Stanford refers to must be the circus parade that preceded the show Stanford went to later in the day. This was of course the great Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, touring the U.S. that year after taking a year off during the great influenza epidemic of 1918. According to one website, the circus was indeed scheduled to be in Schenectady on June 6, 1919.
Stanford must have witnessed quite a parade, since according to one historical account, the combined Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey circuses "required 100 railroad cars to transport them and their animals, including 55 elephants." In fact, 1919 was the first year the two circuses performed together; though merged in 1907, they were touring separately until their joint appearance at Madison Square Garden March 29, 1919. Below is a poster that may have been used to advertise their show at Schenectady:
The springing tiger poster was designed in 1914 by Charles Livingston Bull, who was well known at the time for his paintings of wildlife. It is thought to be one of the best of its kind and continues to be used by the circus to advertise their shows.
Interestingly, the city of Schenectady suffered a circus fire in May, 1910. No one was killed, luckily, but residents must have remembered it every time the circus came to town.
Thursday, June 5, 1919
Beautiful bright hot day. 90 degrees in Shade. Some breeze. To college library in A.M. Greek exam in P.M. Down town on wheel in evening. Saw Hayes. Nettie Bacon here from India. Loads of curios. To bed 11 P.M. Thankful.
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When Stanford says he went downtown on the "wheel," I can only guess he means a bicycle. It might have been his humorous way of saying cycle, which has a Greek origin (kyklos, meaning "circle, wheel" [from Online Etymology Dictionary]), thus a sly reference to the Greek exam he had taken earlier that day.
Nettie Almira Bacon was a missionary for the Methodist church, more specifically, for the Women's Foreign Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Starting in 1913, Nettie did missionary work until at least the mid-1930s. In fact, in June of 1919, she had recently returned from her first six years abroad. She had been studying at the Isabella Thoburn College in Lucknow, India, and then perhaps working there as a teacher once her studies were complete. (Here is a Wikipedia article about the school: ITC, and one from a Christian publication: Thoburn.) Below is a picture of Isabella Thoburn, the school's founder, with her most famous pupil, Lilavati Singh, taken in 1900.
In the 1910 census Nettie Bacon was listed as living in Schenectady, working as a high school teacher. By 1920, however, she was living in New York City and planning to leave again for India in July of that year.
It's not clear what Stanford means by here when he says Nettie was "here from India," but it's possible she was a friend of the family and was visiting the Clossons at their home. She may have met them in the Methodist church, or she may have been Stanford's high school teacher, or both.
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When Stanford says he went downtown on the "wheel," I can only guess he means a bicycle. It might have been his humorous way of saying cycle, which has a Greek origin (kyklos, meaning "circle, wheel" [from Online Etymology Dictionary]), thus a sly reference to the Greek exam he had taken earlier that day.
Nettie Almira Bacon was a missionary for the Methodist church, more specifically, for the Women's Foreign Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Starting in 1913, Nettie did missionary work until at least the mid-1930s. In fact, in June of 1919, she had recently returned from her first six years abroad. She had been studying at the Isabella Thoburn College in Lucknow, India, and then perhaps working there as a teacher once her studies were complete. (Here is a Wikipedia article about the school: ITC, and one from a Christian publication: Thoburn.) Below is a picture of Isabella Thoburn, the school's founder, with her most famous pupil, Lilavati Singh, taken in 1900.
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| Isabella Thoburn with Lilavati Singh |
In the 1910 census Nettie Bacon was listed as living in Schenectady, working as a high school teacher. By 1920, however, she was living in New York City and planning to leave again for India in July of that year.
It's not clear what Stanford means by here when he says Nettie was "here from India," but it's possible she was a friend of the family and was visiting the Clossons at their home. She may have met them in the Methodist church, or she may have been Stanford's high school teacher, or both.
Wednesday, June 4, 1919
Very hot beautiful day. 96 degrees in shade. Studied in A.M. Geology exam scheduled for P.M. Dr. Stoller didn't show up. Bought light suit. To see Wagner. Took walk around town. To bed 10 P.M.
**********
Dr. Stoller, who failed to show up for the Geology exam, was James Stoller, an alumnus of Union College who started teaching in the Geology department in 1884. By 1919 he had made significant contributions to the growth and prestige of the department, especially in the area of glaciation, his specialty, and in requiring all geology classes to do field work.
We know Stanford was required to do field work, since he mentions Geology field trips in his journal. Dr. Stoller retired in 1925 after 40 years at the college, but he lived another 30 years after that. (Information about Dr. Stoller was taken from the Union College Geology Department's website and others.) We don't know why he failed to show up for his exam that day, but he may have been ailing. It's interesting to speculate, at any rate. Below is his picture. He was quite a handsome man, don't you think?
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Dr. Stoller, who failed to show up for the Geology exam, was James Stoller, an alumnus of Union College who started teaching in the Geology department in 1884. By 1919 he had made significant contributions to the growth and prestige of the department, especially in the area of glaciation, his specialty, and in requiring all geology classes to do field work.
We know Stanford was required to do field work, since he mentions Geology field trips in his journal. Dr. Stoller retired in 1925 after 40 years at the college, but he lived another 30 years after that. (Information about Dr. Stoller was taken from the Union College Geology Department's website and others.) We don't know why he failed to show up for his exam that day, but he may have been ailing. It's interesting to speculate, at any rate. Below is his picture. He was quite a handsome man, don't you think?
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| Dr. James Stoller (1857-1955) |
Tuesday, June 3, 1919
Very hot beautiful bright day. The temperature 96 degrees. To country play [place?] to plant and hoe. Home 3:30 P.M. Took bath. Wagner home for 3 weeks. Joint meeting K.S.P. & Phi Beta Pi at 7:30. Fine time. To bed 11:30.
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Wagner is Charles Wagner, one of the friends who appears frequently in Stanford's diary. Charles W. Wagner was Stanford's age, and in 1920 he was working as a clerk at General Electric. He lived on Dakota Street, a street that no longer exists, but it intersected Clinton Street at a point where Hamilton Street crosses now. So if Hamilton is the former Dakota, then Charles Wagner lived about 3/4 of a mile from Stanford. Charles is home, says Stanford, but where he has been he doesn't say. It sounds as if he may have been going to college somewhere, but I haven't been able to discover if or where.
Charles died in 1977 in Schenectady where he'd apparently lived his whole life. In 1940 he was working as a firefighter for the City of Schenectady. He was married by that time to Sophia, and had a daughter. I wonder if he and Stanford kept in touch over the years?
I'm not sure what Phi Beta Pi is (and I can't find out, so far), but it has something to do with KSP, or so it sounds.
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Wagner is Charles Wagner, one of the friends who appears frequently in Stanford's diary. Charles W. Wagner was Stanford's age, and in 1920 he was working as a clerk at General Electric. He lived on Dakota Street, a street that no longer exists, but it intersected Clinton Street at a point where Hamilton Street crosses now. So if Hamilton is the former Dakota, then Charles Wagner lived about 3/4 of a mile from Stanford. Charles is home, says Stanford, but where he has been he doesn't say. It sounds as if he may have been going to college somewhere, but I haven't been able to discover if or where.
Charles died in 1977 in Schenectady where he'd apparently lived his whole life. In 1940 he was working as a firefighter for the City of Schenectady. He was married by that time to Sophia, and had a daughter. I wonder if he and Stanford kept in touch over the years?
I'm not sure what Phi Beta Pi is (and I can't find out, so far), but it has something to do with KSP, or so it sounds.
Monday, June 2, 1919
Bright beautiful but very hot. 92 degrees in the shade. Studied in A.M. Took English exam from 2-5 P.M. It was a hum-dinger. Floyd Smith here in evening to study french. To bed 11 P.M. Thankful.
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A 3-hour English test must certainly have been a hum-dinger! Perhaps it was a final exam, but still . . .
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A 3-hour English test must certainly have been a hum-dinger! Perhaps it was a final exam, but still . . .
Sunday, June 1, 1919
Beautiful warm day. To Church and Sunday School. Ruth left for Potsdam on 3:25 P.M. train. Took nap. Read and played piano. To E. L. [Epworth League]. Took walk with Finch, Goddard and H.H. Sat on porch. To bed 10:00.
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Yet another friend appears in the chronicle, Goddard. Since I don't know his first name (yet), I can't tell for sure who he is, but according to the 1920 census, there is a family of Goddards living in Schenectady at 225 Nott Terrace, next door to Emmanuel Baptist Church, less than a mile from 110 Park Place and very near the college. The father, Walter Goddard, is a physician. He and his wife Emma have a son, Leland, who is 16 years old and in school. This boy may be the friend Stanford speaks of, but until I see another entry giving his first name, I can't be sure. Norris has also yet to reveal himself.
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Yet another friend appears in the chronicle, Goddard. Since I don't know his first name (yet), I can't tell for sure who he is, but according to the 1920 census, there is a family of Goddards living in Schenectady at 225 Nott Terrace, next door to Emmanuel Baptist Church, less than a mile from 110 Park Place and very near the college. The father, Walter Goddard, is a physician. He and his wife Emma have a son, Leland, who is 16 years old and in school. This boy may be the friend Stanford speaks of, but until I see another entry giving his first name, I can't be sure. Norris has also yet to reveal himself.
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