Every word of this account should be spelled in capitals.

Friday, February 14, 1941

Dear Diary, 

Talk about Red letter days. Every word of this account should be spelled in capitals, from English right up to 12:00 tonight. I’ll start at the beginning and leave the best and biggest thrill untill [sic] last. 

Well the first thing happened first period. It was history and time for a test when Arlene came in. The man to measure for caps and gowns was there. He came up and measured us all around. 

The next thing was fourth period. English class. Miss Crone sent one of the boys out just at the beginning then after Bill took charge a couple more. We suggested that everyone with gum leave the room but she wouldn’t let us. Some of us thew our gum away. The most didn’t. She sent several out of class. They’ve all got to write a 250 word composition on, “Why I insist on chewing gum.” 

Next in this brief (?) account of an all too brief day is 6th period. Library Club. Gerald, Linford, Ethel, Lucile and I were all that were there. We were talking about Valentines and Linford said he didn’t send any (even to Mabel). We started to tease Lucile & Linford about the heart-shaped box of candy she got from him last year and Gerald said she’d get another this year. Linford said she might if her luck held out. I just couldn’t help it. It just came. I said, “Linford, that’s not good luck, just management.”

Then on the bus tonight Bill J. Was saying that they (he & Jim H.) asked Miss Crone why she didn’t kick me and some of the rest out. She said, “Well, I don’t think much of that Mary Cady if she was chewing gum.” I’m practically in tears. 

There was another thing of note happened on the bus. Lucile asked Vern if she had any mail. He said, “Yes, you’ve got a package up home.” (Did I say degrees? Leaps & bounds.) I was teasing her and he said to me, “ ‘Bout as big as a trunk, - - from Buffallo [sic] too.” So I suppose she has a box of candy from Wayne. That’s one thing I haven’t got. A valentine. Oh I got one from the Harriger girls and one from Lillian Moses. 

Well Alice’s S.S. class had a party up here after school, a Valentine’s party. It was fun to watch them. My S.S. class (the one I’m in) had one tonight at Abbey’s. I was supposed to meet Lucile there. It was at 8:00 and Alice’s was to bust up at 7:30. About 7:00 someone drove in and all of the girls ran out shouting, It isn’t 7:30 yet. It was a man after a dog liscence [sic]. 

An ad for the Coliseum from the 1941-1942 Bolivar Central School yearbook.

When I was nearly ready to leave for our party Leigh called up. He seemed to have learned his lesson for when Mamma said I was read for a Sunday School party he told me he supposed there wasn’t any use of asking me what he was going to and I told him that he could at least ask. Bud & Lorraine were going skating and he wanted me to go along. After a short debate with myself I said I would. He said they’d be right up. I was all ready for the Sunday School party and was wearing my red blouse, the one he doesn’t like. (And plaid skirt.) I changed to my cardingan, only because it was suitable for skating. 

In a few minutes the car drove in and the girls all ran out. I was so amsued that I just leaned against the piano and laughed. They came back in with the funniest look on their faces! Phyllis White pulled me down and whispered (?), I don’t know but I think it’s your boyfriend. He came in with as comical but a rather different look on his face. I told him on the way out what it was and then told Bud and Eleanor and that they weren’t the first.

Eleanor is Bud’s sister and was going with us. I didn’t realize for a few minutes that she wasn’t Lorraine. They wouldn’t introduce me, of course. Well we went up and got Lorraine. Bud was in an awful hurry because he had to be home by midnight. He made some remark about this better be fast and then had to wait for Lorraine. When they came out Eleanor said, “That was fast wasn’t it, for a tortoise.” Then she satarted as if she was going to slide over int he middle. She didn’t. Lorraine got in and then Bud told us we had just half a load. (5 of us)

We were going back up to Maxons then and got Jimmy. Oh yes, I made rather a slip on the way. They said something about Richburg boys and I said, “They seem to be able to handle the Bolivar boys.” It wasn’t until Eleanor said “Sa-a-ay” that I realized she was going with Mitchell.

Jimmy wasn’t at home. We went back to Richburg and Bud called from Bartoo’s to see if Mitchell and Jack Shannon were home from the fire (Stoddart’s barn burned, 5 horses, 3 cows, 1 pig so they said). They were home. While Bud was in the station Wayne came out to the car and was talking to us. Bud & Lorraine had a nice fight about that. He didn’t liek it and she said she was only sociable and he said, “Be sociable with him and not me or else me and not him.” She told him she’d take Wayne. He asked me how old Wayne was, Lorraine had said, “Yes, I usually make a habit of picking them at least 3 or 4 yrs. younger than I.” I made his age as low as possible. We got Mitch and Jack then went up after Annabelle. She wouldn’t come so we let Jack out in Bolivar. Mitch and Eleanor came in back and we went to the Collosium. (Not exactling crawling either.)

The first skate we got there for was a trio and I walked off with Bud & Leigh. Lorraine didn’t like it too much I think. 

The next one I skated with Paul and he always puts his arm around you. He saw Leigh behind us and pulled me a little closer but Leigh didn’t mind so he didn’t get pay for his trouble. Then Jean D. started to skate with me and we both fell. I’ll probably be lame. I sat down hard. Then I asked Eleanor to skate with me. We skate well together. She is apparently going with Mitchell just to fill in and knows it, and doesn’t care. She told me that he’d ask to skate with her once to be polite and she was dreading it. She’d grab me and ask me to skate every time there came one he might. Finally he & Leigh came up and wanted to trade. She fell down too, poor kid. She’s awfully nice. 

“Jean D. came over where I was and told me what a nice boy he was and how good-looking and what a good skater. (Just as if I didn’t know.) ”

I skated in the Kenucky Steal, then in the Moonlight pickup. Leigh asked me to come out and I got on the floor and Bud grabbed me. After the whistle blew I took Leigh.

(In margins: Oh Leigh ordered his ring last — I’m not sure when.)

Then I skated the Moonlight (the last one) with Leigh. He took my skates and went for my coat (or rather Alice’s jacket). He tried to make me think he’d lost the “check.” 

Jean D. came over where I was and told me what a nice boy he was and how good-looking and what a good skater. (Just as if I didn’t know.) There were a lot of peopel from Richburg there. The first one I saw that I knew was Miss Smith who wanted to know how I got there. Others there: 

Miss Collins, (Kniffen?), Arlene, Miss Bergman. Anna Jane, Betty & Rhea, Paul, Jean D., Jim M., Eva. Some others. 

Then we started home and here is the best part. Leigh went farther than ever before. He didn’t kiss me or anything. It wasn’t just the fact that he put his arms around me but the way that he did it. And once he put his arm clear around me and I was almost certain that he was going to tip my face up and kiss me. He didn’t because I “sorta,” slid my face down his shoulder. I could just look up without moving my head and see his face without his seeing me do it and I couldn’t help but wonder what he was thinking. I told him that Jean said he was a good skater. He blushed and stammered! Oh yes, my glasses are about the unhandiest things. They get in the way so! We rode almost like Lucile & Wayne were sitting last Sun.

Guess thats about all. Oh, no. When he walked up to the porch he told me I was a good skater. Imagine it!

I think I’ve written enough for one day! I’d croack if any one but Lucile ever saw this. I can’t imagine showing it to Eloise. 

Happy (I’ll say), 

Me.