April 1957
April 1, 1957
One month behind in my journal. Will be brief and hope to catch up. Today is the start of National Boys’ Club week. We have a special series of programs planned. Helen and I hosted the Alumni and their wives and sweethearts at a Buffet Dinner at the club. Special bulletin boards were made up of old alumni pictures, etc. The 1st Boys’ Club varsity basketball team defeated this year’s varsity team in a special game. The evening was spent in conversation, food, fellowship and the playing of billiards and table tennis.
April 2, 1957
Today’s program highlights were 1-open house for all parents to see the building, facilities and projects. 2- a special parents night program consisting of boxing exhibitions and our first Boys’ Club circus. Terrific crowd about 400 people or more. Lincoln House presented their boxing club show. Our circus group consisting of midgets and juniors stole the show. The evening went very well. Staff is to be congratulated. I am very pleased and received a lot of compliments on the program.
April 3, 1957
Special games program day at the club. Scavenger hunt lists were passed out and special games room tournaments were conducted. We have had big crowds so large that we have over flowed into the gym for special games. Had some late spring snows much to everyone’s surprise. Some of the worst storms in the history of the United States has been pelting the Central Western states, Great Lakes area and New England states. We are in final stages of hooking up our refrigerator. It takes considerable time and materials to complete the job.
April 4, 1957
Our theme today is buddy day. Boys bringing buddies who are not members of the Boys’ Club are admitted free to the movies. This is not very fruitful in producing membership increases because practically all of the boys in the community are already members-plus quite a few from neighboring communities. Intramural finals in our 3 man basketball league were conducted. The Nassau County Amateur Basketball championship game was held with Freeport defeating Rockville Center for the championship. Large crowd attended. More snow!!
April 5, 1957
Jr. Olympic day! Big crowd in our gym. Bubble gum blowing contest drew boys like honey draws ants. Fred Caminari-of the famous Caminari’s Restaurant was in with a reporter from the Daily News. Fred’s boy was in the boxing program last night. Fred brought me some Olympic Water that had been distilled and bottled for the U.S. Olympic team. It had been returned from Australia as surplus. We used it as part of the prized for our Jr. Olympics program. Ron won a bottle and it will probably stay in our ice-box for a year. Movie night was an Alan Ladd picture in Technicolor. Very well done. Had our Scout troop out for an over-night hike at Mr. Pratt’s. Met with the Sea Scout committee in an effort to improve this program.
April 6, 1957
Second baseball clinic of the season. Weather is wet and nasty so all try-outs move into the gym. Pitchers and catchers, tennis balls are used for batting practice. We will add 2 teams to our 9-10-11-12 year old group giving our little major league six teams in its second year of operation. Our farm system will be comprised of 7-8 year olds who will have a Saturday morning league. We will have a 13-14-15 year old league at the other end of the scale to fill out our baseball picture.
A nice quiet evening with the Andersons at the movies. Arch and Florence are a nice couple. Fast Sunday for the Hinckleys so we didn’t ask them in for an after the movie snack.
April 7, 1957
When Sunday rolls around and I walk into church all the weight of worries and every day cares seem to fade away. The peace and quiet of the chapel and the organ music have a very soothing effect. The spirit of the work is most refreshing and although it is similar to an everyday business it never tires or bores. After a nice Brunch with the family about 1PM I sacked out on the couch for a nice nap. We were back for Sacrament services at night and finished the day with our family hour and a nice delicatessen picnic on the kitchen table. A leisure hour with the papers and back to bed.
April 8, 1957
With our week’s camping trip drawing closer Dr. Vorisek and myself are spending more time going over menus and checking stores for sources of dehydrated food supplies. We have a pretty nice plan mapped out if all goes well. I did some work around the club and spent the early part of the evening with a young man from Glen Cove who is interested in starting a youth program in that city. Mike Suszzi by name.
Took Helen out to the movies. Being old Idaho country folk Helen and I still enjoy the movies as much as we ever did. Lots of Rain today.
April 9, 1957
A group of local ladies started a Red Cross Canteen course at the club. the purpose is to teach them how to prepare food in quantities to feed large numbers. People strike me as being A-Bomb and Civil Defense conscious. They are always training and planning.
Mr. Nat Norris of our Board of Directors (his wife died a few weeks ago) is heading the decoration committee for our annual Boys’ Club Dance to be held in June at Mrs. H. P. Davidson’s. His committee, consisting of social ladies from the area are using the club’s workshop to make the decorations in. The theme will be butterflies and what a beautiful and artistic job they are doing. I marvel at such creative ability. Busy day with lots of boys on hand.
April 10, 1957
All the club members are excited about our 50 in 5 trip. All boys making the trip packed down to the club and had their Jr. Leaders check their packs. They were then issued cooking gear, tent halves and eating utensils. After being advised to have their packs at the club a week from Saturday they packed off for home. Our Sea Scout committee met and showed a film strip on the life epic “The World We live In”
Mr. Norris and the committee working on the Butterflies for the dance met again in our club’s workshop. Our last minute plans for our 6th annual Banquet of Champions was reviewed and double checked. Mrs. Rowsom of our Board is Chairman.
April 11, 1957
Spent the best part of the day in Brooklyn and New York. Bill Cullum drove in with me. His jaw is still wired and he hasn’t started to replace his lost weight yet. We dropped our old candy machine off to be repaired and placed in working order. We also ordered a new candy machine for the Int. Sr. games room. Our next stop was across the Williamsburg Bridge to award incentives where we were to pick up the last of our plaques and trophies for our Banquet of Champions. They weren’t ready so we had them delivered to Mr. Martin’s office and he brought them out to Locust Valley for us.
Across Brooklyn Bridge and out to the Brooklyn Army Base where we picked up some surplus athletic equipment. Also ordered some surplus pack boards. Back home and up to Dr. Vorisek’s office for Polio shots for Helen, Teri, Debbie and I. American Legion auxiliary used our kitchen and club rooms for a meeting.
April 12, 1957
Leonard Bernstein, a U of Michigan graduate and a volunteer leader met with me with the Golden Rods. A Hot-Rod group club. He is going to take this group as a project. We are featuring a special Hot Rod movie tonight that will attract about 100 boys. Boys who are 16-17-18 years of age drop out of school, earn good money, drive cars and cause many a headache to many a parent and community. Some are really interested in cars-others are just “squirrels” who raise the devil. We have one club doing OK, another club has broken up and still another group the Golden Rods keep us on our toes.
April 13, 1957
Our 6th annual Banquet of Champions. One of our best. We all worked hard all day on special arrangements and last minute details. It was worth our efforts. We fed about 160 people a nice turkey dinner. Many of our Board of Directors were present as well as special guests. The boys were scrubbed clean on their best behavior and truly wonderful. Older boys served the dinner. Boys received awards for the past two programs years. Our volunteer leaders were all honored. Our Board received special pins and Mr. and Mrs. Charles Grimes received a special award on behalf of their sons contribution to the 1956 Olympics. Mrs. Sevea Wansor and Mr. Robert Meyer received Boys’ Club Oscars as did Mr. Henry L. Batterman for outstanding service and contributions to youth.
April 14, 1957
Sunday went as usual. A nice day. Our Sunday School Class (Gospel Doctrine) of which I am the teacher was very challenging and stimulating. A good percentage of class participation certainly helped. During Sacrament Services Teri Ann was taken with chills and fever. As it turned out she was coming down with the measles. Since Scott and Debbie haven’t had the measles our home is in for a small siege of illness. Weather has warmed up and signs of spring are well advanced.
April 15, 1957
Spent the entire day working in the yard. I enjoy working outside but seldom seem to find time. I raked front and back lawns well and spread a good application of Scotts turf builder-lawn food- on them. Lunch with Helen and Debbie-Teri is in bed with a high temperature and her measles- and back to the yard. I did some transplanting, moved some chrysanthemums out along the front walk and also some Barberry hedge to border the front walk. Opened my mulch pile and hauled several loads of good mulch to the main flower bed. This was spaded in as I forked over the rich soil. If we don’t have a good crop of flowers it won’t be because the soil isn’t rich.
April 16, 1957
Up early and off to my second love-Boys’ Club. I wonder how many people are fortunate enough to be able to work and earn their living at something they really love doing? My first love is my wife-family and church work.
Red Cross Canteen girls are back again this morning for their second section. The Girl Scout troop who meets here will have to use our club rooms as Nat Norris and his Butterfly Committee are still in the shop. We held a spring football meeting to see how many boys would be interested in our program this fall. Enough turned out to make us advance some plans.
April 17, 1957
Up bright and early and off to the Bohack Supermarket in Glen Cove with Bob Vorisek to buy groceries for our 50 in 5 trip. We left an order at the store for things we would pick up on Saturday and purchased all of the dehydrated rations today. Dried fruits, dry milk products, dry cream concentrate, dehydrated vegetables, soups etc were all staples that we purchased today.
I was supposed to help Bob bag these items in the afternoon but somehow became entangled at the club and didn’t get an opportunity to get back and help him. Major Baseball Leagues are open and every kid is throwing a ball around. They certainly are baseball crazy. About twice as many play baseball as any other sport we offer. This seems strange to me a football and basketball lover.
April 18, 1957
A slow day at the club. Small movie attendance as good weather means a break for the out of doors and a crack at baseball for all children who have been cooped up all winter.
Helen is concerned about Scott who because of a personality difference seems to be a problem in certain areas of development. I can’t agree with her (wait until next month, He changes his mind). He is quite normal and very capable. His tastes and manner of expression plus the fact that he is only 8 years of age keeps the household in a dither but God Bless Him he has a lot on the ball. He is going to be a terrific man when he grows up.
April 19, 1957
The school Easter vacation is upon us. I don’t approve of 10 months of school simply because a lot of vacation periods are put in the schedule. I personally would much rather see a 9 month school year with fewer and shorter holidays. I feel the summer months would then be more meaningful for children and hold more challenge.
Final camp plans would seem to hold a very special treat for those of us who are going to make the 50 in 5 next week. Club rooms A and B are beehives of activity as packs are checked and rechecked. Our 1954 Pontiac Station Wagon is having universal and transmission trouble after 54,000 miles. Hope I can make it up and back without mishap.
April 20, 1957
Away at an early hour to get the last of the camp shopping done. I pickup up such items as Bread (Pumpernickel) cheese, beef salami and other odds and ends and hurried them back to the club refrigerator.
We had all the boys turn out with rakes, shovels etc and spend the entire day on a work cleanup project at the club. Lawns were cut, re-seeded, wood cut and stacked, trash loaded in Mr. Pratt’s pick-up and hauled away. Our club grounds improved 100%. Franks and sodas were given out to all work crews. 50 in 5 patrols packed the last of their food and peace settle over the club.
April 21, 1957
A nice day, clear skies but a wee bit cool. After an enjoyable day at church with the boys we returned to find Teri still up and down with her measles. Scott and Debbie had their gamma globulin shots yesterday. Helen had the Stanley Johnsons from Bethpage over for dinner last night. They are from Utah. He is finishing his Doctorate while teaching in the School of Commerce at New York University. Iris Hamilton (her father has worked for Helen’s father for years) is also spending the weekend with us. She is finishing an air stewardess course in New York City. She is a charming young lady and we have enjoyed having her with us. One last flying trip to a Delicatessen for last minute camp menu items and back to Sacrament Services. Bed came early as will 4 AM !!
April 22, 1957
Up at 4 AM and called Ronald and we dressed and packed last minute things while Helen prepared a big breakfast. Took a lunch and off to the club. Five cars quickly picked up their passengers and gear and we were off for the Catskills. Across the Bronx Whitestone Bridge, over the Cross County Parkway and onto the New York thruway. Mrs. Bambey’s car acted up but limped along. Over a wicked country Rd to Seager Post Office. This turned out to be a farm where we left our cars and hit the trail. (all trails were marked by the New York State Conservation Dept).
We moved steadily uphill working along the valley. Where our stream was joined by another we ate our packed lunches. A few had started to straggle and Dr. Vorisek was picking up gear. Mr. Irving Peters is the other adult with us. My boy Ronald and Dr. Vorisek’s boy Tommy are 10 year old cub scouts making the trip. 20 are troop #135 Boy Scouts and 3 (George Tomlinson, Ziggy Zaikowski and Angelo Giovinazzo) are Jr. Leaders who have been with me in Canada. We moved on about 2 1/2 miles to a lean to for the first nights camp. 4 1/2 miles hiked. Two hours of conservation work done the evening meal over and all to bed.
April 23, 1957
Up at 5 AM and breakfast over and were off with an objective 12 miles away. The saddle between Hanes Mtn. and Big Indian Mtn. proved murderous. We did good when we made one mile an hour. Packs broke, shoulders were tender, boys cried and wanted to quit. Feet blistered and on we went with Dr. Vorisek leading and me prodding all the stragglers along. The trail led straight down the side of Big Indian to Bisquit Creek. Boys found going downhill with heavy packs was worse than going uphill. We had lunch (Pumpernickel-cheese-salami) at the creek. Onto our feet and on out the trail 3 more back breaking miles to the Branch Rd. 3 more miles down the road and we hit our lean to.
We made camp here where we were to have had lunch. I’m packing with a Bergen pack imported from Norway. Mr. Pratt gave it to me-and boy it is a beauty. Feet were bathed and dinner (onion soup-pudding-chicken with rice and hot chocolate) was cooked. Some boys were homesick and cried. Ron and Tommy are packing regular packs and were in the lead all day. Never a complaint or a squeak out of them. We saw a porcupine and frog eggs on the trail. Early to bed-I got the G’I’s and a good rainstorm blew up during the night. A lot of wet gear-Ron in bed with me.
April 24, 1957
Wet cold and miserable. Not unlike the feeling I had in the army. Ron spent last two hours in my sleeping bag-his sprung a leak. Breakfast (stewed fruit-cereal-hot chocolate) over we put up our pup tents-used them as covers last night-stowed our dry gear in them and placed all wet gear out to dry. Mr. Peters stayed to take care of our gear and without our packs we headed for Slide Mt. Slide Mt. at an altitude of 4204 ft. is the highest peak in the Catskills.
With just lunches it was still a tough climb with yesterdays sore muscles and blistered feet. Up, up , up to the top through drifts and 200 ft. strips of snow. We lunched on top, enjoyed a beautiful view as skies cleared and headed back to complete today’s required 10 miles. We ran across a deer that some farmer tamed and the boys fed him all their raisins. We did conservation work at the lean to, cut and stacked firewood and policed the area. Enjoyed watching some biologists from Oneonta State teachers college work with mice and shrews they were trapping.
April 25, 1957
Best night’s sleep that I’ve had. Took a bath in the coldest brook in New York State. We had tents up ready for rain but none came. Boys’ found about 35 dead trout washed up on the shore. Breakfast was stewed fruit, cereal and hot chocolate. Packs on our backs again and 8 miles down the road to Oliveria we headed. We made excellent time. Kids in very good spirits. Some of Tuesdays stragglers were today’s leaders. Turned left in Oliveria, crossed the old bridge and picked up the red trail signs. 1 1/2 miles and we hit our lean to by the side of a beautiful creek.
Water is very good drinking water. With snow still melting it is very fresh and cold. Had a cold snack of bread, cheese, salami, raisins and chocolate candy. We hurried-sky is threatening- and put up tents for the night. With all tents up we put in a good supply of fire-wood, had some fruit punch and started on our evening meal. Last night was spaghetti-tonight is creamed, chipped beef and mashed potatoes. With a tough 35 miles behind us everyone knows we are over the hill and spirits are up. Packs are getting lighter as food disappears. We caught a heavy rain during the night but everyone was very snug and dry in their pup tents.
April 26, 1957
Up early. Same type of breakfast and up the saddle between Balsam Mt. and Eagle Mt. Boy what a back breaking climb. Toughest yet. A little over a mile in distance, a 2000 ft. climb and about 2 hours to do it in. We would scratch out a few yards at a time and then rest. Real humid and all the spring flowers are in full bloom. At the top of the saddle we dropped our packs and made a 6 mile loop up and over Balsam Mt. down to the creek on the West side and back up the saddle from the other side.
We lunched at the creek. Without packs we still had a rough time. With our packs back on we took Eagle Mt. and then Hanes Mt. in stride. going down the saddle between Hanes and Big Indian we found the remains of an airplane that had crashed. Saw a second porcupine and lots of fresh game tracks and droppings that we identified as deer, porcupine and fox. The trail led down the saddle from Hanes Mt. to the lean to we spent Monday night at. Macaroni ala tomato paste and cheese. We gambled and slept out under the stars.
April 27,1957
Final costs “50 in 5” –$146.20 or approximately $6 per person. Up and away for home. There is no holding them. All rations pooled and we had cereal and bacon for breakfast. On the trail we saw frog and salamander eggs. Ron found a whole bunch of salamanders in one little creek. We pushed the last 4 1/2 miles in record time including a half or three quarters of an hour stop for lunch. The old covered bridge that meant our cars were only a mile away was a most welcome sight.
We started this trip like boys but finished like men. We picked up our cars, drank the tomato juice we had had the foresight to leave and waited for the cars from Locust Valley to meet us. About 3/4 of an hour and Mr. Roslund and Mr. Martin arrived. Nice drive home. Stopped at a store for some fresh fruit and cookies and to gas up. Boys’ were in great spirits as we dropped them off. Helen had a big ham dinner all ready and we bathed , shaved, ate and enjoyed the sheer luxury of our beds.
April 28, 1957
With Teri over the measles and ready for school Scott and Debbie show no signs of coming down with them. We enjoyed visiting with each other as we drove to Sunday School. After Priesthood meeting we enjoyed a good lunch at home. Then we took all the children and visited the arts and crafts show being held at the Boys’ Club gym and library. It was a nice show. Dr. Vorisek won first place with a colored photograph of Echo Lake in Maine showing a sunset.
It has been unseasonably warm. I opened a lot of windows at the gym to try and cool the gym off so the people could enjoy the art show in more physical comfort. We returned to Sacrament service and Scott fell asleep while Debbie had to be taken to a quiet room she was making so much noise. Bro. Zuronberg reported on the general conference.
April 29, 1957
Spent the entire day working on the yard. Started by cutting the front and back lawns. Next came a cultivation job of all bare spots in both lawns to loosen the soil. I mixed Scott’s Family Lawn seed with a blend of cover seed and some fertilizer and seeded all the bare spots. I borrowed the Edwards roller (neighbor Herbert teaches English Lit, School of Commerce, New York University) and after a couple of times over to pack the seed in I dampened the whole job with the hose.
Had a quiet lunch at home with Helen and sent back to the yard. All afternoon was spent in planting flower seeds in the main flower garden. I set out some pachysandra and Forget-Me-knots given to me by Mrs. Baron, another neighbor. My car is in the garage so Archie Anderson hauled Helen and I both ways to the cove theatre in Glen Cove. We saw “Spirit of St. Louis” and “Fear strikes Out” Both were enjoyable pictures.
April 30, 1957
At the office bright and early in an attempt to get out from under all the mail that is on my desk. Our little major league baseball season opened at the public school field. I acted as master of ceremonies, presented trophies to last years league winners and threw out the opening game ball. We have increased from a 4 to a 6 team league.
At the last minute a man dropped by with 6 box seats to the Dodger-Chicago baseball game. I arranged for 5 older boys-including the 3 who had been to the Catskills with me to meet me at the club at 5:30 and away we went. It was a nice drive in and a good spectators game. Brooklyn went ahead 6-0 only to have it tied up and then fall behind 7-6. A home run in the 9th tied it up and a home run in the 12th won for Brooklyn.