February 1957
February 1, 1957
Worst snow storm of the year. About 6″ fell. Glen Cove and Oyster Bay High Schools cancelled out school for the day. The children were sad that all the snow was falling on a day when there would be no school the next day. they were looking for an extra day off because of the snow. Only a few hardy boys ventured out to the club. Can’t imagine what these people would do if they ever wintered in the Rockies once.
Bob Rosado our new physical director started today, I hope he fills the ticket. We are counting on his gymnastic abilities to strengthen that part of the program..Roosevelt Raceway is remodeling their track and have given us a large number of lights. I hope to use them as lights for a softball field at some future time. They represent several thousands of dollars in value. The staff is busy planning spring and summer programs. We have to work about three months ahead in this field.
February 2, 1957
Took the forenoon and went shopping with Helen and Debbie. Ron ws at the boys’ Club, Scott watch4ed T.V. and Teri Ann played outside in the snow with her neighbor Jeraldine Zabrowski. (her name actually begins with a G) I dug the sleigh out of the garage and gave Teri several rides up and down the road. She enjoyed it and I soon became winded.
Had an early dinner and took Helen along with the neighbors the Archie Anderson’s to Glen Cove to a movie. We saw “Written in the Wind” with Rock Hudson and Lauren Bacall. Also saw “Istanbul” with Errol Flynn. I enjoyed the movies and I know that Helen enjoyed the night out for a change. We are fasting in observance of Fast Sunday tomorrow. Last ate at lunch time and will break the fast with sacrament tomorrow at church.
February 3, 1957
Up early so as not to let icy roads make us late for Sunday School. Scott isn’t feeling well but has decided to come along. The usual Sunday. Busy! I had an interesting gospel doctrine class to teach. Bishop Wm E guest interrupted once to present a new family just over from Germany-Pfaff by name. We had a lovely fast and testament meeting. I bore my testimony spoke also of Don O’Rourke at Ricks College and the blessings we have received as a family by obeying the law of tithing. Sister Ogle did a beautiful thing in bearing her testimony and asking for help with her “Jack Mormon” husband and in asking for forgiveness for things she may have done to offend people in the ward.
Helen had a nice spaghetti and sausage dinner for us. I ate too much as usual. Scott had a fever over 100 so Helen stayed home with him and Debbie. Teri Ann and Ron and I went back to evening services.
February 4, 1957
Baby sat while Helen did some shopping. An economic note in case my children or grandchildren (if what we now know as the world lasts that long) would like to make some comparisons in the future. As a boy in Idaho 25 cents would buy two lbs of good chopped meat. Today it will buy a small loaf of bread. Meat averages about 80 cents per lb today. Steak in the medium priced article running about $1 per lb. My family, 4 children and 2 adults eat food and drink milk at the rate of $160 per month.
Spent a good portion of the day and evening at the Boys’ Club. Opened the hall for Friends Academy, handled a girl scout and sea scout meeting. Had a nice group of adults in for gym activities at night. Enjoyed working out with them. I enjoy my evenings at home after being gone all day. Helen and I enjoy some late T.V. shows, usually browse through a newspaper and catch a sandwich. I am very devoted to my wife and children and love them al dearly.
February 5, 1957
Rose early and accompanied one of my alumni members to Mt. Vernon, New York. We went to the boys’ Club where we were cordially received by Andrew Semansco, the Executive Director. Louis Della Vecchia the boy with whom I went was interviewed for a position with Andy’s club. When I see the dump Andy has for a Boys’ Club I thank my Heavenly Father for the many blessing I receive. Lou wants to break into Boys’ Club work without benefit of a college background. Andy hopes to build soon-he currently has $78,000 in the bank. If Lou goes with him he has a good chance of shooting up in the organization when the new building goes up.
Back in Locust Valley by noon. We caught lunch in a diner and went directly to our club. Our alumni team played at home against Bethpage. We won easily enough with all players getting a good spot of work and every one hitting well. I had a comfortable night at 18 points. And so to bed-tired but happy with the world.
February 6, 1957
Met Dr. Vorisek at my office and drove to Nassau county Boy Scout headquarters at Harkness. We talked to Don Law, Thunderbird District Commissioner and the county’s outdoor commissioner. We are planning to take some Locust Valley Boy Scouts, some Boys” Club Canadian Rangers and earn the scout 50 miles in 5 days award. We plan on hitting the Catskill Mtns during the School’s Easter Vacation. We were going over maps and trails with the scout people. Doesn’t look like we will be able to use the scout’s new camp in that general area. Too much cross country before striking blazed trails.
I certainly like Bob Vorisek. He possesses a greater number of goodly and godly attributes than does the average man. His influence on my life is good, steady and strong. I was his guest at lunch. We had lunch at the Candle Light Rest. in Manhasset. A busy few hours at the club and my desk. Dinner with the family and back to the club. Mimeographed my “Black Boat” letter to send to parents to try and cut down our maintenance problems. Bob Vorisek called for me and we spent the night at the Glen Cove Neighborhood House attending an outdoor and camping meeting about camping.
February 7, 1957
One of those days spent at the desk trying to catch p on the paper work that piled up as a result of being away from the office for the majority of a couple of days. I contacted Wm Montgomery, field director of the North East Section of Boys’ Clubs of America. I think the time is ripe for expansion of Boys’ Club work in Nassau county. I’m arranging for Bill to come out and discuss it with me and to have lunch with Mr. Pratt and myself. The key to success of the thing will be the organization of a county board of directors. The key people on this board will have to be the key people from my board. Questions, are my board members educated and sold on boys’ Club work to the point of working at it on a county basis.
We are doing a lot of mailing to have our spring program ready. Baseball flyers and applications, camp applications etc are all being processed and put out to our membership. Our movie program is falling off in attendance. Can’t figure out why we can’t hold our attendance unless it’s because of TV and Glen Cove movies. Kids are going to movies but not ours. Programming is a tough problem.
February 8, 1957
The day moved along fast. Time moves so rapidly now that life is full of fun as a result of one’s work and now that it has a purpose as a result of my understanding the gospel. My children are a source of pleasure to me. Ron is quick, aggressive, works hard at anything he does. Loves sports and enjoys competition. He is very sensitive and likes serious competition. Scott is slow to do things but usually does a neater job of anything he does in comparison to Ron. Scott likes to think things out and take his time. Can’t stand being hurried. Likes working with his hands and is full of imagination. Both boys are excellent students and receive 80% excellent marks on their report cards. More about the girls another time.
Wound up the day here at the Boys’ Club with a scout committee meeting. Committee is a nice group who accept their responsibilities and work hard to give their scouts a good program.
February 9, 1957
Saturday is a busy day for all at the club. Our attendance steps up a bit and all activities are jammed. We are having a very nice refrigerator given to the Boys’ Club and are trying to make arrangements to have it move at little or no cost to the club. Good trick if one can get away with it. Mr. Pratt is back from a week at his club in the Virgin Islands. He is a fabulously wealthy person but a nice more sincere man I have never met. He has done things for me and my family that I will never be able to repay him for.
Helen and I went out with some local neighbors to a buffet dinner-dance in Glen Cove to enjoy ourselves and also to benefit the retarded children’s association. We had a very pleasant affair. Enjoyed dancing-something we haven’t done in years. Late getting home and still had to prepare my Sunday School lesson for tomorrow. I’ll be real bushed tomorrow.
February 10, 1957
My head barely touched the pillow before the alarm clock said 7 AM. Rise and shine! wake the children nice and easy like. wash-shave clean teeth, dress and help with the children then while Helen is dressing. I take Debbie downstairs to feed her a bite. Most of the rest of us fast, take a little juice or just skip breakfast. Children enjoy Sunday School. I’m pleased they give generously and freely of their own monies to the church. We have a couple of special meals on Sunday that we enjoy as a family. I usually try to fix a surprise for lunch, while everyone is changing clothes, waffles etc. After evening services we usually buy some soda, cold cuts, cheese, crackers, smoked oysters and other tid bits and have a family reunion or picnic affair.
I drove into Manhattan ward to attend the Sunday School Preparation meeting. Bro Jean Resch and Sister Lyle Paine rode home with me. We picked up Teri Ann and Ron and went on to Sacrament services. Helen stayed-Scott was at a birthday party at Breckinridges.
February 11, 1957
Puttered around the house a bit in the forenoon and then moved to the club to catch up on some work. Took care of a lot of correspondence and some personal work such as Federal Income Tax. Did some telephoning regarding the possibility of establishing a Nassau County Boys’ Club Corporation. More about this as it develops. Opened the gym for Friends Academy and met with a group club of Boys’ Club members who are interested in forming an automobile club. We are currently in the formative stages and are presently tied up with drafting a constitution and by-laws. A very nice group to work with and I expect great things from them.
A hurried dinner and arrangements made with Mr. Alpy to cover the evening program at the gym then off to Freeport for an NCABL game. We lost 103-85 but only on height. I had a good evening with 24 points for the evening. We played good ball and enjoyed ourselves as a group more than ever before.
February 12, 1957
Lincoln’s birthday-a school holiday and the club jammed by 1 PM. I took the afternoon to spend with my children. We drove to Glen cove and saw the Walt Disney picture-Westward Ho the Wagons- children enjoyed themselves and I enjoyed an afternoon with them. We played host to the NCABL all-star game at the Boys’ Club gym. Had a great crowd of about 200 plus and a good program. Two all-star teams from our Biddy league played in the first game. Ron played a very creditable game.
In the big game, Cullum, MacIntyre and myself represented the Boys’ Club. We had a very short team and nearly pulled a great upset. However a lot of height on the part of our opponents beat us in the final 2 minutes. The league officers-of which I am vice-president, were most complimentary in their thanks and gratitude for the use of our facilities.
February 13, 1957
Made arrangements through Bob Zellner, sports editor of Newsday to contact Roosevelt Raceway Public Relations man Nick Grande, and arrange to receive free some light fixtures that they could no longer use. Borrowing Mr. Pratt’s truck I made two trips and hauled away some 75 fixtures and stored them in Mr. Pratt’s garage. I estimate that we have about $5,000 worth of fixtures. Our hope is to light a softball field. If we can come up with some poles from the long island lighting co. we will be close to realizing our objective.
Met with a third group of boys who are interested in an automobile club. More constitution and by-laws work. Received a lot of nice compliments about my “Black-Boot” letter. I hope we receive some cooperation from parents. It will help our boys individually and the club financially if we get more boys our of Black Leather jackets and black boots. School is going to put on some pressure also.
February 14, 1957
The executive committee of the woman’s auxiliary of St. John’s of Lattingtown met in the Boys’ Club library. They are the group I spoke to over a year ago in hopes of interesting them in the Boys’ Club Library as a community service project. The results have been most satisfactory as of to date they have supplied us with beautiful Birch book shelves. Through their chairman, Mrs. Lee Limbert, several hundreds of dollars has been raised. For this monies lovely tables and chairs were purchased as well as all the library supplies necessary to catalogue and index our books. Many books have come from private libraries. Others are new having been solicited by Mrs. Limbert directly from the publishers.
The consensus of opinion was that now that they have equipped the library they should lead a campaign to staff it with volunteers. Mrs. Turner Slocum of Glen cove has accepted the chairmanship of such a committee. I feel positive that the end results will be a strong influencing force shaping the lives of the Boys’ Club members.
February 15, 1957
A real busy day. We have our first annual camp reunion program scheduled for tonight. All the last minute items such as mimeographing bulletins, decorating bulletin boards, making certain that slides, projectors, screen etc are all ready to go have all been done. As invitation to Chuck Lawley’s Boys’ Club of Hollywood, dedication program for its new pool and gymnasium was received in today’s mail. I’m thrilled for Chuck. He is a terrific Boys’ Club executive and a great asset to the field.
The turn-out for our camp reunion was a bit disappointing. Only about 50-1/3 of those eligible, attended. A good portion were parents so a lot of announcements about our summer camp programs were very timely. Colored slides of Camp Mohican and Pratt’s camps in Canada were shown to the delight and pleasure of all present. For the die-hards we broke out the last reel of “Bamboo Prison” our regular picture for the week and ran that as a special treat. We will do better next year!
February 16, 1957
Opened the Boys’ Club at 8 AM so that preparations could be made for the Boy Scout Breakfast which is to serve as the kick-off for their annual campaign. Some quick sweeping, re-arranging of tables, a fire in the fireplace and we were ready for the 20 odd people who appeared. Bob Gunther was in charge of local affairs. Don Law as a professional scouter was present while Sterling Mudge of Glen Cove and the Nassau County Scout Board of Directors gave the key address.
A quick change and we were doing business as usual when the club members arrived. We feature hot dogs as a part of our Saturday canteen. Kids really go for them. We had dinner quests at home. Bishop and Millie Guest, Dale and Phyllis Macdonald and Walter and Rita Soper. All LDS members form Uniondale. Helen did an excellent job in preparing lasagna (Italian dinner). Walt Soper didn’t care for it but everyone else ate double helpings. We showed them slides taken while we were in the west this past summer on vacation. Wonderful evening.
February 17, 1957
Sundays are fairly routine. Not that they are ruts we are in because we truly enjoy church and it varied activities and the blessing and pleasures it brings us. I can see where our family habits are making us a stronger family. My children are doing and saying things that are a direct result of parent participation with them.
Had an enjoyable lunch from the leftovers of last evenings Italian meal. Followed this with a nice nap and a return to church services in the evening. We use Sunday evenings as a family night and always return from church and have special supper snacks with ice-cream, soda or the like which greatly thrills the children.
February 18, 1957
Up bright and early and drove Mr. Pratt into New York. We attended the annual surplus trade show held at the industrial trades building. We were trying to get an idea of things we could use at our buildings and at camp now that Boys’ Clubs of America are permitted to participate in government surplus commodities The show was a bit disappointing it was strictly wholesalers which left us on the outside.
Had a nice lunch with Mr. Pratt at a Chinese restaurant in Manhasset. We are both fond of Chinese food. Was back at the Boys’ Club in time to handle my afternoon schedule. Admitted Friends Academy to our gym and then met with an automobile group club and helped them write their constitution. Girl Scouts and Sea Scout groups were in during the evening in addition to our young adult group who came in to use the gym.
February 19, 1957
Signs of spring are at hand Certain birds are to be observed. Crocus are budding and the frost is coming out of the ground. I must make a note to get certain chores around the yard before the spring is to far advanced.
After running a couple of errands I drove to the club and met two old friends Edward Obey and Marvin Riley from the children’s aid society of New York City. They were out to look over our Boys’ Club as the society is currently planning a new building for Marvin to operate. As our club represents a lot of my own thinking and design as far as functional facilities go I was very pleased to have these men, highly regarded in the Boys’ work field, praise our building so highly. We spent a very enjoyable four hours together including lunching at the Pelican Restaurant in the Village.
Staff and program wise we are making some adjustments as Bill Cullum is getting ready to take some vacation. NCABL game at home. We nearly won but faded in the last quarter. We lack height and reserve depth.
February 20, 1957
Picked Mr. Pratt up at his home and drove over to the south shore were we picked up Howard Williams from Boys’ Club of America’s national staff. We then drove into Brooklyn and paid a visit to the Brooklyn Army base. Here we inspected government surplus and salvaged material with an eye toward using this material at the club and at our camp. We asked for approval to be granted permission to take a few articles that might prove of value. We were then introduced to the necessary paperwork and made application per regulations.
Mr. Pratt had me drive through that section of Brooklyn were he used to live. He pointed out his boyhood home and told me some interesting stories about his boyhood, his grandfather and his grandfathers background. The story of Pratt Institute and the history of the Pratt family and its interests in Standard Oil are quite exciting to hear and learn about.
Took our alumni team to Floral Park for an NCBL game. Lost but not as one would imagine considering the star studded line up they have.
February 21, 1957
Met with our library committee concerning volunteer leaders for the program for the afternoons. Lot of “big brass” present from the woman’s point of view. Mrs. Slocum, Mrs. Limbert and Mrs. Martin etc. Wm Montgomery, Regional Director for Boys’ Clubs of America was on hand. After library meeting Bill and I did a lot of discussing about the possibility of expanding the Boys’ Club movement to other communities in Nassau county. We were on this subject for several hours including lunch at the Pelican.
Attended a Board of Directors meeting in Westbury pertaining to the Nassau County Committee on Alcoholism. One of my alumni Jack Cummins just walked in. He was flown back from Germany over the weekend because his father had suffered a heart attack. He went away a boy and came back a man-so it would appear. Had a wonderful evening at the school. Cub scout father and son dinner. I went with Ron and Archie Anderson came along to sit with Scott. A nice wholesome evening.
February 22, 1957
A school holiday and our work load is increased. We open our doors at 1 PM to our membership instead of at 3:30 PM. I sense the staff would like to close the club during such a day but my sense of duty, responsibility and obligation all tell me to make the club available to its members. We were expecting Mr. Batterman’s granddaughter to visit our club but apparently she did not come down from Massachusetts.
As we approach April and National Boys’ Club week our club activities take on a new tone of accentuation. Our Banquet of Champions, where we honor all club champions in all fields begin to shape up. Currently we have just finished our national pocket billiard tournament and our national broad jump and pull up contests. Our table tennis championships and foul shooting contests are coming up in the near future. After April we begin to make our switch to baseball and other outdoor and summer activities
February 23, 1957
Bill Cullum shoved off for Florida and a month’s vacation early this morning. It is like losing my right arm but is also a necessity. Bill hasn’t had a vacation in 18 months. Lot of flu and virus around. Scott was ill last night and although he feels better today he stuck close to his room. Debbie isn’t chipper as I would like to see her.
Had Bill’s jr. varsity team play the Flatbush Boys’ Club team at our court. First lose of the season for our team. Very miserable showing on the part of our kids simply because they were beat psychologically before they started. We defeated them 5 points in the second half. Drove into New York with Helen and Bob and Gert Vorisek. We had a lovely sea food dinner at the “King of the Sea” restaurant. $28.00 including gratuity ! We had to wait to be seated so were unable to proceed with our plans for the evening which was to take Gert and Bob to the Sat night session of the quarterly LDS Stake conference in the Manhattan Ward.
February 24, 1957
Helen isn’t too well. Although all the family attended Sunday School except Helen and Debbie I’m afraid the bug is moving in on us. With the family ill I changed plans about attending conference and took the children to Uniondale Ward. Spent the afternoon and evening at home with the family. Teri came down with the bug, vomiting and weakness seem the one-two punch.
We enjoy our television set but often wonder if it is a positive or negative thing. Seems like reading and conversation take a back seat to looking. Controls are certainly in order and it behoves the modern parents to institute such controls. Thanks to Mr. Pratt the Hinckleys now own 6 shares of Winneck, Inc. A gift they are from a new company formed to manufacture a piece of equipment designed to be a boon to hospitals and other institutes who do a lot of X-raying.
February 25, 1957
Another day off-supposedly. But it seems that I need the time to catch up on my work. I have a claustrophobia feeling the way work seems to be closing in on me. I am a Board member of the Nassau County committee on Alcoholism, also a Board member of the Nassau County council of girl Scouts. I am superintendent of the Uniondale Ward East, Sunday School. I am a member of the local citizen’s committee who is faced with the problem of a new high school. I also serve as a member of the local Boy Scout Committee and as a county merit badge councilor. Boys’ Club wise I’m the Executive Director of the Grenville Baker Boys’ Club, Inc and a member of two national Boys’ club committees (1) Community Service (2) Library.
It is a busy schedule and one that keeps me out of mischief because it leaves me very little spare time. What free time I have I use to work out in the gym and try to keep in Physical condition.
February 26, 1957
A busy day started with a meeting of our Library committee. Bill Montgomery was out for a meeting and lunch. Helen had Dr. Vorisek over to her and Teri Ann. Helen has a wicked time shaking off colds. She has been tending two little girls while their mother worked but has had to cancel them out for the balance of the week.
More about my physical condition. At 33 years of age I am very active. I play on the clubs alumni basketball team. I weigh 240 lbs and stand 5’11”. I have always been large playing high school athletics at 210 lbs and college athletics at 220 lbs. When I’m fat and out of shape my weight crawls up to 260 lbs. I love sports-particularly basketball. My oldest son Ronald seems to have that same interest and fortunately seems to have a fair amount of talent to go with it. Scott is average in interest and ability. In our NCABL contest tonight we played an excellent game against Carlos Jewels, Fletcher Johnson, Duquesne U. and Ed Bartels North Carolina State finally beat us in the last four minutes.
February 27, 1957
It is a little rough in spots with bill gone so I am jumping around a bit helter-skelter. Our varsity continued along its unbeaten way by easily defeating Bethpage. Our jr. varsity with one non-league defeat had not trouble in defeating Oyster Bay. I’m coaching the jr. varsity in Bill Cullum’s absence. Met a Mr. DeMarco-friend of Joe Renna’s, who wants to help us with our rifle program. He hopes to use 22’s on our 25′ range but our insurance company won’t agree. Seems to be a good man but strangely enough wants it 100% his way or he isn’t interested in our program.
The weather indicates Spring isn’t far away. It seems early for this kind of mild weather. Perhaps the future will not hold up so well weather wise. We are making plans to transfer our summer athletic program to the school fields. We have been promised that our athletic field will be leveled and graded free.
February 28, 1957
Up bright and early and off to Mineola to attend a Board meeting of the Federated Girl Scout Councils. Our biggest job is the management of Camp Blue Bay at East Hampton, Long Island. Property holdings are considerable. Development is a major item and yet with the advent of “area scouting” we stand to turn Blue Bay over to another form of scouting and camping. We have improved our program and management greatly over the past two years.
I returned home and while a neighbor Florence Anderson stayed with Teri and Debbie, I took Helen to the Villa Victor in Glen Cove for lunch. We had a lovely lunch and then went grocery shopping. Helen still hasn’t shaken her cold. We are very well paid for our services at the Boys’ Club. I consider it a blessing to be so adequately provided for. Although we have had many bills to pay we are finally debt free and can concentrate on such things as repairing our home and buying furniture etc.