Oct 28, 29, 30 1914

Wed. Oct 28

Clear & little warmer.

Had Hist. & Alg test. Heard (unclear word) lecture on conservation of forests by a C.H.S Gazebelle.

Walt, Cliff, I & a kid for center had a  whirlwind signal practice. We & Newell Clark played kick goal earlier in aft. Cup came down & Walt, Cup, Cliff & I had H.L.J.Q game. Walt was 24 & I was 10. He made a slam and beat. 

Ma to 2nd church. Pa to L. St. one. Me to my lessons.

Author notes: 

From high school yearbook:
Newell CLARK was graduated from West in January, 1918, and joined the U. S. Marines the same day. In three months he won the expert marksman medal and was sent to do guard duty at the Prison Detachment at Portsmouth, H.H. Here he became a victim of the influenza and died October 1, 1918.

Gordon Bates Class President West High Yearbook photo and tag line. 

Thurs. Oct 29

Clear & Fine

Had class elections. Gordon Bates Pres. Saw cross country run with central.

Home and went down to lake with Walt & brot home rest of pillows 'etc'.

Wrote letter to Truman.

Author Notes:

Based on the 1940 census Gordon went on to marry and have 3 children and become president of a shoe store. He died in Pomona, Ca in 1967.

Fri. Oct 30

Fine & quite warm

Fred, Cup, Walt, Ann, Jay & I beat canoe up on our shoulders in cal. ( Author note: probably referring to Lake Calhoun)

Beat Pa 5 games on High, low "etc".

Oct 27 1914

Oct 27

Clear & cool

Played kick goal with Cliff in the aft. Then to the Bean Club & heard talk on "Wasting Time". Stayed & did lessons.

Secretary of State William Jennings Bryan

Winifield Scott Hammond

Pa called for me at 8:20 & we (unclear word) to auditorium to hear Bryan. Suppose to have ticket but we went around to the side & a man came out & told about 12 of us that there were a few seats in 2nd bal. We went in & left the mob in front behind. Heard Hammond (running for governor) talk & then Bryan came. He was fine. Talked on the necessity for Democratic Comgress to help Wilson carry out his good works the next two years.

Home at 11:30

Oct. 24, 25, & 26 1914

Sat. Oct 24

Worked. Nice Day. Turned out quite warm. $2.25 not much to do.

Sun. Oct 25

Fine & a little cool. Had my new clothes on but did not go out of house. Read paper & did lessons all day. West beat East yesterday 33 to 0. Minnesota beat Iowa 7 to 0. There was a 100 mile race at fair grounds yesterday. The record was broken for that distance.

Mon. Oct 26

Cold but bright. About freezing (33 or 4) all day. 

Jay is not going to take his gas car to school any more so I took Horace Lowry taxi.
Wore my new suit, & brown hat - but got mad at hat & bought a cap in afternoon. Walked to town from school. Also got a school book (unclear word, likely the text book he got) Came home & Stew, Walt, Cliff & I had good signal practice & scrimmage lots of fun.

Did lessons & to bed.

Author note: At this time Horace Lowry was the president of the Twin City Rapid Transportation Company. So I think a Horace Lowry Taxi means the street car.

Oct 22 & 23 1914

The Ford is my shepherd... Grandpa was a car guy for sure!

Thursday Oct 22

No school, teachers convention.

Rainy but warm.

Took new pants and vest down town to be tailored.

Wrote a letter to Mr. Hargreve in aft. Wrote a parody on the 23 Psalm in favor of the Ford in answer to one True sent me. Am going to send it to the Co.

Author note: I'm guessing this last part means grandpa sent his parody to Ford Motor Cars. I found in 1917 there is a record of this 23 psalm Ford parody. Probably not grandpa's but still fun to read.

The Ford is my car;
I shall not want another.
It maketh me to lie down in wet places;
It soileth my soul;
It leadeth me into deep waters;
It leadeth me into paths of ridicule for its namesake;
It prepareth a breakdown for me in the presence of mine enemies.
Yea, though I run through the valleys, I am towed up the hill;
I fear great evil when it is with me.
Its rods and its engines discomfort me;
It annointeth my face with oil;
Its tank runneth over.
Surely to goodness if this thing follow me all the days of my life,
I shall dwell in the house of the insane forever.



Friday Oct 23.

Cloudy and threatening very warm in morning but colder in aft. 

Stew, Walt & I monkeyed with foot ball this am signal practice "etc".

Arnold & I played kick goal in aft. Cliff came over & we three played a few games of H.L.J & Q

I wrote comp today. Sat around with mother  & recalled old times most of  evening. Pa had to work.

Oct 19, 20, 21, 1914

Because there was a time you took your pen in for repairs...

Monday Oct 19

Excellent & very warm

Rode to school - 48 (unclear word) Deep. Went around L. of the Isles.

Got haircut & walked down town. Bought deck of cards & left my fountain pen to be fixed.(bent the (unclear word) back the other day)

Came home, lessons & bath.

Letter from Aunt Ethel. She does not like her life in Cal. at all. Every letter is despondent.

Tuesday Oct 20

Fine  & warm. On way to school we ran out of gas. Jay had to walk down to 35 or 6 & get some. Were 1 or 2 min late.

Went down town & looked at some clothes. Have not decided on one yet. Got my pen again. Went out to bean club & heard "Jim" talk on profanity.

Home, lessons & to bed

Wednesday Oct 21

Fine & warm

Ride to and from with Jay. In aft. we took a spin went to the Minn. River. Fine scenery. Came home pretty fast. We stopped at a store in Richfield & Harry Townsend drove up & said we had scared his horse & dumped two (unclear word maybe dailies) out of the back. Another auto took them to a Doc. to see if anything was the matter I guess. He was mad & going to make trouble. Jay was scared. I guess it will be alright tho.

Decided on my suit in the aft. went to 2nd meeting in evening with mother.