February 18 – 24, 1925

February 18

Got a letter from Harold Carter of A&M. A day of aches + pains! Gosh. Lab this afternoon. Heard we would have a French exam Fri week. Gosh, that means work. Busted the chem exam. I am so dumb. Natalie Popperman came over to stay while her folks were at church. Studied.

February 19

Classes – home – wrote letters. To gym. A marvelous time. To Auntie’s a while, home, and laid on “Eugenie Grandet” After supper, started again. Dear old Fritz called.

February 20

No chem class. Cut Eng. Quiz section and went with Fred. Lunch + tennis meeting. Chem lab. To cousin NanNan’s tea at 4. Grand time. Home + Miss Fordtran + I talked of going to Europe. Oh, I want to go worse than I’ve ever wanted to go anywhere in my life.

February 21

Classes. A History test. For gas, etc. and to Bob’s. Home. Fixed my crossword puzzle. To basketball game. Rice Vs. Baylor. Won 26-15. Home and to bed — so-so tired!

February 22

Washington’s birthday

Lord! What a day! To S.S. Home. Studied French and history all day. Fred called + broke the monotony. Started in and ok, I’m so sick of it!

February 23

Another day of study! Classes. Autry House for lunch. Rotton gym. Home and began my history report. Lord, what a job! and what a day!

February 24

It’s after 12, Diary. I’m nearly dead. After classes, I came home, washed my hair, then began. I studied til 5, then went to Jerry’s tea for Ruth Schwiekart. Home + after supper, began again. I’ll be so glad when it’s over. A test Fri in Eng + a Span + Hist test Sat + this term theme!

 

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February 17, 1925 It seems my love for you is stronger than I am

Dearest Big Boy –

I know I ought to be studying; I also know I owe your sister and your cousin a letter as well as a dozen other people. In spite of all that, here I am writing you a note. It isn’t enough to see you nearly every day. Sat nite dates aren’t enough – oh, dear boy, I know I do things I shouldn’t. I know I’m not doing all I can to keep you the dear good boy I want; I know I slip, too, but Fred I love you. I forget all myself in the desire to give you what you want. It seems my love for you is stronger than I am, but I love you so. Oh, you can’t realize just what you mean to me. You can’t know the prayers of thankfulness that go up from my heart when I look at other boys and compare them to Fritz. You don’t know how proud I am of you when you do things worth while. How thrilled when you say “Little Darling, I want to share them with you.” Just the fact that you want me to be a partner and a pal – oh! there’s not many boys who have worthwhile things to want to share. But yours are highest honors. It’s like Ralph said – you’re looked up to by your class mates – and it’s a thrill for any girl to go with you. But I know that Fred love me.

Well, anyway, you’ve heard that a dozen times from me. Perhaps even someone else before me said the same thing. Perhaps even you asked someone else to share your honors. Only perhaps.

I’m not jealous of them, because I know that even if you did love someone else long ago – that you love me now, and the other girl holds no place in your heart, except as a memory. I know that your thoughts and your kisses are for only me, and why should I worry about the past. It is quite sufficient for me to know that Fred cares and how I return that love!

Not for gold, or for the thing girls want most – popularity – would I give you up. I’d love to have popularity and it would be nice to have oodles of claps and perhaps dates, but I shan’t even think of them, because Fred is worth more than those.

Here are the pictures I promised. They’re given with all my love.

F.M.P.

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February 11 – 17

diary entry February 1925February 11

Flat tire on car. School in Willie’s car, Lab. Home. Town. Played some ancient songs for Dad. Date with Jack. Diary, I am more thankful than ever for Fred. I think Jack + I have parted forever. I really don’t care. He finished up his debt in candy, so I am not worried. Jack bores me to tears. Just a “sitter.” He’s good looking, but oh, what devilish lies he tells! I’m glad he’s gone!

February 12

Lincoln’s Birthday

Had a history test this morning. To town to get some shoes. Didn’t succeed. Met Jack Kimple -a boy who met me before at the slime dance. He’s real cute. I get rid of one Jack and here comes another one! Studied + fooled around. A chem test tomorrow. Dear old Fred called + talked 2 minutes. Diary, I’m cutting a wisdom tooth! By heck, I’m proud of myself!

February 13

Friday 13 – Lord help us! A Chem exam this morning. Some exam! Chem lab moved from old to new building. Lots of fun with Bruce. Studied a little. To Mary Parker’s dance at her house with Fred, Field Reynaud + Sis. Good times. Jack Kimple – a boy I met at the slime dance called me, and he seems so cute! Hot dog!

February 14

Valetine Day

Classes. Home. Town in afternoon. Looked for shoes. To see The Golden Bed at Queen. A grand picture. To basketball game with Fred. My tooth ache gave me the old heck and I was so tired. Every move made me sick + faint. Went to bed half dead. Got a dear box of Mexican candy from Hop for Valentine + a dear Valentine from Fred.

February 15

Gosh! What a day! These wisdom teeth! Slept all morning and studied in afternoon. At 5 went out for Fred and rode a while. Home and washed my hair. Studied some more. Oh, I felt so rotten. Haven’t found out what’s wrong. Got a special from Hop.

February 16

Better today. Classes then a terribly strenuous workout in gym. A world of fun but so hard. Got a dear letter from Guitte + Isobel. To town with Mother. Studied – I’m so sore it’s pitiful! My poor legs!

February 17

Saw dear old Fritz this morning. Diary, he’s so precious. Had the shin splints so badly I couldn’t move. Classes. Home. Out with Sis to practice gym. We had a dumb gym and my legs are worse. Home, played + studied. Gee, but my ankles and legs hurt!!!!!!

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February 4 – 10, 1925

The James Autry House at Rice University, Houston, Texas

Autry House, Houston, Texas

February 4

School wasn’t very exciting. Had lunch at the Autry House then had lab. Riding with Aunt Mildred and the kids. Home took a bath, dressed + went out to Fred’s brother’s for dinner. It wasn’t violently exciting either, but I did enjoy it. I had a world of time to think, weigh, analyze and wonder – wonder – Oh, Diary, dear, it’s no secret. I do love Fred. He’s dear and good, but oh! the other! I’m just not sure.

February 5

I’m so tired. Have an awful pain in my chest. threatens to floor me. Had only Span. (Spanish) class today + then went to inspect M.E. building (Mechanical Engineering) with Fred. Had heaps of fun! Then had more fun at Autry House for lunch. Didn’t have either energy or ambition to be any good in gym. Helped fix my dress + cut up generally. Oh, I have such a pain in my side. It hurts like the devil. Wonder what it is!

February 6

Such a perfect nite! Made to think of love not French + Ger. (German) wars! Have a Hist. exam tomorrow. Classes this morning. Tennis meeting. Home + slept off an abominable headache. Studied after supper. I’m just glad – glad to be alive – healthy, to have Mother, Dad, Sis + Fred – to have Hop and Oh! just my friends. The Slime dance is Mon nite. Boy Howdy! Bravo!

* Slimes were freshman at Rice and went through a hazing period. I found this bit on the Slime traditions from the ’30s here. 

February 7

Classes – tennis at 11:30. had a Soph con-fab then took Madge out to Heights. Home, dinner, then studied. Went to basketball game with Fred + Sis. Won 31-23. Fred wasn’t terribly well tonite. Diary, dear, there might a little doubt, but I just can’t help loving Fred with all my heart. I can’t help wanting him – really + truly!

February 8

One exciting day. To S.S. with Herbert, then riding with him in Bill Grace’s car. Home, dinner. Chasing Margie with Madge, Ruth, Flo + Babe. Got her let her go on honor. Chased some slimes, then had a flat tire. Fred came out + fixed it for us. Flo + Babe came by at nite. Oh it was all so exciting + we had more fun. Fred was so sweet about the tire. Oh, I love him so!

February 9

A day I shall never forget. Got Margie and Flo. Ruth, Madge, Babe, Sis + I all stayed at Auntie’s. Oh! Such mystery and such excitement. Fooled around all day, then dressed + went to Slime Dance at 9. Got Margie in OK and she was cute. Went in Kenneth Nairn’s car. Oh I love to dance with him! He’s so dear! To pig stand at 12. I had a real good time on a crowded floor + aching feet + some rotten dancers!

February 10

The day after the nite before. Oh I was dead. Up in time for an 8:30 class. Home + to sleep at 12. Woke up at 5. Had supper + talked to Fred + studied. All I have thought of today has been how thankful I am that Fred is not a boy who drinks. My dances last night were dumb, but oh! the drunks out there. I couldn’t seem to get away from them. I’m so glad and thankful for Fred. My love is so much deeper now.

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February 13, 1925 – from Fred

This is to the sweetest and dearest Girl in this whole world. The one who puts so much happiness into my heart. The pride of my life. The one whose company is like being in Paradise. The only Girl for me. That is you, Florence, my Dear. It is to you I owe most of my present happiness. You do try to make me so happy, and you do succeed to a great extent. I have but few things to complaining about, and they are so few and are not worth mentioning.

Life seems so wonderful with you. It is so wonderful to have a true friend like you. One who cares and can understand.

Your little Valentine

Fred.

Feb13_1925_0002

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February 13, 1925 from Florence

There’s a song in my heart

on this Valentine’s Day,

Joyous and lilting and true,

It makes me world sunlit

and shining and gay,

“I’m glad that

My Sweetheart

is You”

Somehow this seemed to be just exactly what I wanted you to know. Every day it’s impressed on me a little more that I’m so glad it;s Fred and not someone else. I’m so glad we found each other –

The color is rather bright I admit, but my heart is this color, and that little verse is just too good to miss.

You mean so much to me dear boy, and I love you.

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February 4, 1925

11:30 p.m.

Dearest little Girl in this whole wide world:

You did not think that I would answer that real sweet note the other day. I had fully intended to. I did not want to, just right away. I wanted to give it to you when you were not expecting it. So I think this is a very opportune time.

Dearest of my heart, all of the sweet things that I told you tonight is true. Straight from my heart, not from my mouth, but it is the feeling I have deep down in my heart. The desires that I try to tell you are all about. I have told you of my ambitions and what I want to do. You know all of my ideas about wanting to make it good. I must have help. Yes beloved I must have help and to tell you the truth, I am getting it from the sweetest person that could give it. Florence, I do actually, honestly and truly believe, down deep in my heart that I have the girl that means more to me than most anything else could mean to a person. I have tried to win your heart, and I have even been encouraged to a great extent.

Encouragement is a great help sometimes. You know you have your heart to win, as I do. We are both trying. Darling, the last few weeks when I have had less to do, I have tried to think of you more. I have tried to make you happy. You say that I have, and I do believe that I have, as I do see so much improvement. I have been encouraged.

Do you know that I got more thrill out of your note the other day. I can’t explain how happy you did make me. That feeling is unexplainable. I felt so happy. Maybe I did not show it so much, but the E. Co. took lots out of me. You say so many sweet things that I cannot help but love you. I don’t see how I could help it. It is almost impossible. I want to take you in my arms and love you mine, so much that it’s hard to help it at times.

I do care much more than you know about or have any idea about. I have an impulse just to pull you up to me and hold you so tight, tight tight.

I did not know my tones in voice had such rings to them. I did not notice it,but you darn sure have them in yours. You say some of the sweetest things in the sweetest way that they run through and through my mind. I can’t help but think of the things you say and do. They are so nice and pleasing. Florence you are hard to beat. In fact I do not know where I would find one to beat you. Not one in this world, I don’t believe would mean more to me in my life. I think you understand it so well. You know me so well that it seems that we just mean to much to each other.

I just want to bring you up close and hug you so tight that oh —

Sweetest Darling there is one thing that I wish so much. That is we will continue to love so much for a long long time. When — oh some future time.

I will meet you in my sweet dreams.

Your own Freddie boy

P.S. all yours.

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February 2, 1925

Big boy, best and only one in the world.

You insisted that I tell you my huge desire tonite, but how in heck could I with Miss Fordtran near? She’s like those old classic men of the Middle Ages who believed in reason above emotion. She believes one should control their his emotions! Well, I can’t see it that way, and so I don’t do it, but I couldn’t just fling out in the face of all that, the desire of my heart. It happened to be to just throw my arms around out and half squeeze the life out of you. Why? Well, I’ll even tell you that. I can’t explain it. It’s just one of those unexplainable feelings one often has. There is a certain ring in your voice, Fred, over the phone that you can’t get in one’s presence. (Perhaps it’s very fortunate because of the results!) But tonite in the way you talked and the tone, why, it gave me such a thrill I couldn’t even talk. Why, my first thought was, Fred if I only had you here, and you talked like that with that tone and accent, I’d face the burning inferno, I’d conquer a million obstacles, just to be near you, to be near enough to just touch you, to know I was yours!

Tonite that feeling came over me – Fred, I wanted youyouyou. I wanted you near me. We would have been so good – so very good. Our “faults” would have been forgotten about just in the fact that you were near me – even just to look at.

You didn’t know your voice had such a ring in it, did you? You didn’t know hat over the phone at times, you say something which makes me want to kiss the face half off of you.

Tonite wasn’t the first time I’ve felt thrills just circle my whole body, at a certain ring in your voice. I’ve felt it a number of times before, but I never mentioned it.

I guess it’s a good thing you never use the same tone with me as you do over the phone. I’d be like a lost sheep returning to its fold. Your arms have such a feeling of protection. I believe I’d be content to lie in them forever, but when the other

Well, that’s all you wanted to know – just what the desire was tonite. You’ve learned something, haven’t you? Don’t use the ring too often, I think I’ll die of thrills sometime if you do. It’s been 3 hours since I talked to you but I will hear the voice in my ear.

Dearest big boy. I love you so now.

Please try to make me keep loving you. You know so well the way to win my heart for keeps, and you know so well how to lose it forever and my respect, too. Dear, I don’t entirely mean the greatest fault of ours, but I mean the other things that you fail to do. Well, of course, it’s up to you. Just remember, I’m awfully young, and there’s many a slip between up and lip! Won’t you try to win me for keeps by making me happy and glad? I want so much to be won, but I’m so afraid sometimes that unless you study me and my disposition better, you’re going to fail terribly.

But you’ve gotten a world better, and in spite of it all – the obstacles that I seem to have to face in you, I love you with all my heart, soul and strength!

Why don’t you conceive the brilliant idea of answering this? I know I’m mad as a March hare, but Fred, that’s another of the “little things” I can’t seem to live without.

Oh, damn, I’m such a fool, I wish somebody would crack my head open with a battle axe.

F.M.P.

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January 28 – February 3, 1925

January 28

School, lab, home, studied all afternoon, then went to the basketball game. Fred is a dear but I don’t understand him at times. Oh, I felt so rotten – so awfully rotten. Mother + I talked real late.

January 29

Diary dear, it’s bobbed! Bobbed! Oh! It looks so cute. Everyone seems pleased. Went out at 1 for my wave and left at 5:30. Four long hours. Oh, I’m so glad it looks cute. It does – so cute, and so much cuter than I expected. Oh, I wonder what Fred will say when he sees it tomorrow!

January 30

Little secret book, one perfect day. Everyone was thrilled and surprised and everyone liked it worlds better. Fred was wonderfully pleased. Went to a bridge with Bea, Dot + Sis + had a grand time. Then to a S.S. party with Fred. We had a glorious time, and oh, it was wonderful. Met an awfully cute A&M boy – Harold Carter. Diary, it’s all too new + too wonderful.

January 31

The last of Jan! I’ve written 31 times in you, dear book! After school this morning, I washed my hair, then at 3:30 I took Fred + his 2 aunts riding, then went up town with Fred at nite, and we sought amusement on 69 cents! Oh, diary, dear, I’m in for tonite, fortunate but I just don’t know. I love Fred, I love life, but I’m so disillusioned.

January Memoranda

Little Blue Book, isn’t it terrible to start off the new year so tired I just haven’t the energy to move or breathe. Oh, it seems so many centuries ago that I was really rested, and since I really felt good. Xmas holidays set me back. I intended to just rest and I just chased myself around in a circle. 5 bridge parties in a week. Oh I wish I could be the old Florence with all the pep. Filled with aching eyes, bobbed hair, Fred and I new flames, 31 days has passed. Wonderful days!

February 1

I wonder if I ever felt so despondent – so disillusioned – so hopeless as I do today. After S.S. I came home. Slept all afternoon. Developed a fierce headache. And an English exam in the morning. It seems that even Science is failing to help me. I know I’m not using it in the right way, but I can’t seem to find the right way. I’m getting so desperate. And oh! I’m so blue – so – so – hopeless.

February 2

Thank heavens I feel a little more human. Stayed home from the tennis picnic because of lack of energy and studied. Mrs. Stancliff phones at 6, and Fred at 6:30. Studied late. Old Fritz is a dear, there’s a certain ring in his voice sometimes over the phone that makes the thrills just go over me, and gives me a feeling of – well, I can’t even express it!

February 3

I wish there were about a million pages in you, Diary, dear so I could tell you all my secrets. There’s one which worries me so much. Nothing happened today at all. Fred called and asked me to go to his bro. tomorrow nite for dinner. His mother is here, so I’m going. I think. Oh, dear Diary, it’s all so mixed up. I’m just nearly lost.

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January 21-27, 1925

January 21, 1925

Oh, I was never so heartbroken in my life as I was last nite! I nearly cried my poor, weak eyes out, and it seemed my heart was like ice. After school we went to lab, then Mrs. Heavin came over for the afternoon + for supper. Fred came at 7 and we went to the basketball game. Lost. Everything went wrong and we had our first real quarrel since we began going together 2 years ago. It nearly killed me.

January 22

Cut Span class to try to mend matters with Fred. I knew it we could reason it all out we’d be all right, and we were. We were both smiling. Studied chem, then went back to dear old “gym”. Home + studied some more, at 8:30 there was a fire 3 blocks away and we chased to it. Studied til I nearly dropped. Oh, I’m so glad my heart feels natural again. I’ve been so worried, I just seemed like someone else.

January 23

Heavens! I’m so tired – so weary! Got up early to study for the Chem test. Cut French and studied some more. Then we had it. Oh! I do hope I passed. Stayed to tennis club meeting til 1:30, had lunch, then back to play tennis. Fred came to town with us, then we studied til supper, and went to the science lecture with the folks and Fred. Dad didn’t come home to supper and we found he had been locked up on the jury. We studied til after 12. So tired!

January 24

School til 11. Washed my hair then went to get my permanent. She wanted to bob my hair, and wouldn’t put in the wave on top of this old wave. I came back home and I’m going back Thursday to have it bobbed and get the wave put in. I hope I don’t look too much of a fright. Wrote to Hop in afternoon, then Fred and I went to “Thief of Bagdad” It was wonderful. Oh, I wonder why I love Fred so much, but at other times, I am just disgusted with him.

January 25

To S.S. Even tho Fred does want me to be a Methodist, I’ll never be one. Things were revealed to me so clearly this morning that I realized clearly that no one can take this wonderful truth from me. I do care for Fred, but not that much. I studied and fooled around the rest of the day. Fred called and was awfully sweet.

January 26

Diary, I’m just so thrilled! After school, gym was wonderful. Oh! some of the bumps we did get, tho. A girl sat on my face. But had a grand time. Home + studied, then at 8 Field Reynaud came over. He’s so marvelous and I learned so many new jazz tricks and a dear new piece of his. Field is so polished and so wonderful. It would be so easy to learn to care for him.

January 27

It began sleeting on our way to school. Had 2 classes then home. To town at 2 and went to “Miss Bluebeard”, shopped then home. Studied, Asked Dad about my hair + he just laughed.Only 1 more day with long hair. Oh, I do hope I look cute with it bobbed! Wonder what Fred will say? He was jealous again when I told him of Field. Honestly, I don’t know what to do about him.

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