On Monday, December 25, 1950, in Osceola after his father’s funeral, Dale wrote, “We went to Lloyd’s in morning, Mother and Marie, too, for dinner. We went out to Ruth and Louie’s to borrow 2 sleds. Louie and Ruth here for supper.” Lloyd and Marie were Dale’s brother and sister; Louie was Helen’s brother. This was not a happy Christmas. However, the following video should offer cheer for everyone:
Perry Como Show
On Wednesday, December 24, 1952, Perry Como broadcast his Christmas Eve show on CBS:
Moving In With Friends
In Washington, DC, on Wednesday, December 23, 1936, Dale wrote, “Jim and Corinne bought a house and took us to look at it. We’re going to live there, too: 8 Moore Avenue, Hyattsville, Maryland.” Jim and Corinne were friends.
Special Basketball Team
In Muscatine on Wednesday, December 22, 1954, Dale and Dalene went to the high school gymnasium to watch the Harlem Magicians play basketball. Dale described it as “Punk” in his diary. The team was formed by former Harlem Globetrotters star and Hall of Famer Marques Haynes in 1953. Goose Tatum was also on the team. Below: one of their vintage posters.
It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like . . .
In Minneapolis on Wednesday, December 21, 1955, Dale wrote, “Family went shopping in the afternoon. We decorated the tree. Stan and a girl friend from Robbinsdale went shopping downtown at night in our car.” That was a girl friend, not a girlfriend.
Oh, Christmas Tree
In Minneapolis on Tuesday, December 20, 1955, Dale bought a Christmas tree after work and put it up in the living room for decorating. This was a photo of our living room at Christmas:
A Big Ten University
In Minneapolis on Monday, December 19, 1955, Dale wrote, “Stan came home from Muscatine for Christmas. He and Helen went to the University of Minnesota to register for Winter Quarter.” Below: Coffman Memorial Union on the main campus.
Working At Kord’s
In Muscatine on Friday, December 18, 1953, Dale wrote, “Dalene and I went Christmas shopping in the evening. Stan worked at Kord’s and then went to Fun Night.” I had an after-school seasonal job at Kord’s drug store that year, in the heart of downtown (below). Fun Night was a teen dance at the YWCA.
Making Final Arrangements
In Osceola from Muscatine on Sunday, December 17, 1950, for his father Williams Gardner’s funeral, Dale with brother Lloyd, sister Marie, and mother Jettie made funeral arrangements and bought cemetery lots side by side. The burial took place two days later. Below: the headstone on Dale and Helen’s cemetery lot, which closely resembles Williams and Jettie’s.
A Sad Day
On Saturday, December 16, 1950, my grandfather Williams McBain Gardner (below) died in Osceola, Iowa. Dale’s sister Marie called us in Muscatine and Dale drove his family to Osceola that day.
Steve Allen Show
In Minneapolis on Sunday, December 15, 1957, Dale wrote, “Stan went to sing at church. Dalene went to a girl friend’s to wrap Christmas presents. Stan brought a girl friend here to watch Steve Allen.” In 1957, The Steve Allen Show was on NBC Sunday nights opposite The Ed Sullivan Show. It launched the careers of cast members Don Knotts, Tom Poston, Louis Nye, Pat Harrington Jr., and Bill Dana, and I used to watch it for the corny humor. Follow this link for a sample:
Dale Drives In A Blizzard
In Muscatine on Friday, December 14, 1951, Dale wrote, “Blizzard most all day and near zero weather.” He had to drive to the West Liberty train station to pick up a co-worker and didn’t get home until 3:00 a.m. Saturday, as the train was late due to the storm. From West Liberty to Muscatine is 19 miles:
On The Road Again
In Osceola on Thursday, December 13, 1962, on his way with Helen from Minneapolis to California, Dale wrote, “At Mother’s. George and Wilma, Ruth and Louie, Lloyd, and Marie Kimmel came to see us. Left at 11 a.m., drove via Kansas Turnpike to Pratt, Kansas, 450 miles, by 9:30. Beautiful day, 47° in Kansas City, warm and a nice motel in Pratt (El Rancho).” That was about midway between Wichita and Dodge City, as in the route below. George Casey’s wife Wilma was Helen’s sister, Ruth Schaffer was married to Helen’s brother Louie, Lloyd and Marie were Dale’s siblings.
Singing Handel’s ‘Messiah’
On Sunday, December 12, 1954, the Muscatine High School chorus, 116 voices under the direction of Max Collins, and four guest soloists (Mrs. Evelyn Sanders Vaneck, soprano; Miss Corinne Hamilton, contralto; Stephen Hobson, tenor; and Harry Morrison, bass) sang with organ accompaniment by Charles Shook and piano accompaniment by Judy Smith. Max Collins is on the far left in the top photo below, and Judy Smith is on the far right in the lower photo below; I’m second from the left in the back row.
Jefferson School Open House
In Muscatine on Tuesday, December 11, 1951, Dale, Helen, and Dalene went to an open house at Dalene’s Jefferson Elementary School (below).
Helen’s New Smile
In Minneapolis on Tuesday, December 10, 1957, Dale wrote, “Winter is here. Zero degrees at 11 p.m. and windy. Helen got her new false teeth tonight, and she is happy with them. Makes her look ten years younger.” Here she is:
Bill Roach Trophy
In Muscatine on Thursday, December 9, 1954, an assembly at Muscatine High School honored two football players who received the Bill Roach Memorial Trophy: Ernie Morgan and Tom Hahn. Both seniors had played football all four years they were in high school, and showed the required qualities of sportsmanship, team spirit, perseverance, and courage. From the yearbook, below are Tom (left) and Ernie (right).
Born To Dance
In Minneapolis on Sunday, December 8, 1957, Dale wrote, “Went to the drug store and bought some Christmas records. Watched football on TV. Watched a movie ‘Born to Dance’ on TV.”
Pearl Harbor Day
In St. Paul on Sunday, December 7, 1941, Dale wrote, “Blizzard at night. Japan bombed Pearl Harbor, Honolulu.” Below: the sunken battleship USS Arizona is clearly seen below its memorial in the harbor.
Dale Watches ‘The Bridges At Toko-Ri’
In Minneapolis on Tuesday, December 6, 1966, Dale wrote, “Dalene phoned in the evening, she will arrive here this Saturday. Watched a movie, ‘The Bridges at Toko-Ri.’ Sad ending.” Dalene lived in Los Angeles at the time.
