Diaries in MHS Library Collections provide a window on the past by giving a personal account of daily life in Minnesota. The diaries pictured here were kept by a St. Paul boy, William M. Cummings, during the 1930s. Mr. Cummings kept diaries of his daily activities from 1924 until 1994.
Creator: William M. Cummings
Publisher: Minnesota Historical Society
Dates: 1933–1934
Identifer: location 152.I.4 14F, Box 1
Transcript of diary excerpts, Volume I, 1933.
April 17 Mon
Went to the Court House and then went with a lady to the Roosevelt Junior high. It is a pretty good school. Got excused at 1:30 P. M. Went to Murray and got my gym clothes and report card. Work after school. I went downtown after supper with Eugene and saw King Kong. It was swell.
April 18 Tues
Went to school today. I am going to collect flowers. The biology teacher is swell at Roosevelt. I think I might go to Fort Snelling tomorrow. Went downtown today at 2:15. Try to sneak in the shows but couldn’t get in. Came home and cleaned the yard the rest of the day. Put manure on the yard. Monkeyed around after supper and listened to radio.
April 19 Weds
Went to school. Cleaned the rabbit pens out. Put the guiny pigs out side. Read and listened to the radio after supper. Played around outside and had a lot of fun. Emy, Sonya, Irene, Aurthur [Lundblad?], Lola Jean, Bob Stone, Harry L, and some others where playing with me.
April 20 Thurs
Went to school today. Got excused at twelve o’clock, went to Fort Snelling and saw saw ducks and other birds had a good time. Went down I was going to the YMCA guy but he wasn’t there. Came home and made a plant press. Am going to collect plants. Listened to radio and played outside after supper.
May 19 Fri
Ratted school all day. Ate lunch in woods by our house. The Warblers and Vireos are everywhere today. Monkeyed around all afternoon. Went to the Hamline Theater with Eugene and saw “Forty Second Street.” It was swell. Went to Lundblads after.
May 20 Sat
Got up at 6:45. Mother and girls were on Picnic breakfast. Daddy went to work early. Worked in garden. Hopped trucks down. Saw parade for 75th Anniversary of Minn. Went to freight yards. Hopped trucks home. Ate lunch. Hopped trucks back. Went swimming at YWCA. Snuck in Riveria. Saw J. Browning in “Elmer the Great.” It was swell. Hopped a bus hom Ate and went to Jim’s house. Went to bed at 9:05.
May 21 Sun
Went to Red Wing. Art Taft drove the car. Daddy is fishing at River. Went to Harves & played ball in the morning. Ate dinner and went to the creek in the afternoon. Art and me went swimming. Got some [grain?] and ate lunch. Came home and read papers. Grandma and Grandpa are coming to Red Wing Fri.
May 22 Mon.
Stayed home & work in the yard until noon. Got a ride to school. Wrote bird notes 6th Period. Came part way home. Went to beginning of ball game. Cleaned fish & read Sunday papers. Ate fish dinner and went to YWCA to swim. Hopped a bus home.
Transcript of diary excerpts, Volume II, 1934.
October 26 Fri.
All the kids went to the Hamline Theater to see "The Gragon Pool Murder." It was quite interesting. Had a final four weeks test in Farm Dairying, and Farm Management I. I bum to school everyday & back. I sure like shows.
October 27 Sat.
Went to school today. Got out an five minutes after twelve. Monkeyed around after school. After supper Art Johnson, Ditty Gobar, and I sold papers until midnight. I got home at 12:30 a.m.
October 28 Sun.
I peddled papers this morning. The Minneapolis Tribune & Journal. I went to the show at the Hamline Theater. Saw "Now & Forever" with Shirley Temple, & Gary Grant, It was swell. Shirley Temple sure is cute.
October 29 Mon.
Went to school today. Hopped a truck home. I like hopping trucks as I can get around in a hurry with it costing me anything. The only trouble the trucks don't stop where you want them to.
November 23 Fri
Went to school today. After supper L.J. & I had a party. Bill Green, Art Oltman, Eddie Berseth, Audrey Hadler, Dorothy [Williams?], and Sally Geer. They’re all swell kids. Especially Sally, Audrey, Art and Eddie. Bob Sasvin & Louise Appleton were here also.
November 24 Sat
Went to school today in the a.m. Minn. Played Wis. today. Minn. Winning 34-0 thus wining the Big Ten championship. Went to Montgomery Wards with Louise & Lola Jean. Art, Dit & I sold papers at Selby and Snelling. Went to bed at 12:30 am.
November 25 Sun
Peddled Papers. Read all the papers. Had a swell goose dinner. I took Sally Geer, Louise Appleton & Lola Jean to the Hamline Theater this afternoon. We saw Janet Gaynor in “Servants Entrance.” It was swell. Raining out side.
November 26 Monday
Mother started to work today at the Welfare. Boy! Is that swell. We get 32 bucks a week now. Eddie, Art, Lola Jean & I hopped trucks downtown. I got some camp fire stuff. Gave it to Sally and Audrey Hadler. Went to Renee La Verne’s house.
December 4 Tues
Sally Geer, Althea Neundorf, Art Oltman & I went to the Montgromery Wards (Louise Appleton was with us.) Daddy took us to the top of the tower. It was kind of cloudy up there. I hung over the edge twice. We had a lot of fun. Art stayed for supper.
December 5 Weds
Went to school today. After supper Daddy took Jim, Audrey Hadler, Art Oltman, Louise, Lola Jean & I downtown. I took the whole bunch to the R.K.O. President. We saw the musical comedy “Down to the Last Yacht.” We had a swell time.
December 6 Thurs
Went to school today. Lola Jean was sick today. We are all going to a party to at Audrey Hadler’s house tomorrow. Audrey & Jimmey Hadler are sure swell kids. They are both swell kids.
December 7 Fri
After supper we went to Audrey Hadler’s house. We played Bunco, pool, ping pong, winks and over games. We had delicious ice cream, cake & cookies. Mr. And Mrs. Hadler were both very nice people. So is Mrs. Hadler’s mother. Art Oltman, Sally, Audrey, L.J. Dick Conradi, [Norma Rossness?], [Arne ?], were all there.
December 8 Sat
Audrey, Sally, Dick, Elizabeth, Bob [Swain?], Art, Jimmie, Art Johnson, Wally, Chuck, Norma, Ann & I went to the Park Theater in the morning. We saw “Harold Teen.” We brought toys for admissions. It was swell. After supper Art Oltman & I sold papers.
December 9 Sun
Peddled my papers at 1am this morning. Thus I slept until 10:30. We get four Sunday papers. I read them all. I like the Editorial page, the general news, & the funnies best. Listened to the radio.
December 10 Mon
Went to school today. Got caught for special dicks for lifting overcoats. Got expelled form school. I got put I jail (East Side Jail, Minneapolis) at 2:30 P.M. Didn’t have a good supper. Called up Mother to tell her where I am.
December 11 Tues
The cops took me in a police patrol to the Hennepin County Jail at nine a.m. I stayed there until 5:30 P.M. Then two St. Paul police took me to the St. Paul Jail. Had a good cell.
December 12 Weds
Sat around all day in my cell with Bruce Crosby a 17 year old “ganster.” We just talked and read. [Hedsnicker?] & his assistant took me around to get all the overcoats I sold. The food is rotten here.
December 13 Thurs
[Hedsnicker?] & his assistant took around to get some more coats. In the afternoon they took me to the court house. Hedstrom my probation officer took me home. I went to Sally's & Althea's house after supper.
December 15 Sat.
Audrey, Art, Dick, Louise, Salley, L.J. & I all went to the Hamline in the morning. We thought there was to be a free show but found out the free show is next Sat. After supper Art Oltman & I sold papers till 12 midnight. We sold 25.
December 16 Sun.
Peddled papers. Art Oltman over in the afternoon. We just talked & listened to the radio
Which has good programs on on Sun. one program I like best is Grand Hotel, a different play is on each time.
December 17 Mon
I tried to get in Mechanic Arts, but didn't succeed. I also tried to get in Wilson also, but didn't succeed. I gave Louise Appleton a birthday & Christmas persent. I went to the library after supper.
December 18 Tues
Met Lola Jean & louise after school. We went to Montgomery Wards. Bought some Christmas persents. I'm getting my car tomorrow for sure. Sold my watch & a ring to get money to pay for it. I gave him my shotgun also.
December 19 Weds.
I went to Davenport's house in the morning. Arthur Oltman & I went to the capitol building to get the car of Davenport's transferred to me. After supper we got the car. Rode all evening. The car is a 1925 Chevelet coach.
December 20 Thurs.
Rode in my car all day. Had a lot of fun. Gave Lola Jean, Arnette, Art Oltman, Art Johnson, Bob Swain, etc. After Art Johnson, Dick Conrady and I went riding. I drove in to another car head on. Wrecked my car completely. Dick got cut in the face.
December 21 Fri.
Got up at 11:15 a.m. Have three cracked ribs. I fell rotton. Art Oltman helped me haul the ashes out. I'm going to junk my car for 5 dollars. After supper I went to Hadler's. I won a box of candy on a [perchase?].
December 22 Sat.
Went to Wards. Bought some persents. Lola Jean and I went to the Hamline Theater. We saw "The Case of the Howling Dog." It was pretty good. I got cards from Audrey, Jimmey, Althea, Louise, Sally, Aunt Belle, Uncle Jim, Betty & Margie.
December 23 Sun.
I peddled my papers today. It was 0º out today. Mother, the girls, and I went to church today. After supper Lola Jean and I went to the Hamline Theater. We saw Ginger Rogers in "The Gay Divorcee."
December 24 Mon.
Art Oltman, Eddie Berseth and I went downtown on trucks. We went to the Riveria Theater. We saw W.C. Fields in "It's a Gift." It was real funny. After supper we had our persents. We went to Grandpa Cummings until midnight.
Transcript of diary excerpts, Volume IV, 1935.
January 16 Wednesday
Got up at 10:30 a.m. Shaved dressed. Went to Mechanic Arts High School. Talked with Miss Tschida & Mr. Lange until 1:30 p.m. They finally gave me permission to start there. It was misting and the mist should freeze on the windshields of all the cars. Art Johnson came over. We ate lunch. I wrote a letter to Daddy. Read the papers. Wrote in my diary. Fixed a socket. Went to work. Real stormy out. I dusted all the benches & checked overcoats, hats, purses, rubbers, etc. Starting next Saturday I'll get paid $2.10 a night & work three nights a week at least. The streetcars were all snow bound. There was 22 in row.
January 17 Thursday
Got up at 10:30. Dressed and shoveled the walks & made a path out to the alley. Ate lunch & breakfast together. Shaved. Called Alice. The kids from Central got out at noon as they are having final tests today. Went to Alice's house. She wasn't home so I went for a little walk & then went over to a grocery store and waited 15 or 20 minutes. Then I went back. She hadn't come home yet so I went to the rink & then home. Went to the library before supper. Read & listened to Rudee Vallee. Then went to the rink. Shovelled snow & talked with [?] kids including […..?]
