December 22-28, 1941, Reverend Laine's diary

Rise Stevens

   Before there was Twitter, before there were bloggers, before there was the Internet even, there was the diary of the Rev. Edmund Randolph Laine of St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Stockbridge, Mass, a minister who was born to tweet. Heck, "Mrs. Cooper came about lighting of Christmas tree on lawn." "E. to Air Raid School." 7 - "Amos & Andy." Less than twenty words and you've got three Facebook status updates right there.
   More than a decade ago I photocopied the minister's diary for the period from 1941 to 1945 after visiting the Stockbridge Library history room to see what Laine wrote the day Ed Forrest was killed. Laine raised Ed in the rectory of St. Paul's from the time he was 14. Ed and my father, 2nd Lt. Maurice Elson, knew each other in combat with the 712th Tank Battalion, and my father often spoke of Ed. My dad was wounded on Dec. 10, 1944 and didn't return to the battalion. Ed was killed on April 3, 1945.
   After speaking at the Stockbridge Library this month about Ed Forrest and my book "The Armored Fist," I found there was great interest in Laine's diary among the audience, so I decided to revisit it, and now from time to time I'll be posting a week's worth of entries. Forgive the question marks where I was unable to decipher his handwriting, and the occasional misspelling of a name or outright mistake.
   If you'd like to start at the beginning -- I began posting diary entries from December 1, 1941 -- you can see them here.

Dec. 1-7, 1941
Dec. 8-15, 1941
Dec. 15-22, 1941

December 22, 1941

Dec. 22: (Monday) (Shortest day of Year) (Pres. signed new draft bill to-day) Very cold, sunny. Up 10:50. 11 - News. Ans. some responses. Read "Times." 2 - Mrs. Merwin & Mrs. Cooper came about lighting of Christmas tree on lawn. Letter from Mrs. Clapper about Carlyn. Read "Eagle" & in "Times." Wrote some answers. Box of fruit received from Mr. & Mrs. Parsons from Florida. 6 - News. Eve. ─ 6:45 - News from Washington, Manila, London. 7 -"Amos & Andy." E to Air Raid School. Miss F. & I wrapped up some Christmas presents. Read in "The Hero in America." 9 - Quincy Howe. 10- Raymond Gram Swing. Had ham sandwiches. 11 - News. 11:15 - to P.O.

December 23, 1941

Dec. 23: (Tuesday) Fairly cold, gray, began to rain (drizzle) 1, slippery. Up 11, shaved. (Radio - News & "Pepper Young's Family." Worked on press notices for Mrs. Davidson. 2 - to Glendale to see Mrs. Clapper about Carlyn Markham affair - then on to Pittsfield to see Mrs. W. Pitt Palmer at House of Mercy (bad going) - operation on eyes - she will never see - home 4:30. Gift of Whitney engraving from Mrs. Drake. Wrote card of thanks to her. Ate some nuts. 5:15 - Rev. W.E. Soule called - told of dismissal from St. Edmund's School - went 6:10. Have slight cold. Eve. - wrote some more Christmas cards. E. to air raid school. Read "Eagle." 9 - Quincy Howe. 9:15 to Post Office - drizzle. 9:30 - "Fibber McGee." 10 - Raymond Gram Swing. Had orange, bran muffin & milk. 11 - to bed - tired.

December 24, 1941

 Dec. 24: (Wednesday - Christmas Eve) Very warm, rained hard a.m., then cleared, some sun. Restless night - have heavy cold. Up 11:10, shaved, syhower bath. Fixed turkeys & chickens & wine jelly for distribution. 2 - C.M. delivered. Then Rev. W.E. Soule called. Put out Christmas tree on Dining Room table &  Christmas picture on hall table & wreath on door. 3:45 - read "Times." 4 - News. 5 - Speeches at the lighting of White House Christmas tree - Pres.  Roosevelt & Winston Churchill. Picked out psalm & lessons for evening. Wrote note of thanks to Mrs. Merwin. 6 - News. Eve. - wrote note to Mr. Norman H. Davis. 8 - Evening prayer (good cong.) & Carols - over 9:05. Malcolm French & his wife in 9. 11 - to bed - feeling very sick with cold.

December 25, 1941

Dec. 25: (Thursday - Christmas Day) Mild, gray. Had restless night, nose bled. Up 6:45, shaved. 8 - Holy Com. (17) - C.M. served. Had presents in Dining Room afterward. C.M. took me to S. Lee - 9:15 - spoke at (?) - back 10:20. 11 - Stockbridge - good cong. - no sermon. Alexander Sedgwick (?) - over 1:20. (?) Dinner - 1:15 - turkey, duck, champagne. Quite gray. Sent some jelly to Mrs. Sperry. 3:45 - E. took Miss F. home. 4 - ride with E. to Lebanon - home 5. Ate orange. Read "Times." Wrote ans. to Rev. R.H. Hayden about Amicus Retreat. 6 - News. E. came & read in Study. Dozed in chair in Study. Radio music. Wrote letter to Miss Robinson Smith. 7:30 - Arthur Hale. E. went to air raid center. Finished "The Hero in America." 9 - Quincy Howe. 10 - Raymond Gram Swing. Had ice cream & apple. 11 - News.

December 26, 1941

Dec. 26: (Friday) Cool, gray. Up 11:45, shaved. Noon - News. 12:30 - speech of Hon. Winston Churchill bef. Senate & House of Representatives - over 1:04. 3 - to Derricks & Bramans - bot presents for acolytes & others. Lucy Beacco called soliciting for soldiers. To Library & then to see Mrs. Guerrieri - back from Hospital. Read "Eagle." Read in "Times." 6 - News. Eve - E. to Air Raid School. D. Braman in 7:45 - talked with him until 11. E. back 10. 11 - News. 12 - News.

December 27, 1941

 Dec. 27: (Saturday) Mild, gray, drizzle at times. Up 10:30. Read "Times" & in Hindus' "Hitler Cannot Conquer Russia." 2 - "Lakme" from Met. Opera. E. helping C.M. trimming Christmas Tree in Parish House. 3:15 - 2nd sunrise prayer meeting at door. 6 - News. Had turkey back for dinner. E. took his radio to Lee & had it fixed. Read in "Wild is the River" - finished it. Worked on sermon. E. to Occ. Club. Shower bath. 10:30 - to bed.

December 28, 1941

 Dec. 28: (Holy Innocents, Christmas I) Cold, gray, sun out 11:30. Up 7:35, shaved. 9:15 - S. Lee - "The Christ Child" - back 10. Grace Tennison. 11 - Stockbridge - "Lessons for to-day from Bethlehem" - 8(?) Matt. 18, V.1, (?)3. (22 min.) Holy Com. Had cold turkey for lunch. Read in "Times." 3:15 - ride to Chatham - back 4:20. Put some presents under Christmas tree in Parish House. Read in "Times." 5 - Met. Opera auditions. Joanna Franz phoned. E. read in study. 5:45 - Wm. L. Shirer. 6:30 - changed clothes. 6:50 - to church. 7 - Church School Service - then 7:18 - to Parish House - Christmas Party - over 8:10. 9 - Ford Hour - Rise Stevens. Letter from Bp. Lawrence. Snowing. 11 - News. 11:15 - Caesar Searchinger. 

 Rise Stevens

Diary of an Episcopalian Minister

   Oh, my, god. Here I'm about to make what may be my most important contribution to the recorded history of the World War II era and it begins with an accident. Not the kind of accident where a car bumps into a tree, or a bomb prematurely falls out of a plane, but rather...well...an accident. I'm not sure how else to put it.
   On Saturday, Nov. 9, I spoke at the Stockbridge, Mass., Library about Lieutenant Edward L. Forrest. The talk involved a bit of Berkshires history, and I knew that of the 30 or so people in the audience, almost every one of them knew more about Stockbridge's history than I. I thought of a time I attended a meeting of NYMAS -- the New York Military Affairs Symposium -- one of the savviest bunch of amateur military history buffs on the planet. The speaker that evening was a college professor who was enamored of the story of Breaker Morant, read two or three books about him, and wanted to give a talk. The audience knew so much more about Breaker Morant than the poor speaker that when it came time for comments and questions, it was like watching one of those crocodile eats wildebeest videos on YouTube.
   Part of my talk involved a visit to the late Dorothy Cooney, who had been Ed Forrest's girlfriend. I photocopied the diary of the Rev. Edmund Randolph Laine, who raised Ed from the time he was 14. I would read passages from the journal to Dorothy and she would tell me who the people were. For instance, on April 7, 1945 (four days after Ed's death, but the minister had not yet received the telegram), Laine was writing an airmail letter to Ed when he was interrupted by a phone call from New York from Gertrude Robinson Smith telling him her mother died. Dorothy asked if I knew who Gertrude Robinson Smith was. I shrugged. She then said one word.
   I later googled Gertrude Robinson Smith, so my extent of her contribution to Berkshires history was limited to that one word from Dorothy and a Wikipedia entry, and the prospect of being wrong and having 30 people correct me was terrifying. So when I said Dorothy responded with one word, I asked if anyone knew what that word was.
   Whew! Not only would I have been correct, but the entire audience, almost in unison, responded "Tanglewood." (Gertrude Robinson Smith raised much of the money to buy the property and build the shed at Tanglewood.)
   But back to the accident. Reverend Laine's handwriting was not easy to read, and he often abbreviated words to save space (E. for Ed, Cong. for Congregation, Ch. for Christian, things like that). More than a decade ago I began transcribing the entries, but I set the project aside to work on other things.
   There was a great deal of interest among the audience in the diary. So when I got home I opened the folder on my computer which holds the diary transcriptions and saw I'd transcribed some whole months -- like the month Ed was killed -- and some partial months.
   I decided to post some diary entries, starting with the day Pearl Harbor was attacked. My spirits lifted when I looked at the folder and saw a file for December of 1941. But when I opened the file and scrolled down, the last entry I transcribed was December 6. What's up with that?
   This is what's up with that:

    Holy Cow! No wonder I didn't try to transcribe it. Nevertheless I'll now do my best to transcribe and translate the entries for the first week of December. And then I read about the accident.

   Reverend Laine was a chaplain in World War I, and he was gassed. By now he was middle-aged, portly, and likely still suffered some of the physical aftereffects of the war. Thus the entry for December 1, 1941, begins with a dose of sal hepatica. If you don't know what sal hepatica was, this YouTube video might be helpful. 
  

         Here is my best effort at transcribing the diary entries. If you recognize any of the names or wish to suggest corrections, please either do so in the comments or email me at aelson.chichipress@att.net.

                                                        December 1941

December 1: (Monday) Cold, sunny. Up 11:30, shaved. Took sal hepatica. Breakfast B 12:35. Miss Canning phoned. Had accident before I could reach bathroom. Took shower bath. Paid bills. 2:10 B to Bank B saw Mr. Taylor of St. Edmund=s on way. Read ATimes.@ 5 B took wine jelly to Miss Minnie Ball in South Lee (did not see her) B 4:30 to tea with Mrs. Hiss (Tracy=s) B her daughter, Mrs. Thomas, there B back 5:35. Grown very cold. 6 B news. 6:20 B Miss Sparks phoned about Libbie Hofmayer case. C.S. Heyward phoned. W.L. MacClintoc phoned (spoke to him about haymaking trucks parking here at night). Phoned Mrs. Sparks that I was sending Hofmayer file to her. E. took Miss F. To E. Millers (S. Lee) & left files (unintelligible) Mrs. Martin. Mrs. Thomas phoned & came to see me about Hofmayer.10 - R.G. Swing.

December 2: (Tuesday) Very warm, rainy a.m. then foggy. Up 11, shaved. (Radio B APepper Young=s Family@ & news). 12:10 B Miss Sparks called, did not see her. Had creamed corned beef for breakfast. Mrs. Thomas phoned. Read ATimes.@ Worked on Library book list B to Library with it. Read AEagle.@ 4 B To Peters, Lenox, to look for Christmas gifts B back 5:20. Mr. Lahart (electrician) of Lenox phoned. 6 B News. Eve. B raining. Radio music. 7:15 B AMrs. Keen.@ Read in 2 of Bp. Davies= books B ADiverson of Staying at Rome" and "After Confirmation, What?"  8:40 B E. came in study & read. 9 B Quincy Howe. 9:30 B AFibber McGee.@ 10 B R.G. Swing B Read in AChrist. Cent.@ Had sandwiches & apple. Read in Reader=s Digest.

Dec. 3: (Wednesday) Very mild, sun out at 1:50. Up 11:25, shaved. 12:45 B F. Pilling came & put new cap on shower bath. Read ATimes.@ Read in AChristian Century.@ Changed clothes. 3 - to Woman Auxiliary meeting (Mrs. Eastman spoke) B I made a short talk. 3:45 B met Richard Sporrell(?) At end of driveway B long talk with him about truck & police situation. Very mild. Read for Sunday=s sermon. 6 B News. 7:15 B Arthur Hale. Very heavy fog. E. to movies. Read about years before World War in ARoad to War.@*  8 B Quincy Howe. Read in AFall of Russian Monarchy.@ 10 B Raymond Gram Swing. Had bran muffin, apricots & milk. 8:30 B Kaye Brinker. 10:45 B News. Read in AFall of Russian Monarchy.@ Shower bath.

*Interesting that he should be reading this four days before Pearl Harbor. Here's an article by the author of "The Road to War" published in the Harvard Crimson in January of 1941.

Dec. 4: (Thursday) Very warm, sunny. Up 11:30, shaved. Mrs. Sedgwick phoned. 1:30 B Mr. Lahart (electrician) of Lenox came to see about putting new light in sacristy. To Church with him. Mrs. E. Miller in. Mrs. Davidson in for press notices. Read ATimes.@ 3 B walked to call on Miss Canning (out) B home B read AEagle@ B then walked to Dr. Campbell=s (new house). Cold [sinus?] B (talk about Glen Pilling, etc.) B to Library B home 5:15. 6 B News. Eve. B Ans. Letters of Prof. Williams of Mt. Holyoke referred to me by Bp. Lawrence. Read in Quinn=s AEdgar Allen Poe.@ [illegible] 10 B R.G. Swing. Wrote [illegilble] to a Miss Lillefield in Springfield (about a Mr. Fallon).Very heavy fog. Had sandwiches.

Dec. 5: (Friday) Very warm (records broken), sunny till 1. Up 11:35, shaved. Noon B Radio News. Read ATimes.@ To Church to see new light installed in Sacristy B talk with Mrs. Derrick & Miss Canning B back 3:35. 4 B Library Trustees meeting B over 5:20. Raining but hot. Read AEagle.@ 6 B News. Eve. B Mrs. Dunn phoned B just home. 7:15 B Arthur Hale. E. To card party at Cong. Church. Changed clothes. No one came at 8:30 to Parish House as Mrs. Sedgwick had planned. 9 B turned out P.H. lights. 9 B Quincy Howe. Read in Millis= ARoad to War.@ Had milk & bran muffin.

Dec. 6: (Saturday) A trifle cooler, sunny. Up 10:45. Army unit passed thru this a.m. Read in ALiv. Ch.@ & ATimes.@ Began to listen to ADie Walkure@ from Met. Opera. E. Took nap. Rec=d minutes of Christ. Education Dep=t. 3:35 B walked around grounds B growing much colder B great change in weather B to Library. Read AEagle.@ 4:40 - 5:30 B dozed in chair in study. Looked over some old W. Mass. Journals. 6 B News. Eve. B picked out hymns. Wrote note of sympathy to Mr. Stewart Forbes & a note to Miss Maude Young. 7:45 B H.V. Kaltenborn. Read in AQuiet Flows the Don.@ E. To Occ. Club. Had some gelatine salad. Shower bath. Grown very cold & windy.

Dec. 7:  (Japan attacks Hawaii, declares war on U.S.) (Advent 2) Cold, sunny. Up 8, shaved. Breakfast - 9:06. 10 - opened Sunday School (Sandra P?) entered. 11 - Stockbridge - ("David") (23 min.) Good Cong. (Mrs. Procter & Hope in church). Read "Repub." 2:30 - heard over Radio (WQXR) special bulletin saying Japanese had attacked Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. (What terrible news - God help us!) 2:40 - news - Japs attack Manilla from air. 3:20 - rode with E. to Austerlitz - home 4:40. 4:55 - news (about Japanese attack on Hawaii). 5 - Met. Opera Opera auditions. 5:15 N.B.C. broadcast that Japan has declared war on the U.S. - news from San Francisco & Manilla. 5:20 - Japan declares war on Great Britain - Manilla has not been (?). ... Forbes body at Cong. Ch. 5:45 - W.L. Shirer. Eve. 6:35 - ... another war attack on Honolulu. ... (the rest of this entry is beyond my ability to transcribe! Although upon closer look, somewhere in there he notes: "Wrote Christmas appeal," and also "constant war updates.")

 (More to come)

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