Tuesday, July 18, 2006

Saturday, July 18, 1925

Saturday, July 18, 1925

Hurried and got the house all cleaned up early and was ready to visit when the boys came home. They had so much to tell me they could hardly keep quiet while the other told his tale. Dale caught a fish, saw a skunk, etc. Dick got hold of a snake, rode a pony, etc. Such sunburned, happy little boys.

(I have a hard time imaging Dick as a rough and tumble little boy holding snakes, etc. I recall him as an older man, married, no children, who taught philosophy at the University of Louisville. Within the librairy archives at the university are many boxes of his writings, notes, etc. I've copied the intro to this collection below, but you can get more info at this link:

"The Richard Campbell Smith papers constitute one of the largest individual faculty collections in the University Archives. Composed of 38 boxes, the papers represent over thirty years of Dr. Smith's life, covering his years in graduate school (1948-1952) until his death in 1972.
Richard Campbell Smith was born in Indianapolis, Indiana in 1918. Except for a tour in the army during World War II, Richard Smith remained in Indiana for his education. From Indiana University's graduate school, he transferred to Yale University to complete his master's degree in 1953.
Hired by the University of Louisville in 1953, he served for several years as the sole member of the Philosophy Department. Because of his heavy teaching responsibility, the completion of his dissertation was postponed until 1960. Shortly after the conclusion of his dissertation, Dr. Smith and Dr. Richard Barber began a search for additional faculty. In 1962, Dr. Melvin E. Greer was hired, followed soon thereafter by Drs. Schuyler and Flodstrom.
Detailing the contents of each box indicates the nature and extent of Dr. Smith's involvement with the University as well as the intensity of his graduate studies."


FYI, his dissertation for his PhD was titled: Time Distinctions in Contemporary Philosophy. Wonder what that was about? The archives also include manuscripts of novels written by his wife, Carrie. None of these were published, including a novel called "The Wrestlers", which is listed as being 2216 pages. I assume those are 8.5 x 11 typewritten, double-spaced pages and if this was published as a book it would be fewer pages. Carrie did publish a novel before her death a few years ago, called Annie's Indian War, which she published under her maiden name. It is still available on Amazon.

You just never really know what a little boy will grow up to become!)

5 comments:

  1. Carol,
    I wanted to tell you I nominated your blog as one of my favorites at Club Mom.
    Go to www.clubmom.com then to Mom's Daily Dose and read the post titled "Now For Something Completely Different". My comment is near the bottom.
    I just love the glimpse into the past I get from your grandmother's diaries. I am even more thankful for our modern conveniences.
    You are right, your grandmother is quite the blogger!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you. I am glad you are enjoying the diaries and commentary!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I was enjoying the diaries, too, until you referred to Richard as an older man. 54 is old?

    Old Annie

    PS Did you ever read Carrie's novel? What is it about? No one has posted a review to Amazon.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Well, NOW 54 is not terribly old, but in the late 1960's, from my perspective, it seemed old!

    I have not read Carrie's novel, but some of my sisters and mother have. I do have a signed copy! From what they have said, it is about a white woman in a small town who falls in love with and marries an Indian, I think. I'll need to get someone to post a review on Amazon, in memory of Aunt Carrie. Or read the book and post a review myself.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Carol,
    I think Mom said it was very good in the beginning and the end, a bit repitious in the middle. It was based on an Indian friend of Carrie's, Billy Thundercloud - an Indian rock star. (I guess that should be Native American rockstar). Dick and Carrie took him under their wing as an unofficially adopted child.

    ReplyDelete