Cresson TB Sanatorium Remembered
Hajdu 5

Joseph Hajdu’s Diaries

Joseph Hajdu’s Diaries

(Notes in italics by John Hajdu Heyer)

 

For Christmas 1928 Miss Mackereth gave Dad a Wanamaker Diary. Evidently she gave one to each of the students in the evening class at the school, so I wonder if there are others out there from other past patients.  (The inscription shown in the book is in my Dad’s handwriting, not Miss Mackereth’s).   The Wanamaker Diaries were 7 ½” x 5 ½” hardbound books with a lined half page for each day of the year on which the user would enter diary information.  The book also had other sections for financial notes, addresses and birthdays, etc. There was also almanac information, short articles and poetry, and a lot of advertising.  I don’t know if these books were given away free by Wanamaker, or had to be purchased, but Dad used one in for 1929, 1930, 1931 and 1932.  In 1933 he used his 1932 volume, inserting slips of paper by the appropriate date.  I don’t know if the diaries were no longer available, Dad was saving money, or later diaries were lost, but the 1933 entries were the last that we have for Joseph Hajdu.
1. Diary cover and inside page.
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The diary volumes also formed a repository for some of Dad’s memorabilia.  Copies of some letters he wrote or received were folded and placed in them.  Some of that information is given in the section titled Joseph Hajdu Documents and Letters.

 

Unlike my Dad’s Memoirs, the diaries are for the most part a fairly routine record of what Dad did each day, with notes on the technical condition of his health (weight and temperature), the people he saw, to whom he wrote a letter, or from whom he received one.  At the point he was no longer in the sick ward, but was not released.  There is an entry for virtually every day of the year for the five years 1929-1933.   Diary records also show that he was earning a few dollars ($8 – 15) a month at odd jobs and then as a lab and x-ray assistant, living on very little, and sending money home to his sisters and mother. At the end of 1929 he records his net worth (savings plus cash on hand) at $9.07.  By 1932, when his income had increased to about $180 for the year, he had increased his “net worth” to $83.41. 

 

The diaries give a glimpse of what life was like for a young man of meager financial means coming of age at the Sanatorium in the tough days of the Great Depression.

2. Typical page entries.
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Here are a few typical entries:

 

Tuesday, January 1, 1929: 

 

Went to school in morning and afternoon.  Very dry all morning, cooling in the evening.  Saw Harvey [Engle] for first time with p. cards (?).  Had a fair day.  Teased someone a little too much (I’m sorry).  Made resolutions for the year.  Weighed the children.  My wt. 122½.

 

Tuesday, January 15, 1929: 

 

Went to school in morning, not in afternoon.  Got the mumps, could not go to C. E.  (possibly Church or Christian education program).  Weather 18 degrees.  Snowed last night.  Had a fair day.  Read two chapters of the Bible.  Got letter from Sis [Ethel Hajdu] and Deszo [Demetsky].  Wt 122 ½ -- no gain.

 

Friday, October 11, 1929:

 

Worked in Lab. Listened to ball game a little.  Read three chapters of the Bible.  Changed lock on paper room.  Took a shower.  Chicago won today’s game.”

 

Friday, December 20, 1929:

 

Worked in Lab.  Read 3 chapters of the Bible.  Went to school in the evening and was one of the three judges [for a debate].  Affirmative got the decision, though it was by rights a draw.  Miss Mackereth gave us a Diary of the same type for 1930.

 

Monday:  January 6, 1930:

 

Worked in Lab.  Read 3 chapters of the Bible, Gen. 18-20.  Was out in car hunting runaway children – were caught in Portage.

 

Friday, February 14, 1930:

 

Worked in Lab.  Read 3 chapters of the Bible.  Typed a letter to Deszo [Demetsky].  Listened to Amos & Andy.  Received 1 Valentine. 

 

Saturday, May 10, 1930:

 

Worked in Lab.  Was to town during rest hour.  Bought carnation.  Read Neh 11-12-13.  Deszo came up.  Went to show with him and Dr. Cowen.  Later went to a road house for ice cream with them. 

 

 

Monday, July 7 - 8, 1930: 

 

Went huckleberry picking in the evening.  Got three pies made in the morning.  Read Psalms 131-133.  Umped a ball game in the evening and played croquet. 

 

Sunday, May 10, 1931

 

Was to church service – Mothers’ Day Program.  Talked to Dr. Paling in the afternoon and took a walk.  Then went for a walk in the woods with three little boys, Stanley Dumbroski, Pete Flavich and Louis Squatrito.  Met two student nurses in woods with two West Wing boys [these would be young men patients] – said nothing – they fled. 

 

Monday, June 15, 1931: 

 

Worked in morning.   Rested in afternoon on bed.  Weeded garden and had radishes with bread and butter for supper.  Thinking of taking up nursing.  Why?  No chance of promotion in Lab.  Pay same all the time.  Discouraged over x-ray apprenticeship.  Why loaf so much in next 2 years.  [Nursing] seems better outlook.

 

Tuesday, June 16, 1931:

 

Worked in a.m.  Asked Miss Bates when Nurses Class starts again (Sept.).  Talked to her and I might go in.  Spoke to Miss Graf and she said to see Dr. Cowen and talk it out with him.  Saw Dr. & he is making a new attempt in x-ray about me.  Will see Jack Henderson about lab part of my trade.  Dr says field not so good for male nurses now. 

 

Friday, January 1, 1932:

 

Not much work in Lab.  Had 13 specimens, which I did.  Read in afternoon. 

Been studying the books Dr. Cowen gave me.  Listened to football game of Rose Bowl tournament in evenings.  S. C. won 21-12.  Bed at 9:15.

 

Monday, January 2, 1933 (Visiting his friend Steve Rudolph in Acosta, Pa., near Somerset):

 

Tried out fox trot by tagging Velma Esterwas of Jerome (Pa.), she apologized to me for making a bad turn.  Steve played in the orchestra till 4:00 a.m.  I went to bed at 5:00 a.m.  Slept until noon.  Visited Steve’s old school house in town of Acosta.  Listened to football game in evening and chatted.  Went to community recreation building with Joe (Steve’s brother) for a short visit.  Talked with Joe and played checkers.  Had an enjoyable evening.

 

 

These diaries will eventually go to the Hajdu/Somerville collection at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, or to the Cresson Area Historical Association or the Cambria County Historical Society.  In the meantime, if there is interest, please let me know and I’ll work with Chuck Felton to see if we can make them available on line.