Log of Earl W Baker 2/25/1917 – 3/11/1917

21 Sunday May 2017

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Feb 25, 1917

Sat. billed and posted parts of G, K & L. eve – Liberty with Lewis. Sun. Shear at Trinity held forth on moral fibre not being spared from temptation but trial by fire & emergence of the man. Also the key to success being desires & determination. (Power of will). Then to hear Elmer on Spiritual Reserves, the backing of the fine things of life – appreciations – culture – art, etc. when our first best fails us. In PM went with Lewis to station and up to H.A.R. cottage tastefully arranged & furnished some original ideas & work – fine view. Enjoyable afternoon – listening to myself talk. Am beginning to appreciate results of thrift. 11:45 P.M.

Feb 26, 1917

Accomplished nothing all day at office. Are changing over downstairs. Holland, it seems certain, must enter the war – 7 of her vessells were sunk. Eng. is impatient over US attitude Wilson addressed Congress to ask for armed neutrality & merchant marine convoys. Must get in some health methods in Mar. diet, excercise, etc.

March 11, 1917

Sat. I bal. “I”. Sun. arose late. to church – read “Gueed”* Walked with Lewis — The last week or so have been sunk in sensu ✱  but am now erect once more. Last Sun. heard Rabbi Wise, a liberal Jew, proclaim his kinship to the unitarians. Last Thur. heard a concert by Burr, Campbell, etc. Last Mon. Lyman Howes movies**, attended two dances.

Am going downstairs in office tomorrow. 11 P.M.

*his Rs look nothing like the U-shape in this word

**Lyman Howe, early movie-mogul showed films with a phonograph playing music and sometimes Foley sound effects and his own narration. The shows would travel to a given location to be screened. More info at Explore PA History site.

Log of Earl W Baker 2/19/1917 – 2/23/1917

14 Sunday May 2017

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Feb. 19, 1917

Billed B started to post G. Eve attended lecture at YMCA by Vining. He preached gospel of the strenuous enthusiastic sacrificing radical life scoffed at will power love as the pilot* and proclaimed desire & ideals as the real dynamics of life. Preached new thought – self affirmation – eliminate failure from vocabulary by substituting “arrested success”. Endorsed H Munsterberg & H Bergson**. 11 P.M.

*”love as the pilot” was written in with a caret and not that legibly. As this sentence makes no sense, it’s probably wrong.

**Hugo Münsterberg German-American psychologist and college mentor of the guy who created Wonder Woman “one of the pioneers in applied psychology, extending his research and theories to Industrial/Organizational (I/O), legal, medical, clinical, educational and business settings” (Wikipedia) and Henri Bergson “known for his influential arguments that processes of immediate experience and intuition are more significant than abstract rationalism and science for understanding reality.” (Wikipedia)

Feb. 22, 1917

Tuesday – posted G. – in eve went to “Pals First” with Courtenay & Wise*. Had ½ opportunity for acquaintance – maybe with more ease, savoir-faire, etc. Wed posted I – billed H. Rutherfords in eve. Am sensu-plus.** Thur. posted H. eve Institute at High School – “King” on Eyes that See not & Ears that hear not. Fluent flowery facile oratory. 11 P.M.

*Assuming this was a play. Seems to have been made into a movie in 1918 and again in 1926.

**Maybe Latin for “more sensible”?

Feb. 23, 1917

Fri. took of sales G& I ✱ Must commence a rigid food basis – no meat, tea or coffee, cake, pie or sweets & less quantity. 10:45 P.M.

(Saartje’s note: I am eating a huge chocolate chip cookie while typing this)

Log of Earl W Baker 2/12/1917 – 2/18/1917

07 Sunday May 2017

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Feb. 12, 1917

8.15 Ex. Sun bath, walk, read. History of the Fabian Society* in P.M. Went to Spring Lake – found myself a poor skater – need more winter exercise & fresh air. – was below zero all day. Movie in eve. Typed a few lines. 10.00

Skates 40, car 5, movies 10, chocolate 5 (60₵)

Feb. 13, 1917

7.30 Ex. To work late – was called. Must improve this. Nation seems to be marshaling its resources for war. Went to Richardson’s in eve. Have a 3 led. cash posted up to Dis. Per.

75₵ 11.30 P.M.

Feb. 18, 1917

Have been ill. Stomach – after reception at Rutherfords 95 – Wed. Thur 0 & Fri 25, ill – posted cash up. Sat 40₵ took of discts – 17th on recap & all statements. G/2 billed. Sun. Trinity SS & enjoyed Shear Morn. Ser. at Bap. Church. P.M. Liberty service.

Wasted day in general – but finished Pease’s History of the Fabian Society. 11 P.M.

1.60

*Per Wikipedia: “The Fabian Society is a British socialist organisation whose purpose is to advance the principles of democratic socialism via gradualist and reformist effort in democracies, rather than by revolutionary overthrow.”

Earl W Baker – Biography

28 Friday Apr 2017

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Earl Wheaton Baker was born in Salt Point, NY on 6 November 1893, the only child of jeweler Charles Vassar Baker and Anna Reid. In 1900 they lived at 460 Main St. in Poughkeepsie and Earl’s paternal grandmother Mary F Vassar was in the house with them. Earl married Ruth S Baldwin (born 25 May 1894) on 29 May 1919 and they had one child: James Gordon Baker born 31 Jul 1926. Gordon later removed to the midwest and was living in Minnesota in 1973 when his father died.

In 1920 Earl lived on Lexington St in Poughkeepsie with his new wife and widowed father. Earl was a bookkeeper with a “Gas Company” (Central Hudson-proper didn’t come along until 1925).

When he died 13 Apr 1973 at Vassar Hospital, Earl was a member of Poughkeepsie Friends Meeting. He had retired from Central Hudson, where he was a tax and insurance manager, in 1960. He had been with the company 46 years. He and Ruth are both buried at the Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery. Ruth passed c. 2012 and shortly after I was given their genealogical files to find a home for them. I’m still looking.

Log of Earl W Baker 2/11/1917

28 Friday Apr 2017

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Feb. 11, 1917

8.45 Ex. sh. – Awoke to find College Hill bldg. Burning. It was a fine old structure Parthanonic – substantial. Went to Prof Shear’s class – he spoke of Lincoln – also the woman of Samaria*. – influence of X on the sphere of women. Classified McKinley with Lincoln & Washington – to my disapproval. He is a conservative type and more assuming than he would acknowledge – always interesting – class 50- about $5. Visited fire after class – the old house added immeasurably to the hill’s charm. In the eve went to Dr. Sutherland’s little church – (20) and heard my own views liberally propounded. He disposes of orthodoxy triumphantly, but retains heaven. Why? The next step I suppose is Felix Adler https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Felix_Adler_(professor) & then – a reversion back to R. Catholicy. Is Pouys right in insisting that a coherent logical religion is an anomaly – unsound? Went next door to Van W this P.M. after church. Waster P.M. Slept. ✱

Shall retry vegetarian diet & forsake tea. 11.30

20 ₵

*Wikipedia says this is the “Samaritan woman at the well…in John 4:4–26”

Saartje note: He occasionally adds a large ✱ but there is no companion to explain why.

The imposing structure which for 80-odd years crowned the summit of College Hill as one of the most prominent landmarks of the whole Hudson Valley, immeasurably valuable because of its association with the history of Poughkeepsie and unique as a model of architectural beauty, having been a replica of the Greek Parthenon, was destroyed Sunday morning by a fire which broke out a t 8:45 o’clock.

“The blaze, one of the most spectacular ever seen in Poughkeepsie was caused, according to Fire Chief George B. Wood, by a defective flue which communicated the flames to the southern side of the attic from which, they spread quickly throughout the building. Large logs, burned Saturday in the fireplace, were left to smoulder during the night and it is the fire chief’s belief that sparks from these lodged in the chimney and fanned by a strong draft started the fire.

“The structure was burned to the last piece of timber in just three hours and twenty minutes and at noontime there was nothing left but a smouldering mass of charred timbers and bricks. 

– (Poughkeepsie) Semi-weekly Eagle And Telegraph, 13 Feb 1917

Vassar has a video about College Hill with photos and info about the fire on their YouTube channel. Click Here. 

Log of Earl W Baker 2/6/1917 – 2/10/1917

20 Thursday Apr 2017

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Feb 6, 1917

7.15 A.M. Ex. R+ self found bal of “B”. Must not get behind on own work. Idea – should hand in at least one new suggestion each week. Should bathe 3 times per week & shave as often if not more. Saw “Bunker Bean” play of new thought tendencies set in slang. Well played. War situation looms blacker. 11.45 P.M.

Play 75 milk 10 candy 5 mag 15 clips(?) 30

Feb 8, 1917 (no entry for the 7th)

7.30 Ex. Bal 1-AM-7th. Posted itin P.M. Dance in eve. 8th. Indexed I – eve went to Alone at Last – disappointed. Am to bed too late nights – am growing irritable.

Dance 50 milk 10 candy 5 – show 75 lunch 10

Feb 9, 1917

7.30 Ex. Billed Highland

War spirit waning. Ford making spectacular comments. Saw Louis Telegen (?) in Victory of Conscious- movie. – Library.

Am slack about personal appearance-shaving etc. Ex. 11 P.M.

Feb 10, 1917

7.30 Ex Billed Hyde Park on Till 6.00 PM.

War seems uncertain: E.P. & I had row. Am too sensitive.

Must develop faculty of indifference to friction and real internal suavity. Purchased socks 1.00, garters 25, music 35, brush 10 etc 5. 3.25 11.20 PM

Germany has sent supposedly new terms restricting her declaration and proposing a solid peace basis with U.S.

Log of Earl W Baker 2/2/1917-2/5/1917

13 Thursday Apr 2017

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Feb 2, 1917

7.30 Ex “H” – Bal. A.M. lost temper – C.A. failed to bal. “L” typed in eve. War outlook seems less frowning. Am too critical of HD. Ex. 11.30

Feb 3, 1917

7.15 AM Ex. At tem this AM we first heard of the severing of relations with Germany. Bal “L”. Posted cash. Reports come in of “big business” falling in line for the country’s interests. Bernstorf reported to have said “I am so sorry. But I expected it. There was nothing left to do.” Must hold my working pace & cultivate neatness. Ex. 11.45

Pibicco (?) 45 Dutchess 15 Candy 10

Feb 4, 1917

Arose 9 A.M. Ex to S.S.  – all reports show the country solidly behind the Pres. If Holland only will join in. Spain and Brazil seem certain. Typed in A.M. write to E.B. 12 P.P.

Feb 5, 1917

Arose 7:35 AM. Ex. – Blizzard – Worked all day for W.R. – on B – Wilson has asked other neutrals to align themselves with the U.S. Finished typing Haddocks P. for S. Must plan now for work on Coml. Gas Course. 11.20 P.M.

Log of Earl W Baker 1/30/1917 – 2/1/1917

06 Thursday Apr 2017

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Jan 30, 1917

7.15 PM (AM) Ex. G Sales & L/2. E R could not go to show Wed. no so injured. Went to Richardson’s – class got along fine, too little dancing. Must cultivate H.D. & H. R. especially. Exchanged 1.50 for a 2.00 shirt & should have got one at $2.50. Must pay more attention to dress. Nautilus idea did not work out last night. Try again. Ex. 11.40

Feb 1, 1917

This poster is from the 1928 movie. Earl saw the woman who wrote the play act in it in 1917.

7.30 A.M. Wed. eve. I saw Jane Cowl in “Lilac Time” What a mistress of insight and emotion she is! And how sad a story to unfold. War – ruthless – grim – saturnine – And Jeanine – delicate- sensitive – courageous. Surely she typifies France, the France of Jean D’Arc & Lafayette.

And after the shoe – as antidote – reception at Rutherfords. Am in sore need of new suit, etc. Home late. (almost early) Thursday – saw in morning papers Germany’s new blockade note. This seems to be the culmination of our neutrality. The papers are headlining “War”. How utterly sick of war – and munitions – greed and all, some of us are. I am cherishing no illusions. It is only chaos. Are we actually feministic? Will war breed virility? Can I substitute a philosophy of hardihood and bravery and chivalry into my life, to take the place of trial by sword? Values such as thrift, patience, loyalty, steadfastness, and the unceasing concentration of the will on a well planned and worthy objective. Wm James planned a fight with nature, but surely our own devils need some quelling too.  Ex. 11.45 PM

Shoes 1.00 Dance 50 Post 5 Candy 20 Paper 3

Log of Earl W Baker 1/24/1917 – 1/29/1917

16 Thursday Mar 2017

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Mr. Baker’s penchant for not using full names makes me insane! This would be so much more interesting if we knew who he was interacting with… Here’s a bunch of short entries all at once. – SKH

Jan 24, 1917

Arose 7 A.M. Exercised – Lales H & I – Am certainly fickle. Full of sense -. A good pt. To observe 0 “Gratefulness.” Dancing class – met J.S. enjoyable eve. 12 P.M.

Jan 25, 1917

Arose 7.30 AM Exercised. Bad cold – posted last H/ part. Lazy – lack dignity & tact. Over egotistic. Home – typed 4 pages P. for S. 10.30 PM

Jan 27, 1917

26th Arose 7 A.M. Ex. – Club social in eve.

Admire L.B.’s fiance – adaptability – accomplishments.

Miss M there also Miss H. danced with both 12 PM

27 Arose 7.20 AM Ex. cold better – has interfered with my ambit. I do not employ tact sufficiently – quite boorish – home espec. Eve. shopped – 2 shirts 2.89 – piece of music 36, candy 20 – library. “Golden Bowl” by H. James 345. 12.45 PM

Jan 28, 1917

Arose 8.30 AM. Bathed etc. S.S. & Church.

Too critical at home. Home all day – lazy – nothing done. Miss A & B C. called. To Church in eve. Lectured by Hunterberg on the Jews. plea for tolerance and social admission – seemed gratified at the unique privilege of occupying a Christian pulpit. Bo’s copy of “Physical Culture” mag, B Mc F. advocates “vitelysing.” Wilson’s peace program receiving on the whole high commendation. “It’s now up to the Kaiser” 22 ¢ Ex. 11.15 PM

Jan 29, 1917

7.30 PM (probably meant AM) Ex. Received increase – 13.75 to 18.00. Must go thriftily & pay up bonds. Should get the habit of pushing my work. Looked over Lcrap (?) Book & find it valuable- note clipping which calls “Loveableness (sic) an aggressive quality”* – a stimulating view. Home in eve. – typed Haddock – “new thoughtism” Latest idea from the “Nautilus” – ‘charging the subconscious mind at sleep’ – its worth trying. Note that Eliz. Towne believes in astrology. Cold better. Cand 10 ¢ Ex. 11.15 PM
(*See “Human Confessions” by Frank Crane 1912??)

Log of Earl W Baker 1/21, 22, & 23/1917

05 Sunday Mar 2017

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Jan 21, 1917

Arose 9.A.M. – am unspeakably lazy and given to idle daydreaming – I went to S.S. – am anxious to resign as Sect. the position I have held three years – and seek new & deeper channels. Visited Mary Deane in P.M. She seems very helpless and very brave & cheery – seemed so please at my calling that I was quite glad I did.

Crestfallen not to have secured E. R for the P.M. Am over-sensitive and imaginative and must not give up so easily. My first move was squelched and have been in a mood for sackcloth and ashes. Ridiculous egotist, faint-hearted, & all tears.

Plato’s dictum is bearing fruit – already.

Jan 22, 1917

Arose 7 A.M. Exercised – at work early & noted H.D.’s approval. Need to cultivate self-restraint and tactful manner – am absurdly ill-spoken and conceited – and at home also.

Library & movie : Returned 11:30

Liberty 10 ¢ My Lady Eileen (note: Baker ends many entries with these sort of notes, mostly accounting of things he bought or fun he had like this movie he went to see)

Jan 23, 1917

Arose 7 A.M. Exercised. Work O.K. – G, I H/2 done. Day dreaming still. Attended lecture – Mexico this eve. Am neglecting homework. Wilson’s International Peace note, published today 11 P.M. Club Donation 50 ¢