Diary of Hugh H. Henderson, 1935-1936

Diary of Hugh H. Henderson, 1935-1936

This diary, dating from Henderson's freshman year, describes his daily life on campus.

AF Henderson

The Citadel Archives and Museum

Materials in The Citadel Archives & Museum Digital Collections are intended for educational and research use. The user assumes all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants of copyright. For more information contact The Citadel Archives & Museum, The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, 29409.

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https://citadeldigitalarchives.omeka.net/items/show/1212

Charleston (S. C.)

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Hugh Henderson
HH HENDERSON
Diary beginning Sept 16, 35

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Diary
Hugh Henderson

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Sept 16 - Monday
Got up as usual and went to the details room after breakfast. Mr. Williamson had me to take some sergeant chevrons off his arm. I guess he lost his rank when he became a senior. I got back to the room and boy did I have a time getting things in order before I went to that eight o’clock class. When I returned to barraks [sic] from Bond Hall, at noon, Mr. Blake informed me that I was pulled for having an untidy basin. My shoes wore through to my socks during the 12:15 drill. The grass makes your shoes so slick, you can hardly stand up. We learned a new movement today and when we tried it at supper formation, hardly a sole [sic] did it right. That reminds me, I got pulled again at supper formation

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for tucking in my shirt.
One thing I’ll never forget - yesterday when we marched back from chapel. We had to stand at attention while Colonel Gastan gave a speech. After about ten minutes a dozen or more boys had fainted and fallen on the cement. They were of course carried off the quadrangle, but the colonel didn’t lower his voice. He only said “a few of you are dropping out of ranks but you’ll get accustomed to it after a while.

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Ummm - I see I haven’t been keeping my diary so well - as a matter of fact I haven’t kept it at all. I shall have to begin anew.
Things have changed considerably since I last made an entry. I am no longer having a fascinating time but on the contrary, a very boring one. The reason I write so poorly is because I was just in G.W.’s room visiting during C.S.P. when the door opened. I thought sure it was the O.C. but it was only another boy visiting. As a result I am very nervous. I’m not nearly as homesick as I was when I first got back from the Xmas holidays although I would like mighty well to be home. I passed

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Chemistry for the semester so that lets a big worry off my mind. I haven’t heard from Math, History, Drawing, or Mil Sc. yet but I believe I got by on them.
Well I’m going to write what I did today whether I’ll keep it up or not - God knows.

Sunday Jan February 2, 1936
Went to chapel, came back, and played ping pong up in Hughes’ room till dinner, rather a little before dinner - I came back and went to sleep and slept on through dinner. Got up about 7 o’clock hungry as all get out. The canteen was closed so I went over to the little stand in the park and got a coca cola and some candy.

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I sat down in the park thinking I might see some jobs I could introduce myself to but no luck everybody I saw was ultra young. It was too cold I guess. Went to supper and sat over in “D” company area. Made a break by calling some [illegible words]. Saw Mr. Haley today in his civilian clothes. He’s been away for over a week and now he’s come back to quit. Forced to knock off now and get my history note books together.

Tuesday February 4.
Forgot to write anything yesterday.
Went to class this morning and after dinner I laid up on the press and went to sleep. Got up and went over to the gymnasium to listen to a “keep your pants buttoned” talk by Dr. Ravanell

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at 4: o’clock. Came back and slept until retreat. Tonight I was listening to the crystal set when Graves came around. I thought I heard him coming down the gallery, but when I asked Moss if it was he said “No”. I heard him rap on the door and got the earphones off before he got it open. Thats some fast work. I’ve got to go to the Cadet Committee tonight for about three or four reports. I don’t see how I can get out for less than ten tours. I’m going to roll me an own and listen to Glenn Gray for a while now.

Feb. 5 Wednesday
Nothing unusual today. I got Mr. Berger’s ice cream at dinner. Went back over to the gym this afternoon in company formation and heard the rest of the sex talk by Dr. Ravanell. I really know my history lesson today. It

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was the first time I had really studied it in a long-time. Mr. Andrews said that there were 70 boys in the hospital and 69 had flu. Theres a rumor about us being restricted this week-end. I’ll have to stay in Friday nite and finish that drawing so I don’t mind much.

Saturday Feb - 8
No exercises this morning thank goodness. By the way we are restricted this weekend. The corps went to a picture show over in the gym last nite “A Midsummer Night’s dream”. It was supposed to be a good picture, but it wasn’t very plain. Everything seemed blurred. The sound was awfull [sic] too. I couldn’t understand but one sentence

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in the whole show - “What fools these mortals be.” They had a boxing match tonight but I didn’t go - stayed down in Sturkey’s room till about eleven and watched him do tricks. A bunch of the boys were drunk today. Someone said that a man came out here and got around $100 worth of orders and delivered it. About half of “D” company is on its back right now.

Sunday - Feb 9.
Went to Chapel this morning came back and lounged around the room till dinner. Got a letter from Clarence this morning. After dinner I went down to Belcher’s room & shot bull till about four and then went to sleep.

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They had an amateur show this afternoon. A boy named Pursell won it. Mr. Sturkey says that he and I are going to enter the next one. He is going to be a magician and I his helper. He is very confident that we’ll win it. I know 3 bucks would certainly come in handy. I’m getting pretty damn tired of this place. The more I think about it the madder I get. There’s not one single thing down here that I’m satisfied with. Can’t get in the hospital even if you are sick - let the laundry lose all your clothes and you can’t say a word about it.. Cuss that lady that runs it out and

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probably get a month or two for it. Have to pay a fortune to the Q.M. every time you get anything and like it. One boy went over to the hospital the other day with temperature and they wouldn’t let him in so he goes and tells Gaston where to get off and goes uptown to a hospital. Now he’s got pneumonia. Mr. Trotti went over there the other day and got stuck for coming over at off hours. He is truly sick now, but you couldn’t make him go back over here with a team of horses. Folks say that you will appreciate the training while your you get here after you are graduated, but I’ll be damn if you

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do now. I dare say there are about fifty freshmen out of 200 that intend to come back next year. I know I sure will hate to see September roll around again. I’m forced to knock off and write to the pater and Clarence and Jeane too if I can borrow any stationery.

Monday - Feb - 10
No news of importance today. Had a pretty hard drill at one oclock and a hard quiz on M.S.T. at 3. Slept this afternoon and forgot to fold Sturkey’s laundry again. I’ll have to do it for sure tomorrow, because he’s getting pretty hot.

Tuesday - Feb 11
Got a hair cut this afternoon.Shumate came in tonight and stuck me for loud coughing during E.S.P. and clothes strewn

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around room during E.S.P.

Wednesday Feb. 12
Made 88 on an English quiz - not bad Was down in Richters this afternoon and some boys were scuffing and making a lot of noise. Mr. Sturkey came up there and jumped on them and got mad at me because I didn’t come to attention. He says to bring my broom with me when I come down to fix his bed at tatoo [sic].
So far this week I’ve gotten a 4 and 5 for failing to meet guard mount and a 3 and 3 for 2 minutes late to relief formation. Its also a four and five for loud laughing and 3 and 3 for room in disorder during E.S.P. I’ll just have 2 hours to walk this week end but oh next week end. 16 confinements. I’ll be in Friday nite, and Saturday nite, walk 5 tours Sat

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afternoon and serve one confinement Sunday afternoon. That means I’ll have from 3 till 6 on Sunday afternoon free. Toby said that Larkin wrote an O.C. to go home this week end, but the dough wouldn’t approve it because he said we wouldn’t be just restricted this week end, but quarantined. If that’s so, we won’t be out till anywhere from 4 to 6 weeks have gone by. All because one boy has got the scarlet fever - Matthews, first sergant [sic] of “A” Co.

Friday - Feb 14
Wineberger inspected the rear ranks at inspection this morning and gave me one merit for excellent rifle. I ought to have had one on my brasses also, but he wouldn’t commend me on them. I sure

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worked hard enough on them. It was announced in the mess hall that we would be restricted again this week end on account of bad weather and conditions in the city. Its awfull [sic] pretty weather we’re having but the surgeon doesn’t seem to think so. As soon as rest was given, every body started yelling at the top of their voice and beating on the bread trays. It took them about five minutes to quiet down. Something is going off tonight I’m almost positive. I’ve never seen every body so stirred up. We beat Carolina in the boxing match tonight. Col. Gaston came over here after the boxing match and was standing out on the quadrangle. About half the barraks [sic] came out on the gallery and started hollering at him. Everybody was making some sort of crack at him - telling

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him to get the hell out of here. Some even went so far as to throw oranges at him.

Saturday - Feb - 15
I knew something was going to happen last night and sure enough about 3 o’clock it sounded as if the whole barracks were going to fall in. Somebody had thrown some trash cans off. It was sure planned well - you couldn’t hear anybody running or any doors slam. We tried to cut on the light, but they had thrown the main switch while they did it. I was almost back asleep when Thorpe and Wineberger came in. They looked at the alarm clock to see if it was set but thank goodness it wasn’t. They

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went in every body’s room and felt some of the boy’s pulse to see if they had been running. I woke up this morning and looked out on the quad. Good God there were fourteen ash cans down there. Moss took a picture of them. There was also a lot of toilet paper and a great many liquor bottles that had been thrown off before call to quarters last night. After breakfast, all the freshmen had to go down and clean all that mess up. I really put out on the room this morning but didn’t get but one merit. It was a good thing because Shumate was mad about those ash cans and gave a very rigid inspection. He even pulled boys for not having shoe-

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laces in shoes that they weren’t wearing. There were about ten or twelve boys that got pulled for having a mess hall glass in their room. I gave mine to Taylor and he put in his strong box. Walked two tours today. I got out ten minutes early on the one before dinner to get dressed for guard mount. I’ve been on guard 2 times now in the past month. That’s way too often. We got three tables together tonight and played ping-pong in the room. Taylor, Fortson Larkin, Joyce, Moss and myself. Just a little while ago some girls were standing in the sally-port and everybody came out on the gallery and started yelling at them. I’m forced to knock off and go meet the relief formation, cause

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I don’t want another 3 and 3.

Sunday Feb 18 16
Walked post for 15 minutes over time last night. The damn sergant [sic] of the guard must have gone to sleep and forgot to ring the steel - at any rate it wasn’t until 12:30. Everything was quiet last nite. Not a single light bulb or anything went off. Played a little more ping-pong with Taylor this morning after chapel until we broke the ball. The dough and the cadet - committee had a meeting this morning and called over all the hell raisers in this barraks [sic], one at a time and asked them about the ash can throwing. I don’t think anybody talked. Mr. Croft said that the whole

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barraks [sic] was going to be restricted untill they uncovered the great mystery. They’ll have to [illegible] about 30 boys if they get everybody, because there were at least 2 boys to every trash can. It was announced this morning that Main barracks would be granted leave this afternoon but we’d still be restricted. Went over and talked to Dab Gill and Kalogiski this afternoon till about four o’clock then came back and read until supper. I sure hope they don’t throw anything off tonight. I want to get out of here at least once or twice before Easter.

Mon. Feb - 17
Finished inking all the visible outline of that hard plate in drawing today.

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A special order was read out in mess hall today “upon the recommendation of the surgeon, the restriction is hereby lifted.” Another read “All leave privileges granted to cadets quartered in Murray barracks are canceled until further notice. I don’t think we will be restricted for more than one week-end though. Got my pants pressed this afternoon. The infantry shot off a fire cracker just a little while ago, but they didn’t have a formation as they usually do. I don’t guess they want leave either. It sounded like another dynamite cap. They say that the dough is afraid that there’s some dynamite over there and somebody will be fool enough to set it off. Moss has got to walk posts tonight.

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Tuesday Feb - 18
Woke up this morning and couldn’t hardly get my right eye opened. By dinner time it was as red as all get out so I went over to the hospital and Miss Malloy put some red stuff in it. She said I just had a cold in it, but after she got through it looked as if I had the pink eye. Shumate caught Mr. Dial for having whiskey in his automobile while it was parked behind the barraks [sic]. He was O.D. this morning but after he was caught he was put under arrest and Jones was O.D. I heard him talking tonight and he said if they gave him fifty demerits it would put him way over. Made a deal with Mr. Andrews in the mess hall today. Every time we have cream

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puffs for desserts, he gets mine and every time we have that chocolate stuff, I get his. Went back over to the hospital this afternoon at 5:30 and have to go back in the morning at sick call. I hope she gives me an excused recitation. I’m going to tell her I couldn’t do any reading tonight.

Friday Feb - 21
Hell “Excused recitation. Went to English class but they had a quiz so Mikell and I came on back to barracks. In Math class Maj. Myers jumped on me for talking to Syrant. He’s about the only teacher I have that wouldn’t have reported me. Had another quiz in Chem. so I returned to barracks again.

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Cleaned the rifle, shined my shoes real good and touched up the brasses. I kind of suspected that there would be no inspection so I didn’t put everything on and sure enough they announced there would not be an inspection but everyone was to oil their rifles and the company commanders would inspect them in the rooms at 1:15. Thorpe jumped on me for not having the butt guard oiled properly. Went over to the hospital after dinner and got the drops put in my eye. They are not entirely well, but are considerably better. Its rained hard all day with

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an extremely cold hard wind to boot. They blew call-to-quarters at Seven o’clock and the N.C.O.I C.O.Q. checked at 7:15. We could visit after he came by. Got in a fast and furious ping-pong game up in [illegible] again. That seems to be the only thing I can find to do on the week ends while we are restricted. I wish they would hurry up and catch someone for that ash can job so we can get out of here. The time slugged upon me and taps blew at 11: P.M. while I was still up in [illegible] room. I had to come back and put the bed down and get undressed in the dark.

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Saturday - Feb 22
Washington’s Birthday and here I am all cooped up in this place. No kind of inspection at all today. Lounged around the room all morning and was over in the gym about 5 o’clock when first call went off in Murray Barracks. Put on my tie and over coat and ran over here. Just did get here in time to meet the 2 minute steel. Now I know how it feels to be a fireman. Drop whatever you are doing and be on the quad - fully dressed in three minutes. They announced that general leave would begin immediately. They

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had been having a cadet Committee meeting and had evidently caught somebody. Moss got back from the dentist about that time and said that Muldrow and Dukes had confessed. He said that they had all got together and drew straws to see which two would confess so the corps could go on leave. Tried to take a shower but the water was to [sic] cold so I waited till about seven o’clock and it was still cold. Went up town and had supper at the G. and S. by the lonesome. Bought a few odds and ends that I had been needing including some rubber caps to go on the bottom of

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the chair so I wouldn’t fall down when I leaned back. Went down to Silver’s to see about that lamp. Its a pretty good looking job that works in there. I’ll have to get a date with her. Came on back about ten oclock and went to bed. Oh yes I forgot to say that was Hendrick's liquor they found in Dial’s car. He read out his own special order Thursday. He was reduced from captain adjutant to private and is deprived of all leave privileges for three months receives 50 demerits and 50 tours. Thats going to seem odd having a senior on the quad with you.

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Sunday Feb 23
Eyes are almost well now. They had another cadet - committee meeting during and after chapel this morning. I think they’ve about got them all now. They say that Kendall told on all of them. Served 4 confinements this afternoon.

Monday Feb 24
Didn’t get back from the hospital until class call this morning. Moss didn’t have the room cleaned up very well, but he had a vacant period before the O.D. came by and got it fixed then. Trotti pulled me for having on a disreputable shirt at drill. Thorpe saw it at dinner

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formation and if he didn’t tell Trotti to report me, I’m going to star it and say I tore it while doing exercises. It’ll probably be a 3 and 3 and that will give me a tour to walk Saturday. Andrews says he is one over on demerits now, but he had a neat press today so he’s exactly even now. He had sure better watch his step. Went to Chem. coaching class tonight, and worked a few problems. I’m going to have to do some powerful studying now since I haven’t read any at all in a week. I’m also afraid we have to hand in the history note book tomorrow and I haven’t touched mine

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this month or the last either.

Teusday [sic] Feb 25 Didn’t get back from the hospital until after class call again. Got pulled for untidy press, but I starred the report. Got a letter from Jeane and Harry this morning. Jeane says she found that letter I wrote her last October. Harry says Burke had his tonsels [sic] taken out. They read out all the special orders in the mess hall today. All the boys envolved [sic] got 3 months restriction and 100 tours. For planning the thing, Muldrow and Andrews got 6 months restriction and 150 tours, and ten demerits. That puts Andrews 8 over he says. Muldrow got busted. Mr. Dial got reported

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for disrespect to Shumate. He wouldn’t say “sir” to him, and when asked for an explination [sic] he said “I’m not used to saying sir to anyone that is no older than I, and I don’t intend to start now.” Took part of the test in English this afternoon. [Illegible words] started to correcting it and said I had so many errors that I could have another shot at it Thursday morning. I’ll have a class from 9 in the morning till six in the afternoon with an hour off for dinner and supper. Slept all evening and went to coaching class after supper.

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March 23 Monday

I lost the diary for about 2 weeks is the reason I haven’t written in it lately I moved down with Ashton this past Saturday 2 weeks ago. Thank God he’s not rooming with Moss anymore. Got my glasses last Friday afternoon. They still hurt my eyes a little bit, even though I just wear them when I read. I got sick last Wednesday nite a week ago and stayed in the hospital until that Saturday morning. The General inspected Saturday. We didn’t get pulled or commended. Went sailing with Mr. Frazers yesterday. [Illegible words]. We left about ten thirty and sailed under the bridge to the Yacht Basin and got some sandwiches to take with us. Went on out to Fort Sumpter [sic] and stayed out there for about a

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half hour and then sailed out to Morris Island and beached the boat. Had a fine time playing on the beach and looking at the jetteys [sic]. Sailed back before the wind in about 2 hours. Thats pretty good time because its about 14 miles out there.
Nothing unusual today except that we put on cotton shirts after dinner.
I am pretty sun burned in the face.

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1957
Lonnie Burton got killed. May 10 - 57
Sis was operated “ 7 57