Bernice Forest Diary, 1916 - 1917

June 27th, 1917

Three more weeks, or almost since I recorded the happenings of my life. I’ve had such a good time I didn’t want to take time from them to write them down. Amy and I have had one grand old time. I wasn’t very enthused about coming back to Amy – for we hadn’t been very congenial before school was out. But some how since we have been together here everything has been different. We have had the jolliest time ever. Amy has gone with me everywhere. She started by helping me serve tea at the Y.W. tea at registration time. There were only a few girls so we decided to extend our field and after the girls had gone, we served tea to a couple of boys who were playing pool or billiards I don’t know which, out in the Y.M. lobby. We have since learned their names – one was Jack Eskins and the other was a colored boy they call “Pat”. I think his name is Patton. We became better acquainted at the Y.M. Y.W. reception, where they helped us serve and wash dishes afterwards.

One night, Amy and I went over to Shepard and fooled around till we got Jack in the Y.W. room – then we made candy from the remnants of “eats” in the window seat.

Another night we invited Jack to help eat some strawberries & cream that Amy’s folks sent her. We took them over to the Y.W. room and ate them there. Jack walked home with us. Last Sabbath Jack invited Amy and I to go for a walk then when we had started he said we were to meet “Pat” who was bringing some paddles, which meant we were to go for a canoe ride. At first I was mad – to think he’d ask Pat to go – when he knew no girl would want to go with him. Then I made up my mind to make the best of it in order not to embarrass anyone or make them feel badly. It so happened – and I didn’t work it either – that Pat walked with Amy both out and back. We had a lovely canoe ride and I paddled coming back a little. I enjoyed it even tho it was with a “nigger” and against college regulation.

We took some pictures and Amy is to get them tomorrow. I hope they are good – just to add to my collection of exciting times during summer school.

Last Saturday I got a chance to do what I have wanted to do over for three years – I climbed Marys Peak again.

Fifteen of us (Amy and I included) made the trip from here. We had a wonderful experience too – for we got into a terrific rain and wind storm up on top of the peak. We learned what it was to be in the clouds too it was so foggy we almost lost our way up in the snow altho there wasn’t much there in comparison to what there usually is. “Sarda” the hindo student was our particular shadow most of the day. He talks religion – or rather against it, whenever he got a chance. He doesn’t believe in anything. For once I was ashamed of Amy. She sided in with him and I tho’t – she was almost a heathen in her beliefs too. How I wish she could see things differently. I never have been more thankful than I am now – that I was brought up to believe in God and a further life. It is a comfort to know that I do believe – and it must be dreadful never to believe anything.

This week end Al is coming down and I have asked Amy to ask Jack to dinner Sabbath – and I’ll ask Al. I think Amy has an idea that I want to cut her out with Jack and I’m glad of a chance to show her that, that isn’t my desire. I like Jack – and don’t mind him – bit I can see he favors her – and I’m glad of it; she is so much happier when some one is making over her. I hope he does it often. I’d be glad to see her go with him regularly.

There have been some club boys and girls here the last week and a half. I taught them one day on removal of stains. It was my first experience at teaching but it wasn’t bad. The boys have a big fat man in charge Mr. Feike. He is a bachelor and very much interested in the ladies. Amy teases me about him and one day she snapped our pictures out in front of Waldo when we were talking. That is among the pictures she gets tomorrow too. She threatens – for some unknown reason not to let me have any of the pictures. I hope she changes her mind – Bed time – Economics class at 7:20 in the morning.

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