1933-43 Handwritten DIARIES Met BETTE DAVIS Future PILOT VT Politics WWII Ration

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1933-43 Handwritten DIARIES Met BETTE DAVIS Future PILOT VT Politics WWII Ration:
$102.50

MAUD ANN WIGGINS DURGIN

Born January 1, 1925 in Rutland, Vermont- Died September 9, 2000 in Newport City, Vermont.

Maud-Ann\'s full eulogy from the Vermont State Legislature is listed below the excerpts.

The scrap/autograph book starts in 1933 when Maud-Ann was in 3rd grade. The first diary starts on Maud-Ann\'s 11th birthday in 1936. She rides horses, attends school, visits friends, ice-skates, attends church, etc. She starts talking about boys 3 years later when she is 14 - she writes:

April 30, 1939 - I am awful foolish. I should have never made the mistake, but of course, Big Mouth Me had to spoil the affair that might have been wonderful, and I do mean wonderful. I shall never try to get him back because of other people. I shall always be nice to him and way down deep in my heart there will always be a place for him.

I think I\'ll write a book \"1000 jokes or love at 14\".

Maud-Ann dates other people in Rutland; one of them is John J. \"Jack\" Daley who would go on to serve in WWII, get his bachelors degree at Norwich University, serve on the Rutland Board of Alderman, be Rutland\'s mayor from 1961 to 1965 and then serve two terms as Vermont\'s 68th Lieutenant Governor, under Governor, Philip H. Hoff. He then served in the Vermont House of Representatives. But, before he did all of this he datedMaud-Ann and she writes about him in her diary.

January 1942 - My best friends are \"Wheezie\" Harmon and Jack Daley. I think quite a bit of Jack and in a different way then I ever did any of the others. But I really think our friendship is lasting and might turn into something more. I really think Jack will keep dating me for a long while. Wheezie is a little devil and I think she would like Jack for herself. I really don\'t think she can get him; although he does think a lot of her. She has been pretty rotten to me at times, but I still love her, because after all, I am not perfect either!!

Oh dear, I can not understand my Jack. He tells me he likes me and that he has more fun with me than Enid or anybody and then, first thing I know, he is out with her again. Oh, what will I do? What can I do?

Febraury 1942 - Here is more about Jack. Now he says I am his \"best girl\" and that he knows I don\'t believe him, but he will prove it to me. See why I like him?

Febraury 11, 1942 - I just had to add this to my diary. I saw Bette Davis! She is wonderful, so sweet and such a grand actress. Harry danced with her! To the big dance, too. Bette talked over the radio and led the Grand March. She wore a manson dress with a white corsage. I wore my new dress that I wore to the Residents Ball. Red with daisies, green silk.

Friday, the 15 - Now I am feeling so sad about the game and Jack. Ohhh, it hurts so much. No one can ever guess.

April 7, 1942 - Dear Diary - Quite a day, I must say! Everything went as usual during the morning and then in the afternoon at 2:25 I got excused and went with Wheezie and Ann. We said we were sick. At 3:30 we went downstreet - J. Daley picked us up. I sat in the front seat with him and his little cousin. She is only about 10 or 11 months and sure is cute. After he dumped us at Woolworth\'s we got a chocolate milk, and then went to the movies, \"The Courtship of Andrew Hardy\". We got home and Daley called me- what a shark!! We talked for quite a while. Then Jerry Coyle called and last, but not least, Jimmy Raleigh called.

April 9, 1942 - What a day. Slept all morning - this after I had to go to school though. Jean (Cis) Stearns\' father died this morning. Cis got called out of school. I felt bad about it. Poor kid.

Tonight I went downstreet, bought a new skirt, bought a French coat and a brown derby for church. Tonight after supper I went to the library. Jimmie called me before supper. Jack called while I was at the library.

April 15, 1942 - Dear Diary, Got up per usual time; went to school per usual. After school I went downstreet, had a chat with Rowder and also, Jack. Jack and I are rather funny - I think he is mad or something. The payoff though was when he called here (1509-R)and asked for Enid. I don\'t know whether he did it on purpose or not. I said, \"Wrong number\" and hung up on him. Went to the movies with Jimmie tonight.

Jack Daley and Maud-Ann date on and off again until May when she is done with him and starts dating Orin Thomas of the Thomas Dairy Farm in Rutland,which is still in existence today. Maud-Ann ends up getting a job at The Economy Department Store, she sleepsa lot, does her homework, occasionally skips school, gets drunk, is not sure how she feels about Orin as he seems to annoy her quite a bit. Orin takes her to the movies frequently which she enjoys. She writes about a Spike Creed, who is older and off to war - she laments how he doesn\'t write her anymore. Actress, Dorothy Lamour visits Rutland selling defense bonds. Maud-Ann and her friend take out her grandfathers Packard. Maud-Ann does not like thegas rationing that needs to be adhered to, but Orin Thomas\'s fatheris able to get extra tickets.

The diary ends on December 31, 1942 when Maud-Ann gets drunk with her friends.

*********FOUND ANOTHER DIARY*********

I found one more diary belonging to Maud-Ann that was overlooked previously. This diary covers 1943 and is full up to October. There are also lots of letters in this diary, including Orin\'s breakup letter:

Dear Mott,

You and I have been going together a long time, in fact, we even thought we were going steady. You said you liked me pretty well and I swallowed it. I had a case on you which, I realize now, was a mistake. There is no use trying to hide anything now so I\'ll tell you that I\'ve been out with other girls and don\'t doubt that you have been out with some of the fellas. So to make a long story short, we are not going steady anymore. I still think you\'re nice stuff and would enjoy going out with you though I don\'t presume you\'ll have the stomach to take me after this. I never stood a girl up yet and I don\'t intend to now - I\'m not coming up tonight. I realize this is short notice but that\'s the way it\'s got to be. - Orin

Added pictures are down at the very bottom of this sale.

From the Vermont State Legislature January 2001

Maud-Ann Wiggins Durgin was a vibrant community leader in Newport City and Orleans County, where her presence was most welcomed in the many organizations which she belonged. A native of Rutland, she earned her college degree at the University of Vermont, then resided in the Palau Islands, while her husband, Dr. Delmer Durgin, served his nation in the Korean War. She relocated to Newport City in 1953 as she came north with her husband who was starting a new medical practice in Vermont\'s most northerly city. Maud Ann Durgin was an active participant in many community organizations, including the Vermont Girl Scouts Council, the Orleans County Historical Society, the Newport Federated Woman\'s Club (of which she served as president), the American Legion Auxiliary, and her interests in health care were reflected in her memberships in the Northeast Kingdom Mental Health Association, of which she served as vice president and the North County Hospital Auxialiary, of which she had served as president.

Maud-Ann Durgin\'s political interests prompted her to join the Newport City Republican Committee and to serve as an elected official, first on a municipal level as a Newport City Justice of the Peace and later for three terms in the Vermont House of Representatives.

Aside from her community and political endeavors, Maud-Ann Durgin had a special passion for flying and earned her private pilot\'s license. The citizens of Newport City have lost a dedicated community leader who devoted her time and effort into improving the quality of life in Vermont\'s north country. Now therefore be it resolved by the Senate and House of Representives, that the general assembly extends its sympathy to the family of Representative Maud-Ann Durgin of Newport City, and be it further resolved; that the Secretary of State be directed to send a copy of this resolution to her brother, Harry B. Wiggins in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Condition:

This sale is for three diaries and one scrapbook/autograph book. The clasps are broken on all of diaries; the hinges are loose on one, with some of the pages separated from the binding. All appear to be present and in order. The writing is at times hard to read because of small, faded print. Both diaries measure 5.5x4; the autograph book measures 6x4. There are letters, newspaper clippings, loose writings/poetry/drawings found inside the diaries. The autograph book is from 1933 when the author was in 3rd grade, the first diary starts in 1936 (on Maud\'s 11th birthday) and goes to 1939 - it was not written in daily. The second diary starts in 1942 and covers the entire year and was written in daily. The 1943 diary was written in daily until October.

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