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Special Collections Research Center
William & Mary Special Collections Research CenterEarl Gregg Swem Library
400 Landrum Dr
Williamsburg, Virginia
Business Number: 757-221-3090
spcoll@wm.edu
URL: https://libraries.wm.edu/libraries-spaces/special-collections
Finding Aid Authors: Special Collections Staff.
Administrative Information
Conditions Governing Use:
Before reproducing or quoting from any materials, in whole or in part, permission must be obtained from the Special Collections Research Center, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library.
Conditions Governing Access:
Collection is open to all researchers. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, such as the Virginia Public Records Act (Code of Virginia. § 42.1-76-91); and the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (Code of Virginia § 2.2-3705.5). Confidential material may include, but is not limited to, educational, medical, and personnel records. If sensitive material is found in this collection, please contact a staff member immediately. The disclosure of personally identifiable information pertaining to a living individual may have legal consequences for which the College of William and Mary assumes no responsibility.
Preferred Citation:
Phyllis Gabowitz Diary and Photograph, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary.
Acquisition Information:
Purchase.
Processing Information:
Accessioned and processed in August 2009 by Ute Schechter.
Biographical Information:
Information about this individual or organization may be available in the Special Collections Research Center Wiki: .
Scope and Contents
Diary of Phyllis Gabowitz of Highland Park, Middlesex County, New Jersey. She was a 6th grade student at the time she wrote her diary in 1958. The "Ponytail" diary measures 4" x 5 1/2", and has 123 handwritten entries. Included with the diary is a 5" x 7" photograph of the author and her classmates, and on the back of the photograph she gives the names of her those shown in the picture. The following description was provided by the seller:
"Phyllis writes of watching TV shows like "My Friend Flicka", "Real McCoys", "Lassie", "Fathers Knows Best" dancing with her friends to "American Bandstand" ....She writes of movies she went to see, going to Girl Scouts, friends she plays with, new friends that she makes, a fight she has with her friend, being very mad at her parents, her grandma staying with her when her parents went to Florida, her mother promising her a dog if she got good grades in school, forming a club with her friends, her mom putting her on diet pills, going to summer camp and the fun she has, her birthday and the presents she receives, boys she "loves", and so on."
For excerpts provided by the seller, see finding aid link below.
Related Material
A scrapbook by Phyllis' sister, Barbara (Bobbi) Gabowitz is filed under Mss. Acc. 2009.363.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
- Diaries
- Jewish teenagers--United States--Social life and customs--20th century
- Teenage girls--Diaries
- Teenagers--New Jersey
- Teenagers--Social life and customs
Container List
- Mixed Materials Small Collections Box 47 folder: 1 id59248
Diary and photograph1958Scope and Contents
(Valentines Day) - Dear Diary, Today's day was okay. This was as good as arithmetic. Nobody finished because they were all so excited because of this afternoon - This afternoon at 2 o'clock some of the kids gave Mrs. E.B. Maugham a plant. I didn't like it. At 2:30 we gave her the candy. I liked that. Mrs. Cook called her out of the room while we put the candy on her desk. She gave us all kisses but wasn't surprised! .... Nancy and I went downtown. We ate lunch in the George Washington restaurant in New Brunswick. We had our pictures taken in the machine in Tishman's. On the way back we saw Daddy in Jersey Tire so he bought us each a hot chocolate .... Today was a rather lousy day. This morning there was school. We didn't have anything new. My marks are awful but I'm afraid to tell my mother. At lunch time I called up the Arnolds and hung up because I HATE Alison. Mrs. E.B. Maugham was a GROUCH. I played with Laura Bank this afternoon - Laura and I met Casey G. I felt like kissing him, I love him so much! .... This morning in school the work was crazy. We aren't having club because we made noise when Mrs. Maugham went out of the room. So we wrote letters to Mrs. Zimmerman and told her we were sorry for disturbing her class. If you weren't making noise you were suppose to say so in your letter .... Mommy went to New York. She got me a tight fitting skirt and two blouses. It is too tight. Mommy said she'd give me a week to lose weight and fit into it .... I went to the dance with Laurie and I wore my new white. Alison looked nice for the first time in ages. Sherry got mad when I danced with her boyfriend. I danced with a real cute boy, he was a smooth dancer .... I hate my sister and I hope she drops dead. I wish she'd die, I hate her. If she died I'd be the happiest girl in the U.S. .... My mommy got me my new dieting pills and there fabuless! .... This morning I got up at 9:30. Mommy was going to take me with her, but Laurie called and asked me if I was going any place, and if not to come up to Deerwood with them. I had a very good time. But mommy got mad at me for not bringing up my beach robe. Laurie made me feel as if I wasn't wanted, but Merril made me feel much better ..... Mom and Dad went to Dr. Diamond. Barbara and I both need braces. It is going to cost $800 a piece. I have to get two teeth pulled. The next time I go I'm going to tell him I don't want braces and I won't cooperate .... I called up Betty to see if she could play. We went down the park and ate lunch. We were talking about girls we weren't too fond of and all the sudden, one shows up (Sharon). She was very stuck up and not too polite ....." Some of the names she mentions in the diary are: Judy Roeson, Nancy Merril, Laura Bank, Roberta Howard, Alison Arnold, Barbara Sadowsky, Patsy Gilbert, Gil Goldberg, and Susan Gordon. Some of the places she mentions in the diary are: New Brunswick, Atlantic City, Newark, Deerwood, and Sherwood.