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Disneyland.
Beulah woke us a little after 4.00. There was some delay in getting all the children through the bathroom, but Beulah did very well seeing that all the children were dressed neatly. We left about 5.00, Beulah’s husband driving us.
We were told to bring our luggage into the church instead of loading it on the buses. Long lines formed for breakfast. We had fruit and a choice of hot or cold cereal. I sat beside Patti Chastain. I asked her what had happened to Mary Candoo, as I had not seen her for a long time. Patti thought she had left.
We put our luggage on the buses. Then we boarded buses with our group. All of my group had located each other at breakfast, and we were among the first to board.
We left about 7.30. Our bus again had ninety-nine people on it. When we got to Disneyland we sat a long time on the buses while people were counted by age groups. Then we were told to get out and stand in lines near the buses. We were all ready to follow leaders into the park when we were again held back.
I saw Jim and the leadership conferring, and later Mike Prokes told us that the Disneyland management had wanted to pass each one through the turnstile and charge admission for all, but Jim was prepared to leave with the whole body, and they gave in. We all passed through as fast as we could walk, and apparently the supervisors bought only a certain number of admissions and ride books. I didn’t understand the procedure and had to come back and get books for our group. We had seven people and got two books, giving us thirty rides to share.
Lillian Sills in our group was not able to walk much, so we took turns pushing her in a wheelchair. Others in the group did not care much about the rides. We had to share our tickets; usually two of us went on a ride together while the others waited.
While I was looking for a telephone in order to call Carl Green, who lives near Disneyland, Jim caught sight of me. He was recommending a show featuring American folk songs sung by puppet animals and gave me a ticket for it. I had found Carl at home, told him I would try to call him some day when I was in Los Angeles.
At first I was impressed with the otherworldly atmosphere in the park but soon became tired of 1t. I didn’t particularly care for any of the rides except the roller coaster, for which we did not have enough tickets. When I asked directions of the Disneyland security staff, who were the only attendants I saw, I got surly off-hand answers, even when not accompanied by our black and Mexican members. Our group was very cooperative, and we had no trouble except that Lillian became tired and hungry. Lunches were to be distributed when we got back on the buses, but they could be obtained earlier (we were forbidden to buy anything inside the park). I took Lillian out. I could not take the wheelchair out of the park and was not allowed to take food in, so she had to walk with me to the picnic area. This was a most unprepossessing place. I ate most of my lunch too.
I left Lillian on a bench, joined the others. One of the group offered to stay with Lillian and another woman in a wheelchair, whom we had taken over from Jim. Just before 2.00 when we were to board the buses we received information that the time had been extended an hour. A younger man and I went to the Frontierland area and we rode the keel boat on the river.
Then I waited for him as he took two other rides. I gave my leftover tickets to the Shaw commune. I saw the telephone company show which was called “America the Beautiful” and had screens on all sides of a round room showing scenic and historical views of the United States. One felt as if in the midst of the scenes.
After we boarded the buses, lunches were distributed to those who hadn’t had any. We returned to Los Angeles. In the temple I went to the bathroom and washed my teeth.
A bag supper was passed out to all. We had chicken, bread, potato salad, plums and punch. The buses left Los Angeles at 7.00. My seat partner was Lorenza Tucker from Houston. We were very crowded and a child in the aisle was pinching her foot. I suggested she put her seat down, but Lela Murphy, sitting back of her, objected. Later on Lela wanted the window in front of us closed, but I told her it was not under my control.
Later on Lela asked me for a ride home and I refused, because she was unkind to our new member from Houston. She denied she had not wanted Lorenza to put her seat back. I read To the Finland Station by Edmund Wilson.
Lorenza said she was going to live with Blanche Washington whom she did not know. Blanche had a cramped leg, and fearing a blood clot, the hostess had her get up and exercise. All adults were supposed to jog in the aisle but few did. The bus offering was taken. When it was over I went to sleep for an hour. We had a bathroom stop at Buttonwillow at 9.30.
I slept well all night.
We arrived in San Francisco at 3.45. I took home Valor, Contonia, Toby Stone and her two children. On Friday night Jim had saved Toby’s little girl, Tobianna, from a fatal accident. We talked about plans for the new hotel. Toby said what she feared about communal living was not having money to spend as she liked.
I reached home about 5.00. I went to bed for an hour.