March 2, 1950

At 1:50 p.m. Philip Tully, nine pounds, nine ounces, arrived in the Queen of Angels Hospital, Los Angeles, California. Dr. George Ward attending.

This pregnancy was not as much fun as the first one, being accompanied by “near-accidents” and continual backaches. But the outcome was equally lovely.

One of each! We’re very happy.

Philip’s salary was raised (a university-wide raise) to $4500, retroactive to July 1, 1949.

June 5, 1950

Philip began work today for North American Aviation Corporation. It’s a research appointment for the summer at $500 a month. His title: Research Engineer B. His problem: the effect of Brownian motion on gyroscopes, a problem physical more than mathematical.

July 1, 1950 – July 4, 1950

Had our first real vacation. Philip and Thea left Sue and Tully with Neeltje Witbaard, a UCLA student who has lived with us all year and worked for us; and just we two with Milton Wing went to Laguna Beach for the long week-end. So good to get away from menus and dishes and children – and so good to get back to children.

August 29, 1950

Philip flew to New York today on the first stage of a two-week trip in the East. Long Island to see Nana, Gramp, and the Payne’s and Georgeson’s; Harvard to present a paper at the International Congress of Mathematicians; Brown to present a paper at the Third Plasticity Symposium; Washington, D.C., to visit Mother & Dad Hodge (returned stateside last week to be Chief of Special Services, I.L.I.) and Max and Jinny (enceinte). And then home again to a very homesick-for-Philip family.

September 19, 1950

Philip started work today for North American Aviation Corp. on the new appointment – consultant at $40.00 a day, regularly one day a week.

November 1, 1950

The book went to the publishers’ today!!!

November 9, 1950

Philip is thirty today. Oh dear! How overwhelming.

November 19, 1950

Philip signed a check today for $1000.00 as down payment on our house. All papers have been signed. Barring accidents, we now own the house at 11406 Kingsland Ave., Westdale Village, Los Angeles 34. Our first own home!

December 1, 1950

Having bought ourselves a house for a birthday present, we have “gone the whole hog” and bought a car for Christmas. We paid the full price ($625) today for a light-green four-door 1941 Buick. Philip will take his test in four days for a California driver’s license.

December 2, 1950

At 1:15 p.m. Pacific Standard Time Dr. Prager telephoned Philip from Providence, R.I., – a call that shook our world! Brown Univ. offers Philip $6600 a year to return there next year (July 1951) as assoc. professor. Between misery over our brand-new house, and pride and delight with the offer, we are torn and confused. (Details: 12-month appointment, teaching: one course, ONR research: ¾ time)

December 9, 1950

U.C.L.A. is not willing to let Philip go quite so easily! They are making a counter-offer: $5100 for a 9-month appointment for ¾ time teaching; a 3-month summer free for research paid or unpaid & ¼ time during year free for research paid or un-paid.

Philip telephoned Dr. Prager today to discuss the matter and to suggest this plan: he will accept 9-month appointment here; he will go to Brown University for the summer to work on the Navy contracts; he will bring some contract work back with him to work on here during the year. Prager likes the plan. So does UCLA. Tho they will not promise the promotion in rank until July 1953, they will try to get a man in Philip’s field to come here next year. (Details and dates remain to be worked out. Also to be decided is the disposition of Thea, children, & house for the summer.) This offer from Brown is particularly welcome now since our country is now facing a crisis; the world is again on the brink of war. Thea feels that every man must do the work to the utmost that will represent his largest contribution to the welfare of our nation.

January 3, 1951

Eight years. Two children, a house, a car, and a ship (professor, that is!). And a love enormous.

(Time speeds too fast. I want fifty long years with this man.)

January 5, 1951

We moved into our own home today. What a lovely house!

June 11, 1951

We flew to Chicago today, left Philip there for his meetings, while Thea and children flew on to Washington, D.C., and were met by Mother and Dad Hodge.

June 19, 1951

All four of us flew to Providence where we will spend the summer while Philip works at Brown University as Visiting Professor, working on a Navy research project. Professor & Mrs. Domar of Johns Hopkins are living in our house for the summer.

Spring Vacation 1951 (Written in Oct.)

Our second vacation. Jean Swerdfeger, our student this year, took care of the children. We drove to the Los Angeles Harbor at Wilmington, left our car there & boarded the S.S. Catalina for Avalon on Santa Catalina Island, isle of romance. We hiked, climbed, fished off-shore in a rowboat (caught some!), walked in the moonlight . . . . . . . . . .

July 29, 30, 31, 1951

Our third vacation. Caroline Quinn, Professor Quinn’s daughter, lived with the children. We drove to Lake Winnepesaukee, New Hampshire, with Mother & Dad Hodge in their red convertible. Climbed a small mountain, boated, swam, sightsaw, went up Cannon Mountain on the cable car (the only one of its kind in the Americas), ate well, slept well. (Manor Cottage Colony, The Weirs, excellent accomodations for 4 people.)

September 10, 1951

Thea & children entrained for New Haven for lunch with Nana & Gramp; then we flew to Washington, D.C., to be with the Hodge Srs. & Max, Jinny & Wink. Philip followed the same route, arriving in Wash. on September 15. A wonderful visit with the young Hodges who leave in two weeks for their first foreign service post in Munich.

September 19, 1951

Returned via TWA to our home in well-loved Los Angeles.

September 24, 1951

Thea took over her duties today as Program Chairman of the Child Development Section of the Faculty Women’s Club of U.C.L.A.

Our “student” this year is a Chinese graduate student in Mathematics. He will pay us a small rent & do our baby-sitting. He will cook his own food in our kitchen.

October 1, 1951

Philip now has his two new contracts. The UCLA contract, with the new cost-of-living increase, is for $5355.00 for 9 months. The Brown-Navy contract is for $30.00 a day to a maximum of $300.00 a month. This is a lot of money even in these badly inflationary days.

October 10, 1951

This week our hearts are much with the medical profession. Our son, Philip Tully, contracted spinal meningitis five days ago. Today he is completely recovered, thanks to one of the “miracle” drugs. My father has always been most cynical about the value of medicine, & drugs. We are willing to believe!

January 3, 1952

Nine years. We are no longer surprised by each honor that comes to Phil and by each achievement. But we are fully as proud. And life holds more love and fun each year.

August 27, 1951 (entered late)

The book was published on this day.

May, 1952

Philip has been invited to come to the University of Indiana, Bloomington, Indiana, as Visiting Assistant Professor for the summer and fall semesters to work on research contracts and act as advisor in setting up a new course based on the book. We must, however, refuse the offer at this time since Ivan Sokolinkoff is going away on sabbatical. One of them must be here to keep applied mathematics active here. The offer is a good one and, even though refused, it is well-timed since Philip can add it to his professorial vita curricula, which will be called for in the fall.

June, 1952

One of the men in Philip’s special course in the College of Engineering, a group research director at Ai Research Manufacturing Co., has asked Philip to come to work for them as Research Consulting Engineer, $50.00 a day. As soon as classes are out, he will sign a contract with them and will go over to their laboratories twice a week, working the other three days at home on the ONR-Brown contract.

August, 1952

We have had, and are having, a marvelous summer. Philip works a 5-day week, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. When weather invited, we went to the beach. We’ve redecorated much of the house. Philip has built several pieces of beautiful furniture. We’ve taken a joint evening course in upholstering and built and covered a Lawson sectional. New drapes set the color scheme. The house takes on a new look, a Hodge look. The garden and our sun-tanned bodies show that we’ve spent much time out-of-doors. A wonderful family summer.

September 15, 1952

Our eldest child, Susan Edith, 5 years old, entered kindergarten today. Her teacher seems to be an understanding person. The school situation is poor – with much overcrowding, inadequate facilities. They assure us this is temporary. Sue is excited and delighted. She is a lovely and charming and grown-up little girl.

November 8, 1952

I wish to record this birthday for two reasons. It marks another decade for me – I am 30 today. Secondly, I received an especially wonderful gift. Susan, who has been taking piano lessons for several months, gave me a book of piano duets that she and I can play together. Her own idea, planned and executed herself, with only essential help from her father. What more can a mother ask!