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Gordon (Donald) Journal Collection
SC.DGC
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Contributing Institution:
Special Collections & Archives
Title: Donald Gordon Journal Collection
Creator:
Gordon, Donald
Identifier/Call Number: SC.DGC
Extent:
0.21 linear feet
Date (inclusive): 1889-1890
Abstract: Donald Gordon was an American who lived
in Japan with his parents when he was a child. On March 31, 1889 his mother gifted him a
journal. He filled his journals with daily entries of varying lengths. The first was a gift
from his mother, and the second a Christmas gift from his father. In the journals, Donald
wrote about issues of typical concern to a young boy, including school, friends, church,
leisure activities, and family vacations. The journals also include clippings, sketches, and
other ephemera.
Language of Material: English,
Japanese
Donald Gordon was an American who lived in Japan with his parents when he was a child.
Gordon filled his journals with daily entries of varying lengths. The first was a gift from
his mother, and the second a Christmas gift from his father. In the journals, Donald wrote
about issues of typical concern to a young boy, including his schoolwork, especially
algebra, spelling, latin, and drawing. He attended church regularly, and early in the first
journal resolved to "try to be more Christ-like." His days were primarily spent with other
Americans living in Japan, though he refered on occasion to the family's cook, Denkichi, a
Buddhist monk who visits his father regularly, and other Japanese. The journals occasionally
refer to local events, as in the entry for April 13, 1890 in which he wrote "We heard that
Mr. Pierce or something like that had been murdered by the Japanese. They cut him to
pieces..."
Donald's leisure activities included tennis, playing dominoes and tag with friends,
gardening, attending theatrical productions like
The Mikado,
and reading, especially works about Abraham Lincoln and children's newspapers like
Youth Companion. The family lived in Kyoto, but took vacation in
various spots around Japan including Tokyo, Yokohama, Tokayama, and many others. While
fishing on vacation he caught a poisonous Fugu, or pufferfish. Donald also celebrated
American holidays with his family, including the 4th of July, at which he set off
firecrackers, ate chocolate ice cream, and went for a boat ride. In addition to written
entries, each volume includes clippings, sketches, musical notation, and other ephemera. A
fold-out map was pasted inside the back cover of the first volume, on which Donald
translated some of the Japanese place names into English.
The collection is open for research use.
Copyright for unpublished materials authored or otherwise produced by the creator(s) of
this collection has not been transferred to California State University, Northridge.
Copyright status for other materials is unknown. Transmission or reproduction of materials
protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires
the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be
commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any
use rests exclusively with the user.
For information about citing items in this collection consult the appropriate style
manual, or see the
Citing Archival
Materials
guide.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Ephemera
Documents
Scrapbooks