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George L. Van Bibber IV Diary 1926-1979, MS. 2409
George L. Van Bibber IV Diary, 1926-1979, MS 2409, Maryland Historical Society
Collection Summary
Title George L. Van Bibber IV Diary
Creator George L. Van Bibber IV
Call Number MS.2409
Span Dates August 1926 to February 1979
Extent The diary occupies 63 chronological volumes (with 7 additional volumes kept by Van Bibber on his travels), totaling approximately 50,000 pages.
Abstract Diary entries of George L. Van Bibber IV
Administrative summary
Repository H. Furlong Baldwin Library
Maryland Historical Society
201 W. Monument Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21218
Access restrictions Access to this collection is restricted to microfilm.
Use restrictions Permission to quote from this collection must be received in writing from the Special Collections Librarian.
Processing note The Papers of George Lindenburger Van Bibber (1906-1979) were donated to the Maryland Historical Society in April 1979. By the terms of his will, the Society received his diary and the card index system to the diary, his scrapbooks, manuscripts and any unsold sketches. The material was handed over to the Society by John S. Carver, J. Garland Green and Charles H. Reed, named by Van Bibber in his will as his Personal Representatives.
The Gallery of the Society holds Van Bibber's sketches and watercolors. The papers in the Manuscripts Division are restricted for twenty years from date of deposit.
Biographical Note
George Lindenburger Van Bibber IV was born on March 12, 1906, in Harford County, Maryland. He was the son of Armfield Franklin Van Bibber (d.1953) and Susanna Rebecca [Michael] Van Bibber (d.1955). He had one brother Edwin M. (d.1967) and two sisters Katherine and Ann (Mrs. William T. Whitney).
Van Bibber was a life-long resident of Bel Air, living at 303 Main Street, his childhood home. He graduated from the University of Virginia in 1929 with a degree in architecture and was employed as a draftsman in the Edgewood Arsenal from 1936-1960. His real interests lay however in local history, travel, literature and the cinema. He made numerous trips abroad, culminating in a five-month round-the-world voyage in 1975.
Van Bibber was active in the Harford County Historical Society, serving on its Bicentennial Commission and writing a monograph “Notes on Bel Air - a character sketch of our county seat.” He designed the seal for Harford County and the town seals for Bel Air, Aberdeen and Havre de Grace.
Over the years Van Bibber contributed numerous columns to local newspapers. He wrote “Crazy Horse Spoke” for the News Advertiser and the Havre de Grace Record and “Henry Harf Hath Hearde” published in the Bel Air Aegis. He illustrated his columns with drawings and caricatures.
Van Bibber never married. After the death of his mother in 1955, he began renting rooms in his house to boarders and having all his meals in the restaurants and cafes of Bel Air. This habit ensured that Van Bibber was a familiar personage in the town and his diaries are full of references to pedestrians or motorists hailing him during his perambulations.
Throughout much of his life Van Bibber was plagued by insomnia and many of the later volumes of his diary record his efforts to occupy the hours of sleeplessness. Many of these hours were spent on the diary itself with its time-consuming transcriptions, amendments, indexing and the like. Indeed it occasionally seems as if the diary were the focus and raison d'etre of Van Bibber's life with many of the elaborations of style, annotations etc. growing out of a need to occupy his thoughts and time. The days were structured by the grooves of habits and patterns repeated over the years but Van Bibber's relatively unfettered and solitary existence was made even more inward-directed and solitary by the regimen of keeping his diary.
Van Bibber also suffered from alcoholism. The gradual progression from the exuberant drinking of a college youth to social drinking as a young adult to dependence and abuse of alcohol in maturity is evident in the pages of the diary -- indeed, there must exist few autobiographical accounts of the disease as meticulous as this one. In 1968 Van Bibber was hospitalized for several weeks in a state of near physical collapse after one particularly severe period of abuse. As a result of this episode, with its attendant warnings of fatality, Van Bibber embarked on a period of abstinence which lasted ten years. He frequented the same familiar cafes and kept the same company without jeopardizing his own resolution.
Van Bibber died on March 26, 1979, after an illness of several weeks.
Scope and Content
As will be obvious from the previous pages the most remarkable feature of this collection is the voluminous daily diary kept by Van Bibber from August 1926 to February 1979, the month before his death. The diary occupies 63 chronological volumes (with 7 additional volumes kept by Van Bibber on his travels), totaling approximately 50,000 pages. The format of the diary evolved over the years as Van Bibber refined and modified his system but the commitment to a faithful recording of the minutiae of everyday life never wavered. Not only do the entries capture life's progression of one individual from youth into old age but also they preserve a contemporaneous record of the social and technological changes over half a century.
Van Bibber recorded his daily routine from literally the exact time at which he awoke, to his meals, his conversations, mail received and sent, his dreams, what he wore, when he washed his socks or brushed his teeth, what clothes he took to the cleaners, his purchases and financial transactions. He described parties and reported conversations, noted the pieces of classical music broadcast on the radio, summarized the plots of radio and television programs, movies and books, reported the weather and commented on world affairs. When he was traveling, this recording became even more complex with times of departure, descriptions of scenery, hotels, cities, fellow travelers and the like.
Van Bibber began his diary while a student at the University of Virginia. He used old classroom notebooks and wrote in a dense scrawl, completely covering the pages with numerous amendments, additions and marginalia. Van Bibber occasionally made entries in Russian or in a (seemingly) invented alphabet. Many of the early volumes contain whimsical sketches or architectural drawings.
In 1935 Van Bibber began typing his diary on loose-leaf sheets of paper and binding them into volumes of approximately 1000 pages. With few exceptions, he continued this practice until his death. He kept notes throughout the day and then transferred this information to a typed narrative form. Many of the early volumes contain indexes of those items or events Van Bibber deemed important but in 1947 he refined his system even further by instituting a card index. The subject headings of this card system are listed on pages 12-13 of this register. By far the most voluminous category is “motion pictures” reflecting Van Bibber's enthusiasm for the cinema, but there are also hundreds of cards for “books” and “letters.”
Van Bibber was a poor speller and often wrote in a phonetic style but in 1971 he began using an elaborate and complicated “shorthand” system of his own invention. With the exception of the diary of his round-the-world voyage in 1975, he made entries in this code for the rest of his life. The volumes for the latter years (1974-79) also include Van Bibber's personal correspondence and copies of his replies.
In addition to the diary the collection includes three volumes of poetry written by Van Bibber, the typescript of his monograph “Bel Air - a character sketch of our county seat,” his treatise on English grammar, pronunciation and spelling titled “Wurz the Far at?” and one folder of newspaper clippings and miscellaneous souvenirs.
Inventory
One folder containing:
- Copy of obituary notice, The Aegis, Bel Air, Maryland, 29 March 1979.
- Copy of article written about Van Bibber with personal anecdotes and reminiscences, The Aegis, 20 April 1978.
- Article re Harford County Bicentennial, quoting Van Bibber and including photograph. c.1973
- Brochure of Harford County Bicentennial Historic Pilgrimage, September 29-30, 1973.
- Souvenirs of Bibber's round-the-world trip: travel brochure for Nikko, Japan, postcard, 2 photographs taken aboard ship. 1976
Volume I
August 14, 1926 - December 2, 1926
includes sketches and calligraphy; written in classroom notebook of sister Katherine Van Bibber.
Volume II
December 3, 1926 - March 29, 1927
includes sketches and calligraphy; written in classroom notebook of sister Katherine Van Bibber.
Volume III
March 29, 1927 - September 3, 1927
Volume IV
September 6, 1927 - February 25, 1928
Includes sketches and calligraphy; from other end of book, classroom notes on the history of art taken by Van Bibber.
Volume V
February 25, 1928 - July 7, 1928
114 pp.
“What I have written between these pages is not the work of saint or sages. I'll ask you not to look and see the things about myself and me”
Volume VI
July 7, 1928 - July 4, 1929
297 pp.
Includes sketches, calligraphy, poetry by Van Bibber and expense account (September 5-10,1924) kept by brother Edwin Van Bibber.
Volume VII
July 5, 1929 - September 7, 1930
300 pp
Volume VIII
September 8, 1930 - October 19, 1931
“A diary that is now of some consequence to me.” Begins some phonetic spelling and shorthand.
Volume IX
October 19, 1931 - June 6, 1933
“The past at least is secured.”
Volume X
June 6, 1933 - April 23, 1935
Volume XI
April 23, 1935 - July 28, 1935
Volume XII
July 28, 1935 - September 10, 1937
1216 pp
“Diaries still have their uses; they record life's choice abuses. Guaranteed to drive one frantic until time labels them romantic.”
Includes transcript of excerpt from Volume V (June 7-13, 1928). “In case the other volumes of this diary become lost there is a certain portion which I value so highly that I am recopying it here.” Describes parties and escapades at end of junior year at University of Virginia.
Volume XIII
September 10, 1937 - January 29, 1938
300 pp
“It matters not how straight the gate, how charged with punishments the scrole (sic), I am the master of my fate. I am the captain of my soul.”
Volume XIV
January 29, 1938 - May 1, 1939
1234 pp
Volume XV
May 1, 1939 - November 23, 1941
1430 pp
`A pessimist is a person who foretells the future accurately.'
Volume XVI
November 23, 1941 - November 29, 1943
998 pp
`An optimist is a person who foretells the future inaccurately.'
Volume XVII
November 29, 1943 - February 6, 1945
680 pp
Volume XVIII
February 6, 1945 - July 6, 1945
258 pp
Includes description of trip to Panama.
Volume XIX
July 6, 1945 - April 11, 1947
1042 pp
Volume XX
April 11, 1947 - December 27, 1947
1000 pp
Volume XXI
December 27, 1947 - September 11, 1948
1000 pp
Volume XXII
September 11, 1948 - April 24, 1949
1000 pp
Includes description of trip to Mexico City and Havana.
Volume XXIII
April 24, 1949 - January 13, 1950
1000 pp
Includes 1973 newsclipping.
Volume XXIV
January 13, 1950 - November 18, 1950
1000 pp
Includes description of trip to Europe.
Volume XXV
November 18, 1950 - September 17, 1951
990 pp
Volume XXVI
September 17, 1951 - September 2, 1952
1000 pp
Volume XXVII
September 3, 1952 - August 11, 1953
1000 pp
Volume XXVIII
August 11, 1953 - December 27, 1954
1000 pp
Volume XXIX
December 27, 1954 - March 29, 1956
1000 pp
Volume XXX
March 29, 1956 - April 19, 1957
1000 pp
Volume XXXI
April 20, 1957 - June 5, 1958
1001 pp
Volume XXXII
June 6, 1958 - June 14, 1959
1002 pp
Volume XXXIII
June 15, 1959 - April 26, 1960
1001 pp
Volume XXXIV
April 27, 1960 - December 5, 1960
1001 pp
Volume XXXV
December 6, 1960 - July 18, 1961
1003 pp
Volume XXXVI
July 19, 1961 - March 7, 1962
1003 pp
Volume XXXVII
March 8, 1962 - October 18, 1962
1001 pp
Volume XXXVIII
October 19, 1962 - June 10, 1963
1010 pp
Volume XXXIX
June 11, 1963 - March 26, 1964
1004 pp
Volume XL
March 27, 1964 - January 9, 1965
1008 pp
Volume XLI
January 10, 1965 - September 17, 1965
1002 pp
Volume XLII
September 18, 1965 - June 13, 1966
1008 pp
Volume XLIII
June 14, 1966 - February 25, 1967
1004 pp
Volume XLIV
February 26, 1967 - December 15, 1967
1001 pp
Volume XLV
December 16, 1967 - November 10, 1968
1009 pp
Volume XLVI
November 11, 1968 - May 13, 1969
1010 pp
Volume XLVII
May 14, 1969 - October 30, 1969
1002 pp
Volume XLVIII
October 31, 1969 - March 31, 1970
1021 pp
Volume XLIX
April 1, 1970 - August 22, 1970
1002 pp
Volume L
August 23, 1970 - February 1, 1971
1002 pp
Volume LI
February 2, 1971 - June 10, 1971
1006 pp
Volume LII
June 11, 1971 - November 7, 1971
1012 pp
Volume LIII
November 8, 1971 - March 8, 1972
858 pp
Volume LIV
March 9, 1972 - August 12, 1972
1009 pp
Volume LV
August, 13, 1972 - February 8, 1973
1009 pp
Volume LVI
February 9, 1973 - August 13, 1973
1003 pp
Volume LVII
August 14, 1973 - March 21, 1974
1003 pp
Volume LVIII
March 22, 1974 - October 24, 1974
1002 pp
Includes copies of letters sent and received.
Volume LIX
October 25, 1974 - November 13, 1975
903 pp
Includes copies of letters sent and received.
Volume LX
November 14, 1975 - July 24, 1976
902 pp
Includes copies of letters sent and received and copies of column [UNK] “Haffe Hath Heard”
Volume LXI
July 25, 1976 - March 19, 1977
701 pp
Includes copies of correspondence and of columns.
Volume LXII
March 20, 1977 - March 1, 1978
702 pp
Volume LXIII
March 2, 1978 - February 27, 1979
479 pp
Volume XLVII-a
September 10, 1969 - October 1, 1969
138 pp
Trip to Europe
Volume LIII-a
January 29-31, 1972
Trip to Easton.
Volume LXIX-a
April 21, 1970 - April 25, 1970
121 pp
Trip to Virginia
Volume LII-a
August 4, 1971 - August 16, 1971
Trip to Seattle, Victoria, Vermont
Volume L-a
September 28, 1970 - October 24, 1970
201 pp
Trip to Europe
Volume L-b
October 25, 1970 - November 7, 1970
163 pp
Trip to Europe (continued)
Volume LII-b
September 20-21, 1971
Trip to Parris Island
Volume LVIII-a
September 13-27, 1974
501 pp
Trip on the Delta Queen.
Volume LIX-a
January 30, 1975 - April 24, 1975
Round-the-world trip.
Volume LIX-b
April 24, 1975 - June 1, 1975
150 pp
Round-the-world trip (continued)
Volume LIX-c
June 1, 1975 - July 4, 1975
109 pp
Round-the-world trip (continued)
Volume I
`Poems' Written before November 11, 1924
82 pp
Volume II
`Poems' Begun March 5, 1938, completed November 5, 1964
120 pp
Volume III
`Poems' Begun February 16, 1965. Last entry March 20, 1977
66 pp
N.B. Volumes of poetry are indexed by title.
`Notes on Bel Air - a character study of our county seat'
48 pp
Typescript by Van Bibber, clipped and pasted in school calendar. Heavily annotated and re-arranged. Indexed: “Beginnings, Hotels, Churches, Town Government, Utilities, Transportation, The Business Section, The Fire Company, The Police, The Press and Radio, Organizations, Public Gatherings, Education, Entertainment and the Armory, The Red Cross and the Library, Affairs held in the Armory, The Movies, Chataugua, Restaurants, Notables, Loss of the Old and Hope for the New.”
“Wurz the far at? A study in Murkn. As distinguished from the American English spoken and written by my father Dr. A.F. Van Bibber M.D. to whom this book is dedicated by George L. Van Bibber”
49 pp
Preface, chapters titled: grammar, pronunciation, delivery, spelling of dialect, vocabulary, popular expressions. Illustrated by Van Bibber. Treatise on the subject of incorrect grammar and pronunciation. Diatribe against Samual Johnson's spelling rules and conventions.
