In diary entries covering March 26 to June 12, 1940, Lundquist documents his sixth-grade coursework and activities, his service on safety patrol at school, participation in Boy Scouts, playing sports (including baseball, track, and basketball) and games (including ante over, red light green light, and tip the can), chores, listening to the radio, visiting the library, going to the movies, and other experiences with friends and family. He provides descriptions of the weather in Webster. 

In a 1941 Boy Scout diary, Lundquist records brief entries from January 1 to October 18, with most dates in September left blank. He covers his seventh and eighth grade school activities, including his appointment as editor of the “Gradonian.” Many entries revolve around Boy Scouts, including earning several merit badges and participating in hikes and camp meetings. Other pastimes include taking care of his little sister, doing chores, playing basketball, attending sporting events, skating, going to the library and to the movies, and other interactions with friends and family.  

The sixth and final journal for 1943 covers September 13 to December 31 and is written in a Scotch spiral notebook. Lundquist describes his school coursework in Latin II, English II, Geometry, and Biology. During the first week of school, he is excused to finish threshing at neighboring farms, putting in over 116 hours. At school, he is elected president of the sophomore class and participates in glee club, mixed chorus, football, and basketball. He provides descriptions of football games and homecoming at Webster, called Tom Tom Days. Other activities include Boy Scouts (collecting scrap paper to bale) and many trips to the library and to the movies and listening to the radio. On November 27, 1943, he notes, “I finished reading the book “My Battle” by Adolf Hitler. It was crazy but interesting to get his views on some things.” In the same entry he notes that “Pistol Packin Mama” and “They’re Either too Young or too Old” were in first and second place on the hit parade. Authors of books checked out from the library include Zane Grey, John Steinbeck, Lloyd Douglas, Harry Kroll, and Rafael Sabatini. Movies seen include “Action in the North Atlantic,” “Watch on the Rhine,” and “The Phantom of the Opera.” Lundquist also reports spending time downtown with friends. References to World War II include buying war bonds at school, attending a lecture by a veteran who had conducted twenty-five bombing raids, and serving on a school committee to create a service flag for Webster High School.  

The third journal for 1944 covers July 1 to September 10 and is written in a Scotch spiral notebook. Lundquist reports on his work as caretaker of the school grounds. He also describes shocking grain at various farms in the evenings and helping with threshing. Other summer activities include roller skating for the first time, camping, fishing, baling paper for the Scout paper drive, going to movies, and attending the South Dakota State Fair in Huron. Lundquist records his income for the summer at the end of the journal ($319.85). He describes the public dedication of the Webster High School service plaque and the selling of over $10,000 in war bonds at the event.

The fourth journal for 1944 covers September 11 to October 8 and is written in a Scotch spiral notebook. Lundquist reports on his classes (Advanced Math, English III, American History, Physics, Typing and athletics), football practice and games, and his election as vice president at a Student Council meeting. He begins running the school’s “motion picture machine,” or projector, for movies shown during high school and grade school classes and in the community. He describes listening to the radio, reading library books, including The Seventh Cross, “a story of inside Germany before the war,” going to movies, pheasant hunting, and continuing work on the Scout paper drive. He describes Civil Air Patrol (C.A.P.) meetings, including attending a talk by a major who headed the Air Corps’ chemical warfare division. Lundquist describes a tractor accident death that his father, as coroner, is called to.  

The fifth journal for 1944 covers October 9 to November 30, written in “The Spiral Note Book.” Lundquist describes school classes and activities, homecoming, his service as student manager of the basketball team, and football practice and games. He reports giving a speech in English class on postwar aviation, and another on “Education for the New Technology” at an assembly program for National Education week. Other activities include joining the newly formed Camera Club and running the movie projector for the school and community. He also runs the “record machine” for school dances and learns how to run the mimeograph machine. He continues to attend Scout meetings and Civil Air Patrol meetings. He documents listening to the radio, going to the library, seeing movies (including “Going My Way,” Sherlock Holmes, “Take It or Leave It,” and “Henry Aldrich’s Little Secret”), as well as pheasant hunting and fishing. On October 21, Lundquist notes the invasion of the Philippines. On October 25, he writes about a crashed air bomber southwest of Webster. Lundquist reports on the presidential election contested by Franklin D. Roosevelt and Governor Dewey.

In the first of six journals covering 1943, Lundquist records happenings from January 1 to March 8, writing in a Rexall Du-O-Ring notebook. Now a freshman at Webster High School, he covers school, where he earns straight A’s, is on the honor roll, and serves as student manager for basketball. Many of the entries relate to World War II, including his involvement with the Victory Corps Council selling war stamps and holding a scrap copper, brass, and bronze drive. Diary entries cover war announcements, including the actions of Churchill and Roosevelt and the rationing of shoes and food in Webster. Lundquist lists the addresses of five friends and relatives serving in the war at the end of his journal. Other entries describe Boy Scout activities, tumbling class, trips to the library and to the movies, the weather, a diphtheria scare, and interactions with family and friends. 

Lundquist’s fifth journal for 1943 covers August 18 to September 12, the last day of summer vacation, and is written in a Rexall Du-O-Ring notebook. He documents his many hours helping with threshing and reports that he made $193 during the summer vacation, averaging $55 per month. Lundquist also describes boating, fishing, the weather, and movies seen. He records news of World War II obtained from news reels, radio, and print media, primarily focusing on the actions of the American and British forces and the surrender of Italy. 

The final journal for 1944 covers December 1 to 31 and is written in a Scotch spiral notebook. Lundquist describes school, going out for debate, his service as student manager for basketball, and membership on a committee directing a bond drive to help in the War Loan drive. Other activities include trips to the library, listening to the radio, going to movies (“Dangerous Journey,” “Sweet and Lowdown,” “The Big Noise,” and “Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves”), photography, ice skating, and Civil Air Patrol meetings. At a regional Scout meeting, his father is presented with an award and plans are made for an Explorer Troop for senior scouts. As Christmas approaches, Lundquist takes his little sister Dot to see Santa Claus and watches her perform at the program at the American Lutheran Church. On December 25, he writes, “We all had a very nice Christmas here. The only thing that made it all sad was the war and the success of the German offensive started a few days ago.” On December 29, he reports, “the news from Europe is better today. the German offensive has been stopped and the Allies are attacking at present. This battle may turn out to be the most important one of the European war.” 

The third journal for 1945 covers May 1 to August 15 and is written in a Scotch spiral notebook. Lundquist reports on school activities, including the Prom with a western, rustic theme. He notes that he received one of the highest grades in the University of South Dakota scholarship test, rating 11½ in the state. He continues to run the movie projector at school and at town meetings and to write articles for the “Websterian.” Other activities are roller skating, hanging out downtown, boating, Scout camp (where he is in charge of a Waubay troop of tenderfoots), going to the library (reading The House of Seven Gables), and to the movies (including a Sherlock Holmes mystery, “For Whom the Bell Tolls” in color, “Thunderhead,” “The Climax,” and “Can’t Help Singing”), and shocking grain. Lundquist decides to take a summer correspondence course from the University of South Dakota to earn the 1½ high school credits he needs to finish high school—a ½ credit course in American Government, a ½ credit course in Solid Geometry, and a ½ credit course in Radio. After completing the Radio course, he plans to take a test to qualify for the Navy’s radar program. He also considers going to the South Dakota School of Mines or the University of Minnesota. He notes that some of his high school friends have been drafted. Lundquist devotes many journal entries to World War II events, including Germany’s surrender (VE Day) on May 8, 1945, the drop of the atomic bomb on Japan on August 6, and Japan’s surrender on August 14. With the end of the war, Lundquist decides not to take the Navy radar test.

In a 1942 Boy Scout diary, Lundquist makes brief entries covering January 1 to February 10 and June 11 to August 23, with some July and August dates left blank. He mentions school activities (including having a part in the eighth-grade play), winter and summer recreation (including ice skating, swimming, and basketball), Boy Scouts, a first aid course, patrol, and camping. He also notes time spent shocking grain, baling paper for a Scout paper drive, listening to the radio, and chores.  

The first of six journals for 1944 covers January 1 to March 31. Writing in what is titled “The Spiral Note Book,” Lundquist describes his classes, in which he again receives straight A’s. He begins teaching Geometry and Algebra classes whenever the instructor Harold Ashbaugh is away. He serves as co-editor of the “Circum Scholam,” a newspaper published by his Latin class. He reports on Student Council experiences, including efforts to change a planned 10:30 pm curfew in Webster to 11:00 pm, gaining support from town clergy and meeting with the City Council. Other school activities include planning the sophomore party and serving as student manager of the basketball and track teams and as chief class editor of the “Bearcat,” Webster High School’s annual. He works on his family tree for Biology. “I have over 200 relatives on it now. Some of them live in Sweden, England, and Cuba.” Lundquist describes district, regional, and state basketball tournaments. Other pastimes include hunting, skating, and Boy Scout meetings, where he is elected Senior Patrol Leader. He continues to listen to the radio, enjoying the hit parade and Sunday night programs, including “some good mysteries.” He also reports on his trips to the library and to the movies, viewing “Riding High,” “No Time for Love,” “Henry Aldrich Haunts a House,” “Mission to Moscow,” and many war pictures. World War II related activities include selling war stamps and bonds and writing to and receiving letters from servicemen. Lundquist also reports on a lecture given by a “newspaper man [on] the world situation in general and how to prevent wars,” rating him as “one of the best speakers I have ever heard.” While Lundquist’s mother and sister take a trip to Wisconsin, he serves as the primary cook for himself and his dad. On March 26, he celebrates his sixteenth birthday. 

The fourth journal for 1945 covers August 16 to November 20 and is written in a Scotch spiral notebook. Lundquist records the completion of all his correspondence courses and discusses his plans to go to college in the fall. He writes to the University of Minnesota and Iowa State College for bulletins and information, but, after talking with Mr. Ashbaugh, teacher at the high school, decides to go to South Dakota State College in Brookings. While still in Webster before leaving for college, he spends time at the high school with his former classmates at football practice, attends a baseball game, and goes downtown regularly for entertainment, including roller skating and movies. He notes his especial interest in a newsreel about the atomic bomb and the test bomb in Arizona. He spends time shocking and threshing at various farms. On September 25, Lundquist travels to Brookings with Webster friend LeRoy Ellig. They room on the third floor of Ethel Mae Swanson’s rooming house, where several college students also stay. He describes orientation activities, including a talk by President Lyman Jackson, a reception held by college teachers at the Union, a tour of the college, a student mixer, entrance exams, a general assembly for freshmen, and registration. Lundquist registers in the engineering division. His classes include Chemistry and Chem Lab, English, Algebra, Engineering Shop, Engineering Drawing, Military, Phys Ed, and Orientation, carrying 18½ credit hours and costing $58.50 in fees. Lundquist begins classes on October 1, with Engineering Drawing class meeting on Saturdays. He notes that freshmen are required to wear a green cap at all times until Hobo Day on October 27. Among the pastimes recorded by Lundquist are roller skating at Lake Campbell, playing pool at the Union, going to parties and dances, State football games, and movies, and listening to the radio. He takes a job helping to serve meals and clean up for Mrs. Swanson each noon and supper. On October 11, he notes that the Dean of Home Economics, Edith Pierson, had died from a heart attack and afternoon classes are dismissed on October 12 for the funeral. Lundquist is actively involved in constructing the Freshman and Engineers’ floats for the Hobo Day parade. During Hobo Day week, he attends the Blue Key smoker. Other Hobo Day activities include a beard judging contest, torch light parade, pep meeting, and kangaroo court. On Hobo Day, he helps pull the engineers’ float at the parade, begs for his dinner per Hobo Day custom, and attends the football game (won by State), and a dance. Lundquist does well on mid-terms, receiving a 97% in Chemistry, 99% in English, and a perfect score in Algebra. At the end of the journal, he includes an account of cash at hand and expenses.

The fifth journal for 1945 covers November 21 to December 31 and is written in “The Spiral Note Book.” Lundquist describes Thanksgiving spent at home in Webster and catching up with friends and family, a month of classes and activities at South Dakota State College, and Christmas vacation back in Webster. In Brookings he attends basketball games played by State and by Brookings High School teams, a magician’s program in the college auditorium, and a presentation of the Messiah by Handel. Other activities include shooting at the rifle range in the R.O.T.C. Armory, playing cards with Marjorie “Ike” Goldsmith, “the only girl taking engineering,” and attending a student recital in which Lois Ullman, ”the girl that works with us downstairs for Mrs. Swanson,” played the French horn and the piano. He studies for and takes his final exams, receiving a perfect score in the Engineering Drawing test. He rides the bus to Webster for Christmas vacation. He describes presents received, his sister Dot’s Sunday school program, and pastimes with friends and family, including basketball, volleyball, bowling, skating, spending time at the Bearcat Bowl youth recreation center, going to movies, and doing the Sunday crossword puzzle with his dad. He includes an account of income and expenses at the end of the journal. 

The second journal for 1946 covers March 8 to June 7 and is written in “The Spiral Note Book.” Lundquist attends the state basketball tournament in Sioux Falls in which Webster High School plays and where he is surprised to see his family. He gives them a tour of State College on their way back to Webster. He receives straight A’s for the winter quarter. During a week’s break in Webster, he spends time downtown with friends, goes to an Izaak Walton meeting with his dad, helps judge a district Boy Scout first-aidoree, and visits the high school. On March 26, his eighteenth birthday, he registers for the draft, travels back to Brookings, and registers for the spring quarter. His classes include Chemistry and Chem Lab, Analytic Geometry, Economic History, Descriptive Geometry, Phys Ed, Military, and English. For English class he writes a term paper on mineral luminescence, fluorescence, and phosphorescence. He begins work at Mabel Graham’s boarding house (Mrs. Swanson having quit serving meals), with duties ranging from washing dishes to cooking. Lundquist acquires a new roommate, Bob Smith, after Irwin Manley leaves to help his injured father on their farm. He marches in the Army Day parade with the R.O.T.C. unit, carrying the guidon, and participates in an R.O.T.C. inspection. He attends the Union’s sixth anniversary birthday party, a Brookings Theater play, the Ag Barn-dance, and the annual May fete put on by the college women. He spends time downtown and goes to movies and lectures. On May 24, 1946, he receives his diploma at the Webster High School graduation, noting that “it felt rather odd to be graduating from high school after attending almost a whole year of college.” Back in Brookings, he goes to an Engineers picnic at Lake Camel, with boating, kittenball, and roller skating. After finishing final tests on June 7, he hitchhikes to Webster.

The fourth and final journal for 1946 covers July 15 to December 31 and is written in a spiral notebook. Lundquist finds employment cleaning and remodeling the basement of the Soil Conservation building, shocking grain, and working on a housing project at the city park designed to furnish housing for returning servicemen. For the latter job, he is paid seventy-five cents per hour. Other summer activities include picnics, visiting lakes, building a raft, hiking, time spent downtown, roller skating, movies, Scout meetings, baseball games, playing chess and pool, studying calculus, and giving a talk on astronomy at the Izaak Walton meeting. Lundquist returns to State College, rooming at Mrs. Swanson’s rooming house with Verl Cutler, a navy veteran. He continues to work at Mrs. Graham’s boarding house. His classes include Physics and Physics Lab, Calculus, French, Principles of Economics, Military, and Phys Ed. His Physics class meets at 8 am on Saturdays, which he terms a kill joy. “A person can’t relax and have a good time Friday night with a Physics class next morning at 8:00.” He describes football games attended and provides extensive coverage of Hobo Day preparations and events. He is appointed chairman of the float committee for the sophomore class. The float is shaped like a scale indicating “the ratio of boys to girls now and during the war.” The theme of the Swanson Hall float is “Hobo Orchestra.” Lundquist and fellow Swanson Hall roomers receive permission to drop leaflets from an airplane on Hobo Day. He describes the Blue Key Smoker, held in the Stock Pavilion with over 700 people served cafeteria style. In the Hobo Day parade, Lundquist rides on the Swanson Hall float and notes that “our leaflet campaign worked out nicely.” State’s football team defeats Augustana and the evening features the “big Hobo Day Dance.” At the University of South Dakota’s Dakota Day homecoming, Lundquist plans the distribution of 8,000 leaflets that are “permits to surrender” and writes copy for an imitation of USD’s newspaper the “Volante,” calling it the “Volnutte,” commenting that “the U is going to be snowed under next Saturday.” He is pleased to report that the distribution goes as planned and that State beats the U in the afternoon’s football game. Lundquist returns to Webster for Thanksgiving, enjoying time with family and friends, watching high school basketball practice, and ice fishing. Back at State, he attends basketball games, and goes on dates. The Engineering Physics students meet to organize the Society of Engineering Physicists, with a plan of studying the Smyth report on atomic energy during the next quarter. Lundquist finishes finals and takes the bus to Webster on December 19. In Webster he does Christmas shopping, plays chess, listens to the radio, and ice skates with his sister. On December 26, he notes that his dad has gotten a coroner’s case. In the final days of the year, Lundquist watches high school basketball practice, goes to the library, and does some reading on nuclear physics. On New Year’s Eve, he and his dad play chess. At the end of the 1946 journal, Lundquist includes a list of expenses from September through December 1946.

The entries in Lundquist’s second journal for 1943 cover March 9 to May 31. Writing in a Rexall Du-O-Ring notebook, he reports on happenings in school (again earning straight A’s) and around Webster. Activities include the state basketball tournament, Scout meetings, long bike trips and hikes, visiting nearby lakes, building his first model airplane (a Vought-Sikorsky Kingfisher), and trips to the library and to the movies (including war pictures and “Pride of the Yankees”). Chores include raking and gardening. In April, Lundquist describes his work for the Agricultural Adjustment Administration helping examine the government’s steel grain bins in and around Webster, checking for spoilage. World War II references include the rationing of meat and butter and writing letters to friends and family serving in the war, with their addresses again listed at the end of the journal. 

Lundquist’s third journal for 1943 covers June 1 to July 10. Writing in a Rexall Du-O-Ring notebook, he details his summertime pastimes, including fishing, swimming, camping, hiking, and boating. He receives membership as an Explorer Scout. Paid work experience includes yardwork for the hospital and for neighbors in Webster and employment with the Agricultural Adjustment Administration opening and inspecting steel grain bins throughout the region. Also documented are trips to the library, movies attended, science experiments conducted, and the weather. References to World War II include mention of acquaintances serving and news of the Allies. At the end of the journal, he includes an account of his summer income.

Lundquist’s fourth journal for 1943 covers July 11 to August 17, again written in a Rexall Du-O-Ring notebook. He continues to document his summer pastimes, including Boy Scouts, trips to nearby lakes, swimming, fishing, camping, and biking. His jobs include yardwork on the hospital grounds and helping to shock oats, wheat, and flax, and to thresh at various farms. He provides an account of his income at the end of the journal. Other events chronicled are the dedication of the new city hall in Webster, writing to servicemen, and the weather, including a heavy rain. 

The second journal for 1944 covers April 1 to June 30 and is written in “The Spiral Note Book.” Lundquist describes his classes (Latin, English, Biology, Economics, and Geometry), earning all A’s. He also notes his involvement in planning various school parties and programs. Paid employment includes working on Saturdays at Wist’s Produce and working for the Soil Conservation Service planting trees on farms in the northwest part of the county. On May 24, Lundquist begins his summer job as caretaker of the athletic and school grounds at a salary of $100 a month. He continues to report on his involvement with Scouts, receiving honors and merit badges and collecting and baling paper for the paper drive. He also continues to listen to the radio and go to movies (“What a Woman,” “This is the Army”, “Henry Aldrich, Boy Scout,” “Mission Tokyo,” “The Uninvited,” etc.). On April 12, Lundquist provides an account of a jail break in Webster. Lundquist continues to write letters to friends and relatives serving in World War II. He reports on D Day on June 6, 1944, happening while he is at Camp Wisagoma with other Scouts. On June 17 and 18, Lundquist gives an account of a tornado striking Day County. At the end of his journal, Lundquist provides an account of his income.

The first of five journals for 1945 covers January 1 to February 28 and is recorded in a Scotch spiral notebook. Lundquist writes about school, including discussions in English class on the topics of racial discrimination in the United States and whether military training should be compulsory after the war. Lundquist’s classmate John Kildahl is chosen as one of four high school students throughout the nation to discuss compulsory military service on NBC’s “America’s Town Meeting” radio program. Lundquist participates in debate, considering the question “Resolved that the legal voting age should be reduced to eighteen years.” He runs the movie projector for high school and grade school classes and outside groups. He works on the “Bearcat” annual and begins writing sports stories for the “Websterian” newspaper. He continues to serve as student manager for the basketball team and describes Webster’s victories in the sectional, conference, and district tournaments. Lundquist covers weather events and his work with the telephone company at sixty cents an hour to knock ice off the wires. He also notes coroner cases to which his father is called. Other activities include Civil Air Patrol and Scout meetings, pheasant hunting, ice skating, visits to the library, radio programs, movies attended (including “Together Again” –“The show was fair. The best thing about it was that it didn’t have a war theme”). Lundquist expresses interest in navy programs after a visit by a navy recruiter. World War II news centers on the Russian drive on the Eastern front heading toward Berlin and the meeting in Yalta of Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin. “The whole world is waiting to see what comes out of the meeting. … A big peace conference has been planned for San Francisco. My only hope is that the U.S. will be able to get along with Russia.” At the end of the journal, Lundquist provides an account of his income.

The second journal for 1945 covers March 1 to April 30 and is written in a Scotch spiral notebook. Topics include school, where Lundquist continues to do well academically. After scoring in the top 100 of 3,319 students who take a test sent out by the University of South Dakota, he takes a second test in Aberdeen. School activities include service as Student Council vice president, chair of the Camera Club, master of ceremonies at a party given by the club, and co-chairman of the Junior-Senior Prom. He continues to run the school’s movie projector. He covers basketball tournaments, in which Webster wins the regional tournament and loses to Madison in “the most exciting game I have ever seen” at the state tournament in the Mitchell Corn Palace. Lundquist explores options for his future, considering finishing high school at Northern Normal in Aberdeen during the summer and then entering a radar program offered by the Navy. He continues to write articles for the “Websterian” and participates in pastimes that include volleyball, hiking, bowling, camping, building a raft, the Boy Scouts paper drive, listening to the radio, going to movies (“The Sign of the Cross,” ”Fleck and Fantasy,” “Ghost Catchers,” “Winged Victory,” and “Circumstantial Evidence,” “Blondie and Dagwood,” and a “lousy” cowboy film). He notes on April 16 that Webster received 3-4 inches of snow. Lundquist allocates much space to World War II news. He reports on April 4: “The war in Europe is going very well now. The Ruhr has been surrounded and better than 100,000 Germany troops have been trapped. The American first Army swept around the east side of the Ruhr and met Monty’s army that was going west of the Ruhr. In the Pacific, the Americans have a firm beach head on Okinawa, 300 miles from Japan.” On April 12, he writes about President Roosevelt’s death.

The first of four journals for 1946 covers January 1 to March 7 and is written in “The Spiral Note Book.” Lundquist goes to Webster’s basketball practices and their sectional and conference tournaments and also describes skating, reading, and movies watched. After returning to State College, he registers for the winter quarter and receives his fall quarter grades, all A’s except for a B in Phys Ed. Winter quarter classes include Chemistry, Trigonometry, English, Military, Engineering Shop, Engineering Drawing, and Orientation. He notes that his instructor for the Military class is a sergeant who formerly served in China. He continues to work for Mrs. Swanson, earning part of his board. He attends State basketball games, including traveling to the University of South Dakota for a game. Lundquist also plays intramural basketball on the engineers’ team, maintaining a perfect losing record. He is selected to be on the reorganized R.O.T.C. rifle team and is elected as secretary/treasurer. Lundquist acquires a new roommate, Irwin Manley, a veteran, after LeRoy Ellig receives a draft notice. He participates in the Engineers’ Assembly program, performing a skit in which he plays the female engineering student. He notes lectures attended, including one on Far Eastern affairs and another by a former member of the German Reichstag who had served on the prosecution staff at the Nurenberg trials. He continues to do well academically. He spends a few days in the Brookings hospital for a leg infection. At the end of the journal, he includes an account of his expenses.

The third journal from 1946 covers June 8 to July 14 and is written in a Scotch spiral notebook. Lundquist defers summer work plans, waiting to see if Congress acts on the draft by July first, when the present law expires. He spends time downtown catching up with friends, playing pool and chess, going to movies, including “the Lost Weekend,” roller skating, and attending ballgames. In June, he supervises three young Boy Scouts on a trip to the Black Hills, traveling with Edward Opliger, superintendent of schools in Day County. They camp in Pierre, Spearfish, and Deadwood and visit the Badlands, Spearfish Canyon, the Homestake Gold Mine, Mount Moriah Cemetery, Mt. Roosevelt, Evan’s Plunge, Wind Cave, Sylvan Lake, Harney Peak, the Needles, and Mt. Rushmore. In July, Lundquist works briefly for the R.E.A. in Webster, doing surveying, and then he and Charles Card supervise the Webster Boy Scout troop for a week at Camp Iyataka. Activities include swimming, cooking, instruction in ax cutting and knot tying, hiking, and campfire programs. “We got all the fellows back in pretty good shape,” he notes, “at least none of them had any very serious injuries. It was a rather hectic week, but it was a lot of fun too.” 

The Charles A. Lundquist Papers consist primarily of personal journals spanning from 1940 to 1946. The journals provide a detailed chronological account of Lundquist’s youth in Webster, South Dakota, documenting his academic progress, extracurricular involvement, community engagement, and reflections on national and global events—particularly World War II. Entries begin in sixth grade and continue through his early college years at South Dakota State College.

Subjects include daily routines, school activities, Scouting achievements, sports participation, work experiences, and family life. Of notable historical value are Lundquist’s observations of wartime developments, such as rationing, war bond drives, local Civil Air Patrol and Victory Corps efforts, and reactions to major WWII events, including VE Day, the atomic bombings, and VJ Day. His entries also provide a rare student perspective on education, civic responsibility, and youth culture in mid-20th-century rural America. The journals reflect a disciplined, curious, and civically engaged young man who carefully documented his development as a student, citizen, and aspiring scientist.

These papers offer unique insight into the lived experiences of a Midwestern youth during World War II, capturing both personal development and broader societal impacts through the lens of an individual who would go on to become a key figure in American space science. The journals also serve as a rich resource for understanding adolescent life, education, and patriotism in small-town America during the 1940s.