1912. Far Guys Grandmother Tracie was 16 1/2 years old. She kept a diary. I am in the process of transcribing the old diary so that it can be shared with relatives. It is the first part of a huge project. I wish I were a speedy typist instead of a slow but sure one.
I have found several things curious..so I had to look them up.
Feb 2: Went to school. Albert’s were here. Anna, Emma, Harry, Jim and I went to Literary up at Star Point and nearly froze coming home. To bed 12 o’clock.
Literary pertains to or of the nature of books and writing.
Grandma always wrote what time she went to bed. She also records the comings and goings of her 12 brothers and sisters. ( the Jim she speaks of became her husband. )
Feb 16: Went to school. Decorated the school house. Floyd and Fred G. came up. Emma, Jim and I went to Lyceum, the boys sang. Harry R. rode home with us. To bed at 1 o’clock. O’yes Fred took Hazel home.
I learned that The American Lyceum movement of the mid-nineteenth to early twentieth century was an early form of adult education. Lectures, dramatic performances, classes and debates were held in countless small towns. They provided a platform for the dissemination of culture and ideas.
Feb 25: Sunday, stayed at home all day. It stormed. I played Flinch in the eve. To bed at 8-30.
Flinch is a card game: Generation upon generation have enjoyed Flinch since it was first introduced in 1905. All you have to do to win is get rid of the 10 cards in your stockpile. You'll do this by playing them in numerical sequence--whenever possible--onto the play piles in the center of the table. Sounds simple, doesn't it' Or is it' ?
It is a wonderful experience to transcribe the monthly writings..sometimes I wish she would write more..the only food she speaks of is Popcorn and Ice Cream..so far anyway. She speaks of getting stuck in snowdrifts with her friends..and of an “old time blizzard” of washing and ironing and sewing a black skirt and sewing rags together for rag rugs, reading, going to school and taking music lessons. So very different from a young lady of the same age today.
Grandma is kneeling in this photo she is second from the left in the light colored dress. Her brother Fred is in this photo too..I think he is on the left. Aunt Emma..I think is the gal with the black beads seated on the right.
It is great background information for me to sift through. With my position at the Museum..the more I know about the past and how life was way back when..the more I will be able to share on museum tours. I am always up for learning and sharing:)
Sounds like a labor of love. It's nice to get a little peek at what life was life back then. Makes the relatives from the past real instead of just people in faded old photographs.
ReplyDeleteSometimes she went to bed at 8:30 and sometimes at 1:00am. Quite a difference! I love to learn about these ways of living and how different we are today. Glad you are doing this and explaining what it means when necessary.
ReplyDeleteYour family will love this when you are done transcribing. What a wonderful post. :)
ReplyDeleteFlinch sounds a lot like the game my family plays. We call it Nerts. Each person has a deck of cards and a pile of 13 cards instead of Flinch's 10. Lots and lots of fun and laughter.
ReplyDeletelove the old photos, and the old stories.
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful! I have the diaries, family Bibles, photos etc. from generations back on both sides of the family. I would love to do something like what you are doing some day!
ReplyDeletehey Martha..now is as good of time as any to begin:)
DeleteShe probably had to go to bed at 8:30 one night, to make up for the other late ones:) I'll bet she didn't get to sleep in in the morning. Fascinating reading, makes you wish she had written more detail.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful project! I love the woman with the buns on each side of her head.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great treasure for future generations of your family!
ReplyDeleteThis is very interesting - - even not knowing who the people are. They look quite attractive in their picture.
ReplyDeleteSo - - if you are transcribing her diary - - - then there may be appreciation for our blogs one day?!!!
Thanks, Connie. I downloaded Google Chrome and problem is solved. Thanks a million.
ReplyDeleteMaple Lane was having a problem using Internet Explorer..it seems to have a glitch with the new embed comment forms that have a reply on the blogs. I usually use Google Chrome and have no problems. Far Guy says Firefox works fine too.
DeleteI just tried IE and it was ok for me..I think there must be a setting that must be changed in some older computers using IE.
What a great project!
ReplyDeleteThis is rather facinating...bring the past back to life. You certainly are creating a labour of love.
ReplyDeleteI have old photos, [can't wait to have my scanner set up so I can use it again] but no diary's. And when the oldest generation is gone, then so are the names for faces.
Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams
I enjoyed this. You are making a gift for your family and yourself!
ReplyDeleteHow interesting this would be. Even in the dull days. Just seeing her handwriting and knowing how long ago she wrote her thoughts down about the day's summary. Wow! Cool! :)
ReplyDeleteThis is so interesting...and what a great photo! That guy next to the house on the far right looks a bit "shifty-eyed" though if you ask me! LOL! My Mother and I played Flinch all the time when I was growing up. I had no brothers or sisters so we would play cards together sometimes. I also remember Go Fish and Authors.
ReplyDeleteShe got to stay up later than I did and out and about too.
How wonderful! I love reading old diaries even when I don't know the author. To have one from your family? A treasure. A real treasure.
ReplyDeleteSuch a wonderful keepsake to have- I am jealous!
ReplyDeleteI too am blessed with old diaries. It amazes how much we can get when they often write so little. It's a great look into their lives. I'm planning to put excerpts on my blog this year - soon, maybe.
ReplyDeleteI think most of us would love to have even just a day or two described by our great grandparents - the ordinary things: what they wore, what they ate for breakfast, what errands they ran, and things like that. And yet, have any of us written something that mundane for our great grandchildren? I know I tend to write the more dramatic things. But it's the everyday things that I treasure from my grandfather's diary.
Thanks for sharing - you have inspired me to get going on my blog entries with his diaries.
Donna
Now girl if this isn't a grand treasure and just your cup of tea!!! What a wonderful find to have a diary to help back up the pictures. I'd give anything to find such a priceless item.
ReplyDeleteI know your gonna have fun with this one!
God bless ya sweetie and have yourself a grand day!!!
What treasures! I have all of my father's diaries from the early 1930s. I love going through them. It is during the time that he was dating my mother. He talks about when he would get to see her, how much gas costs for their drive, etc. I never thought of transcribing them, what a wonderful idea.
ReplyDelete