Hundred-Year-Old Composite Picture of the “Good Housekeeping Woman”

Posted on April 7, 2013 by Sheryl

18-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today: 

Friday, April 7, 1913:  There isn’t much for today.

Source: Good Housekeeping (September, 1912)

Source: Good Housekeeping (September, 1912)

Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:

Since Grandma didn’t write much today, I’ll tell you a little about what I’ve been thinking.

I am still trying to get a better understanding of how people of various backgrounds, ethnicities, and nationalities were perceived a hundred years ago.

An article in the September 1912 issue of Good Housekeeping magazine showed a composite picture of the “Good Housekeeping Woman.”

The photograph  is truly a photograph, and can truthfully be described as the typical “Good Housekeeping Woman.” It is nothing less than the portrait of one hundred of our feminine subscribers, printed upon a single negative . . . what is known as a “composite” photograph.

The hundred photographs were secured by the editor by correspondence and through agents of the magazine in widely separated sections of the continent. Some of the portraits, for example, came all the way from British Columbia. The majority, however, were from New York state, New England, and the Middle West.

I wonder how accurately the women included in the composite reflected the population.

Interesting how composite pictures were created in the days before computers . . .

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April Fooled Some People

Posted on April 1, 2013 by Sheryl

18-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today: 

Tuesday, March 25, 1913:  

The beginning of April or the time to be fooled.

To make people mad and make people gay

It’s the time of the year which we all must fear.

So be very careful about what others say.

April fooled some people today. And got fooled some myself. We had quite a row tonight while practicing.

Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:

On the first day of each month Grandma began the diary entry with a poem.

I knew my elderly Grandmother. Her diary provides a window into what she was like as a teen. It’s fun to see how remnants of the fun, quirky teen in this diary were part of Grandma’s personality throughout her life.

Awhile ago several relatives wrote guest posts about their memories of Grandma.  My cousin Anne Marie wrote about an April’s Fools day when Grandma was in her late 60’s or early 70’s.

One April Fools Day Grandma took an old newspaper from her basement and carefully glued all of the pages together and quietly placed it in our newspaper box. I can still hear Mom laughing when she tried to read the paper that day and it didn’t take her long to figure out who the prankster was.

Photo from last summer of the house that Grandma lived in during her later years.

Photo of the house that Grandma lived in during her later years.

See more guest posts with relative’s memories of Grandma by clicking on the Family Memories category.

(This comment is a repeat of the comment that I made last year on April Fools Day. I apologize for being repetitive–but it seemed so appropriate and relevant for this diary entry.)

—

The class play is on April 5. It sounds like the cast was getting really stressed out as the big day approached.  The previous day Grandma wrote that they almost decided not to have the play–but decided to persevere.

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Old Postcard from a Piano Store

Posted on March 29, 2013 by Sheryl

18-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:

Saturday, March 29, 1913:  Ma and I went to Milton this morning. The chief object of which was the buying of me a graduation dress. It is a plain white batiste to be trimmed with lace insertion and edging. I got some other things besides. Ma bought a piano. I’m so glad for now I can learn to play.

piano.postcard.front

Caption: Patience Personified

piano.postcard.backI recently visited the Roller Mills Antique Center in Lewisburg and found this old post card that advertised a piano store in Milton. Did Grandma and her mother buy their piano from C.A. Bennage? 

Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:

What a fun shopping trip!—It’s amazing that Grandma and her mother bought BOTH a graduation dress and a piano on the same trip.

A piano is a major purchase. In this era before women’s rights, I’m surprised that Grandma’s mother was able to make a purchase of this size without her husband coming along. Even today, I think that both spouses would generally be actively involved in making a purchase of this size.

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Got a Lecture from the Teacher

Posted on March 26, 2013 by Sheryl

18-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today: 

Wednesday, March 26, 1913:  Teacher gave the school a lecture, but it was really meant for me. I don’t think what I did was so bad, but I guess I won’t do it again. I might catch it right there.

Recent photo of the building that once housed McEwensville High School.

Recent photo of the building that once housed McEwensville High School.

Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:

Hmm—what the heck did Grandma do? The previous day she wrote that she got home from play practice at 11:30 and didn’t have time to do her studies.

In the past, Grandma had some issues with cheating. Might she possibly have reverted to that old habit?

Two years prior to this diary entry, on February 7, 1911, she wrote:

Some of the boys at school found the teacher’s Latin questions in examination, and we all expect to make a good mark. I do at least, but I might be fooled as some cheats are.

And, she got away with it that time. The next day (February 8, 1911) she wrote:

Had some of our exams today. Came out all right in Latin. Our arithmetic wasn’t so easy though. My fingers feel rather tired.

The next year, things didn’t go so well. On January 25, 1912 Grandma wrote:

Gave my ear to a free-for-all lecture this afternoon. It was delivered by Mr. Teacher, the chief part of which was about cheating on examinations. I’ve been so worked up at this, although Conscience tells me not to.  Anyway I believe it is time to stop, and do better in the future. So now, I will try to bid adieu to all ways of crookedness and get the things in my head instead of having them on paper.

But, Grandma did reform her ways—at least temporarily. A few days later, on February 9, 1912 she wrote:

I am disgusted with the marks I made in my examination, but although my marks are low I am not losing faith for I can truthfully say, “I didn’t cheat.” I had not much of a desire to cheat after that awful lecture and what desire I had left I managed to trample down. I intend to improve for next month and make my next teacher happy.

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Getting Old

Posted on March 21, 2013 by Sheryl

18-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today: 

Friday, March 21, 1913:  Seems rather queer to be eighteen. I realize I am getting old. Am tugging away at my old essay.  It is almost finished.

DSC02316

Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:

You might feel old but, you’re still young!

I almost feel like I’ve been growing up with you over the past several years. You were just 15 when you began the diary—and this is the third birthday we’ve celebrated together via this blog.

Happy Birthday, Grandma!!

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The Last Day of Winter in 1913

Posted on March 20, 2013 by Sheryl

17-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today: 

Thursday, March 20, 1913:  Am resting and sleeping like a log from my two nights out. Am glad this is the last day of winter.

calendar

Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:

When I was young, the first day of spring was always on March 21. So when Grandma wrote this diary entry, the 20th was the last day of winter.  Now it seems like the first day of spring varies from your to year. This year it is today—March 20.

–

Grandma attended parties on March 17 and 18. They must have really worn her out. My mind often races after exciting events and I struggle to sleep—but it sounds like that wasn’t a problem for Grandma.

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Onion Snow

Posted on March 17, 2013 by Sheryl

17-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today: 

Monday, March 17, 1913:  The green was in evidence today. Got caught in a blizzard this morning going to school but it didn’t last very long.

Ruth and I went to a party this evening up at McEwensville. It was going to be a surprise party, but it didn’t quite turn out that way.

onions

Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:

It sounds like they had an “onion snow.”  We used to always try to plant our onions by mid-March; and, we’d say that there’d be one more snow storm—the onion snow— after the onions were planted.

—

What was the party?. . . a St.Patrick’s Day party?  . . . a birthday party?. .  and why didn’t it end up being a surprise party?

HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY!

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