17-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Sunday, June 16, 1912: It rained today. Wanted to go to Sunday School this afternoon, but the walking I felt sure would be simply terrible. Besse and Curt were out this evening.
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
The weather doesn’t sound good—
Mud would have been an issue since the road between the Muffly farm and McEwensville wasn’t paved a hundred years ago.
Grandma seldom skipped Sunday School—I think this was only the second time since the diary began in January, 1911.
Grandma mentioned several times in the diary that she didn’t want to miss Sunday School because each week she memorized Bible verses—and that if she memorized 700+ verses that she’d get a Bible.
Well, Grandma reached her goal on May 26 and received her Bible two weeks prior to this entry on June 3. Apparently she was less motivated to attend Sunday School now that she had the Bible.
Besse was Grandma’s married sister, and Curt was her husband.
That’s a lot of verse memorization, but good for her! It’s not hard to imagine that a walk after a good rain along an unpaved road would have been a challenge … and after all, she had her Bible at home now, right?
You’re right, she now had her Bible at home. I like the logic. 🙂
Imagining what it must have been like walking on muddy dirt roads with rain pelting sideways. How very cool that you’re sharing her diary!
I’d probably stay home, too. 🙂
I must add I am sure I would have stayed home too!! 😉 I cannot imagine memorizing 700 + bible verses – that is remarkable.
I can’t either. I’m amazed at the amount of memorization that people seemed to do a hundred years ago–both in regular school and in Sunday school.
I have been surprised how faithful Helena is about going to Sunday School — I guess it’s because I think of Sunday School in terms of younger children. And learning all those verses, rather impressive for this young lady.