17-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Saturday, February 8, 1913: Went to Watsontown this morning to get some stuff for a box social. Ruth and I went up to McEwensville this evening. I did not spend a very enjoyable evening since the person I wanted to get my box didn’t get it and the person I didn’t want to get it got it. Rode home with Ruth and her friend. He’s one of the bald-headed types.
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
I think this is the first box social that Grandma’s gone to since she began the diary—though her sister Ruth went to one in February, 1912.
Box socials always seem like something out of story books. The girls prepared beautiful box lunches with enough food for two that were then auctioned off to raise funds for the school or some charity.
The winning bidder would eat the food with the girl who made the box.
It sounds like the box social turned into a disaster for Grandma.
Ruth was 21—the guy she was with sounds older. How old was he?. . . 30??. . . older??
A Hundred Years Ago 
This is a nice reminder of days gone by. A college senior asked me for a romantic idea for a sorority fund raiser that wouldn’t involve alcohol and would still be fun (her words) — this might be a fun idea only have the boxes empty and have a later date in mind.
Oh, I thought this was such a humorous entry! “One of the bald-headed types…!”
We all can identify with the disaster that Grandma endured with the box social….. too bad.
Grandma has someone who thinks she’s a sweetheart, to bad she doesn’t feel the same about him. Reminds me of a scene in a Paul Newman movie, “The Long, Hot Summer.”
Oh, I love that movie “The Long Hot Summer”. Your Grandma is lucky the bidding didn’t turn into a scene from Oklahoma. I love your grandma’s diary.
Oh how exciting a box social must have been for the young girls with high hopes. I can almost feel your grandma’s disappointment! What a delightful entry it makes though for her granddaughter’s blog. 🙂
I love reading about the box social. I remember seeing a movie with that event in it…that girl didn’t get the one she wanted either. I love your grandmothers note that her sister had a baldheaded type. Too funny. What did they travel in? Walking, sulky, or surrey? We have our family surrey from Pennsylvania in the local museum here in Oklahoma. There are a few cute stories attached to it.
That sounds like a cool way to meet a guy but what a bummer if he’s not your type. Dang, maybe fake an tummy ache or something?
Well times have not changed have they? It seems the person you want to get the gift in these types of situations do not. And who you don’t want gets it!
Was Ruth the one who was married?
No, Besse was the one that was married. Ruth was two years older than Grandma. She still lived at home. She was a teacher at a one-room school house. (Back then elementary school teachers didn’t need to go to college.)
Okay, thanks!