19-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Sunday, August 30, 1914: Went to Sunday School this morning. We made out to have our pictures taken this afternoon. Came home and got my dinner, and then started out. Met Carrie on the way. The pictures were taken at the home of our Sunday School teacher.
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
Source: Library of Congress
In my imagination I see an itinerant professional photographer with a tripod and huge camera taking the picture, but it could have just been a church member with a Brownie camera.
It’s difficult to tell how far in advance the photo shoot was planned. Was a professional photographer engaged to take the pictures? . . . or did a Sunday School class member suggest on the fly during class that morning that she had a camera, and they really should take a class photo?
—
Carrie Stout was a friend of Grandma’s. She lived on a nearby farm that was situated midway between the Muffly farm and McEwensville.
Ten to twenty years ago, the member photographs were a big deal at my parents’ church. It involved a professional planned well in advance. The directory was made from them.
I’m not sure how it was a hundred years ago, but I have similar memories to yours from my childhood of people getting really excited about getting photos taken for a church directory.
A Hundred Years Ago 
Hope we get to see the end product but meanwhile she sounds in much better fettle.
She does sound like she was happy.
Makes me wonder about your Grandmother’s camera and what happened when she revealed she had bought one?
I’ve wondered the same thing. Hopefully her mother wasn’t upset.
Ten to twenty years ago, the member photographs were a big deal at my parents’ church. It involved a professional planned well in advance. The directory was made from them.
I’m not sure how it was a hundred years ago, but I have similar memories to yours from my childhood of people getting really excited about getting photos taken for a church directory.
Having your picture taken must have been an exciting experience then, especially if it was done by a professional!
It seems like photos were more special back then–probably because they were so much more difficult (and expensive) to take and develop.
But I wanna see the picture! (pout)
I feel the same way.
Photos were so rare back then, I imagine that they were planned and carefully thought out. Just my opinion. 😀
Diana xo
I had similar thoughts.
How exciting for her! Don’t you wish you had that photo?
I wish!
Odds are it was taken outside!
Odds are that you’re right. 🙂