1914 Biltmore Hotel Advertisement

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

Wednesday, January 21, 1914: Can’t give much of an account of myself for today.

Source: National Food Magazine (April, 1914)

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

Winter gets long. It’s time to start thinking about a vacation. During the 3+ years that I’ve been posting the diary entries, Grandma has never traveled more than 15 miles or so from her home. Did Grandma ever dream of visiting a city? . . . Maybe New York City?

Since Grandma didn’t write much a hundred years ago today, I’ll share a fun advertisement for the Biltmore Hotel in New York City that was on the back cover of the April, 1914 issue of National Food Magazine.

I’ll take one of those $2.50 a night rooms. . . . well, now that I’m thinking about it, I’d be willing to pay a little extra for a room with a bath. 🙂

1914 Libby’s Canned Fruit Advertisement

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

Sunday, January 18, 1914: A couple of girlfriends called this afternoon.

Source: National Food Magazine (December, 1914)

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

Since I don’t think that the Muffly’s had a phone, I assume that “called” means “visited.”

Did Grandma serve a snack to her girlfriends? . . .Maybe some Libby’s California canned fruits?

Thiery Pianos “Help Keep Boys and Girls on the Farm”

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

Friday, January 2, 1914: Have a hard piece of music on hand now, which will mean some work for me if ever I am to get it in some kind of a creditable condition.

Source: Kimball's Dairy Farmer Magazine (March 1, 1914) — Source: Kimball’s Dairy Farmer Magazine (March 1, 1914)

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

Grandma’s lesson must have gone well since her teacher decided she was able to handle a harder piece of music.

Grandma’s mother bought the piano the previous spring—and Grandma began lesson shortly thereafter. Did her mother buy the piano to in an attempt to make Grandma feel more content on the farm?

A very wordy advertisement for Tiery pianos in the March 1, 1914 issue of Kimball’s Dairy Farmer Magazine encouraged parents to buy a piano to help keep their boys and girls on the farm.

A hundred years ago farmers worried a lot about their children leaving the farm for more urban areas. Advertisers often picked up on that fear to market a product. A previous post contained an ad for Harley Davison Motorcycles that also promised to keep the kids on the farm.

LaBlache Face Powder

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

Friday, December 19, 1913: Ruthie returned home this afternoon. The same Ruthie that went away last Monday. Wonder what she got me for Xmas.

Source: Ladies Home Journal (December, 1913)

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

I think that Grandma’s sister Ruth attended professional development meetings for teachers while she was in Sunbury—but it sounds like she also found a little time to go Christmas shopping.

What Did Ruth buy Grandma? . . . maybe some face powder?

I bet that Grandma was glad to have her sister home. Ruth had gone to Sunbury four days earlier and left Grandma with “all of the milking.”

1913 Jewelry Advertisements

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

Thursday, December 18, 1913: Kept house again and was this time so unfortunate as to burn the coffee. Ma was in town shopping. Wonder what she got for me. All that I know is that it came from a jeweler’s.

Source: Holmes Company Advertisement in November, 1913 issue of Ladies Home Journal

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

Guessing is so much fun. . .

What gift did her mother buy her?. . . a pink cameo pendant? . . . a monogrammed scarf pin? . . . a watch?

Which jeweler did Grandma’s mother go to?. . . maybe Fielder’s in the nearby town of Milton?

Source: Milton Evening Standard (May 27, 1913)

Recent photo of South Front Street, Milton

Burning the Coffee

Until I read this diary entry, I never heard of anyone burning coffee. What is burned coffee? And, what might have happened that caused it to burn?

1913 Parker Games Advertisement

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

Wednesday, December 17, 1913: Went to town this afternoon to do my Xmas shopping. I managed not to spend all the money I had taken along with me, and still bought the presents I had decided upon.

Source: Ladies Home Journal (December, 1913)

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

Yeah! It’s always good when gifts cost less than anticipated.

Grandma, what did you buy? . . . . Maybe a game for your 8-year-old brother Jim that both you and he would enjoy playing?

Salvation Army Request for Donations

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

Tuesday, December 16, 1913: Kept house today and found something to do nearly all day.

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

It’s funny how housework can expand to fill the time available. What did Grandma do to keep busy all day? . . pick up? . . . dust? . . . sweep the floor?

Since Grandma didn’t write much a hundred years ago today, I’m sharing a December, 1914 request for donations from the Salvation Army. I went grocery shopping today, and the Salvation Army bell-ringer was outside the supermarket. It’s interesting to see how it was done a hundred years ago.