Category: Other

Does Poor Air Quality Cause Colds?

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

Friday, October 11, 1912:  I’ve fully awakened to the startling fact that I’m getting another cold. It’s on its way. Had an exam in Caesar.

Maybe cough cream would help cure Grandma’s cold. Was this about the same thing as Vicks Vapor-rub? (Do they still make that?) Ad in November 1912 issues of Good Housekeeping magazine.

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

This is the second cold that Grandma had during Fall, 1912.  On September 1, 1912 she wrote:

I have one cracker jack of a cold. . . . .

I wonder if lower air quality due to the use of a wood or coal stove for heating might have contributed to the current cold. This is what the October, 1912 issue of Ladies Home Journal had to say:

When “Colds” Begin

No sooner do we light our winter fires than we begin to have “colds” and we blame it on the colder weather. Doctors know, however, that it is not the lower temperature that brings on “colds.”

If cold weather produces “colds,” why is it that they do not have such diseases in the Arctic regions, where today they are absolutely unknown? Why is it that Peary and his men never had a single “cold” until they came back to American shores—and our dry-heated homes?

God never created the oxygen in the air to make us sick, but to keep us well. If the fresh air can do so much to heal the lungs attacked by tuberculosis or pneumonia how much more can it do for the healthy lung? If fresh air can heal a diseased lung can it not likewise keep well a healthy lung? It is the dust and the dry heat inside our homes that produce our “cold”: never the fresh air.  . .

Head in a Muddle

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

Wednesday 9, 1912:My head is all in a muddle, and I hardly know how to think.

A recent dreary day in McEwensville

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

I’m going to remember the word “muddle.” No more senior moments for me—from now on my head is going to  just be in a muddle whenever I make a silly mistake.

Why was Grandma’s head in a muddle? Was something wrong? Was she worried about something?

Whatever was bothering her has been lost over time. Too bad she didn’t record it in the diary.

Difficult to Study After a School Vacation

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

Saturday, October 5, 1912:What with two days of vacation I haven’t worked much at my books in the way of getting my lessons out for Monday.

Source: Wikimedia Commons

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

Grandma’s school was closed the previous two days so that students could attend the Milton Fair. It’s hard to get back to the books after a long break.

Oh, well, it was only Saturday—Grandma still had Sunday to get her lessons done.  🙂

What Does “Didn’t Cut Much Ice with Me” Mean?

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

Friday, October 4, 1912:  It was my turn to keep house today while Pa, Ma, and Jimmie went to the fair to take in the sights. I wasn’t to go away any place as I was to mind the house, cows, etc. Didn’t cut much ice with me, as I felt still tired from yesterday and was content to stay at home.

Recent photo of the Muffly farm. It probably seemed quiet and lonely when Grandma was the only person at home.

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

Seems reasonable to me—

Grandma had a wonderful day at the Milton Fair the previous day. Now it was her parents and little brother’s turn to go.

Where was Grandma’s sister Ruth?  She was a teacher at a nearby school. Maybe Ruth didn’t give her students the day off like Grandma’s school did.

What does “didn’t cut much ice with me” mean? Grandma sounded annoyed that she had to stay home—yet she wrote that she was tired and content to stay home.

A quick Google search suggests that it means “don’t influence me”, but that doesn’t exactly work in this context.

School Will Close for Two Days So Students Can Attend Fair

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

Wednesday, October 2, 1912:  I guess I’ll go tomorrow. We have Thursday and Friday off. Think I’m glad of it

Milton, PA
Recent photo of Milton. In the early 1900’s,the fairgrounds were north of town.

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

Grandma  was referring to the Milton Fair in this post. The previous day, she mentioned that it was fair week.

It’s interesting how the school closed for two days so that students could attend the fair. What was the educational aspect of the fair? . . .or maybe the teacher just figured that students would skip school anyway for the fair, so he might as well give them the days off.

I think that when I was a child that we got a half day off to attend another fair–the Bloomsburg Fair. I wonder if schools do that any more.

Events Occur with a Predictable Regularly

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

Thursday, October 10, 1912:

So here comes the month of October.

Arrayed in a many hued gown

Trimmed with the tints of bright Autumn,

The purple, the orange, the red and the brown.

This is Fair week, and I hope that the weather will be that also. I long to go, but I do not know whether we’ll get a day off or not. Must try and find out tomorrow.

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

My life has a routine with a predictable seasonal ebb and flow, with recurring events that occur at predictable times.

Today marks the beginning of my 22nd month posting Grandma’s diary entries—and I find that I’m also beginning to get a sense of the ebb and flow of her routine a hundred years ago.

Grandma began each month with a poem that either gave her perspective of the upcoming month—or mourned the passing of the previous month.  She also talked about harvesting crops and watching cows with amazing regularly across the two years, and in early autumn each year she wrote about Fair Week in the nearby town of Milton.

On September 20, 1911 she wrote:

Papa and Mamma and Jimsey went to the fair this afternoon. I expect to go tomorrow if the weather is favorable. We have Thursday and Friday off for the fair.

And, I’m starting to notice exceptions to patterns. The fair held about two weeks later 1912 than in 1911. I wonder why.

Elected Class Secretary

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

Monday, September 30, 1912:  Our class had a meeting this evening after school. I had the misfortune to be elected secretary. But better, or rather it suits me better to have been that, than president or treasurer would have suited me.

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

Where did the class members meet? At the school? . . . at the home of one of the students? . . . at a restaurant? I believe that this building was a restaurant a hundred years ago. Maybe they met there.

It’s awesome that Grandma got elected class secretary—though she seemed slightly annoyed.

Maybe I’m trying to read too much between the lines, but  was Grandma really hoping that she won’t be elected to any position–or had she hoped to be elected president or treasurer?