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

Tuesday, January 9, 1912: I believe a fellow could freeze his ears off on a day like this. You certainly don’t have to use paint on your cheeks on such a morning as we had today. Pa took me to school. Jimmie didn’t go. Got my face blackened at school today and burnt in the bargain.

For the complete January 1912 data sheet, click on Williamsport.

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

In nearby Williamsport the low on January 9, 1912 was 7 degrees and the high was 32 degrees. It was a cold morning, but not as cold as the previous day. On January 8 the low was –1 and the high was 16.

I found the weather data on the National Climatic Data Center website. Several people have asked me how to find old data on that site.

Here are the directions for finding weather data for a city on a certain date:

On the page that the link goes to, scroll down to “Global Historical Climatology Network-Daily” and click.

Then scroll down to “Individual Station Original” and click

Select the state that you are interested in. The names of lots of weather stations in the state will appear. Scroll down to the city you are interested in. Some cities are listed several times because there are different weather data series for that city.

For example, Williamsport PA is listed three times. I wanted the series that included 1912, so I selected the one that said, “Williamsport 1895-02 -1977-09.” This means that there is weather data from February (02), 1895 through September (09), 1977.  Williamsport had two data series for this time period–one with river levels on the West Branch of the Susquehanna River; the other temperatures.

 

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

Wednesday, January 3, 1912: Want it to snow so bad, bo-ho. Ma spilt almost half a bucket full of milk in the pantry this evening and I had to gather it up. It took longer to do it than it does to write it. Trying to keep my new year’s resolution. Don’t want to break it.

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

Grandma’s new year’s resolution was to make better grades than she had during the fall–though it sounds like she’s already struggling with studying and doing her homework. (I guess some things never change—It’s barely into the new year, and I’ve not totally kept all of my 2012 resolutions.)

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

Sunday, December 31, 1911: It really snowed last night, but I guess it isn’t going to stay very long from the way it looks. Went to Sunday School this afternoon. Billy was there. Won’t see him again for a long, long time. We had ice cream today but that isn’t very interesting is it? Well this year has thundered on at a rather rapid pace, so it seems to me. I have the same feeling now that I had when I commenced this diary. Sort of sad.

Mid ice and snow

And wintry glow

The solemn Old Year dies

And now I’ll end

And not pretend,

That all of these entries are lies.

Yes, the old year is passing and the new year is close at hand. Nevertheless to me it has brought joys and pleasures, as well as little petty griefs and sorrows.

I have done what I promised myself to do. To keep a written record of each passing day throughout the years, nor has my time been wasted. As I glance over its pages, I feel fully justified in my year’s work.

I have not counted the many mistakes that lie scatter amongst its pages. They are there all the same for me to laugh at when my school days are over, and I am free from the delightful task of poring over some dry General History or working a cranky Algebra problem that is my fate to get in examination if I didn’t get it when I tried it. Well I can account for some of the things I’ve don’t this last year, and some important events and the like, etc., etc, etc.

All of its pages are written upon

All of this book will soon be done

But the diary itself is just begun

And goes on until it is finished.

With the morrow comes the New Year,

And its many things in store,

So now the old year vanishes,

As did the years that come before.

Many deeds and noble ventures

They have passed like clouds of mist.

Yet this diary here remainth,

Token of a patient fist.

As the old year dies, so is this diary filled almost to brimming over. It is not to be destroyed, but kept as a treasured token of girlhood.

So passeth the year of 1911.

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

I love Grandma’s thoughtful sentiments regarding her experiences with keeping a diary during 1911. It’s cool that the diary was never destroyed–and I feel honored to have the opportunity to share this treasured token of my grandmother’s girlhood.

Billy

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

I think that Billy refers to Bill (William) Gauger. His family lived on a farm east of McEwensville. Bill married Grandma’s sister Ruth several years later, but I think that Grandma had a crush on him when she was writing this diary.

Bill probably was back in the McEwensville area over the Christmas holidays, and now needed to return to school. He was the teacher at McEwensville High School during the 1914-15 and 1915-16 school years.  During the 1911-12 school year he may have been a student at a normal school.

A hundred years ago schools that prepared teachers were called normal schools. They generally had one- or two-year programs.  Teachers were not required to have bachelors degrees in 1912—though they were paid more if they did. Many primary school teachers only had a high school diploma—while most high school teachers had some post-secondary training.

The Alumni Directory of Pennsylvania College of Gettysburg, 1832-1918 indicates that William C. Gauger, McEwensville received a B.A. in 1918. He apparently taught for a few years before completing his four-year degree. (Type: “William Gauger McEwensville Gettysburg College” into Google to find this resource.)

*Photo source: The History of the McEwensville Schools, 1800 – 1958 by Thomas Kramm. Used with permission.

Ice Cream

The Muffly’s made ice cream in the winter months when ice was readily available. This is the first time it has been mentioned during the current winter. Grandma mentioned making ice cream several times during the previous winter:

Ice Cream in January (January 22, 1911)

Old Time Vanilla Recipes (February 12, 1911)

Old Time Chocolate and Fruit Ice Cream Recipes (February 26, 1911)

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

Friday, December 29, 1911:  Today was such a greasy one, so you can guess what happened. I had all the odd chores at the house and barn to do. Well it’s over at last, but there is another same kind of day coming again this winter. Ma says she’ll have to have some help then, meaning of course I’ll have to miss a day at school, but I’m not all together hopeless. I believe there is always a way out of most any kind of a difficulty even if it isn’t visible.

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

Occasionally a diary entry totally befuddle me. This is one of the times.

I can’t figure out what a “greasy” day was—and why there was going to be another one coming up that might require Grandma to miss school to help.

In any case, it sounds like Grandma was planning ahead, and trying to figure out a way so that she won’t need to miss school. Yeah, Grandma! (I love her resourcefulness and how she thinks ahead.)