19-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Friday, November 20, 1914: <<no entry>>
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
Brrr . . . it’s cold here. Since we have no clues what Grandma was doing a hundred years ago today, I thought you might enjoy this Campbell’s Soup ad.
19-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Thursday, November 19, 1914: <<no entry>>
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
Since Grandma didn’t write anything a hundred years ago today, I’m going to go off on a tangent—
Sometimes I’m surprised how thoughts of Grandma pop into my head at the least expected times.
Last week-end my husband and I had friends over for dinner. It was almost time for them to arrive and I still hadn’t set the table.
I pulled some cloth napkins out of a drawer-and thought with dismay—“Dang it, I’m going to have to iron them.”
Annoyed, I dragged my heavy ironing board out of the closet—and suddenly thought—”Did Grandma also dislike lugging this hefty ironing board around?”
This makes perfect sense because I have Grandma’s ironing board.
She passed many years ago. It was shortly after I got married, and I needed an ironing board. So when the grandchildren were given an opportunity to select items they would like from her house—one of the things I chose was the ironing board.
I’ve used the ironing board for more than 35 years. It’s probably 60 or 70 years old (and probably could easily last another 60 or 70 years). I replaced the ironing board cover once a few years ago—but that’s it. It might be heavy, but it is also darn sturdy.
19-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Wednesday, November 18, 1914: Today passed as other days. A few flakes flew this morning. Wish the snow would get down to business, for then I wouldn’t have to look after the cows. Today they went off to a neighbors and I had to walk after them.
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
Hmm—apparently the cows were still out in the pasture, but after it snows they will be confined to the barn. During past summers Grandma mentioned several times that she needed to watch the cows. For example, on August 26, 1911, she wrote:
Everything seemed to have gone wrong today. Hard to tell what the cause really is. I have to watch the cows, and I don’t like it but school will soon start and then that task will be ended.
And, on May 18, 1912 she wrote:
What a doleful calamity. I had to watch the cows this morning, I mean this afternoon. I’m afraid that this is only the beginning. They got into the wheat for me.
This is the first time Grandma mentioned watching cows in the Fall in the diary—and I think that it’s the first time that she mentioned it in 1914.
I remain clueless as to why the cows needed to be watched. It still seems like they should have been securely contained in a field fenced with barbed wire, but obviously they weren’t (or if there was a fence it wasn’t strong enough).
19-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Tuesday, November 17, 1914: Ruth and I went to Watsontown this evening to attend the second of the course of entertainments. Didn’t want to go very bad, but since she was willing to pay my way I went.
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
Grandma-
Wow! Ruth paid your admission fee!
I love it! Sometimes your sister was annoying, but she sure came through when you were feeling down about the end of your third romance.
What was the entertainment? . . . a play? . . . a speaker? . . a musical program?
19-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Monday, November 16, 1914: <<no entry>>
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
Since Grandma didn’t write anything a hundred years ago today, I thought you might enjoy this ad that appeared in her local newspaper.
19-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Sunday, November 15, 1914: <<no entry>>
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
Sometimes I try to imagine what the various members of the Muffly family were doing on a typical evening. Since Grandma’s sister Ruth was a teacher at a one-room school house, I picture her sitting at the kitchen table grading schoolwork and planning lessons.
Since Grandma didn’t write anything a hundred years ago today, I thought you might enjoy these 1914 suggestions about how to teach spelling.
Selection of Words
The words selected for spelling are words chosen from the children’s experience in school and out. They are words in his spoken vocabulary. Such words are the names of common things, as table, chair, stool, window, etc.; they are everyday words, as which, what, when, where, etc.; they are the words found in other lessons; they are the words having a common element, as lake, make, etc.
Motive is given to the spelling lesson when the child wants to tell something in written form but cannot until he first learns how to spell and write the words.
The Prepared Spelling Lesson
There are different types of children in every school. Some are eye-minded, some are ear-minded, some are muscular-minded, and still others are vocal-minded. The more factors called into play in the mastery of a word the more quickly will that word be learned.
Following is a form of assignment for the study and preparation for the hard words of a lesson, keeping mind the different types of children.
- One of the difficult words is written slowly on the board by the teacher and pronounced distinctly.
- It is then put in a sentence so as to make clear its meaning.
- The attention of the children is directed to the difficult part of the word, as in the word “receive” the “ei,” whether “e” or “i” follows the “c.”.
- The children then write the word slowly and pronounce it clearly.
- Then the children close their eyes and see the words with eyes closed.
- After this the word is spelled orally several times.
- The whole list of words is now gone over after the careful study of one or two hard ones.
- Period of silent study: Each child is directed to spend time and attention up the words difficult for him.
- Time is then given to written spelling.
At least twice a week the teacher examines at first hand the papers of children. On the other days children examine their own papers or the papers of other children.
Ladies Home Journal (February, 1914)
19-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Saturday, November 14, 1914: <<no entry>>
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
What was Grandma doing on this Saturday a hundred years ago today? Maybe she went out with friends and wore her new blue and black boucle coat.
Did Grandma ever wish that she had some furs? They were really popular in 1914.
It is interesting to see the new furs, soft scarfs, muffs, and coats of unbelievable lightness, with hats that harmonize and strike the right note.
Ladies Home Journal (October, 1914)
