17-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Tuesday, December 31, 1912: Poor old year, how sad that you must die tonight and vanish forever into the gloomy past. Otherwise this day was the same as others. As I think of the approaching tomorrow, I wonder what that year will bring to me. I leave no deep regrets for this dying year, and though I have done things I ought not to have done, I hope they will not occur again to mar the beauty of the year 1913.
Source: Ladies Home Journal (December, 1913)
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
Does age affect how we think about the past? I don’t think of the past as gloomy—though it gets murkier as time goes by.
New Year’s Eve is a good time for self-reflection. I love Grandma’s cautious optimism—and am keeping my fingers crossed that nothing marred 1913, and that it proved to be a beautiful year.
17-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Monday, December 30, 1912: Went back to school today after a two weeks rest. Had such a time carrying my books. I had brought so many home, and it was raining in the bargain.
The road that Grandma would have walked down to go home from school on a recent rainy day.
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
Grandma had to walk about a mile and a half to get to school. Nothing’s worse than a cold December rain.
Did Grandma read all the books over the break that she brought home? What were they about?
A hundred years ago, the Christmas break was really long. And, it’s Interesting that school began prior to New Year’s Day—today schools don’t generally resume until January 2.
17-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Sunday, December 29, 1912: Went to Sunday School this afternoon. Jimmie went along.
Jimmie Muffly, circa 1913Jim Muffly, 1983
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
Jimmie was Grandma’ brother. On pictures, he looks like an adorable (though probably slightly spoiled child).
Jimmie was the only son in the family and by far the youngest child. In 1912, Grandma’s oldest sister Besse was 24 and married. The next sister, Ruth lived at home, and was a teacher at a nearby one-room school house. Grandma (Helena) was 17-years –old. And, Jimmie was 7-years-old.—a full ten years younger than Grandma.
One fun thing about doing family history research is that I often know what happened to the people in the diary.
In Jimmie’s case, he went to the University of Pennsylvania and then became a veterinarian in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. Lewisburg is about 10 miles from McEwensville. Much of his veterinary work involved taking care of farm animals.
Jimmie–known as Jim as an adult– married twice, but never had any children. His first wife died many years ago. Jim died in 1988. His second wife Ruth (she had the same name as his sister) died in 2010 at the age of 99. Her obituary is available in the online version of the Sunbury Daily Item.
17-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Saturday, December 28, 1912: We had visitors a little while this morning. Everything seemed so dull to me this awful Saturday. Guess I’ll welcome going to school next week as a change. After all my vacation lacked the enjoyment that sometimes comes to others.
Recent photo of the house Grandma lived in.
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
Who were the visitors? Grandma didn’t seem very excited about their visit.
Perhaps the visitors were old friends of her parents or distant relatives, who, from Grandma’s perspective, were very uninteresting and boring.
Based on the previous diary entries—it seems like Grandma enjoyed her Christmas break, but I suppose that she was starting to get tired of being at home. The last day of school before the break was December 13—so she hadn’t been to school for two weeks!
17-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Friday, December 27, 1912: Sold Mollie’s calf today. It wasn’t a very big one and I rather feared my fortune would be pretty small, but after all it weighed one hundred and forty-four lbs. Received a neat sum of $11.56. I am real proud over what my purse that Ruth gave me contains. Over fourteen dollars.
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
Mollie was Grandma’s cow, and it had a calf on November 15.
Grandma’s parents apparently taught their children the value of money by giving each child a cow. I think that if the cow had a male calf, the child got the money from the sale of the calf—and their personal herd grew if a female calf was born. (See previous post on teaching farm kids that value of money.)
And, we now know that Grandma’s sister Ruth was the person who gave her the purse. I bet it was stylish—and that it looked great filled with cash. Grandma was in the money. I hope she spent it wisely.
17-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Thursday, December 26, 1912: Took a rest today. Expected to have a sad night of it last night, but contrary to my expectations I didn’t. We’re trying to get away with yesterday’s left-overs.
Both a hundred years ago and now, December 26 is a good day to put your feet up and relax.
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
Some things haven’t changed much across the years. December 26 is a relaxing day (if you don’t do the Christmas sales and return things).
Sounds like Christmas left-overs weren’t Grandma’s favorite food. Scalloped Turkey is an old way of using some of the left-overs.
Scalloped Turkey
Stuffing and Turkey Mixture
Approximately 6 cups stuffing
Approximately 4 cups turkey, coarsely chopped
Use approximately 3 1/2 cups Gravy or make Turkey White Sauce
2 heaping tablespoons flour
1 stick butter
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups milk
1 cup turkey meat stock
Use left-over stuffing or make more stuffing as you would to fill a fowl, and put alternate layers of coarsely chopped turkey and stuffing in a large baking dish.
Use left-over gravy or make some using these directions. To make white sauce, melt butter in skillet. Stir in flour, salt and pepper. Gradually add milk and meat stock while stirring constantly. Heat until sauce thickens.
Pour gravy/white sauce over each layer of turkey and top with a final layer of stuffing. Bake 1/2 hour at 350 degrees.
Yield: 6 – 8 servings
I apologize for not having a photo of the Scalloped Turkey. I’ve made this recipe many times and it always turns out fine, but in the hustle and bustle of my own life, I didn’t get it made in time to get a photo for this post.
I’m doing no work today, and am putting my feet up and relaxing. Hope you can do the same.
17-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Wednesday, December 25, 1912: Xmas: I got a few presents: a purse, one dollar, an apron, a pinholder, a book, a bow, and a pair of slippers. Aunt Lizzie and Uncle George were here and Mrs. Besse to be sure.
We had a turkey and some ice cream. At present I feel like a stuffed toad from too much gourmandizing of a lot of good things. Guess I may call my Christmas a happy one and hoping everyone else has enjoyed the same likewise I’ll bring my entry to a close.
Click on picture to enlarge. Source: Ladies Home Journal (December, 1912)
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
I’m keeping my fingers crossed that Grandma got the De Luxe slippers in her favorite color. 🙂
Source: Ladies Home Journal (December, 1912)
Nice gifts, good food, family. . . It sounds like end of a perfect Christmas day.
