17-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Sunday, October 6, 1912: Was rather woe-begone this afternoon. Guess the start of it all was that I tore my good white dress. Just sat down in a chair and there was a nail or some other rough surface.
I picture Grandma’s dress being solid white–rather than a print–and really pretty, but this is the best illustration that I could find. (Source: Ladies Home Journal, July, 1912)
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
What a downer! Did Grandma tear the dress at Sunday School or at home? I hope it was at home—it would be especially traumatic to tear a dress in front of others.
I’m surprised that Grandma was wearing a white dress. It seems like it would have been difficult to keep clean. And, white seems more like a summer color than a fall one.
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.
17-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Thursday, October 3, 1912: I really did go after all my doubtings, but now I feel just as tired as there is any use in being. Saw a flying machine whirling aloft in the air for at least 10 minutes. I think twas quite a sight to see.
Biplane at 1912 Milton Fair. (Source: Chronicles and Legends of Milton by George Venios. Used with permission.)
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
Grandma went to the fair in the nearby town of Milton. She wrote the previous day that she planned to go.
Whew—I can hardly believe it, but I found a picture of the flying machine Grandma saw.
George Venios, in his book titled Chronicles and Legends of Milton, writes about the Milton Fair. And, he includes a picture of the plane that was at the 1912 fair.
The photo caption in the book says:
The photo, taken in 1912, is a pusher type biplane and is believed to be one of the first aircraft to land here while on a hair-raising “barnstorming” tour.
I contacted George and he generously gave me permission to include the photo in this post, so that you could see it. Thank you!
When I found the photo, I got my magnifying glass out to see if I could find Grandma in the crowd; though, of course, I couldn’t.
George also sent me a picture of a mural in Milton that reflects the history of transportation in the town. The mural includes an image of the 1912 biplane.
Transportation mural in Milton (Source: George Venios. Used with permission.)
Chronicles and Legends of Milton is an awesome resource that tells the story of Milton, and is full of wonderful photos. Milton has a really interesting history—and I’d encourage anyone interested in its story to get a copy of the book.
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.
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.
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?
17-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Sunday, September 29, 1912: Rained so that I didn’t go to Sunday School. Miss Bryson was here today having come down on the train last night.
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
I wonder if it was an all-day storm or just a brief shower. In general, the weather across the US was pretty good on September 29, 1912–though many cities got a little precipitation.
TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION
SEPTEMBER 29, 1912
Source: Minneapolis Morning Tribune, September 30, 1912
—
Miss Bryson refers to Blanche Bryson. She was a friend of Grandma and her sister Ruth. The Susquehanna, Bloomsburg, and Berwick railroad tracks crossed the Muffly farm, and there was a whistle stop at a nearby feed mill. I’m not sure where Blanche lived in 1912, but I think that she was a teacher and probably lived outside the immediate area.
17-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Thursday, September 26, 1912: Excuse me, but you know there is an old saying: Don’t talk when you’ve nothing to say, so I’ll just change it to: don’t write, when you’ve nothing to write.
Source: Wikimedia Commons
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
