We’ve been expecting company for the last several days, but it seems to be as if they aren’t coming. It seems to be the luck around here.
The guest(s) must have come from a great distance. . . Did they come by train?
I suppose that all of the plans had been made by exchanging letters—and that when there was a delay the guests had been unable to inform the Muffly’s of the change in plans.
The visitors could have been anyone. (Grandma—How could you possibly have forgotten to write in your diary the names of visitors who apparently came from afar?)
I do know that Grandma’s mother’s (Phoebe Derr Muffly) had a brother, Homer Munro Derr, who lived in South Dakota in 1910. He was the family adventurer and academic. Homer was ten years younger than Phoebe.
According to information posted on the Rootsweb site:
In the 1910 Census, Homer Munro Derr, was a college professor at Brookings, South Dakota. The Rootweb site also indicates that:
February 5, 1872—Born in Pennsylvania
1900—School teacher, Manhattan, New York
1904—Physics professor, Epworth College, Oklahoma
1910—College professor, Brookings, South Dakota
1920—Engineer for the state, Minneapolis, Minnesota
1930—Mathematics Professor, Montgomery (Fayette County), West Virginia
May 31, 1958—Died in Los Angeles, California
Homer was married to Anna and in 1910 had one daughter, Coralie. They later had a second child, Steven.
And, here is the picture I “clipped” Homer out of. It also shows Grandma’s mother Phoebe, their parents, and other siblings.
John and Sarah Derr Family. Taken about 1900. L to R. Front Row: John, Annie (Derr) Van Sant, Sarah. Back Row: Miles, Fuller, Alice (Derr) Krumm, Elmer, Phoebe (Derr) Muffly, Judson, Homer
An aside—If I’d cleaned and cooked for guests on Saturday, I won’t still be prepared the following Wednesday. I guess people were just more flexible back then.
17-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Tuesday, August 27, 1912: Brought home my Latin Grammar, all the time thinking I had my Caesar. Didn’t want the former at all. Must study some now, so I’ll soon be in the midst of my studies this evening.
Guess I will like Mr. Teacher.
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
Hmm. . . This is the first time that Grandma’s mentioned Latin during the year and a half that I’ve been posting her diary entries. . . . though she apparently had taken some Latin in previous years because she used the Latin term puella bona (good girl) in a diary entry that I posted a few days ago.
I was amazed to discover that a hundred years ago, most females who went high school learned Latin. According to the August, 1912 issue of Ladies Home Journal, here’s what females were studying in high school:
Latin, French, or German: 82 out of every hundred
Algebra and Geometry: 87 out of every hundred
English Literature: 57 out of every hundred
Rhetoric: 57 out of every hundred
History: 55 out of every hundred
Domestic Economy (sewing, cooking, and household economics): 3 out of every hundred
The article was making the point that few females took domestic economy classes—and that maybe more should.
17-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Sunday, August 25, 1912: Won’t I be glad when tomorrow morn is here and this day is passed. Went to Sunday School this afternoon. Besse and Curt were here today.
Basket of cookies (Source: Ladies Home Journal, August, 1912)
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
With entries like this, I always create stories in my mind–even if the diary text doesn’t really provide enough information to tell whether my imagination is right or way off base.
For example, for this diary entry I picture Grandma, and her sister and brother-in-law, Besse and Curt Hester, sitting on the porch on a beautiful summer afternoon nibbling cookies. There’s a bit of a breeze–just enough to make the day seem really pleasant.
The zinnias and hollyhocks are blooming in a nearly flower garden. And, the young folks are catching up on all the gossip–who just got engaged, the runaway horse in downtown Watsontown, . . . and that school was going to start for Grandma the next day.
. . . or maybe there were thunderheads in the sky so Grandma, Besse, and Curt . . . .
17-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Friday, August 23, 1912: Didn’t do so very much today and didn’t go any place either.
Me walking down a road in McEwenville.
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
Sounds like a boring day. Maybe Grandma should have taken a walk. I know that I always feel better after a brisk walk—and she probably would have felt better, too.
Today we constantly hear in the media that we aren’t active enough. Amazingly there were similar concerns a hundred years ago:
Walking is one of the most healthful forms of exercise. It may seem unnecessary to devote much space to a subject that everyone thinks they know all about, but the fact is that, with trolley cars, automobiles, and horses, a great many persons have lost the ability to walk any distance.
It is very easy to cultivate the street car habit. An excellent rule to follow if you are going anywhere is this: If you have time, and the distance is not too great, walk.
In walking for pleasure, avoid a rambling, purposeless style. Decide where you are going and go.
Walk out in the country if possible and on roads where the automobiles will not endanger your life or blow clouds of dust in your face.
Never mind the weather. One rarely takes cold while in motion.
To walk comfortably you should wear loose clothing and old shoes.
Walking just for the sake of exercise can easily become a tiresome occupation, but the active mind can always see something of interest, such as wild flowers, gardens, and all the various sides of nature study in the country, and people, houses, and life in the city.
17-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Wednesday, August 21, 1912: Went to Watsontown this afternoon.
Site that once was the Watsontown Door and Sash Company (though the buildings are from a somewhat newer time period).
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
Watsontown was about one and a half miles east of the Muffly farm. Why did Grandma go there?
Since school was going to start in a few days, maybe she went to Watsontown to shop for school supplies . . . or maybe she went there to run an errand for her mother or father. . . or to . . .
Watsontown was a small, but bustling industrial town at the time that Grandma was writing the diary. Over the last forty years or so, Watsontown has had lots of struggles as industries have moved abroad, but it currently seems to be on an upswing.
A hundred years ago the major industries were the Watsontown Door and Sash Company (later it was the Philco plant and now Moran Industries is located on the site), the Watsontown Boot and Shoe Company, and the Watsontown Steam Flour Mill.
Just outside of town were two brick Companies—Watsontown Brick and Keystone Brick (later Glen-Gery).
Bricks are still produced in Watsontown and sold nationally. The town is famous for its clay soils that make excellent bricks.
17-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today:
Tuesday, August 20, 1912: Oh I don’t know as it is worth the while to write anything about what I did today. It wasn’t very much anyway.
Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:
Sounds like Grandma had a boring (but maybe somewhat frustrating) day. Did Grandma think positive thoughts on such days?
Here’s some a gem that I found in a hundred-year-old magazine:
They Can Who Think They Can
Learn to look at the bright side, the good things in life. Do not let the shadow of discouragement and despondency fall on your path. Never doubt for a moment that everything is not for the best in the end. If you believe firmly in yourself you will be given the strength to do some day what may now seem to be impossible.
Don’t get frightened and give up in despair if you do not arrive as soon as you would like. All conquerors of the best kind are slow, but to him who works faithfully and in the right spirit will be given the reward in good time.
Hold up your head and look the world in the face. Hold your ground and march bravely forward over all obstacles and the world will make way for you.
