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

Saturday, August 16, 1913:  Went out to Alma’s this morning on the train. We went to a festival over at California this evening. That was the first country festival I was ever to. We went up to the Hall this afternoon to tap the packers and then we swiped a dish of ice cream. When we finished it, we washed the dish and spoon in salt water.

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

California was a very small hamlet in western Montour County, and Alma was a cousin of Grandma’s.

Grandma would have taken the Susquehanna, Bloomsburg, and Berwick train from a whistle stop near her home to Montour County. It would have been about a 15 mile trip.

—

Grandma, you should have paid for the ice cream, and you shouldn’t have washed the dish and spoon in the salt water that was draining out of the ice cream maker—but whew, it sure sounds like you and Alma were having a lot of fun!

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

Thursday, August 14, 1913: Nothing much doing.

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

The previous day Grandma wrote that she initiated her new camera by taking two photos at the Sunday School picnic.

I found a hundred-year-old book called Practical Suggestions Regarding the Selection and Use of a Photographic Equipment. It has lots of advice that brought back vague memories of a camera we had when I was a child.

For example, it explained how to avoid double exposures:

One thing to do after making each exposure is to turn the film to the next number. Make this a positive habit. Cultivate yourself and it will be worthwhile. Upon beginning to use a Kodak, if you will constantly remember that the first thing to do after each is to turn the film, you will become accustomed to doing so and in time will do it intuitively and will no long have to think about it. This will mean no double exposures (two exposures on the same film).

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

Tuesday, August 12, 1913:  Am busy planning.

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

Grandma was helping plan a Sunday School picnic.  A hundred years ago picnics often included games and activities. Here are some activity ideas in a July, 1913 article in Ladies Home Journal.

Names and Topics Game

One game is to mention all the names participants can think of—either given names or surname– by topic.

For instance, “What names suggest occupations?” These include: Miller, Farmer, Tanner, Goldsmith, Mason, Weaver, Cook, Dean, Smith, Carpenter, Taylor, Cooper, Butler, Preacher, Sheppard, Crook, Baker, Painter, Bishop, etc.

“What names are colors?” White, Black, Green, Brown, Gray, Violet, Rose, Lavender, Pearl, etc.

“What names are flowers?” Lily, Rose, Daisy, Violet, etc.

Alphabet Game

In the Alphabet Game, it will be necessary for one in the party to be close enough to the firelight to read from a memorandum card. When he calls out a subject, it must be answered with a word or sentence beginning with the letter that was chosen throughout the complete list of questions: Suppose “C” is the chosen letter; the leader will say: “Beginning with C, name (1) An American city; (2) a foreign city; (3) an American river; (4) a foreign river; (5) a mineral; (6) a poet; (7) a poem ; (8) a book of fiction; (9) an author; (10)a vegetable; (11) a bird; (12) a fish; (13) an insect (14) a statesman; (15) an article of apparel for men; (16) an article of apparel for women.

An Illustrative of how the game works with “C”. The answers to the questions: (1) Columbus; (2) Constantinople; (3) Columbia; (4) Congo; (5) Cooper; (6) Coleridge ; (7) Charge of the Light Brigade; (8) Crossing; (9) Carlyle; (10) Cabbage; (11) Canary; (12) Cod; (13) Centipede; (14) Churchill; (15) Cap; (16) Cape.

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

Sunday, August 10, 1913: We have decided to have our S.S. picnic next Wed. So many things are coming so close together this month.

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

Grandma— For so much of the summer you’ve seemed kind of down. It’s fun to see your excitement about the Sunday School picnic and the other things that are coming together (whatever those things may be).

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

Saturday, August 9, 1913:  Nothing doing. Had company today.

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

Cut flowers are always a nice touch when there’s company.

Gladiolas are in season– maybe Grandma cut a few and put them in a vase . . .