Women’s Shoes a Hundred Years Ago

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

Saturday, November 9, 1912: Was real busy today. Got a new pair of shoes, but I wasn’t away to get them. As I said before that I was busy today.

wils36338.shoes — Source of pictures: Ladies Home Journal (1912)

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

Hmm . . . How did Grandma get shoes without going anywhere? Did her mother or sister buy them for her?

I’ve posted lots of pictures of 1912 fashions from Ladies Home Journal—and many of the pictures showed shoes peeking out beneath the dresses. Today, I cropped a few of the pictures to just show the shoes.

You can get a sense of what stylish shoes looked like a hundred years ago—though many of the shoes were drawn in a soft, slightly blurry way since they weren’t the focus of pictures.

Parties, Dinners, and Flinch Games

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

Friday, November 8, 1912: Postponed my lessons until tomorrow since today is Friday.

DSC06555.crop — Recent picture of McEwensville. Was it a hot time in the old town a hundred years ago tonight?

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

Sounds like a plan! If I had been Grandma I probably would have postponed my lessons until Sunday evening.

Did Grandma do any fun things on this Friday evening? She hasn’t mentioned any exciting social activities in recent diary entries, but in the past she’s mentioned going to out to dinner and to parties:

I went to a party this evening in McEwensville up at Watson’s. I had a very pleasant time. It was almost two o’clock when I got home.

February 17, 1911

I was invited to dine out this evening and accepted the invitation. It was up at Gauger’s. My beauteous or rather vain sister was up also. It was, as I supposed in honor of the senior class. I had quite a pleasant evening. I played Flinch part of the time. My partner and I winning two games.

March 1, 1911

Just got home from a party a little while ago. It was up at Amelia Seibert’s. I had a real nice time. As I thought, B.G. was there

August 3, 1911

Whew, those entries are all from 1911. Grandma attended some parties in 1912—but they aren’t the diary entries that are memorable. It almost seems like her social life was in the doldrums. . . but I’m keeping my fingers crossed that she had a fun Friday evening and just didn’t write about it.

Book Review: Daddy-Long-Legs

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

Thursday, November 7, 1912: I just finished reading a book a few minutes ago. I have ever so much stuff to read now, but I don’t like to neglect my studies too much. I don’t get them any too well as it is.

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

Grandma was a member of the recently organized Literary Society at her school.

I recently came across a copy a book published in 1912—Daddy-Long-Legs by Jean Webster. I wonder if Grandma read it.

Daddy-Long-Legs is a good-old-fashioned story with a happy ending. It was a fun, relaxing read compared to the many depressing modern books; and I couldn’t put it down. But the novel also touched upon important issues—Should women have careers? What role does fate (and hard work) play in success?

The book tells the story of Jerusha, a bright young orphan who wrote humorous stories in her high school English class.

An anonymous trustee of the orphanage where Jerusha lived recognized her brilliance—and offered to pay for her to attend college so that she could become a writer. There was only one requirement—she needed to write him a letter each month to tell him how school was going.

Jerusha did not meet the trustee—but saw his shadow reflected on a wall the evening he agreed to send her to college. The shadow was tall and slender, and looked like a Daddy-Long-Legs spider.

The format of most of the book is letters that Jerusha wrote to her anonymous benefactor—Daddy-Long-Legs.

A developing romance, and Jerusha’s transformation from an orphan into an interesting young woman who went by the name of Judy, kept me turning the pages. The book also gave me a better understanding of the college and career opportunities that women had a hundred years ago.

Old-fashioned Croup Cure

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

Sunday, November 3, 1912: Saw some snowflakes yesterday. Had croup this evening so you see that put my studies back somewhat.

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

Croup is no fun. It’s awful to have a bad cough that sounds like a seal!

The old- fashioned way to treat croup was to bring some water to a boil on the stove. The ill person would then very, very carefully lean over boiling water and breathe deeply for several minutes. The steam would calm the coughing.

I can picture Grandma leaning over a pot of boiling water on a wood or coal stove trying to sooth her cough—while thinking about the homework that needed to be done.

What Were Sunday School Classes Like a Hundred Years Ago?

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

Sunday, November 3, 1912: Went to Sunday School this afternoon. Besse and Curt were out. Wasn’t here when they came.

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

Grandma seldom missed Sunday School. What was it like? She attended a small church—probably a Baptist one—in the small village of McEwensville. Most weeks there probably were only a few other students in her class.

A book published in 1911 called Practical Pedagogy in the Sunday School described what an engaging class looked like:

The class was seated in three double pews at the rear of the auditorium of the church. Standing in front of the rows of well-dressed young women was a teacher not much older than her pupils.

She had her Bible open in her hand and proceeded to ask questions therefrom and give explanations. Although she frequently looked at the Bible, it seemed as if her eyes were continuously on her class, taking them all in as she glanced along row after row.

When she noticed the least tendency to inattention, she quietly leaned over the pew in front of her and lifted up something in such a way that on one could tell just what it was.

Her very action was intended to appeal to the curiosity of the young ladies. It did not take many seconds for every eye to be riveted upon her. The she showed what was in her hand—a picture illustrating that part of the lesson text on which she was engaged.

When the picture was laid down the teacher proceeded with her conversational instruction.

In conversation with this instructor it was ascertained that she never makes an appeal twice in exactly the same way.

Every Sunday she has something to excite the curiosity of her pupils, which she satisfies in such a way as to leave an impression of the truth she has to teach.

No formula can be given nor rules laid down. The alert, intelligent instructor, who is fully conscious of the power that lies in the appeal to curiosity, will devise her own methods in accordance with the age of her pupils and the circumstances under which she labors.

Besse and Curt

Besse and Curt refer to Grandma’s married sister Besse and her husband Curt Hester. They lived near Watsontown, about a mile from the Muffly farm.

Organized Literary Society

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

Sunday, October 20, 1912:

November brings us many things

And among them is Thanksgiving

The first of the snow

The winds that blow

And all that makes life worthwhile.

We organized a Literary Society at school this afternoon. I am one of the committee. Just what I wanted to be.

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

Assuming that Grandma wrote the poem—and didn’t copy it from somewhere—it’s amazing how enthusiastic she was about November. It seemed like she was feeling down in several October diary entries. I hope that November proves to be a better month.

Was the Literary Society like a modern book club? Was it a school club . . . or did a group of friends organize it? Did both males and females belong. . . or was it a girl’s only club?

I’m glad Grandma got the position she hoped to get. Committee member sounds like a worker bee position. Did the committee members help select books to read? . . bring desserts? . . . clean up after the meetings?

100-Year-Old Halloween Costumes

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

Thursday, October 31, 1912: And this is Halloween. What a pity it is that I’m not out having a good time, and I’ve never had that pleasure either.

DSC06562.crop — Witch (Source: Ladies Home Journal, July, 1912)

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

Poor Grandma—It’s too bad that she missed all the fun. I’d be bummed, too.

Here’s what was happening in nearby Milton on Halloween, 1912:

HALLOWEEN PARTIES AND MASQUERADERS MADE NIGHT GAY

Young Folks and Old Enjoyed Selves in Various Ways

Streets Were Filled with Merrymakers

Milton was the scene of high carnival last night. Chattering and laughing, it was a merry throng that wandered up and down the length of Broadway and Front last night for hours attired in costumes that represented every character and nation under the sun, and in some costumes that didn’t represent anything in particular. . .

Milton Evening Standard (November 1, 1912)