1940′s Five Year Diary With Fifty Years of Poetic Sorrow
In the antique business, you are bound to find quite a few diaries while cleaning out drawer or attics or closets. Most diaries are simple books with trivial notes from their former owners, some are detailed transcripts of the minutia of everyday life – like in the case of the Bain diaries. And on the rare occasion you find one that is worth reading for more than just its content or historical value. That is the case of the little diary pictured with the airplane flying through the clouds on the cover.
This diary was found some time ago and it was originally a Christmas gift to a 12 year old girl in 1944. There are a number of things about this diary that are striking. First, the author, a young rural Pennsylvanian girl is beyond blunt and direct with her posts, possibly due to lack of space – with entries like “Got a new dog today, Boo, cute.” Also striking is the fact that there are entries spanning five decades, yet still much of the diary has been left blank, with large gaps between entries. The final striking thing is the choice of material for the girl’s entries and how through the course of her life, the diary becomes almost a lockbox to keep sorrow as if a two line entry was her way of venting. The diary gets progressively more sad as it goes on, as you will see as we add entries over the coming weeks.
I’ve decided to type out the diary as it appears in order of the pages, which with five years on each page, skipped pages and random years inserted on their appropriate days, it is a bit, well…you’ll see. Spelling and grammar will not be edited. Updates will be added to the bottom.
Five Year Diary, By Edith T.
January 1, 1945: Today is New Years, we had sour crout for supper, tomorra school starts, nuts. [Author begins writing January 2nd's post in pen on the Jan. 1 page, has to cross out entry]
January 2, 1945: To day school starts we got a new boy in are room. Ed came home for Christmas Grace came home to.
January 3, 1945: “Boy” was it cold out we ate up town to day. It was very good. I washed out my blouse. I am going to ware my new dress tomorro, the blue one.
January 4, 1945: I have a bad head ache. Jimmy is very mean tonight. I am makeing tea and going to eat crackers. Mother and dad is out at moms. Carol Ann got her own bed.
January 5, 1945: To day is Friday. I got my hair washed tonight and rolled up for tomorra. We go down to Margarets for dinner.
January 6, 1945: Me and Ed went down to Margets for dinner we had a very nice dinner margets gave me a peral nectles.
January 7, 1945: We stayed out at moms house for supper. Jimmy went to the show. It is almost 11:30. I don’t know how I am going to get up tomorra. Shirley and the girls is going to eat in school tomorra, but I am not.
January 8, 1945: To day is Monday. Tomorra is a baskettball game.
January 9, 1945: To day was a big day for me we went to the show. Got a bath and rolled my hair up. We got a milk shake.
January 13, 1945: I am going to Shirleys birthday party at 7:30. She will be twealve years old. I look very nice. I started to — today…
January 14, 1945: I have and awful cold. I can hardly talk. Mom and dad went out and Jimmy went to the basketball game. I am by myself. I took the twins to the show today.
January 18, 1945: I am listening to the radio now mom is out at moms house. I wrote a letter to Joan. I don’t have much more to say.
January 24, 1945: I got the mumps today.
January 28, 1945: I have the mumps.
January 29, 1945: I have the mups.
January 30, 1945: I still have the mumps, Helen M. Brought down a cake. I have not gone to school for 2 days.
January 31, 1945: Martha & Ed got married at 5:00. I still have the mumps. I Made candy. Ed + Martha are hear.
February 1, 1945: Grace is down here. I fell better tonight.
February 1, 1961: Found perfume bottle in his car tonight. He likes that old slut.
February 2, 1945: I got a card from Jr. High. I washed my sweater. I hope I can wash my hair tomorra it is dirty.
…to be continued…
This post and its contents is copyright 2009 Black Market Antiques.
