By Lindsay Bina, Intern and Anna Clutterbuck-Cook, Reader Services
Today we return to the 1918 diary of Newton teenager Barbara Hillard Smith. You may read our introduction to the diary, and Barbara’s previous entries, here:
January | February | March | April
May | June | July | August
September | October | November | December
As regular readers of the Beehive know, we are following Barbara throughout 1918 with monthly blog posts that present Barbara’s daily life — going to school, seeing friends, playing basketball, and caring for family members — in the words she wrote a century ago. Here is Barbara’s June, day by day.
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SAT. 1 JUNE
Swimming. May [Fête]. Hot as the deuce
SUN. 2
Went to Winthrop
MON. 3
School. Babies
TUES. 4
School. Babies
WED. 5
School. Babies
THUR. 6
School. Swimming Exhibition
FRI. 7
School. Went up River and to Park.
SAT. 8
Babies. In town with Peg.
SUN. 9
Hung around. Commencement Vespers
MON. 10
School. Babies. Class Night at Lasell
TUES. 11
School. Sick? Mother with Cousin Bert
WED. 12
School. Babies
THUR. 13
School. Babies
FRI. 14
School. Babies
SAT. 15
In Town. Wellesley with Peg. Dance at Spuds
SUN. 16
Church. S. School. Mrs. Moody to dinner
MON. 17
School. Babies
TUES. 18
School. Babies. Got a boil.
WED. 19
School. Riding with Cousin Bert. Peg over Night.
THUR. 20
French Exam. Mother’s Birthday. Headache. Pegs. Almost Sick
FRI. 21
Latin Exam. Tennis at Pegs
SAT. 22
Cooked. Pegs. Party at Posies. Dancing at Garden
SUN. 23
Sunday School. Peg’s over night.
MON. 24
Geometry Exam. Cleaned Closet. Peg’s for eighth grade party.
TUES. 25
In town with Mrs. Dow. Cousin Alice’s for supper. Met Babe
WED. 26
In town to the Dr. Dill. K’s for supper. Study club affair
THUR. 27
DIn town. Worked with Platt.
FRI. 28
Cleaned. Dentist. Dinner with Platt. Saw him off.
SAT. 29
Shampoo. Aunt Mable’s. Said goodbye to Stewarts
SUN. 30
Church. Sunday School. Riding with [Gathaman’s]. Packed.
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If you are interested in viewing the diary in person in our library or have other questions about the collection, please visit the library or contact a member of the library staff for further assistance.
*Please note that the diary transcription is a rough-and-ready version, not an authoritative transcript. Researchers wishing to use the diary in the course of their own work should verify the version found here with the manuscript original. The catalog record for the Barbara Hillard Smith collection may be found here.