Barbara Hillard Smith’s Diary, December 1918

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

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.

This post is the final in our year-long series sharing Barbara’s diary. The series will return in January 2019 with a new narrator hailing from the year 1919. In the meantime, take a moment or two to learn about Barbara’s December--full of basketball, babies, and a trip to New York to visit her friend Babe. Read along and--as Barbara says in her final entry for the year--“Watched old year out.”

Here is Barbara’s December, day by day.

* * *

SUN. 1   DECEMBER
Church. Sunday S. Dr. Drew here. Over to Aunt Mabels for supper.

MON. 2
School. Babies

TUES. 3
School. Studied. Cousin Bert took us to Westminster and saw “Fiddler’s three”

WED. 4
School. Babies. Pastor’s Reception

THUR. 5
School. Swimming. Shampoo

FRI. 6
School. Awful snow storm. Mrs. Reed

SAT. 7
Worked around Mrs. Reed’s. K-C for week end with Pete.

SUN. 8
Church Sunday School. Supper at Lasell.

MON. 9
School. In town. Got suit

TUES. 10
School. Basket Ball Starter. Fitting for suit

WED. 11
Got sick in school. Went to babies

THUR. 12
Home sick

FRI. 13
School. Dance with Spud

SAT. 14
Hung around. Christmas play at Seminary.

SUN. 15
Sunday School. Lasell Christmas Vespers

MON. 16
School. Took care of baby

TUES. 17
School. Basketball. Cousin Bert here.

WED. 18
School. Took care of baby. Mr. Reed home from operation

THURS. 19
School. Basketball.

FRI. 20
School. Babies

SAT. 21
Took care of sonny. [Havene] for weekend. Christmas party. Freddie’s show

SUN. 22
Church. Sunday School. Concert. C. Endeavor. Spud’s for supper.

MON. 23
In town. Took care of baby. Women’s club concert

TUES. 24
Up to Reed’s all day. Trained, so didn’t have caroling. Sick

WED. 25                     CHRISTMAS DAY
Had presents. Dance at Spud’s

THUR. 26
Went to New York to visit Babe. Met Jack Palmer.

FRI. 27
Went to Mrs. Learnerd’s for lunch. Keith’s in afternoon.

SAT. 28
Babe’s singing lessons. Went to Ladies First

SUN. 29
Company for dinner. Out for walk. Reg + Gladys came over.

MON. 30
Went to movies.

TUES. 31
John Ross. Went to Mrs Andrew’s with Jack. Watched old year out

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.