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 January entries, here:
January | February | March | April
May | June | July | August
September | October | November | December
We will be 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 February, day by day.
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FRI. 1 FEBRUARY
School. Took care of sonny. Gas froze. Pegs over night.
SAT. 2
Worked. Took care of Polly Godfrey. Seminary with Mother
SUN. 3
Sunday School. Hung around
MON. 4
School. Dentist. Dr. Ashland engaged.
TUES. 5
School. Bitterly Cold, “Sick.” Rosa Allen’s
WED. 6
School. Took care of sonny
THUR. 7
School. Rosa Allen’s. Took care of sonny
FRI. 8
School. Took care of sonny.
SAT. 9
Got my dress. Burton Holme’s Lecture. Sailor’s Dance. Met Mr. Wood
SUN. 10
Church. Sunday School. Aunt Mable’s. Met Sailor at the Station
MON. 11
School. Took care of sonny
TUES. 12 LINCOLN’S BIRTHDAY
School. Basket Ball. Mother went to New York
WED. 13
School. Took care of Sonny
THUR. 14
School. Mrs. Moody to Basket Ball. Mother came home
FRI. 15
School. Took care of Sonny. Swimming
SAT. 16
Hung around. Over to Pegs. Plays at the Seminary
SUN. 17
Sunday School. Dr. Scott teacher. Studied
MON. 18
School. Took care of the Baby.
TUES. 19
School. Basket Ball. Papa sick. Sessions with the Doctor
WED. 20
Stayed to look after papa. Mrs. Reed’s
THUR. 21
Took care of papa. Took care of sonny. Red Cross play.
FRI. 22 WASHINGTON’S BIRTHDAY
Mrs. Reed’s in the morning. Home in afternoon. Masquerade
SAT. 23
Babys in the morning. In town in the afternoon
SUN. 24
Helped Mother. Studied
MON. 25
Toothache. Dentist. He goes to hospital soon. Married probably in Aug. Papa better. Sonny.
TUES. 26
Toothache again. Dentist can’t do anything about it. Mrs. Reeds.
WED. 27
Got class pins. Subscribed to Newtonian. Mrs. Reeds. Papa out. Tooth still at it.
THUR. 28
School. Basketball. Papa seems much better.
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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.