By 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
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 August, day by day.
Revere Beach Reservation, Boston Metropolitan Park Commission, 1898.
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THUR. 1 AUGUST
Went to Sandwitch [sic]. K-Dow came. The double wedding
FRI. 2
Basketball. Swimming
SAT. 3
Raspberrying at Governor’s. Swimming. It was awfully rough
SUN. 4
Sailors came. Swimming. Boat Ride.
MON. 5
Rainy. High Jump. Mother went to Boston. The Alden’s came.
TUES. 6
Basketball. The Alden’s took us to the movies. Got in dutch.
WED. 7
Hiked part way to Hillcrest. Hot. Mother came home.
THUR.8
Started on hike. Landed in North Sandwitch
FRI. 9
Rained. Played Hide and Go seek in Barn
SAT. 10
Wrote letters. Sick?
SUN. 11
Rainy. Hike in afternoon. Sang at A.E. Lee’s in morning.
MON. 12
The Kids went for a long walk. They went swimming
TUES. 13
Climbed Mt. Chocorua. Tired as the deuce. Heard Bob had appendicitis.
WED. 14
Hung around. Rested. Wildcat episode. Wrote Bob.
THUR. 15
Climbed Israel. Hurt my knees.
FRI. 16
Came home. Good to get there
SAT. 17
Hung around. Cold as the deuce
SUN. 18
Wrote letters. A lot of company.
MON. 19
Went to Merideth. Swimming
TUES. 20
Got ready for a good time to-morrow. Shore supper. Dr. Johnson came
WED. 21
Edwina’s birthday party
THUR. 22
Breezy Island
FRI. 23
Babe came back to my tent
SAT. 24
Basketball. Dr. Johnson came again. War canoe came
SUN. 25
Lakeport to church. Swimming
MON. 26
Acted like […] the deuce. Swimming
TUES. 27
Mt. Washington. Met Conney and Betty Arnold
WED. 28
Not much doing. Canoe practice. Swimming
THUR. 29
Voted for […]. Hung around. School Party
FRI. 30
Packed. Prizes awarded. I got the cup. I don’t see how
SAT. 31
Came home. Babe with me. Otis and Spud took us up to park
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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.