Sunday, May 31, 1914

Exams over. My grades

Eng 96

Alg 100

Lat 94

Physiography 98

Not so good as last month but they're as good as Ina's so I don't care.

Louise is here but I haven't seen her yet. We were going over Fri. evening and it rained so hard we couldn't. Mr. Smith told me when I asked him if she might come to supper Sat, that she was engaged but I could have her anytime next week. When she called me up this evening I asked her if she could come tomorrow and she said she could.

We had big Decoration Day doinses here yesterday. The schools had charge and it was a fine program. Saw Katie. Irene and I went together.

Going back to Friday (I always begin at the end and go backward). We finished our exams in the morning in the afternoon Mrs. Gerke and Irene came over and we (Irene and I) made 3-of-a-kind ice cream in their freezer. We had a peck of fun.

Wednesday, May 27, 1914

Exams, exams, exams. I've had physiography and algebra, but the worst is yet to come -- Latin. I've studied till my back's sore from leaning over and my head aches from eyestrain and still I don't know anything. Last night Irene and I studied together. We worked from about 7:30 to 8:30. She was nearly undressed to keep cool. At 8:30 Papa and Mama came by in the buggy and we got in and drove up to the concert of the Apollo and Chaminade Clubs where Mrs. Gerke was. We stood and listened awhile then came back and Irene and I studied again till 10 o'clock, when her father and Roscoe came home. Mama is up town and I'm so tired I can't study anymore so I don't know what to do. The reason the writing is so bad is that I'm sitting on the arm of a rocker holding my book in my hand.

Monday, May 25, 1914

The principal's name isn't Weedenhamer, but Niedermeyer. I guess one's about as bad as the other though. He was at school all day today. He isn't bad looking, though not handsome at all except that he has a very nice figure. Mr. Mitchell has him beat by a mile in looks. He's real jolly and everyone seems to like him.

It's as hot as a furnace today. It wouldn't be taken as an insult at all if someone was called "crazy with the heat", because it's very likely.

I went to see Adele Hite's baby yesterday and again today. She was born Wed. at 12:10 AM. Her name is Dorothy Virginia. She's awfully sweet. Irene went with us today.

Adele R. spent from Thurs. to Sun. with me. We were over to Krauses for supper and had a fine time.

Wednesday, May 20, 1914

We're all mad. Mr. Mitchell isn't coming back next year. A man by the name of Weedenhamer has been elected. Of all the shameful stunts that the board has done I think this is about the shamefullest. I suppose they'll take Miss. Graff again. She's taught for 37 years and I guess she's good for 37 more. Mr. Mitchell tried to raise the standard of the school and she kept it down. Now they've driven him away and I suppose they'll keep her. They say the new man is a swell singer and I suppose we'll have to make the best of him.

Beginning with Tuesday I have one exam a day next week.

Tuesday, May 19, 1914

Saturday, Mama, Miss Rachel, Aunt Lillie, Ruth and I went out to Uncle Charlie's in our buggy and spent the day. We had a fine time. Adele is going to spend a few days with me sometime soon. Sunday Calames came over for a little while and Enloes were over for supper. Ethel Armet is here. Edwin Bruce was here Sunday and Monday. Mrs. Perry and Grandma Krause are here too. Ina has invited me to a Christian Endeavor picnic tomorrow night. Oh, I forgot the most important thing. Mr. Mitchell went away Saturday. Ruth Sewell is serving in his stead.

Monday, May 11, 1914

I haven't a drop of ink and I must write about last week's doings and I'll just use a pencil. We were to give a recital at the auditorium Friday evening ("we" means the chorus) and we had to practice every day last week. Thursday afternoon we went down to the auditorium and gave a rehearsal. It turned cold while we were there and we nearly froze coming home. Mr. Mitchell's fiancee (a pretty young lady from Terre Haute) came Friday afternoon. Result: the prof was the last one to arrive at the auditorium in the evening. (It was a lovely moonlit night). We had an awful crowd. Don't think I ever saw the auditorium so full. Mr. Mitchell said we did fine and so did those present.

Saturday afternoon we celebrated Virginia's seventeenth birthday which came yesterday. Of course we had a perfectly swell time. For souvenirs we had little sachets. Mine is lavender. I am wearing it now. Yesterday afternoon we went out to Mutrix's.

Last Tuesday there was an electric storm and only Paul Breuchaud and I were at the Young People's Meeting. He talked too.

Virginia Breuchaud's 16th Birthday (1913)

Muryl, Frances B., Irene Gerke, Virginia B., Ina Maynard, Blanche Baumberger

Friday, Apr 24, 1914

I didn't have time to write Wednesday after all. I've got lots of things to write this time and little time to write them.

We had our annual supper Apr. 6 and lots of fun with it. Apr 1 being Blanche's birthday, we all surprised her at Virginia's. We made popcorn and fudge and went up in their attic sitting room to eat it. It's swell up there.

Gladys came in last Friday to take the 8th exam Sat. Katie was in too but she didn't come over. Last quarter Ina got 96 2/5, Glen Wilson got 96 1/5, and I 95 2/5. The three best in H.S. I got $1 for it. The other day Miss Graff put me on the front seat and a few days later assigned Ina the same seat. We are occupying two front seats now.

Wednesday April 22.

March 31, Tuesday, 1914

I don't care if I never get over that English review. I'm going to spend five minutes with my diary. A week ago Sunday Uncle George's were over to dinner and last Sunday we were over to Enloe's for dinner. Last Sunday they worked me into going into Mrs. Smith's S.S. class. They got me there about 2 years ago and I stayed one Sunday and went back. Mrs. Smith says she isn't going to let me get homesick this time. She'll have to work pretty hard if she intends to keep me because I almost got homesick last Sunday. Guess I will break loose sure when Mrs. Kruger gets back. It wouldn't be so bad if they'd move someone else forward at the same time but it's awful lonesome to be the only little kid in that class of big girls.

5 minutes is up but I must finish by saying that Mr. Pietsch told Mary that he was coming back here before he goes to Japan. We are going to have our first young people's meeting to-night at Miss Neva's.

Wednesday, March 18, 1914

Monday night I went to Miss Neva's. Mama went along to keep Miss Lila company. They went upstairs. Those present downstairs were Evelyn, Mary, Pearl, Grace, Miles, Howard and I and Miss Neva. We decided to have a young people's meeting on Monday nights to ask questions. We elected Mrs. Smith to answer them. We are going to have a circulating library with it. We had cookies, candy and lemonade.

Last night we went over to Mrs. Smith's. Mr. and Mrs. Calame were there but they went home about 8:30 (getting sleepy I guess).

Guess I'll work on my "unfinished lab". I usually have about a ton left over.

Monday, March 16, 1914

Riggin Children before Fannie's death: Bernice, Curtis, Louise, Katie, Muryl

Friday Mr. and Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Calame were over to supper. Friday evening the Junior-Senior reception was to take place and they let us out at 3:15 so the juniors would have time

to prepare. Blanche, Irene, Ina, Virginia and I went walking till about 4. The company stayed

till about 10 and we washed dishes for about half an hour.

Saturday Mr. Smith (Ed) came to the store and asked papa if I might take dinner with them

at the Thomas House Sunday. Just before Mrs. Smith died (she was buried Friday) she told Louise everything and he wanted her to get acquainted with us. I didn't care about a family reunion at a hotel but mama told Mr. Smith to send them all over after dinner which he did.

It was almost as new for me as it was for Louise. I had been with Curtis about 5 minutes last October. I had seen Louise but didn't know who she was and I never had seen Katie that I know of. I just love them all. Louise will be 12 the 23rd of June, Katie will be 18 the 2nd of July, and Curtis' birthday comes on the 22nd of January. He didn't say how old he was but I guess he's 20. They stayed till 2:30. Louise had to meet her father at the Thomas House then and the other two went with her. Louise plays fine. I wish we lived in the same town so we could chum together. As it is I guess we'll have to chum by mail.

I'm invited to Miss Neva's this evening. She's going to have all us kids. I missed S.S. yesterday so Mrs. Smith said if I'd come up this week she'd go over the lesson with me. Of course I jumped at a chance to go over there. Guess I'd better get to work. I've got 20 min. left to get Physiography and algebra.

Tues Mar 10, 1914

I've been trying to get at this for ages and haven't had time.

Mr. Pietsch left Tuesday, Feb 17. We certainly enjoyed him. We had a young people's meeting at Krause's Sat. evening. We got in bed at 12 P.M. The Green girls went to bed at 1 A.M. Sunday he spoke in S.S. and in a sermon at 3 P.M. besides the regular meetings. Tuesday we had another young people's meeting at Uncle George's. We asked so many questions that we didn't get onto a Bible lesson at all. I guess he thinks we're awful ignorant. When he left he sent back a list of ten questions for us kids to answer. I got mine in last Friday. They were pretty hard.

Last Sunday I ate dinner at Krause's. Pearl J. and her father were there too and we had a fine time. Yesterday Mrs. Krause and Helen were over. We popped corn and had a good time.

I forgot to write that Gladys was here from Feb 29 (Sat.) to March 3 (Tues.). We had a grand time. We made this statement (I'll have to write it or I'll forget it) "On March 3, 1918, where will I be, what will I be doing and what will I be thinking of? (at noon)"

Yesterday in Lab, Ina and I were playing in a beaker full of mercury. We got some out and of course got it all over our rings. The

y were a sight. We both used silver polish on them and now they look right respectable. Irene was over last night. We worked till they called her home. That reminds me -- We sent off for some sweet potatoes (otherwise ocarinas) and now our mas won't let us practice on them. It's awfully provoking but I don't blame them much. Papa calls them fog horns.

Miss Graff just now made Blanche move back one seat. I am wondering why for two days she hasn't moved me. I guess my turn will come this afternoon. It's not like her to let me sit two consecutive days in one place.

We had a fine dinner of baked squabs yesterday. Harry Mc. gave them to us. Think we'll have beef stew to-day. Hope so.

Well, I guess I've wandered over enough territory. I've spent just exactly 20 precious minutes out of a precious period. I don't care tho'. I don't believe in killing myself. Anyway, I have all my English and as much as I can get of my Latin. The English wasn't hard to get -- the same as yesterday. Guess I'll run over

the personal pronouns (I mean the Latin ones) and see how quick I can get rid of 7 minutes so I can get some dinner before I starve.

Muryl (L) and school friends.

Blanche Baumberger, Frances Breuchaud, Irene Gerke, Virginia Breuchaud, Ina Maynard (R)

Feb 11 Wednesday 1914

I have no business to waste time writing in this thing

but there are some things I have to write.

We had exams week before last. I got

Latin 95

English 97

Algebra 99

Physiology 100

Got a quarter out of them.

Mr. Pietsch is preaching here this week. He's

German. His home is in Brooklyn. He has been in

Canada and is on his way to Japan as a missionary.

He's awfully funny but he's fine. He scolds us for

flirting and everything else. He seems to think we're

terrible but I don't think he says anything but what

strikes someone. Last night when he gave out the

second hymn he said, "Now everybody sing! I was looking

around the room and not more than half of you were

singing. If you've got no more interest in the meetings

than the way you sing, it's a pretty shallow salvation

some of you've got!" That's the way he yanks us up

about everything.

Uncle George went to Highland today and brought

George Raymond up for a visit. His folks have scarlet

fever and he can't go home. He was so delighted to

get there his back didn't hurt him a bit all day. Well,

I've got to get at my English.

We're going to have a young folks meeting Friday

night. Bet he'll give it to us then. They must want a

crowd. They had Mr. Mitchell announce it in school

this morning.

Monday Jan 19, 1914

I have been wanting to write ever since I got back from the

Xmas vacation but haven't had time.

I wanted to write during the vacation too but I didn't have

my book at home.

We had three weeks vacation on account of scarlet fever.

I had 3 days before Xmas and worked in the store.

I made $1, the first I ever worked for -- no, I'll take that

back. I'm sure I worked for that money I made mowing

the yard last summer. There goes that pesky bell.

Wednesday, Dec 10, 1913

Went to hear the Chicago Ladies' Orchestra Monday night.

They were fine.

We had a Latin test yesterday and I made a 93.

As Ruth S. said of herself and her 90, "That's pretty good for a mutt like me."

I guess I'll quit and work tomorrow's algebra,

but I want to write that I got a kitten from Mrs. Morris last Fri.

She is awful cute but tears everything up.

Monday, Dec. 1, 1913

This looks like a diary with a month between entries. I have certainly had a time for the last week. Learned to play tennis last Monday. Ina, Irene, Blanche and I played on DeMoulin's court. In the evening we went to hear "The Sign of the Cross." It was a beautiful play and well acted but I have no taste for crying in public and that's what it made me do. I wasn't the only one though. I can hear that little boy screaming yet. It didn't end a bit nice. I wanted Mercia and Marcus to get married and instead they were both burned.

Well, Tuesday and Wednesday were spent preparing for Thurs. Mr. and Mrs. Armet came Thursday morning. They stayed at the Smith's as usual. We had a lecture at 2:30. After that came supper. Clara DeMoulin (in place of Mary G.), Evelyn G., Helen K., Pearl J., Isabel B., Ruth, Helen B. and I served. Harold K. was on hand too, to do what the rest of us didn't have time for. I never saw such eaters as those people were. We started serving about 4:45 and didn't get to eat till about 5:45. We made up for lost time then. Mr. Greene brought us whatever we wanted. We got 2 big plates (Helen, Clara, Evelyn and I were eating together) full (and piled up) of cake and ate it all. That was on top of a stack of sandwiches. Mildred and Viola Gaffner had eaten with the crowd and they came up there with us. My! What a lot of pickles they put away -- and after every one they'd say they couldn't hold another one. Mildred told me she was sick Friday and I don't wonder. After we finished eating Mr. G. gave us some money for chewing gum. We chewed it all during the 7:30 sermon.

Friday morning Mama and four others went up to clean things up. I thought we never would get through washing dishes. Then we had to wash the seats and scrub the floor. I forgot to say that when we got out Thurs. night it was raining cats and dogs and puppy dog tails. Aunt Lella and Paul had to go to our house after her coat and I went with them. I put on my raincoat and rubbers and cap, grabbed Mama's rubbers and 3 umbrellas and Aunt Lella's coat with an old rubber coat of mine for her and got into the buggy again. They took me as far as the pavement and I went alone the rest of the way. The rain went right through my umbrella but it was fun. When I got there I saw a big row of hats on one seat. A lot of women had left their hats and pinned papers over their heads. We waited about half an hour and then went home. A lot of folks waited longer than we did.

Friday afternoon I didn't do anything. Mr. Armet went to Highland to see George Raymond. He is getting lots better. His back hurts him but the doctor says it's not the bullet, it's just from being on his back so long. They haven't given him any solid food yet. He has been converted since he was there. Mr. Armet said the last time he was at Raymonds' George stayed out in the field but he was very glad to see him this time.

My Good Times Book: Saturday, Nov. 8, 1913

It has been a long time since I wrote anything in a diary but I think I'll start over now. I started a book last summer and lost it (just my luck). Well, I neglected getting another and there are a whole lot of good times that I didn't get to record. There were the Moss Grove picnic (I don't think I put that in volume 1) and all kinds of fine times last summer besides that terrible day playing at the fair and having the girls Monday before last, and that Halloween evening at Ina's. Well, I'm going to put that in right now.

Two or three days before Halloween I got an envelope with (inside it of course) a black cat n a pumpkin. I think I have it now. If I have I'll put it in my keep-sake box. On the back of the pumpkin was written this verse:

"Assemble, assemble ye ghosts,

With Dame Witch and her cat as hosts.

At 7:30 on Friday night

To make merry by the dim weird light."

410 N. Spruce St.

I recognized Ina's handwriting immediately and of course I went. We were all dressed like ghosts and Ina was dressed like a witch. We had lots of fun. Mama told me and Irene to meet her at Mrs. Stewart's at 9:30. We went at 10:30. Those present were Irene, Blanche, Frances, Virginia, Pearl Riley, Ina and I.

We have been cleaning house all day. I'm awful tired and Mama promised Mrs. Clarkson we'd come up this evening. I guess I'll have to.

Welcome to my grandmother's diary

This blog is a gift to my father. I have the originals of his mother's diaries. I intend to post an entry from her diary nearly daily. If the entries need background information, clarification or other complementary material, I am hoping my father will collaborate with me in providing those.