Item #16810 High School Girl's in Harper, IL 1942 Diary. Handwritten Diary WWII.
High School Girl's in Harper, IL 1942 Diary
High School Girl's in Harper, IL 1942 Diary

High School Girl's in Harper, IL 1942 Diary

Handwritten Journal

[WWII] Daily dairy from an American high school girl in 1942. Handwritten entries about family, Scout activities, sports, and living through WWII. 6 x 3.5 in. Original cloth boards. “Diary 1942” on front cover. Comes with a 1942 postcard addressed to diary’s owner requesting she have an eye exam, listing her school as Caldwell School and address in Harper, IL. Daily entries through mid-May and then entries become more sporadic. She writes about War Savings stamps, issued by the US Treasury to help fund WWII. “I got 16 defence [sic] stamps and got my book almost full. fWe went to see Sergeant York at the tower.” The stamps would be collected in a booklet and redeemed for Treasury Certificates or War Bonds. She writes about school activities and playing sports with friends. “After school was Scouts. I brought Lois. I think she is going to be a scout (I hope so). I wore my boys shirt and my boyfriend called me a tom-boy. He called me “darling” once.” “Today I took out the ball and we played volley ball.” “…we made teams and played a good game.” “…after school Arvis and I played catch…I played some records and went to bed.” They also listened to national coverage of the 1942 Rose Bowl, which was played in North Carolina, rather than Pasadena, due to fears of a Japanese bombing attack. This game was January 1, 1942 less than one month after Pearl Harbor. “…Well we are lessening [listening] to the Rosebowl game and I don’t like it. I just had some orange juice.”

She writes about her father working night shifts, possibly in a war industry; and includes many humorous and charming observations about life through the eyes of a teenage girl. “Today after school I went to a puppet show with my mother…After the show we went backstage. They showed us all the [marionettes]. When we got home dad was just about to go to work.” “My uncle sent a letter…telling her he got married. It was a great shock to her. My mother thought it was grand.” “Today mother washed my hair…It hadn’t been washed in four weeks, did it feel good.” “Bill played with the morse code, we all had a lot of fun.” She writes on social activities with boys. “Today we had our first dancing lesson. I was chosen to take the money in my room…We learned a dance and then the boys came and asked us to dance. I danced with Donald.” She also writes about her first menstrual cycle: “Today I became a young lady. Mom had to tell everybody about it too.” Some very cryptic messages, showing the mischievous nature of the author: “Dear Diary, Today I started a thing. Its easy to do and you can make all most anything with it. I got pretty far.” The next day she continues: “Today I worked on the thing I started yesterday. Now I got 1 foot done.” List of accounts and phone numbers handwritten at the back. Very good condition.

Item #16810

Price: $350.00