December 16
Laura M., age 15, North Carolina
December 16, 1997
Exams: French and Science. Went okay. Dad picked me up and I came home and made tons of cookies. Courtney and Liam came. Went 2 “Quizno’s” and got food. Then 2 Bond Park. Finished cookies. Had guitar. Good. Tried 2 study for exams, but had 2 eat, etc. Busy!
Anna L., age 76, Illinois
December 16, 1960
A beautiful day but very cold. Talked with Mrs. B. and later saw her. Russel and Mary going to Dakota Saturday. Took her table back to her. K.J. got up but Sally slept all day. Went to cabin to eat. Back home and took them to train bound for Beloit and Madison.
Marcy S., age 14, Tennessee
December 16, 1938
Didn’t practice. Mother ironed my dress. Went to chapel. The seniors gave a Christmas play. Very good. Back to new building for usual classes. Sang, in Latin class, “Silent Night, Holy Night.” We sang it in Latin. Then Home Ec. Mrs. Cummins let the girls who had finished sewing make some candy and at the end of the period served the others. Mary had to sew and I finished up my dress and cleaned out my box. Algebra. Home for dinner with Bobby. Back again. Got cloudy during the afternoon. Usual classes. Gave Miss Goodwin her present and Mrs. McCluen hers. Read in last period. Talked to Mary a bit. Home after school. Addressed Christmas cards till around 4:00 when I remembered I’d left some T.B. seals at school. Mother made me go after them. Helen went over with me. Fortunately our room wasn’t locked. When I got home I went up to Mother Lane’s and Mildred Lane’s to collect some ticket money. A.B. chased me home, because I called him Doctor Nut. Came home and while Mother was finishing dressing I washed the dinner dishes and practiced. Mr. McCarter came down to see about buying a ticket from Mother for the show, but since Mother had sold 59 adult tickets and was to get 5 free tickets she said she’s give him one. Just as Mother and I were going down town to take money and tickets to Miss King, Daddy got home, so he took them. When he came back with the free tickets I took one to Mr. McCarter. After supper we all got ready to leave and I went over for Mrs. McClure and George. Then we drove over and picked Mrs. Scaffear up and all drove down. Most of us got in free. George and I went in first and sat farther down. Saw Newsreel, Our Gang comedy, Boy’s Town (a short) and the main picture, “If I Were King” with Ronald Coleman, Frances Dee, Ellen Drew, and Basil Rathbone as Louis XI of France. Very good. Drove home afterwards. School is out for 2 weeks! Yippee!
Henry S., age 26, Michigan
December 16, 1887
I tried to write on a review, which I am expected to read at the literary society tomorrow evening, but I find literary work very hard; it has been so long since I have had any such work to do that I cannot think as a person has to in doing such work. I am afraid it will be a failure. I sent a club to the Penman’s Art Journal this afternoon with five names. Paid my taxes today so I don’t owe uncle Sam anything now. Kate got a letter from home.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Cornelia H., age 26, North Carolina
December 16, 1862
Cut Pinck three shirts of sheeting. Sewed some on one. I can’t sew steady as I have to quill for Betsey. She gets along slowly. I doubled & twisted a cut of stocking yarn this morning. Sent for the mail by McParker, got nothing new. There has been a fight at Fredericksburg Va. No particulars yet. We whipped them soundly. No letters came since the fight which commenced last Thursday 11th inst.
*(Fear in North Carolina: The Civil War Journals and Letters of the Henry Family, Eds. Karen L. Clinard and Richard Russell, used with permission.)
Samuel P., age 34, London
December 16, 1667
Up, and to several places, to pay what I owed. Among others, to my mercer, to pay for my fine camlott cloak, which costs me, the very stuff, almost 6l.; and also a velvet coat — the outside cost me above 8l.. And so to Westminster, where I find the House mighty busy upon a petition against my Lord Gerard, which lays heavy things to his charge, of his abusing the King in his Guards; and very hot the House is upon it. I away home to dinner alone with wife and girle, and so to the office, where mighty busy to my great content late, and then home to supper, talk with my wife, and to bed. It was doubtful to-day whether the House should be adjourned to-morrow or no.
*(The Diary of Samuel Pepys M.A. F.R.S., edited by Henry B. Wheatley F.S.A., London, George Bell & Sons York St. Covent Garden, Cambridge Deighton Bell & Co., 1893.)