February 19
Laura M., age 15, North Carolina
February 19, 1998
Gave Sean a huge hug. He says he’s quitting school and going to boot camp, though. :( Me, Kim, & Ashley chilled in Barnes & Noble parking lot & waited for Sarah C. to take us home. Went 2 Ashley’s. Em fetched me at 5:00. Ate dinner & did homework at Eddie’s. Home at 9:00 & did more homework.
Laura M., age 14, North Carolina
February 19, 1997
We went to Breckenridge. It was freezing in the a.m. so me and Karen took a break for a little bit. When I was walking to the car I slipped, busted my ass, and cried. Damn, it hurt. Came to condo and showered. Had left-over Chinese. Watched “90210” and “Party of Five.” GOOD.
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
February 19, 1960
Cold this A.M. 10 degrees predict colder tonite. Changed bed and cleaned room and bath room. No more cleaning today. Washed sheets etc. and half dozen rugs we had used at cabin. Very cold today clothes froze stiff. Up to see Ole at noon. Didn’t mention hospital nor I. Out to cabin to feed and eat. Came home early both tired.
Marcy S., age 19, Missouri
February 19, 1944
Bright and cold. Planned schedule for afternoon and for once stuck to it and got everything done. Felt so good! Went to town after lunch with Betty. Shopped. Got Mum some raisins. Back and studied and then ironed. Good dinner. Afterwards Mary, Betty and I went to cinema lab. Read til show started. 3 shorts, then Bob Hope and Paulette Goddard in “The Cat and the Canary.” Nearly screamed our heads off. It was so scary!! At 9 we 3 went over to Wales for the alumnae party. Betty Robb and others welcomed us. Had cokes, popcorn, dancing. The counselor is so nice. Seemed so funny being back there. Old Wales really has spirit, which is more than you can say for Wood. Went to Tuck about 10 for toast. Back to hall. Bath and to bed. Tried to tell Betty a ghost story but she wouldn’t let me!
Marcy S., age 16, Tennessee
February 19, 1941
Not so windy, sorta cloudy, cool. Bright mostly. Mary absent. Don’t look for her anymore. Days so empty. Had nice dream about Bunny last night. Chapel in morning. Moving picture on English cathedrals. Walked back with Mary Louie and Viola. In history, showed Clueny some censored letters Mom got from England. She passed them around and read one. Rather embarrassing in spots. Had to vote for prettiest girl, handsomest boy, best all-around girl and boy, wittiest girl and boy in Senior class. Most everyone put Jr. Easter as best all-around boy -- I did, too. Beta Club picture retaken in afternoon. All the agonies we went through! Fun, though. Everything funny today except empty strange feeling. Ruth, Helen, and I went to Mary’s after school. Studied history at night. Poor Mr. Brewer all disturbed about Kiwanis.
Henry S., age 26, Michigan
February 19, 1888
I succeeded in getting ready to go to church this forenoon. It began to rain before I got there and rained hard by spells the rest of the day. It seems real warm out. I took a short nap this afternoon and then Kate took a sleep. I wrote a letter to ma this afternoon and evening. I heard today that two lumber firms near hear [sic] had recently hired new bookkeepers and I wish I could have been fortunate enough to have got one of the positions, but perhaps I couldn’t fill them as they should be. Wish I had a chance to try though.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Henry S., age 25, Michigan
February 19, 1887
Wrote copies and studied Arithmetic this forenoon. Helped Fred get some potatoes up from cellar he took a load to Frankfort. It snowed quite hard about noon, but cleared off this afternoon and tonight it is bright and the northern lights show quite plain. The turn of school at the College was half out today, for which I am not sorry. I went up town after supper, called at Mr. Waters and saw Fred, then I went to choir practice at Mr. Greens with Winnie. No one else was there but we sang and had pop corn to eat and then came home. I had my shoes tapped today, got them tonight. I am going to soak my feet and go to bed.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Columbus T., age 31, North Carolina
February 19, 1874
Sent off to various portions of the County of Iredell and some places in Alexander and Wilkes about fifty copies of Sentinel, News, Examiner and Herald, considering it better to do that than to throw them away.
Took a walk until room could be cleaned up. Numerous Grangers have been pouring into the city. Met P.C. Carlton. They meet to day in convention.
Took the train for Haywood, Chatham Co. at 4 P.M. They day has been cloudy & drizzly.
Had a long conversation concerning house matters — composed letter &c. Dr. Wyche’s talks with me on piety, religious disputations, the future state and meekness, brought us to 10:30 P.M. when after prayers by the Dr. and a little further conversation retired to my lonely couch to dream &c.
*(Worthy of Record: The Civil War and Reconstruction Diaries of Columbus Lafayette Turner, Ed. Kenrick N. Simpson, courtesy of the State Archives of North Carolina.)
Cornelia H., age 26, North Carolina
February 19, 1863
Betsey got the cloth out & went home this evening. Alston’s negro got the turkeys today. Old Dave Alford stays here tonight. Jim Cannon & old Night started to slaughter the hogs today. I made another apron today. Mr. Henry went to Asheville today. Nothing new going on. They have not got the hen house here yet & I fear they won’t unless they tear it down & then we have no nails to put it together with.
*(Fear in North Carolina: The Civil War Journals and Letters of the Henry Family, Eds. Karen L. Clinard and Richard Russell, used with permission.)
Cornelia H., age 25, North Carolina
February 19, 1862
Mrs. Fanning warped the cloth today in the hall room as the wind blew very hard. I made Zona another apron today. My head ached very badly in the evening. I took a nap in the side room. When I woke (5 o’clock) it was raining very hard. I made out to get out supper but went to bed early, eat nothing at all. Zona was asleep so Pinck eat in my room before the fire.
*(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 35, London
February 19, 1668
Up, and to the office, where all the morning drawing up an answer to the Report of the Committee for miscarriages to the Parliament touching our paying men by tickets, which I did do in a very good manner I think. Dined with my clerks at home, where much good discourse of our business of the Navy, and the trouble now upon us, more than we expected. After dinner my wife out with Deb., to buy some things against my sister’s wedding, and I to the office to write fair my business I did in the morning, and in the evening to White Hall, where I find Sir W. Coventry all alone, a great while with the Duke of York, in the King’s drawing-room, they two talking together all alone, which did mightily please me. Then I did get Sir W. Coventry (the Duke of York being gone) aside, and there read over my paper, which he liked and corrected, and tells me it will be hard to escape, though the thing be never so fair, to have it voted a miscarriage; but did advise me and my Lord Brouncker, who coming by did join with us, to prepare some members in it, which we shall do. Here I do hear how La Roche, a French captain, who was once prisoner here, being with his ship at Plymouth, hath played some freakes there, for which his men being beat out of the town, he hath put up his flag of defiance, and also, somewhere thereabout, did land with his men, and go a mile into the country, and did some pranks, which sounds pretty odd, to our disgrace, but we are in condition now to bear any thing. But, blessed be God! all the Court is full of the good news of my Lord Sandwich’s having made a peace between Spain and Portugall, which is mighty great news, and, above all, to my Lord’s honour, more than any thing he ever did; and yet I do fear it will not prevail to secure him in Parliament against incivilities there. Thence, took up my wife at Unthanke’s, and so home, and there my mind being full of preparing my paper against to-morrow for the House, with an address from the office to the House, I to the office, very late, and then home to supper and to bed.
*(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.)