March 19
Laura M., age 16, North Carolina
March 19, 1998
YES! Got up at 7:30. Went 2 DMV at 8:30 and took my driving test and got my license! Drove 2 school and it was a good day. Took Casey home. Came home. Cap and Em came 4 dinner. Opened presents, had dinner, cake. Picked up Ash, then Courtney, then Renée. Went 2 Waffle House, Melinda’s, back 2 Waffle House. Went 2 Ash’s at 1:00 and spent night. “Romeo and Juliet.”
Laura M., age 15, North Carolina
March 19, 1997
Good day! :) It was rainy and grey, but I got lots of presents. New guitar, 3 guitar books, bath stuff, cordless phone, poetry book… Yay! Did homework. Went to Jasper’s with Dad. Wendy came, too. Came back HOME. Opened Kathy’s present — Joni Mitchell guitar book. Courtney stopped by :) to wish me happy birthday. Studied Biology HARD. Can’t wait to get a dent in those books! GOOD B-DAY…
Emily M., age 12, North Carolina
March 19, 1990
It’s Laura’s birthday today! I’m sick. I had diareah this morning and didn’t go to school. It wasn’t too dull because I slept until 11:09. I just had an awful disappointment. Mom could not get 64 crayons, only 24 and I won’t have enough colors for my fashion designs. Oh well I guess I’ll live. We’re going to Dad’s house tonight! I’m going to color. P.S. I was just kidding [about the disappointment].
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
March 19, 1960
Baked date sticks, cake for short cake for eve. meal and a pumpkin pie for Jim. Cooks and Geo. and Jim to eat with us at cabin, having steaks. After baking worked on curtains no end to the work. Had set backs such as water on back porch just full. Moving things. Helen and we came in before nine, no program watching.
Marcy S., age 19, Missouri
March 19, 1944
Snowed most of day. Blowy but not awfully cold. Read from 10:30-11. Betty and I went to church at 12. Nearly blew away. Bishop gave sermon. Back late. Had to sit at French table! Good dinner! Spent wonderful afternoon reading my books. Letter from Greta in morn. About 4 Marilyn H. brought my mail - letter from Mum and one from Aunt Florrie. Betty spent afternoon revising one of her stories. We both had good time. About 5 Mary Jo came in and we 3 decided to go to dairy. Had sodas. Nice out - not snowing. Mary Jo sweet. Saw Mary and Kath. They hardly spoke - Mary didn’t. Went to supper at 6. Good. Betty went over and got some home papers from Peggy afterwards. I read ’til 7 - then wrote Earl, Pan, and Isabel Bentley. Then read til bedtime. After census Betty and I went up to kitchen and heated soup. Miss Omer was talking at proctor party in parlors and we had awful time getting past her!! Mary Jo and Jane came in and we feasted on veg. soup. Betty and I got out our snapshots and showed them around. Jane and Mary Jo think our yard is pretty and that Pap is very good looking!! To bed late but with a satisfied feeling - this has been a good day. [In upper margin: “Filled in card at church stating I had a problem to talk over with Mr. Blanchard.”]
Marcy S., age 16, Tennessee
March 19, 1941
Fair, much warmer. Lovely. Saw two movies in Chapel. Thrilling one on the army and another on the events of 1940. In English we read each other’s short stories. How I ever liked Mildred Tilley I don’t know. She’s awful! Got our history papers back -- made 91. Have to write them for next unit. In typing, got a lot done. Finished a budget in office. Lovely afternoon. Helen and I found excuses to go to town and we went. Talked about William mostly. I honestly believe it’s getting serious. Came home and studied hard till about 5:15 when Mary and William came by in the car. They had driven Helen home from town (she went again!). Had fun talking and teasing William and Helen. From what Mary says, William really likes Helen. Ah! Mary looked so sweet -- she’s coming back to school tomorrow. Just as they were leaving, I gave Mary, upon request, the note I wrote about a week ago. In wonderful mood when they had gone. At 6:30 walked up to Mrs. Cummins’s. As soon as all members of the cast had arrived, we went over the play. They certainly miscast Blanche H. as grandma. Through about 8:40. Practiced. Mom and Dad at church. Do hope Mary will be back to tomorrow!
Marcy S., age 13, Tennessee
March 19, 1938
Dear Diary — I have decided to have two diaries. One to write everything in (which is this) and one to write just the important things in (my original diary).
It was quite cool in the morning, rather unusual because we have been having very warm weather the past week. It was also cloudy which didn’t help things any. I read a story in The Saturday Evening Post most of the morning. Insisted upon sitting outside on the none-too-soft porch instead of inside where it was warm.
But in the afternoon things cleared up a bit. Oh no, not the weather for it rained although it did get warmer. What I mean is that George came over and we played haunted house and Voice of Fate and airplane. We really had a good time. A very funny thing happened. I was supposed to be a mean Count and George was a ghost. Well, he came on the porch when I wasn’t expecting him and scared me so that I swallowed my gum and almost choked (I have gotten quite a habit of swallowing gum lately). George and I about died laughing about it.
But fun can’t go on forever, which proved itself when Mother made me come in and wash my hair just when we were having the most fun. We had with all our noise, woken Mother up about three times. I guess we woke the neighbors, too.
Well I washed my hair, ate supper, read, and went to bed, thus ending the day.
Henry S., age 26, Michigan
March 19, 1888
Took my washing over to Mrs. Bilderback this morning. It was a very mild, warm atmosphere. Have been busy packing up all day and think I am nearly through. Mr. Barnes was here this forenoon and got my hoe, he said he would take my cook stove and bed stead. It has rained hard some about 4 o’clock and the wind blows strong from the south. I fear the rounds will be in such bad shape that I cannot send the good for a long time. I will have to sleep in a primitive way tonight as all the bedding is packed.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Henry S., age 25, Michigan
March 19, 1887
This has been a beautiful day. The wind keeps in the north but it was not cold. I ate my breakfast before the rest and went up to my work at the store. I worked at the personal ledger all the time and just succeeded in getting it closed, I did nothing toward closing the large ledger, so I will have to go up again next Monday and finish the work. I was on my feet all day at the desk and got pretty tired, but yet, I think I would like Bookkeeping. I had small classes at the College this afternoon. Grace is here tonight. We have had popcorn to eat. I have been reading this evening, in the “Office” a Bookkeeping journal.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Cornelia H., age 25, North Carolina
March 19, 1862
My head felt very badly this morning. Mr. Henry sent to P. Presley & borrowed some coffee which he said cured my head. My head got easy soon after I took some coffee. He always thinks of my comfort. I will have no one to love & caress me if he goes to the war. God grant he may not have to go. Oh! that we could once be a free people & grant us peace most High, the wish of many a sad heart this day. I cleaned up the small goblets. I sent Atheline after them this morning to the store house. There are 52. I cleaned up the pantry generally. After dinner about 4 o’clock I got through & then cut out a dress for myself. Began to hem the frills for the neck. Atheline is making Uncle Sam a shirt.
*(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
March 19, 1668
Up, and betimes to the Old Swan, and by water to White Hall, and thence to W. Coventry’s, where stayed but a little to talk with him, and thence by water back again, it being a mighty fine, clear spring morning. Back to the Old Swan, and drank at Michell’s, whose house goes up apace, but I could not see Betty, and thence walked all along Thames Street, which I have not done since it was burned, as far as Billingsgate; and there do see a brave street likely to be, many brave houses being built, and of them a great many by Mr. Jaggard; but the raising of the street will make it mighty fine. So to the office, where busy all the morning. At noon home to dinner, and thence to the office, very busy till five o’clock, and then to ease my eyes I took my wife out and Deb. to the ‘Change, and there bought them some things, and so home again and to the office, ended my letters, and so home to read a little more in last night’s book, with much sport, it being a foolish book, and so to supper and to bed. This afternoon I was surprized with a letter without a name to it, very well writ, in a good stile, giving me notice of my cozen Kate Joyce’s being likely to ruin herself by marriage, and by ill reports already abroad of her, and I do fear that this keeping of an inne may spoil her, being a young and pretty comely woman, and thought to be left well. I did answer the letter with thanks and good liking, and am resolved to take the advice he gives me, and go see her, and find out what I can: but if she will ruin herself, I cannot help it, though I should be troubled for it.
*(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.)