May 20
Laura M., age 15, North Carolina
May 20, 1997
Good day — liked what I was wearing again! (I love that.) Zach almost got in a fight because he was sticking up for Ashley to this asshole. But nothing happened. Went home with Renee and Audrey came, too. It was really fun. (“Good, clean fun!”) Came home. Story and homework. Me and Em went to “Daniel’s” (Italian) with Wendy and Eric. Awesome. Watched “Mad About You” (Baby). Talked to Courtney. Love her.
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
May 20, 1960
Geo had men cut the oak tree down near garage. Had been struck by lightning two years ago. Looks much better. K.J. called about 10:00. They were going to Iowa to see about K.J. entering colleges. Left early Sat. A.M. Went to Cornell first then Grinnell. Decided on last. Came home 1:30 Sun. A.M.
Marcy S., age 19, Missouri
May 20, 1944
Hot but rather cloudy. After lunch Jane, Mary Jo, Neen, Betty and I went to town and did various and sundry errands. In a 10-cent store we got hung up at a counter displaying hundreds of tiny 5-cent books — Shakespeare plays, French - Self Taught, etc. After great deliberation Betty and I purchased 5 each while Jane pulled her hair out. When we got back Jane, Betty and I went up on the roof and had a good long session with what sun there was. But even though it was cloudy it was still hot. Came down about 3:30. I did my weekly washing in the tub and then took a bath. Jane came in and pressed her formal. Got dressed for formal dinner at 6. We had our table and everybody looked so nice. “Our table” consists of Valerie Guy, Joan Craft, Jacq Polk, Mary Lou Connors, Connie Snelling, Betty Postel, Betty and I. We eat together at lunch and dinner whenever the table is open and have more fun! No candles so it didn’t seem exactly like a formal dinner. More funny things happened. Betty just about had hysterics twice and we all nearly died laughing at her. Good dinner. Afterwards I went to P.O. and found a letter from bank and one from Jim. I just about fell over. He hadn’t gotten my last letter because he’d been moved. It was a very nice letter as usual. I felt so good. Back to hall. We met Betty Postel and she went over to the auditorium with us to hear the Glee Club concert and the operetta. Betty wrote letters while Betty and I read. That philosophy book “The Reason for Living” is excellent! Betty P. is very nice — I wish I could have known her better sooner. The concert started at 8 and was very good. Val is in the glee club. Then a short operetta with Jeanne Butcher in one of the leading roles. She has such a lovely voice. Out about 9:30. Back to the hall where we met Jane and Mary Jo going to the library so we went along. There were a few soldiers floating around loose. It was so warm — we didn’t need any wraps over our formals. It was fun “floating” around in them. Betty and I left Jane and M.J. at the library (returning books) and went out in search of a man! No luck though! We met them again and on the way back ran into Val (no one hurt!). She talked us into going over to see Pres. Wood with her. We could see other kids in there with him and just then it started to sprinkle. We couldn’t decide whether to go in or not but finally Val persuaded us — all but Betty. When we went in she ran — under pretense that she’d get wet. Mary Jo said “She’s self-conscious.” Betty confessed later that whenever she feels she’s being forced to do something it makes her mad and she refuses to do it — carry-over from inferiority complex. Val, Jane, Mary Jo and I sat around Pres. Wood — with some of the campus “big shots” who were there, too. Carolyn Boatner makes me sick — she piles the agony on too much. Pretty soon some of the kids retired to the kitchen and brought us big dishes of choc. and vanilla ice cream. Yummy! Gloria Chestnut was there. She’s swell. It was raining quite hard out and the breeze blew the curtains in the open windows. It was so lovely there. We left about 10:30. Ran home in rain — not hard, though. Val came in and Jane and Mary Jo were in playful moods so we had fun. Betty said she’d go later to see Pres. Wood. Party on roof has been postponed till tomorrow night. To bed about 11:30.
Henry S., age 25, Michigan
May 20, 1887
Looked around Manistee to find a light rig to drive Jimmie in, but could find nothing to suit me. I took my satchel over to the dock and shipped it to Benzonia by way of boat and stage. I left there with Jimmie at 8:15 in the morning and got here at Bear Lake at about 4:30 this afternoon. It was a long, dusty, tiresome walk, about 18 or 19 miles. It made my throat ache badly at times, I did not think my sickness was going to affect me in any such way. I got a lunch at Portage but could eat but little. I guess Jimmie got some tired also. I have him in a good place for the night. I am at the Lake View house. Took a wash all over just now.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Cornelia H., age 25, North Carolina
May 20, 1862
I finished Zona’s scoop before dinner, it looks very nice & began on the frills for me. It is pea green gingham, very stiff & hard to sew. Warm & pleasant, needing a little rain for corn & plowing. The wheat is taking the rust a good deal. Some people will not make half a crop. I see in the papers that the planters in some of the southern states will not make their seed wheat.
*(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 36, London
May 20, 1669
Up and to the Office, where all the morning. At noon, the whole Office — Brouncker, J. Minnes, T. Middleton, Samuel Pepys, and Captain Cox to dine with the Parish, at the Three Tuns, this day being Ascension-day, where exceeding good discourse among the merchants, and thence back home, and after a little talk with my wife, to my office did a great deal of business, and so with my eyes might weary, and my head full of care how to get my accounts and business settled against my journey, home to supper, and bed. Yesterday, at my coming home, I found that my wife had, on a sudden, put away Matt upon some falling out, and I doubt my wife did call her ill names by my wife’s own discourse; but I did not meddle to say anything upon it, but let her go, being not sorry, because now we may get one that speaks French, to go abroad with us.
*(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.)