September 3
Laura M., age 15, North Carolina
September 3, 1997
Chrissi’s pissing everyone off — she’s talking shit about Renee. :( I’m tired of her mess. Saw Chris and held my arms out for my folder and he hugged me instead. W/E. Went home with Ashley. Amanda came and Sean and Zach came later. Mom got me and we went to the mall and got me shoes. They’re okay. Dad picked me up and we stopped by Courtney’s. Love her so much it hurts. Talked 2 Renee and Ashley. Homework.
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
September 3, 1960
Lo called the folks just before we left for cabin. Said expected to come Sunday P.M. which they did with their ironing. Very hot but had a good nite’s rest.
Marcy S., age 20, Tennessee
September 3, 1944
Slept till 8. Woke up to a beautiful clear morning with the sunlight on the green trees. Mr. Walker came while I was dressing and Annie ran in to show me the exquisite doll he had brought her. Home for breakfast. Seemed cool at first but with promise of being a hot day. However, I refused to dress as if it were still summer. Wore a navy suit dress of Mum’s that was too big and had to be pinned, blue straw hat and new black pumps. Felt very classy. The orchestra couldn’t play and Mr. Ahler, Alberta and Millie induced me to play the piano for the hymns. Mrs. Young, Kimmie and Pan came. Their relatives aren’t coming till next week-end. Everyone thought I looked very nice. Oh yes, I got some campus make-up yesterday, too. Pan cut up dreadfully, pinching Kimmie and I till Mrs. Ahler got tickled, too. We stood outside and talked before church. A young minister from near Knoxville preached and was quite good. His wife came, too, and was pretty, though crippled. I asked Kimmie up to see my clothes at 4. George is so funny — sometimes he’ll speak and other times he won’t. Got a ride home with the Winstons. It was really hot then. Mum and Pop came from the Episcopal a few minutes later. We had dinner. Then I dusted and read the paper. Took a bath and put on white jersey — even if it is September! :) About 4 Kimmie and Kay came and I showed them my new clothes and they raved. Then we left for the band concert. Mum was asleep and Pop didn’t want to wake her. Hot but lovely afternoon. Princess almost full when we got there. Seats near the front. Kay and I went out to get some ice cream but there was too big a crowd with the same idea.The concert started about 4:40 with a clash of cymbals by Pan and a roof-raising rendition of the “Star-Spangled Banner” by the band. Then followed a program of classical, patriotic and popular numbers. George really went to town on his bass horn in “Auditorium Assembly” (?), a bogey-wogey number that got more applause than any of the others. Martin has improved wonderfully with his trombone. And of course Bobby Rutherford played the cornet just about perfectly as usual. The poor kids looked so hot, though, in their band uniforms — red and white. The last number, Over There, sounded as if they were really going to war. Mr. Skatrud had to hold his hand over one ear. The applause was almost as deafening. Over about 6. That band is something for Harriman to be proud of. Kay, Kimmie and I started home. Beautiful afternoon. Met Mum and Pop in the car up by Methodist church so I got in and we drove home. Helped Mum get supper. The centerpiece on the dining room table looked so pretty. Some purple flowers in a vase with sprays of sweet summer blossoms in a circle around it. We waited till after 6:30 but no Mary and Horace so we decided that they hadn’t gotten back from Watts. So we three sat down to a delicious repast of milk toast, pineapple and cream cheese salad and raisin cake. It was so lovely sitting there with the still summery evening outside and the sweet flowers. I left about 7:15 and went by for Kim and Pan. At 7:30 we went on down to the Methodist church. Sat with Barbara D’Armmond and heard Jean Robinson give an organ recital. Very good. She plays like a professional. It was over about 8:30 and we went right back to congratulate Jean. She was wringing wet. We went outside and talked to the Hudsons. I asked them to go to the show with me tomorrow night. Geneva was with them but is leaving tomorrow. I didn’t recognize her at first. Then Jean came out and we all stood around and talked. She leaves Wednesday for Boston again. Barbara and Betty Bowman joined us. Then Kim and I walked down to the Hiwassee Apts. with them — they were going to have supper with somebody there. Said ’bye. Betty and Barbara are so funny. Every time Betty sees me she asks how much longer she’s going to have to listen to my screeching! Kim and I talked up to her house and I accepted an invitation to have some watermelon. Pan had gotten into trouble for coming home without Kimmie and she was mad at said Kimmie. I wish Kim. weren’t leaving tomorrow. Pan said I wouldn’t come down anymore when Kim. left and I saw a glimmer of light. We met Kay just coming home from church and she and Kim. walked up to Tarwaters’ with me. Kay and I are planning to do a lot of tennis playing this week but we probably won’t. Said ’night and I went on home and to bed. If we don’t hear from Rochester tomorrow Pop is going to send a telegram.
Marcy S., age 15, Tennessee
September 3, 1939 (Awful, awful day!!!!!!!!!)
Dear Diary — I guess I’m not the only person who will remember this day a long, long time—Sept. 3, 1939—what a tragic day!!!!!
To begin with we heard over the radio (although it wasn’t in the papers yet) this morn that Britain had entered the war and France did later on in the day. What is this world coming to?! I wish I were old enough to be a spy or a nurse but this war will soon be over (I hope) so I guess my wishes are all in vain.
Mom and Dad went to Knoxville today to an Episcopal Service—from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30. I went to S.S. and church and the talk, prayers and sermon was mostly that dreaded word—War! [In left margin: “P.S. Gert and Spencer were at church.”] Ate dinner at Mrs. McClure’s. She had 20 people for dinner so I had to wait awhile and then eat with the Johnstone’s. Jim, Allan, Helen and I read funny papers on the sun porch where George was lying. His temperature has decreased. There was a man here for dinner and all he and Mr. Johnstone did was to quote the Bible back and forth to each other. Mr. J. told this man that the boys in this neighborhood never quarreled—may he be forgiven? Helen and I had fun “telephoning” after dinner till Marie Burgess came with her mother to see Mrs. McCarter so H. and I went up to her house. At 4:00 we went to C.E. Fun. Again all the talk was—War! Came back and read till just before supper when old Mrs. Williams ’phoned mother to tell her the absolutely impossibly tragicly [sic] true news that the Lofts had had an accident near Louisville, Ky. and that Mrs. Loft had been killed and Mr. Loft badly injured—they didn’t know about the children!!!! Well, poor Mother, of course she just broke down. Dad already knew (Mr. Dailey, Mrs. L.’s father, had come here while Mom was resting to borrow som money to enable him to go to Louisville) but hadn’t wanted M. to know till after supper. That of course knocked supper and everything else out of the picture—all we did was discuss all the why’s and wherefore’s and M. kept sobbing, “Oh, it can’t be true—it just can’t be true!” I just couldn’t believe it so it didn’t affect me very badly. The Johnstones knew and all the rest of the neighborhood. Stanley came to get details but we didn’t know much.
We settled down long enough to listen to Pres. Roosevelt’s message on the radio at 8:00. Later heard that the British steamship, Athenia, had been torpedoed off the coast of Scotland with 1400 people aboard—a lot being Americans. The Germans have certainly started off with a bang!
We didn’t get to bed very early as you can imagine.
Oh, Diary, what next?!? I honestly hate to think. Mr. Marney and everyone else is very concerned about the Lofts.
Henry S., age 25, Michigan
September 3, 1887
Kate canned our crop of peaches this morning; she had 2 quarts. We got things ready and started for Pleasanton about 9:30 o’clock. I tied the baby’s carriage on behind the buggy seat to use when we got to Robins’. We took a lunch along and stopped in the woods and ate it on our way down. When we got there, we found the whooping cough in the family so we did not go in the house. Kate and Dell went over to Taylor’s while I fed Jimmie and then we came home. It was a long ride for the baby but she seemed to enjoy it.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Abbie B., age 22, Kansas
September 3, 1871
Baked two loaves for over Sunday. If we dont eat more, they will last a long time. I fed and watered the ox. He is quite a pet, although he has long hornes, I am not afraid of him. I fed him corn and mellons. When I call him, he comes as far as the roap will let him. I was moving him to a new feeding place, and he put his nose on my shoulder. Too bad his mate died. They were such a good yoke of oxen—and so tame.
Thousands and thousands of Texas cattle, were driven north this Summer. Some have been allowed to graze on this side of the river before crossing. Texas cattle generate —I think that is the word — in their feet during the long trip, a substance that poisens the grass. This does not hurt them — but if native cattle eat that grass it poisens them and they die of what is called Texas fever. That is what killed the one ox.
Philip thinks he is a little better this evening. J. R. just came. He should stay more on his claime.
Brother H[iram] brought us apples, material for a shirt for P and calico for me a dress. Such a lot of writing paper—and buff envelopes. P had brought a lot along from W. So I’ll not soon be out of writing material.
*(kansasmemory.org, Kansas State Historical Society, copy and reuse restrictions apply)
Cornelia H., age 26, North Carolina
September 3, 1862
Finished Pinck’s pants & made the women an apron each like the boys pants. It kept me busy all day. Louise stays with me tonight. I read every night & knit. Very dry with cool mornings & evenings. Feels almost like frost.
*(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
September 3, 1668
Up, and to the Office, where busy till it was time to go to the Commissioners of Accounts, which I did about noon, and there was received with all possible respect, their business being only to explain the meaning of one of their late demands to us, which we had not answered in our answer to them, and, this being done, I away with great content, my mind being troubled before, and so to the Exchequer and several places, calling on several businesses, and particularly my bookseller’s, among others, for “Hobbs’s Leviathan,” which is now mightily called for; and what was heretofore sold for 8s. I now give 24s. for, at the second hand, and is sold for 30s., it being a book the Bishops will not let be printed again, and so home to dinner, and then to the office all the afternoon, and towards evening by water to the Commissioners of the Treasury, and presently back again, and there met a little with W. Pen and the rest about our Prize accounts, and so W. Pen and Lord Brouncker and I at the lodging of the latter to read over our new draft of the victualler’s contract, and so broke up and 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.)