Lolita Woodward fretted about her body, saved “Ideal Figure” charts from the newspaper, and glued them right next to pictures of her favorite movie actors. She saved laundry receipts, bridge tallies, and a prayer card from church, which is rather poignantly offset by a handwritten liquor inventory. The illicit nature of the very mention of alcohol during the early years of Prohibition must have been keenly felt by Woodward, and the shaky indeterminacy of her penmanship graphically underscores her likely apprehension. Champagne is naively misspelled as Champaign (like the town in Illinois, the probable reference point for this young Chicago native).

01.07.09     Comments (0)     digg | del.ic.io.us | reddit

The “Stunt” Book kept by Elinor Moses in the 1920s includes endless mementos: fabric swatches, photographs, dance cards, stunt cards, place cards, news clippings, calling cards, school programs, invitations, post cards, telegrams, letters, pressed flowers, a 1918 visitor’s pass to Camp Kearny, even a calling card for Mrs. C. B. de Mille. And then this: on June 8, 1920, at a bridal dinner given for her cousin Edward, three intruders (allegedly seeking the $15,000 in diamonds worn by the twenty members of the bridal party) broke into the Moses residence, and shot the bridegroom and two other men, including the bride’s younger brother. The wedding took place a day later at the hospital (where the groom lay recuperating), and the “Nuptial Bandits” were apprehended several days later.

01.06.09     Comments (1)     digg | del.ic.io.us | reddit

At the end of the nineteenth century, the making of scrapbook houses were a popular pastime, during which children and young adults would cut out pictures of home furnishings to create scrapbooks of interior settings. The activity afforded the opportunity to practice home décor, and younger children created their own picture stories. Children enjoyed the grown-up posturing of “playing house,” while many young women appreciated the chance to “practice” housekeeping and experiment with decor. Writing in the September 1902 issue of Ladies’ Home Journal, Marion Dudley Richards extolled the virtues of this domestic craft. “These book houses anyone can make, with a slight effort, for any little girl. Fifty or seventy-five cents will buy a large book or album for the purpose, though my first efforts were expended on old report books.”

01.05.09     Comments (0)     digg | del.ic.io.us | reddit

Paper place cards, a frilly candy basket and a wristband were just a few of the mementos Verna Leonard saved from a Christmas party — the “Yule Feast” —where she describes a menu of fruit cocktail, turkey, onions, dressing, pickles, peas, celery, bread and gravy. (Dessert was vanilla ice cream with a raspberry ball in the center.)

01.02.09     Comments (0)     digg | del.ic.io.us | reddit

An assortment of Christmas cards from Verna’s many friends and acquaintances. Note that the envelope only identified Verna by name, school, town and state. There is no actual street address, and no zip code. (Zip codes wouldn’t come into use for another two decades or so.)

01.01.09     Comments (2)     digg | del.ic.io.us | reddit

Verna recounts a Christmas party on December 21 where “we each received a gift: mine was a couple of bon-bons.” Following caroling, a day later, there are more presents — including jewelry, a photograph album, two diaries (“diary’s”), a necklace, a mirror and a pillow. Then, on December 23, they serenaded the freshmen: with spirits high from all the holiday revelry, Verna writes: “Can’t you imagine how much studying we are going to do today, for you see—we are going home!”

12.31.08     Comments (0)     digg | del.ic.io.us | reddit

On December 9, 1932, Verna Leonard went to her first dance. Her anticipation is barely containable as she recounts waiting for the dance to begin: “We waited and waited and waited and waited and all the time I was getting more and more excited.” When her date arrives along with the other boys (“we found out later they went upstairs for Lifesavers”) they head over to the dance. “Then,” writes Leonard, “began my first dance.” Elsewhere on this page Leonard saves a newspaper article about the ball and a note from her mother, granting permission to attend an after-party.

12.30.08     Comments (0)     digg | del.ic.io.us | reddit

On the left, a program from a student-produced holiday play, entitled “What Happened Around the Christmas Tree.” On the right, a Christmas card sent by Verna’s Grandmother.

12.29.08     Comments (0)     digg | del.ic.io.us | reddit

In her sophomore year, the Christmas dance was held on December 8. “Cilla and I didn’t go,” notes Verna. (Did she get a better offer?) Included, too, is the official Hyannis Teacher’s College Christmas card for that year.

12.26.08     Comments (0)     digg | del.ic.io.us | reddit

While home in New Bedford, Massachusetts over the Christmas holidays, Verna’s Friends sent her cards and letters. One envelope is simply marked “Johnny,” while another is addressed using only her first name. “From Frank at the Lewis Bay Lodge,” notes Verna. “He didn’t know my last name and took a chance this way.”

12.25.08     Comments (1)     digg | del.ic.io.us | reddit