1930 Collection of an Adorable Diary and the Handmade Art of a 10-Year-Old Washington Girl
12262On offer is a delightful collection containing a school aged girls’ pocket diary and a collection of her handmade artwork.
The diary and artwork were created by Betty Jean (legal birth name: Andrina Elizabeth) Willison (b.1920) of Tacoma, Washington. Betty Jean was the third of five children born to Andrew and Olive (Derrickson) Willison. She was in elementary school at the time she kept this diary, but would go on to graduate from Stadium High School and George Washington University. In 1942, Betty Jean would marry Lloyd Garrison (1917-2007) in Palm Beach, Florida, where Lloyd was stationed with the US Navy. They divorced in California in 1971. Unfortunately we were unable to trace the rest of Willison’s life.
Betty Jean kept her diary in 1930 and from March 10 through May 1st. While brief, her entries paint a quite lovely picture of the life of this 10-year-old girl with her family, friends and at school Some excerpts:
“Last night I went up to Virginia’s house. I made the cutest garage for a little car and she made a little Gas Station” [March 12].
“Saturday we played baseball and every time I was up they caught my fly. So it made it very bad for me” [Mar 15].
“Last night I went to the Symphony concert. My cousin played in it. Her name was Virginia Willison” [Mar 20].
“Last night I played Jacks. I was in my 60’s when my sister was only in her 30’s” [April 19].
“Yesterday we played house. I was the maid, Jessie was the father, and my cousin was the mother and my little sister was the child” [April 27].
Along with her sweet diary are several pieces of Betty Jean’s artwork, some of which are signed by her, most being forms of paper applique.
Altogether it is a charming diary and collection of a child’s artwork, highlighting the daily life of a happy and secure school age child at the outset of the Great Depression.
The diary consists of a small, top-bound notebook, measuring 5 inches by 3 inches. It contains only 24 pages, all with diary entries, with evidence that a number of pages had been removed at the back of the notebook. The covers are in good condition as is the binding. The pages are in good condition and the handwriting is legible.
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