1916 HANDWRITTEN MANUSCRIPT DIARY OF A NEW ENGLAND SCHOOL TEACHER DURING WORLD WAR I

On offer is the handwritten diary of Alice M. Preston during the year 1916. We are not certain as to the town Alice lives in, but we believe it is either in Massachusetts or New Hampshire, because she mentions the following places; Peabody, Windham, White Plains, Salem, Laconia, Danvers, Northfield, Jackson, Beverly, Plattsburg, Ashfield and Nashua. Alice is a schoolteacher and a fairly dedicated diarist and this diary is over two thirds full having over 250 entries with many very interesting and historical entries. Here are some snippets: "Still warm. Ice nearly all gone from ponds. Grace Noble came to teach grade 3... Parliament buildings in Ottawa blown up by German bomb.... Big blizzard. Began about 2. A howler. Home at 4:10. Struggled up home in the teeth of it, a fearful night….. Walls and fences covered. Went to 8:20 car on my snowshoes. Men could hardly keep the road open. Home at 4:20. Walked up on snowshoes... Parent’s day at school. Had 4 in the morning and 12 or 15 in the p.m. Pupils lovely... School again. Cool and clear. Miss Sergeant wearing her diamond. Went to ride with Ruth after tea... washed my hair. Sewed in the p.m. Mrs. Edwin Appleton died very suddenly at 10 o'clock. Heart failure... Mother and I went up to Mrs. Drury’s after tea. Foster left for Plattsburgh for a month of soldiering... Flag Day. Big parade in Salem. Clear in the p.m., but rainy in the evening. Strawberry festivals... Everything all war excitement. Boys went to Framingham….. A trifle warmer. Professors and teachers had our supper at Hospital Point. Ruth brought me home later. Militia left for Mexico….. Yellow day caused by forest fires in Canada. Heat wave in Chicago. Went to church. Cloudy all day. Sultry at night. Up street after tea. Heard that Bessie Choat had a boy…. Fixed a dress. To Peabody with Grace and Marion. Came back to House of Seven Gables. Marion here at night. She was poisoned by cedar…. Northfield. Went on an auto trip over the Mohawk Trail and to a lumber camp in Ashfield…. Poured. Schools did not open on account of another case of infantile paralysis. To building to report. Home at 10. Lovely in p.m….. Our building opened. Medical inspection by 8 doctors. All teachers back. I have 41….. Mr. Chase came up. When for an auto ride with Ruth. In evening I fainted away, while mother was tying my mole. Ethel Dodge died… early reports reported; Hughes elected president. Evening returns in doubt…. Election returns not all in. Still uncertain…. Wilson declared elected president...and more. Names mentioned in this diary are; Abby Rose, Lillian Smith, Mackay, Louisa Riva, Edwards, Plumber, Forbes, Read, King, Haskell, Pembroke, Dury, Lawrence, Obear, Dexler, Wales, Ruth Woodbury, Effie Lindsay, Susan Todd, Una Elliot, Sue Sinnell, Harold Dodge, Loom, and more. The diary measures 3" x 5", is in wonderful condition, and Alice has very beautiful hand writing. ; Manuscript; 48mo - over 3" - 4" tall; HANDWRITTEN, MANUSCRIPT, DOCUMENT, LETTER, AUTOGRAPH, DIARY, JOURNAL, LOG, KEEPSAKE, WRITER, HAND WRITTEN, DOCUMENTS, SIGNED, LETTERS, MANUSCRIPTS, HISTORICAL, HOLOGRAPH, WRITERS, DIARIES, JOURNALS, LOGS, AUTOGRAPHS, PERSONAL, MEMOIR, MEMORIAL, PERSONAL HISTORY, AMERICANA, CANADA, CANADIANA, WORLD WAR I, WWI, SCHOOL, EDUCATION, PRE SUFFRAGE, SCHOOL TEACHER, SCHOOLMARM, GENEALOGY, MASSACHUSETTS, NEW HAMPSHIRE,