May 30
Laura M., age 16, North Carolina
May 30, 1998
Went 2 Dad’s and spent most of the day home alone. Tried to go bathing suit shopping. NO. Went all over town with Courtney looking for Liam. Found him and they got in a fight. Went 2 Ryan’s (the restaurant). Chilled with Sean. Took Courtney home. Came home. Talked 2 Sean.
Laura M., age 15, North Carolina
May 30, 1997
Pretty good school day. We dissected frogs in Science. Eew. Had Baskin Robbins job interview. The guy was an ass. Dad picked me up, then Courtney, then Liam. :) We all (and Sandra and Becca) went to see the Dragons play at old Durham Bulls stadium. (Fast pitch ladies.) It was fun and really good to see Liam. He’s one of the coolest people I know. Him and Courtney are very cute together. Dropped him off and came home. Me and Courtney watched “G.D.” Went to bed.
Anna L., age 75, Illinois
May 30, 1960
Came in at 10:00 thinking Jean was to go to Milwaukee on 11:00. Called Beloit and found out she wasn’t to go. They came down around 3:00. Lo and I had a little rest. The girls glad they could stay awhile and worked on the ponies. Jean seemed happy to do it loved the ponies. Came in, loaded books and left for Beloit at 9:00 and we to bathe and go to bed.
Marcy S., age 19, Missouri
May 30, 1944
Nice day. Hot. Went to last shorthand class. Miss Erb said Mr. Harris would have an excellent employee. Didn’t have to go to transcription. Got stuff out and ready to pack in boxes at 9. At 10 went to history. We had to hand in a list of what we’d liked about the course and suggestions for improvement. Mr. Carson showed us our semester grades — I made H and nearly passed out! Out early. Didn’t seem possible that it was the last class meeting. Went to Philosophy at 11. Three mothers were there. One of them was right on the beam and had quite a discussion with Mr. Berry. He handed back our term papers and said he’d been disappointed in most of them. Said the students who had been doing excellent work all semester had let him down. I was prepared for the worst but made an S+. Betty wouldn’t look at hers till after class. She made S. He said only 2 made H for the semester so that will be the only course I didn’t make H in. Darn it! [In upper margin: “Beaty O’Hair made H — he said her paper was the best.”] Well, Mr. B. was expecting more of a research paper and we didn’t understand that. I know mine wasn’t an H paper, though. Said ’bye to Mr. B. We’ll really miss him. All sat together at lunch. Mrs. Connors ate with us again. Had cottage cheese and raisin bread, etc. Lot of parents there. Had siesta. I started packing my boxes. Soon had 8 — counting the one with the books. About 3 Betty and I went over to the Swap Shop and took our spreads lamp, and the ironing board. It didn’t take long. Then Betty got her creative writing papers from Mr. Donchiau. Back to hall and I finished wrapping boxes. Decided to buy a rose for each of the kids at the table to wear at the Sr. dinner tonight. Betty’s parents sent her a lovely corsage like the one I had for the recital. So about 5 Betty and I went down to Mueller’s and I bought a half dozen red roses and brought them back. Mary Jo came in — she was thoroughly disgusted with everything. I took a bath and about 6 buzzed all the kids — some weren’t home and some couldn’t come down. But I got Val and gave her a rose. She thought it was so sweet. About 6:25 Betty, Val and I walked over to Tower dining room. It was raining but cleared in a few minutes. We three sat together but didn’t see the other kids anywhere. The tables were decorated so brightly and circus music was played all during dinner. We had a sumptuous meal with pie a la mode for dessert. Out about 7. Went over to Sr. Court and Val. and I got good seats for the Ivy Fete while Betty went to hall to wash her hands. The men were wiping the seats off. It was so lovely after the rain. Then when Betty returned I went to the room and finally found Joan and Mary Lou and gave them each a rose. They were thrilled to death. Mary Lou said she’d put it in her memory book of Stephens! Then I got Betty P. and Connie and they were equally surprised. And at last Jacq appeared. She said her parents had arrived and she wanted Betty and I to go out to supper with them about 9 but when I told her we were going to the Ivy Fete she said we’d go out tomorrow some time. I went back and joined Betty and Val. At 8 the Ivy Fete started. The new Ivy Queen was crowned. The girls — both Srs. and Jrs. — were beautiful. Beaty O’Hair looked lovely in blue. Ditto Madolyn Youse. The Srs. were all in blue — the Jrs. in pink and the Queens in white. It was over by 9 so we could have gone anyway. There was an odd pink glow in the sky that made everything look so bright. Betty and I went in and talked to Mrs. Norris. She remembers their Ivy Fete 30 years ago. At 10 Srs. went to the auditorium for Pres. Wood’s farewell message. I expected to drip all over the place but couldn’t bring myself to weep. Guess I was expecting too much. Pres. Wood is so wonderful, though — the auditorium was just as quiet. We sat near Jane and company. She wept. It was over by 10:30 and Betty and I went for a walk with Jacq, Joan, and Betty Reiser. It was a beautiful star lit night and the end seemed so near. We walked way out by Mr. Cox’s and around there. Betty’s and my feet were killing us. We made enough noise to wake the whole town. Got back in time for census at 11. Betty and I went in and talked to Mary Jo and Jane awhile. M.J. went to sleep on her bed with her clothes on. I washed my hair in the shower and Betty washed hers in the basin. Then Val came down and told us she had some food that had to be eaten. So we went down to their room and found Eleanor and their suite mates having a feast. The room looked like the wreck of the Hesperus — Val was in the midst of packing. We had a snack and then went home to bed after 12. The last night.
Marcy S., age 16, Tennessee
May 30, 1941
Decoration Day. Hot, cloudy, no rain. Daddy has holiday so we slept late. I read a magazine story after I woke up. Tried hard not to doubt but to believe.
Aloys F., age 16, County Cork, Ireland
May 30, 1926
Went to 8 o’clock Mass and Communion, because I have got an Irish exam to-day from 11-12, and I had to do some work for it. Scannie is a show for putting on exams. on Sundays and half-holidays. As luck would have it, we got nothing in the paper that I had swotted and in addition I had a headache from working before the exam. When Dickie gets hold of a remote Irish phrase that he himself hadn’t heard of before, he is sure to keep it for the exam. and then we have to go breaking our heads against it for about half an hour. I didn’t do too well and hadn’t time to finish the paper. We got our photos taken by Brother Walter of North Mon. Afterwards came home to find Arthur here. I was disgusted, because I specially told Nannie to tell him to put off our excursion till next Sunday, as I wanted to work for the history exam. So, after dinner like fools we set off for Fountainstown, were tired on arriving but had a swim in quite a nice place and got tea from one landlady of last hols. Though it is quite a nice place, the atmosphere of the monied jazzy people who go there make it rather disgusting.
*(Original Archive Copyright © Estate of Aloys Fleischmann. The Fleischmann Diaries Online Archive by Róisín O’Brien is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Used with permission.)
Henry S., age 26, Michigan
May 30, 1888
I spent most of the forenoon in study. Mrs. Geo. Phelps, Hattie and Nellie were here just before dinner. I mixed up the new spray pump which pa got of Mr. Terry, and put London Purple on the plum and cherry trees this afternoon. The pump worked finely. Transplanted some of Kate’s celery plants this evening. Uncle Robert spent the day at Dexter. D.J. Ames telling me a specimen that I sent them was acceptable, but too light, and they would like me to write another. I did not expect so much attention.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Henry S., age 25, Michigan
May 30, 1887
I finished unpacking the pint cans this morning. Planted a little corn among the Plum trees and sowed some carrot seed there also. It rained some this forenoon. I was in hopes we are going to have another good shower, but it passed off. I sowed a box of late cabbage seed today. Went up town tonight before I had supper, and got the mail. I have been catching mice in the woodshed this afternoon, caught 5 so far and may have another before I go to bed. Took a pail of nuts over to the Neill’s tonight. The sweet potato plants I ordered of Child’s came to Mrs. Neill today. I did not hear from home today.
*(R. Henry Scadin Collection, D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, UNC Asheville)
Cornelia H., age 26, North Carolina
May 30, 1863
Betsey went home this morning. We have had some rain today, not much. I finished Willie’s dress soon after dinner & put it on him. He is very proud of his homespun with buttons. I washed Pinck’s head after dinner. George cut his hair today. It is shingled very close but looks very well. Mr. Henry out about the farm & mill. Wiley Knight moved the loom this evening in the back piazza. He put the rollers on the trunnel bed also. The children are delighted with it. Mr. Henry got the rollers when he was in Columbia. He is ever thoughtful of his wife & children. He is such a good man.
*(Fear in North Carolina: The Civil War Journals and Letters of the Henry Family, Eds. Karen L. Clinard and Richard Russell, used with permission.)
Cornelia H., age 25, North Carolina
May 30, 1862
Mail brought no news. I finished Fannie’s dress before night, got done the wool. Very warm & dry.
*(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
May 30, 1668
(Whitsunday). By water to White Hall, and thence to Sir W. Coventry, where all the morning by his bed-side, he being indisposed. Our discourse was upon the notes I have lately prepared for Commanders’ Instructions; but concluded that nothing will render them effectual, without an amendment in the choice of them, that they be seamen, and not gentleman above the command of the Admiral, by the greatness of their relations at Court. Thence to White Hall, and dined alone with Mr. Chevins his sister: whither by and by come in Mr. Progers and Sir Thomas Allen, and by and by fine Mrs. Wells, who is a great beauty; and there I had my full gaze upon her, to my great content, she being a woman of pretty conversation. Thence to the Duke of York, who, with the officers of the Navy, made a good entrance on my draught of my new Instructions to Commanders, as well expressing general [views] of a reformation among them, as liking of my humble offers towards it. Thence being called by my wife, Mr. Gibson and I, we to the Park, whence the rain suddenly home.
*(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.)