1903 Handwritten Diary Attending Art Institute Chicago Lives At Beaver Lake WI
Item History & Price
WELCOMETO SALLY’S DIARIES: Upfor auction today is a 1903 diary written by a young lady who is fromBeaver Lake Wisconsin which is a 313 acre lake located in WaukeshaCounty. I don’t know her name but I can tell you that most of theentries up until June find her in Chicago attending the ArtInstitute. After that she leaves for Beaver Lake with her family. Shealso takes trips to Champagin Illinois and Oshkosh Wisconsin. Howeveras the diary opens up, January 1st, she and her parentsare... staying at the Aberdeen Hotel in Milwaukee. I found a fabulousphoto of the Aberdeen and copied it off so I could share it here.Please note that the photo of the Aberdeen is just a copy. She’sa wonderful author too and this is a page a day diary so there’s alot of room to write especially since the diary is large measuringabout 4” x 7”. There were two original photos between the pagesof his diary; one of three women (I’m assuming one of them is ourauthor) and one photo postcard of the Rockwell Hotel in Luzern NewYork. Sheis faithful with her writing from January 1st all the waythrough to August 2nd and then a few sporadic entriesuntil October 23rd when she writes this….“Poorold book has simply been used for accounts since last August. It wasall because I have had too good a time. I just could not write it asit would seem as good as it really was. Another week has flown.” Thenafter that there are several scattered entries but most of them haveto do with expenses, names and address and other miscellaneous notes. Herentries are wonderful especially if you are interested in Chicagoduring the first part of the 20th century. Since I loveanything about the Chicago Worlds Fair of 1893 I particularly lovedthe entry when she went to Jackson Park, the location of the World’sFair and said she went into the old German Buildings that were stillleft standing. That’s where the postcard showing the GermanBuildings came in. I found it on the web and copied it off to shareit here. Shealso has little poems, sayings and sentiments written at the bottomof some of the pages. For instance…“MatchMaking. A Summer Recipe. Take a man in love and a girl not quiteconvinced. Place together on a secluded piazza with two chairs, andstir slowly. Add a slight breeze from the south, a dash of courageand a heaping teaspoonful of persuasiveness. Sprinkle with afternoonsunshine, sifted thorough June foliage and keep away till untilwanted.” Hereare a few other examples of her handwritten entries…..1903“January2nd, Milwaukee. Dull evening, rainy. Packed partly after breakfast thenwent up to Graces and stayed till one o’clock as she was very sick.P.M. mother and I down town. Worried because of no letter fromChicago but at four o’clock Harvey telephoned and although I didnot take the message myself was relieved to learn just when to expecthim. Bathed and dressed and at last nine o’clock did come and thecarriage. We visited with papa and mother and then stayed in theparlor till ten thirty or a little after. Eleven o’clock and“Lights out” as they always have done here in the Alberdeen. I amwondering if I can go to sleep after this exciting day but must tryto sleep off the nervous headache.”(On the 5thshe arrives in Chicago and she is a bit depressed readyto begin her studio classes)“January8th, Coldest day of the year. Mechanical drawings till noon. Mostinteresting afternoon. After working on design for lace handkerchiefswe all went into the new sculptine hall to watch a cast made of ourclay freezes. Saw lots beside this that was interesting there.Lecture on the Roman Horse at fore eve. Wrote Lucile and AliceMathews and traced my design of today. Now 10-15.”“February6th, Chicago to Champaign. Took train at 39thfor Champaign at 8:10. After a very long and tiresome ride with fourlunatics on our train, we at last got to our destination. Lunched atthe Pi Phi House. Bernard, Lester and Harvey came down at three. Allwent down town. Eve some fellows and Ashton and Miskimins and PeggyBlackstone were down and we took flashlights and had a gay timegenerally. Bed after a lunch of wafers and jelly, at one thirty.” “March23rd, Milwaukee.(I believe it’sspring break).Dressmakers anddown town in the morning. Corset fitted and art exhibit with Lucilein the afternoon. Ave. pictures in the parlor of the Aberdeen. Letterto H. and bed early with ____ Gibbs. Ben ill so we could not go tothe theatre as planned but I was glad he suggested it as I would havehad to pass anyway.” “April1st, At last I have my two weeks written up in my diary which I seemed toobusy to write before. Had a little sleep from 7:30 till 8:30. Havebeen so busy for two weeks have hardly had time to think. I mustbegin again from today and keep up the little book which I expect tobe lots of company for me some day and a pleasure to read over andtell of our Chicago experiences to somebody some day.” “May8th, Doctors with Carolyn and had my hair shampooed down on 55thSt. Met the girls at the studio at elevated and we took elevated forOak Park arriving at 12:30. We had a dear little dinner then wentinto the woods and picked violets. Home at six. Eve. sat in the darkand talked and played till ten then went to bed withoutlighting thelights.” (In themiddle of May she goes to Oshkosh to attend a wedding.)“May29th, Waited for the postman and he brought me a note from Ben telling meof the important event in his life. Had been expecting such news butwas surprised to learn that it was Miss Stevens. Wrote him at oncefrom the studio. Spose I will have to give up my old friend andcomrade now but am happy to have him as happy as I. Felt excited allday over the news just as I did over Ida’s engagement. Two of mydearest friends are engaged, one married to people almost perfectstrangers to me. That makes it hard but if I come to know Miss S.someday and like her as I did Ralph it will be fine…..” “June7th, Laporte.Up at eight. All went out to the lake and Mable McDonnell and I wentrowing, the others walking. We had pop and sandwiches and balloonsand picked daisies. P.M. after a grand dinner we had a little concertthen all went and rested and dressed for a couple of hours. Mr.Donell played the violin very well. Sunday eve. walked and visited, some of the crowd went to church. Lunch atone o’clock.Carolyn and I talked most all night on very exciting subject.Beautiful weather for bothdays of the party.”(On June 11thshe says she leaves the old studio for the year. Heads home whichfinds her at Beaver Lake)“June24th, Beaver Lake.Worked at the decorations in the den all noon. Mr. and Mrs. Carrollhere. In the P.M. I made an Alpha and Tau fob. Eve. received the“blue ribbon” and a diploma from the Art Institute which informedme that I had received “first honorable mention” in the finalcompetition. Very much delighted. Grace and I out rowing. Long letterto H. One from him at five when Grace and I drove down to the trainwith the Carrolls.” “July10th, …..(Thisis a long, 2 ½ page entry so I’m just quoting part of it)…HelpedEmma after dinner, sewed all the afternoon and finished the P.M. witha cold plunge in the white porcelain sea…..G. and I had a boat ridelater and I had a short one alone. Last night Grace and I sat in aboat out on the lake in front of Interlaken and listened to the musictell most eleven. Rode home by moonlight that was gorgeous. TheRecord Harold today gave a tiny account of my “blue ribbon.” “July30th, From July thirteenth to July thirtieth has been one long blank inpoor “Miss Journal” but it was not because there was nothing towrite, simply that there was so very much and no time to write it alldown……This week has flown as they all have this summer and outside of getting a start at sorting out any clippings that I have beensaving for years I have not done much but with letters and help inthe house. Wednesday July 29thwas the day that his announcement said Don was to be married. We allthink it so queer to have sent out announcements too before thewedding. Tuesday I burned Ben and Don’s letters which were the lastto go of all my pile. Still I could not seem to find the accompanyingtears and sensations with in books, always go side by side when oldletters are burned. I had the sensations though when I reread theseletters sometime ago, but this summer makes me feel older than I amto see how far apart good friends can get in a year….”“October23rd, “Poor old book hassimply been used for accounts since last August. It was all because Ihave had too good a time. I just could not write it as it would seemas good as it really was. Another week has flown.” Again, the entries after this are just sporadic. As far as the condition ofthis diary, both the front and back covers have fallen off but areaccounted for. The cover on the edge of the spine is gone however.The pages and binding look good.
