(May 12) “Went down to the I.O.O.F to graduation. Had a grand time, banquet & then dance.”
6 Sat. Wilma & I did most of the work. I set my hair, bathed, etc. Isabelle ran the tractor for Dad, while harrowing. Mom started my graduation dress this morn, & just about finished it tonight. Went to bed early.
7 Sun. Church opened today. I did homework this morn, then we went. There were 30 there. We called on McGugans after. Neil is much better, I think. Mr. McG. isn’t very well. I studied Literature tonight.
8 Mon. Paid rent tonight. It was only 13.00. Dean brought us to town, & we were really here in plenty of time! We went down town after four. Mom & Isabelle came to town with Stutts. So saw them. Did homework and went to bed.
9 Tues. Rainy looking, so we didn’t wear socks & summer dresses. Doris stayed to work on the banquet after four. I went down town. She got supper we went to the show, “Flight for Freedom”, with Rosslind Russell & Fred McMurray. Good all the way through, but ended wrong. Home at 9.15.
10 Wed. Lovely day. We resorted to short socks & spring dresses. Doris stayed at school til 5.15. I scrubbed, waxed & polished living room floor. Did potatoes. Ernie came up tonight & surprised Doris. Arrived at 8.20 and stayed til 10.30 We didn’t get anything done.
11 Thurs. Windy. I went right down town after four to get my hair done. Was there nearly two hours. It poured cat & dogs, & I had to come home in it. Pat had supper with Doris. Did a little homework. Bed at ten.
12 Fri. I had a terrible French period. Could have bawled. Twelves all went into the aud. Last period this morn for instructions for tonight. Mom & Mrs S. & Shirley were up after four. Mom brought my dress. Doris & I got ready, went to Pats & to Sorrells to show ourselves off. then went down to the I.O.O.F to graduation. Had a grand time, banquet & then dance. I replied to Mr La Tours toast to the graduating class. Dance was over at 11.15. We had lunch, then Dean brought us home.
(scroll to the end of this post for a picture of the original diary entries in Mom’s handwriting)
These are the diaries of a seventeen-year-old teenager from a farm near Weyburn, Saskatchewan. Her name is Lorraine. She eventually was a church organist in Colgate. In 1944 she was the piano player for a dance band in Weyburn. In these days before school busses she, and her sisters, each had to move from the farm into town to attend school for Grades 11 & 12. This is the darkest time in World War II. Weyburn hosted an airbase for BCATP (British Commonwealth Air Training Plan). In other words, the town is filled with eligible young airmen from all over the world …
