“PASSED GRADE XII.“ Monday, August 31, 1944
29 Sat. Mom didn’t get home. Mae stayed in bed this morn, or rather went back for a couple of hrs. I did dishes, separator, then finished my cleaning, scrubbed kitchen floor & got peas for dinner. Mae cleaned veranda, washed her hair and made pies. We went to the house for awhile. Came home about 4 o’clock. Stopped at Alicia’s for awhile. I bathed & got lunch ready. For supper we went to town with Lloyd’s in their car. Met Dad & the girls. We girls went to see “Snow While & the Seven Dwarfs”
30 Sun. Did up the usual work, then Dad took us to Sunday School & church. Connie Willis spoke. I didn’t like her. After church Dad & we girls sang for about an hour. The girls got supper ready. We took Isabelle to Freeman’s tonight. Had some music. We girls went to Lawrence’s in the Ford to get Joe Chamberlain.
31 Mon. PASSED GRADE XII. Stutt’s brought out the report. Got both our diplomas. Wrote letters & slept this afternoon. Mom came home this evening. She rode out with Mrs. Jim Adolphe. Elton, Mr. Freeman & Isabelle came over to find out how Mrs. Freeman is. She isn’t very good. We had lunch. Bed at eleven.
Aug 1 Tues. Mom did the washing this morn, while I did the work. We went over to Freemans this afternoon & preserved a basket of blueberries. Wilma stayed to keep Isabelle company. We called in to the school. The men were working there. Mae came down tonight to bring her wool. Didn’t get to bed til ten.
2 Wed. Mom went to Ladies Aid at Sterlings. I helped the men tramp one load of hay, then they didn’t require me after that, so I picked a dishpanful of peas, cleaned up made supper etc. Terrible storm tonight. Many people hailed out. Rained hard. Shed flooded.
3 Thurs. Did usual work this morn. Odd jobs this afternoon. Cleaned my bedroom, cleaned up. Mom did a little ironing. Doris came up for supper. We went to bed early. Talked until after twelve. What subjects! Rained again.
4 Fri. Walked Doris home this morn. Raining. Elton & the girls gave me a ride part way back. They stayed for dinner. Mom, Dad, Isabelle & I went to town with Elton. I practiced at the church with Laura Barnes. All had supper at home. I came home with Isabelle & Elton. We sang and played for over an hour. Good time.
(Click here for the scan 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 …