“Grand hall and good piano. Music was good & a good dance. Got $5.00. Home at 3.00.“ Friday, January 19, 1945
14 Sun. Didn’t sleep well last night. Did a little work, then we all went to Albert Lawrences for dinner. Lovely meal and a very nice time. Home about 7.30. Didn’t get to sleep til fairly late.
15 Mon. Mr S. brought Doris, Isabelle, Dad & I to town. Had a fair day. Came home right after school. Did a little work then went to Mrs Brimacombe’s for supper at 6.30 as she was entertaining the entire Mission Circle. Had a grand buffet supper. 21 Members present. Had contests & so on then got into discussion about younger members joining. Home at 11.
16 Tues. Grand Day. So warm and nice. I went down town early at noon & did some shopping. Doris & I went to the first show tonight. Ann Baxter in “The Eve of St Mark.” Liked it. But it didn’t end right. Had a cone after.
17 Wed. Another nice day. I went to see Aunt Mena at noon as she is sick in bed. Had a milk shake after four. Worked tonight, Eriel came over, I played rummy with she & Mr. Wright. Mrs. S. made lunch then Doris & I walked Eriel home. Looked in I.O.O.F. No dance.
18 Thurs. We did a little work after four. Went to Eriel’s at 8.30. Looked at snaps & played the piano. Then at 9.30, we walked over & looked in at the rink. Came back and Eriel had cocoa & cake ready. We gossiped til nearly eleven.
19 Fri. Sleepy. Wrote a theory test this morn. It was awful. Packed at noon & stuff. Dad came to town for us. Charlie asked me after four to play Goodwater. They called at 8.20. Mrs. Couvert went too. Grand hall and good piano. Music was good & a good dance. Got $5.00. Home at 3.00.
20 Sat. Up at ten. Didn’t do much. Dad & the girls went to town. Doris & I skated for an hour. Mom Made me a blouse. I stamped the pattern on my dress. Isabelle came home tonight for over tomorrow.
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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 …
For more information on BCATP see a blog site dedicated to “Paying homage to those who stayed behind to train those who fought overseas.”