“went to the Legion dance alone. Had a wonderful time! Can’t get over how the boys danced with me.“ Saturday, June 8, 1946
2 Sun. Doris & I went to Church this morn then out home after with Mom, Mrs. S. & Wilma. McGugans came down after 3.30. Had a fair time. Dean seems very quiet & his mind seems to be miles away.
3 Mon. Worked like the dickens all day. Wilf left for Saskatoon this morn. So I did some of his work. C.C.F. meeting in Legion tonight. T.C. Douglas was wonderful. Spoke for about 1 1/2 hrs. Doris spoke on behalf of the C.C.Y.M.
4 Tues. Worked like the dickens again all day to day. Is. Doris & I went to Mable Coleman’s wedding in the Baptist Church. She looked grand. Is. came & worked after the wedding. I washed my hair & set it all in pin curls. The first time in my life.
5 Wed. Boy I sure went through some work this morn. Just nicely finished before noon. Took a singing lesson at 1.45. Came home & read for quite awhile. Then helped Mr. Stewart put the shutters on the windows for over an hour. We kids all stayed in this evening. I was in bed before ten but Doris stayed up so I couldn’t get to sleep til nearly twelve.
6 Thurs. Got my work almost caught up today. Tried to sleep after supper tonight but couldn’t. Went down & played for Old Timers dance in I.O.O.F. at 9.30. Bowditch’s and the folks were in. It wasn’t bad. Only got 4.00 though & was awfully tired.
7 Fri. Worked hard today. Stayed home from the Baptist Young People Concert tonight cause I was so tired. Bathed, set my hair etc. etc. Was in bed before 9.30. Read awhile. Couldn’t get to sleep, so after Doris & I had both been in bed we went down & made lunch after midnight.
8 Sat. I stayed after work & went to the Legion dance alone. Had a wonderful time! Can’t get over how the boys danced with me. There was Ernie, Carl, Wilbur, Jack Barnst, Burt, Bob Dixon, Ernie again, Dennis McNaughton, Neil. Wow! Ernie (Walters) asked to take me home, but I refused & came alone.
Click Here to view a scan of the handwritten original
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.