The past few nights I have been going through my dad’s hard drive, and found the scanned images of my grandmother’s diary, starting when she was 16 years old. She provides a view into the life of a girl in small town South Dakota from over 100 years ago. She was a product of her time and there is a mention of a Masonic show that appears to have been a minstrel show. I have left this information in, as well as following her spelling and punctuation.

The Nelings family mentioned are her maternal aunts and uncles. DeLos and Verne/Vern are her brothers. Tom is her father. I believe Ray is Ray Tyrrell. George Perry is the man she married.

Celia Tyrrell Diary

1921

Saturday September 3rd My birthday. I am Sweet Sixteen and never been kissed. O’ boy, worked hard all morning. Ethel and I rode out to Falters with Verne on the oil truck. Ellen & Rose went up to Calswell to make fancy garters while toot’s and I frosted our birthday cake. We all went up to Dirksens to a Farm Bureau doings and met some kids who drowned us with perfume. Back to ?//p. 2// to fit my dress. Kruegers first school. “Mighty Suspicious.” Poor Walter R. 

Fri 9th Sept. Went to school. Rained in the evening.

Sat 10th. Worked. Went to Claudia’s with Rose. Nearly went to the dance at Dirksens. Got my new oxfords.

Sun 11th Went to Sunday School. Went over to Nelings.

Mon 12th Went to school Got a new teacher. Got a chance to go to the fair. Rained. Ethel & Rose came down in the evening.

Tue 13th. Went to school. Ethel & Rose came down in the evening. Chased all over town. Rained all day. Met the train. Saw Walter and he told us his dad was married. Ellen got her ring back.

Wed 14th Went to school. Got ready to go to the fair but the roads was to damn!! Muddy. Rained.

Thur 15th Sept. No school. Rained all day. No chance to go to the fair now. Cooked wieners & coffee for the R.N.A. Went down and eat some.

Fri 16t Sept Rained all morning. Went to school. [looks like a drawing]

Sat 17th Sept At Last the sun shines. Ah!! Tried on my dress, Went downtown in the evening. Tom and Ray went hunting about 12:00 at night. Got a package of 10 cigarettes from Jack Tracy.

Sun 18th Sept Went down to Vierses. Met the Falter girls coming home. Went and for the Anderson girls and went to church. After church went to the movies. That’s a good idea to go in late as you get in free.

Sept Mon 19th Went to school, Mama went to Iroquois. We got the Anderson girls and went up to Claudias. The boys tick-tacked the window [according to Google, this is taking hard corn kernels and throwing them at a window at night, usually done at Halloween].

Tue Sept 20th Went to school. Saw the rainbow in the northwest, something is surely going to happen. (first time). Went downtown. Learned how to shoot craps from Moris.

Wed Sept 21st Went to school. Went to dance in the evening and didn’t get home until 2:30. The R.N.A. served supper. Ethel stayed home with Claudias kids.

Thur Sept 22nd No school. Teachers at a convention in DeSmet. Ethel and Ellen both here. Ethel and Rose went home in the evening. Ellen and I took care of the kids.

Fri 23rd No school. Ellen here. Took care of Eunice’s kids while she went to Huron. Brot me home some new apron goods. Took Ellen home in the evening and ran out of gas coming home. 

Sat 24th Worked. Didn’t get down town until the show was nearly over but went anyway just to see the girls.

Sun Sept 25th. Bess and Maud over. Tom had blood poisoning. Nelings and Sonny at Lake Byron.

Mon Sept 26th Went to school. Send my sweater to Philipsborn and ordered another one.

Tuesday Sept 27thWent down to see Zumwalt & daily won a box of candy from Floyd [or Lloyd]

Wend Sept 29th Went to school. We Sophmores gave the Freshmen an initiation party. We also invited the juniors. Louise Clay, Agnes Strand, Verne, Rose, Ethel, Ellen, Wallace and I served lunch. (The party let out at 11:00 sharp. Had first frost). Ellen and I did all the entertaining.

Fri Sept 30 Went to school. Ellen and I went down town after school & saw Heine Krueger do fancy stunts with the larett [lariat] rope.

Sat October 1st Was sick. Didn’t go down town at nite but finished crocheting my hat.

Sun Oct 2nd Went over to Nelings and went out hunting chickens.

Mond Oct 3rd Went to school. Rose changed boarding places with Ellen. Rose and I went up to see Ellen and Ethel. Sunny, Bub, and Lloyd went along and tick-tacked the windows. After wards went down town and shot crap and I won $.35 all at one wallop.

Tue Oct 4th Went to school. Went [top of page: Louis Marie was born] down town but came right back. Wrote to Downs. Ethel and Ellen went down town.

Wed Oct 5th Went to a dance here in town and came home at 12:00 sharp.

Thursday Oct 6th Washed our hair. Ethel and Ellen went down town. Went to bed early.

Fri Oct 7th Went to school. Went down town in the evening. We asked George to show us his jewelry, but first he locked the door so we couldn’t get away with any. Ha! Ha! [Top of page (Had a spelling match in Latin)]. His favorite byword was “Diss is de bird dat costs de mon.” Mama and DeLos went to the show. Snowed for the first time. (The Whip)

Sat Oct 8 Changed the house all around. Went to the show. Frank Mayo in “Nevada.” Ellen and Rose went riding with Bub & Glen. Ethel and I had to keep out of sight so Mrs Falter wouldn’t ask where they were. I was sick.

Sun Oct 9th Went out to Falters.

Mon Oct. 10th Made Fancy garters, Raised the dickens while Everyone was down town so they couldn’t stop us. 

Tue Oct 11th went to a show. Comedy “Stuffing the Lions” Serials Eddie Polo “The King of the Circus.” James Corbet “The Midnight Man.” [Likely “The Stuffed Lions”]

Wed Oct 12th Went up to see Ellen and Ethel. Rex and Wallace asked us to go riding on our way home. But we did not go. Sonny hurt his arm.

Thursday Oct 13th Went up to Claudias and got Ethel and went down town. 

Fri Oct 14th Went down to Ray’s after the milk. Got my sweater.

Sat Oct 15th The Lutherans gave a chicken pie supper but I didn’t go. Ellen went out riding. Went to show “Man Without a Country.”

Sun Oct 16 A Sunday School convention is in town. Went over to the Nelings. In the evening went to church.

Mon Oct 17 Went up to Claudias. Ellen and I saw something. Oh “Baby!” [top of page (Mama went to Iroquois to Star)] Ellen and Sonny were along.

Tue Oct 18th Went up to Claudias to stay with Ellen while Claudia went to the serial. Ethel had a date with Walter Richard. Rose had one with Bub but he didn’t keep it so she came up and stayed with Ellen and I. Made candy.

Wed Oct 19th Mama went down to Nichols. Verne went to a dance in Manchester. Lilly Whitrock was over.

Thur Oct 20th. Verne went to a dance in DeSmet. Rose and I stayed home. Mama is at R.N.A. Lodge and Tom at Mason [this is likely her father, Tom Tyrrell]. Verne said Richard and Krueger got married [?] yesterday.

Fri Oct 21st Got invited to a Halloween party given by the Juniors and Freshmen. There is a dance at Olsons. Gee! But Rose and I wanted to go but we couldn’t. Went down to Frye’s.

Saturday Oct 22nd Cleaned our bedroom. Went to the show – Eva Novak in “The Smart Sex.”

Sunday Oct 23rd Stayed home – Went walking with Lilly Whitrock.

Monday Oct 24th Went to school. Gene Cook’s shower.

Tuesday. Oct. 25th Started to read the “House of Seven Gables” but Ellen and Ethel came down so we went to the Eddie Polo & James Corbet show.

Wednesday Oct 26th [racist drawing at top of page] Went to Lyceum course. “Mason’s Jubilee Singer.” All nigers [sic]. Rose and I acted as ushers. Something happened to a person sitting beside us. [string of characters]. I [sic] rained all day. Mama, Mrs Hettlinger, and Mrs Holland gave a farewell part for Mrs Nichol.

Thursday Oct 27th Lady’s aid met at the church. Rose & I washed our hair, took care of Jimmy and read the “House of Seven Gables”

Friday Oct 28th [Top of page: “Went to Hell”] Went to a wonderful, magnificent party. It might have been a party but it didn’t “part” much. All we did was sit around.

Saturday Oct 29th Went to the show with Nadine. Gladys Walton in “Desperate Youth.” A dance as Brooks but thats no sign I can go. Met Chester Warner.

Sunday Oct 30th Went over to Neilings to see Aunt Mame.

Monday Oct 31st Halloween!! Ah!! Ah!! [illustrations of monster, bats, pumpkins and a witch]. Nothing was damaged but Weinie Best’s can – ?! :: ;,!?

Tue Nov 1st Dance in town. Music by Pee Wee’s Orchestra. Rose, Ellen, and I served supper. Freckles Dugdale got stewed.

Wed. Nov 2nd Washed the cups from the dance. Rec’d $1.00 for helping with the supper. Am going to bed early after studying Latin. Puer malus? Puella bona! Uh!

Thur. Nov 3rd Anderson girls were here. Bud Frye and Paul Holland came up and told them Mrs Woodcock wanted them. But we found out that it was just Lloyd & Ralph. Mama at R.N.A.

Friday Nov 4th Claudia called to Manchester. Stayed all night with Ellen.

Saturday Nov 5th Worked all day. Went to the show Carmel Myers in “The Dangerous Moment” in which a man said “Roses are red, violets are blue, you leave here, zen I go too.”

Sun Nov 6 Claudia at a party out to Parry’s in evening. Stayed with Ellen. Aunt Mame came over to stay. Read Love Letters.

Mon Nov 7th Snowing. Rose, Mame, and I sleep in the same bed. Mame gave me a ring with a garnet set in.

Tue Nov 8 Daniel here. Tom took DeLos and him to “Eddie Polo” show.

Wed Nov 9 Went to dance Mame & Mama visited school.

Thur Nov 10 Mama & Mame went to Aid Society. Rose and I did dishes after school.

Fri Nov 11 Armistive day – no school. Went to show in afternoon. Eva Novak in “Up in Mary’s Attic.”

Sat Nov 12 Snowing. Not many in town. Went down town and got some “kisses.”

Sun Nov 13 Took Mame over to Nelings.

Mon Nov 14 Went to school.

Tue Nov 15 Went to Eddie Polo show.

Wed Nov 16 Went to school. B.B. Melham & Bancroft Town Teams. Dance afterward. Did not go.

Thur Nov 17 Went to school.

Fri Nov 18 Went to school.

Sat Nov 19 Worked all day.

Sun Nov 20 Went over to Nelings.

Mon Nov 21 Went to school.

Tue Nov 22 Went to school. Mama at Eddie Polo.

Wed Nov 23 Went to school.

Thur Nov 24 Boys went to Arlington to play B.B. got beat.

Fri Nov 25 Chicken pie supper in Hall by Presbyterian Ladies. We kids waited on table.

Sat Nov 26 Worked. Went to bed at night.

Sun Nov 27 Nelings over. Aunt Mame in Huron. Ethel and I went downtown to Ray’s.

Mon Nov 28 Washed. No school.

Tue Nov 29 Stayed home. Went down to see Lenita Dilla who is at Tobeys.

Wed Nov 30 Getting ready for Thanksgiving.

Thur Nov 31 Thanksgiving. Mame came on the train. Went to show in afternoon. Elmo Lincoln in__. Nelings over. Ellen & I each got a box of candy from Morris McTighe. Went to a dance.

Fri Dec 1 Went up to Claudies to see Helen.

Sat Dec 2 Worked. Telegraph from Bertha [Nelings Manning] that John [Manning] is very low come immediately. Chester & Seine [?] took Myrtle & I to the show.

Sun Dec 3 Went over to Nelings to kiss Mame goodby. She left at night.

Mon Dec 4 Anderson girls started staying at Claudias.

Tue Dec 5 Stayed at home.

Wed Dec 6 Went to school.

Thur Dec 7 Lodge. Rose & I stayed all night with Eunice. Went to school.

Fri Dec 8. Rose stayed in.

Sat Dec 9 Took care of Eunice’s kids while she went to her Uncle Jacks funeral. Rose went home so she could go to farm bureau meeting.

Sun Dec 10 Went down to Rays and made Ice Cream. Ann  I went to show with Ed & Wallace.

Mon Dec 11 Started practicing for Christmas. Ellen started staying here.

Tue Dec 12 Practiced before show.

Wed Dec 13 Went to school.

Thur Dec 14 Practiced.

Fri Dec 15 Ellen stayed in.

Sat Dec 16 …

Got too lazy to keep a diary so will just jot down a few of the most important things.

Fri Dec 21 Willow Lake HS & Bancroft HS played basketball. BHS won score 23-9. We girls served lunch after the game.

Tue Dec 25 Christmas. Nelings over. DeLos and I went down to Ray’s for supper. They had a little house in the center of the table all decorated. I went down to Frye’s and learned how to play “500.” Some game, I’ll say.

Sun Jan 1st New Year. Forgot what I did.

Wed Jan 4th Went to a dance. Mert & I each had to leave with about 12 dances ahead.

Saturday June 17 Ice Cream social by Fresh ladies. Squashed litin bugs in Costello’s trees. But “litnin” bugs were not the only things that were squashed. I wore links in my hair. [dried flowers taped to page]

Mon June 26 Frye’s came home but lost a wheel the other side of Willow Lakes so George Perry & I took a different one up to them got home at 12:00.

Thursday June 29th Fred Rusco [?] took George P, Murt & I all to Iroquois to Chautauqua. It rained like the dickens. Coming home I got drenched to the skin and Myrtle got seasick.

July 1st 2nd & 3rd Sat and Sun & mon. Mr and Mrs Bankert Zetta, Myrtle & I were all at Jim River fishing. About all Myrt & I brought home were jiggers [chiggers?] they nearly drove us crazy.

Tue July 4th. Went to Spirit Lake & scratched jiggers. In the evening Myrt, Ethel & I were all cussing the luck so Mrs Frye & family, Ethel & I all went up to Ohlson’s to the Dance. We only stayed about 7 dances. There was a terrible crowd.

Thur July 6. The Masonic lodge was installed here. I & Mable Johnston served supper. At each a cute little bouquet like this one was placed [dried flowers taped to paper]. Went up to the hall after supper and Danced.

Sat July 8th. I started down town and as I was going by Bests I found 2 four-leaf clovers without even looking for them. I hope it means good luck for sure. Mrs house gave me a carnation. [4 leaf clovers taped to paper].

Thur July 13 Fat took Sene, Ethel & I all to Iroquois Sport Day. We stayed a short time to the dance. Myrt and George came to the dance, too.

Interesting Sunday which I spent during the Summer 1922.

May 28 Ed Winsman, Hogen, George Perry, Myrtle, George Flesmert and I all went to Vienna to a BaseBall game. Went to Bryant for first time. Came home by Willow Lake and had supper there. At a farm house this side of Bryant and picked some lilacs and Ed stole 6 eggs. He and Hogen each sucked [?]

June 4 Basil Dill’s folks and Betty up from Arlington. Mert and I could have gone to a ball game but Betty & Ethel had to be here to go home when the car did. Fatty & Zene went up to Andersons. Mert took the rest of the family & I riding in the evening.

June 11 Fry’s, George P and I all went to Patterson’s school house to a ball game. On the way home we had a blow out. We picked some wild roses. The Anderson Girls, Zene, Fatty & George P were all here for Myrt and I to serve supper to. Went to show with G.P. wore yellow rose. Myrt went to church.

June 18th went to Willow Lake fishing. George Schulter and Alice Sattauf held down the back seat of Satauf’s Hudson all afternoon.

Sun June 25 [erased] Day, Had a wonderful program were red rose which Nell Samuelson gave me. We gave a drill. Rose stayed all night with me as she had to tend [illegible] monday. She went to the show with Fatty & I went with Lloyd Tobey.

Sun July 2nd. At Jim Reves. Myrt & I got jigger for traipsing about a mile to fish for pike and then we didn’t catch any. As we came back to the tent I picked these flowers.

Sun July 9th. Went to a ball game at WL with Ed. Went over to Nelings in the evening. Picked the first large pansy which I raised this year.

What follows appears to an address book that is from a couple of years after the diary.

Miss Pauline McAllister

641 Colorado Ave

Huron SD

Miss Sophie Bakken

Box 634

238 Beach Ave.

Huron SD

Mr Vern Tyrrell

1001 S Kline Ave 

Aberdeen SD

Mrs Mame Swale

5261-12th Ave NE

Seattle WA

Mr Orval Thorsness

466 Simmons Ave 

Huron SD

A.P. Jones

509 Glenwood Ave

Charleston WV

Mrs Jack Swale

800 East 55th St

Seattle Wash

Robert E. Downs 

6215 S Bishop Ave

Chicago Ill

Miss Mary Tyrrell

1067 Dak. Ave. 

Huron SD

Mrs Louise Tyrrell

1015 Wis. Ave.

Huron SD

Mrs Art Hanson

9 Ohio Ave

Huron SD

Miss Bessie Manning

610 Pasadena St

Whittier Cal

Sophie Bakken

Virgil SD

℅ Frank Curtis

Mr Stacy Poole

353 Utah Ave

Huron SD

Muriel Potter

6622 Utah Ave

Huron SD

Harvey Tyrrell

458 Mont Ave

Huron So Dak

Iona Fortune

900 Wis. Ave. 

Huron, So Dak

Alma Walz

807 Colorado Ave

Huron, So Dak

Harriet Rowcliff

Yankton SD

200 E 4th St

Esther Magill

Dak Ave

Huron SD

Mrs Joe Engel (Betty Dill)

Arlington SD