1930 + 1935 ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT DEPRESSION ERA DIARIES HANDWRITTEN BY A SWEET KENTUCKY WOMAN WHO GOES FROM EXCELLENT STUDENT TO SUPER WIFE, DOCTOR'S ASSISTANT AND LADY OF THE HOUSE

CROPPER SHELBYVILLE LOUISVILLE KENTUCKY KY. Good+. 1930. On offer is a very charming pair, 1930 and 1935, of original manuscript relics of Depression era Kentucky handwritten by a sweet 21 year old school girl named Eula Mae Morgan who was born May 24, 1908 and lives in Cropper Kentucky. The 1930 diary is one of young love and the romantic feelings and expressions she pours out her heartfelt feelings and as she contemplates life and her existence. She writes: 'I sometimes don't understand myself - why I feel a thing or do a thing - only I do feel heaps.' She is a very good student, assists in teaching and is active in the Eastern Star and other groups. She is also a super diarist giving a real feel for the times. She notes her classes involve chemistry, testing water, doing her thesis, but on the fun side went to Dr. Pepper opening and she aptly describes the taste. There is no word of the school's name but there are many clues that should assuredly help local historians or collectors. For example all the men are 'Dr.' and they are assisted by 'Sisters'. She is also a girl of strong opinions. One interesting entry states: 'Charlie Lee came in and talked of her hot dates - it is almost impossible to believe she buried her father little less than a week ago.' She mentions and notes going to Mt. Sequoyah, her Easter Star membership, her 89.7 grade average and much, much more. We note that on June 30th full page entry in another hand - K.W. writes regarding his leaving school and missing the girl he loves. The 1935 diary presents a grown up married woman cleaning her house and cooking for a party, preparing for her guests, taking care of her doctor husband A.B. also called 'Sugar', working for her doctor father - 'we did two tonsillectomies', also mentions radium treatments for a patient, blood transfusions, babies with pneumonia and about to die, delivering a baby but tonsils seem to be the specialty. We learn in March with some little irony that Eula Mae has to get her own tonsils out in the Shelbyville Hospital. She relates the total cost of the operation as $7.00. We learn more about this interesting family: Uncle Henry [Warren] has an orchestra called the Kentucky Mountaineers [a very well known Hillbilly band], they have a cabin in Barbourville, and casual research finds that Eula Mae Morgan was the president of the Kentucky Federation of Business and Professional Women in 1948 - 1950. The 1935 diary is somewhat more sporadic: entries are in Jan 1st - April 29th, June 17th - Aug 3rd, Oct 1st - Oct 5th, Dec 10th - 20th then 25th and 26th. As professionals they seem less affected by the economics of the Depression: they buy a new car early in the year but when tragedy strikes A.B. - he has a neck dislocation, loses his sight for a few days and is in hospital for several days Eula notes the bill is $40.50 and she goes home to see about cutting back on expenses to be able to pay the bill. All in all this unique pairing of diaries offers an super insight to this woman's development from student to wife and capable partner with her doctor husband. Overall the books are G+.; Manuscript; 24mo - over 5" - 5¾" tall; KEYWORDS: HISTORY OF, LOUISVILLE, LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY, EASTER STAR, MT. SEQUOYAH, SHELBYVILLE, 4-H CLUB, UNCLE HENRY AND THE KENTUCKY MOUNTAINEERS, MEDICAL, DOCTORS, DEPRESSION ERA, GENDER STUDIES, WOMEN'S STUDIES, MEDICINE, AMERICANA, HANDWRITTEN, MANUSCRIPT, DOCUMENT, LETTER, AUTOGRAPH, KEEPSAKE, WRITER, HAND WRITTEN, DOCUMENTS, SIGNED, LETTERS, MANUSCRIPTS, HISTORICAL, HOLOGRAPH, WRITERS, AUTOGRAPHS, PERSONAL, MEMOIR, MEMORIAL, PERSONAL HISTORY, ARCHIVE, DIARY, DIARIES, ANTIQUITÉ, CONTRAT, VÉLIN, MANUSCRIT, PAPIER ANTIKE, BRIEF, PERGAMENT, DOKUMENT, antiquité, contrat, vélin, document, manuscrit, papier Antike, Brief, Pergament, Dokument, Manuskript, Papier oggetto d'antiquariato, atto, velina, documento, manoscritto, carta antigüedad, hecho, vitela, documento, manuscrito, papel. .