1930 - 1935 Handwritten Manuscript Depression Era Diary of a Well Educated, Coarse West Springfield Massachusetts Girl

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On offer is the handwritten manuscript diary of Gloria M. Riggs, resident of West Springfield Massachusetts and who attended the University of Colorado in the late 1920s early 1930 s. The 5 year diary is inscribed as a Christmas 1929 gift from her best friend 'Mogalong' to 'Glorious'. While mostly used for 1930 and then only sporadically in the next five Gloria proves to be representative of a certain 'flapper' era girl being a hard drinking, party loving, sexually aware, educated but rather coarse woman. On a blank page Gloria writes her resolutions for each year. 1930 seems indicative of this 18 year old girl's main 'issue': Resolution: No necking or petting for one year [January 18th she notes 'Broke My Resolution']. Exceptions: parties and Ross M. 1931 is the same but in 1932 she cuts out both exceptions. Another great line: 'Went out with Frank Bauer….[he] expected an apology because I kept him waiting 15 minutes. He got it too! Gee I'm funny like that!!' Much talk of parties, dances and wild drinking. In 1930 she writes that after only six weeks she is falling for Ross [he was evidently a local musician - his business card is tucked into the diary along with other sentimental scraps- Gloria's own calling card, ticket stubs, news clippings, etc.] [Almost exactly a year later when Ross declares his love in a letter she brushes it off.] On return to Colorado and school she compares each man to him. On a sour note she writes of a ride home from 'Joe the Pollock'. Other notes complaining of a mouth that felt like the Russian Army marched through it show the coarseness this educated girl is capable of. Later Gloria Riggs grew up and became private secretary for Walter Scott, a descendant of the famous writer Sir Walter Scott. The clasp is broken and the diary no longer locks. Overall G.; Manuscript; 32mo - over 4" - 5" tall; DEPRESSION ERA, COLORADO, MASSACHUSETTS, WOMEN'S STUDIES, GENDER STUDIES, SOCIAL STUDIES, GENEALOGY, BINGE DRINKING, FLAPPER, ROARING TWENTIES, HANDWRITTEN, MANUSCRIPT, DOCUMENT, LETTER, AUTOGRAPH, DIARY, JOURNAL, LOG, KEEPSAKE, WRITER, HAND WRITTEN, DOCUMENTS, SIGNED, LETTERS, MANUSCRIPTS, HISTORICAL, HOLOGRAPH, WRITERS, DIARIES, JOURNALS, LOGS, AUTOGRAPHS, PERSONAL, MEMOIR, MEMORIAL, PERSONAL HISTORY, AMERICANA, ANTIQUITÉ, CONTRAT, VÉLIN, MANUSCRIT, PAPIER ANTIKE, BRIEF, PERGAMENT, DOKUMENT, Show more