by Hannah Elder, Associate Reference Librarian for Rights & Reproductions
Welcome back to the transcription of Clara E. Currier’s 1925 diary. Currier was a working-class woman who lived in or near Haverhill, MA. Her diary records her daily activities—from fiber arts to paid employment to observations of the natural world—providing insight into daily life a century ago. You can find entries for January, February, March, April, and May in past blog posts.
June is a less eventful month than April and May, which I’m sure is a relief for Clara. She endures hot and changeable weather, recording multiple thunderstorms throughout the month. She also plays donkey (a four-player card game), goes on her usual calls, and works. She also reports on the health of those in her community and works on new hats for herself and for friends.
June 1, Mon. Fair, went uptown.
June 2, Tues. Fair, went to Grange. Showers at 3 a.m.
June 3, Wed. Fair and hot, Blanche came over.
June 4, Thurs. Fair and hot, showers at night. [$]19
June 5, Fri. Fair and hot, went to Newton Grange with Mr. + Mrs. Flanders, Mr. + Mrs. Roy Lane, had a lovely ride, hottest June 5 for 85 years.
Jue 6., Sat. 100° in shade Fair and hot, washed and pressed some dresses.
June 7, Sun. Fair, went to Haverhill to church and to Mary’s, Ivah was there. The wind came out east and it turned cold and the temperature dropped nearly 50° from the day before.

June 8, Mon Fair and cooler, went to class meeting, Blanche called.
June 9, Tues. Fair, went over to Blanche’s, finished Annah’s hat.
June 10, Wed. Fair, thunder shower, played donkey downstairs.
June 11, Thurs [$]19 Fair, sewed.
June 12, Fri. Fair, went to W. Newbury grange with the Flander’s, had a fine time.
June 13, Sat. Fair, no work, washed and cleaned my bedroom, went up home.
June 14, Sun. Fair with a little shower, Sizzie and I came back. Bernice March had a boy baby yesterday morning.
June 15, Mon. Fair with a shower at night.
June 16, Tues. Showers in A.M then cleared, went to Grange. Rode home with Earl Currier.
June 17, Wed. Fair with shower at night, sewed.
June 18, Thurs. [$]17.10 Fair, Showers in morning went down to see Cody, saw Uncle Will’s house and Gertie and they brought me home.
June 19, Fri. Fair, sewed.
June 20, Sat. Fair with thunder shower at night. No work, washed and cooked, went to Haverhill and got a new coat $19.50. Sewed.
June 21, Sun. Fair with a little shower at night, went to church and S.S, called on Mrs. F. Jewell and Gertie.
June 22, Mon. Fair, sewed.
June 23, Tues. Fair, went downstairs to play donkey.
June 24, Wed. Fair, trimmed my outing hat.
June 25, Thurs. [$]17.10 Rain, Sizzie and I went up to Etta’s to supper. Mr. Jackson see us home.
June 26, Fri. Fair, went up town.
June 27, Sat. Fair, worked all the forenoon, went up town in evening.
June 28, Sun. Fain, wrote letters and called on Aunt Abbie.
June 29, Mon. Shower early, then cleared and shower at night.
June 30, Tues. Rained early, cleared, went up town and Mary and Charles and Mabel. Sent a card to Bernice Marsh who is very sick.
If you are interested in viewing the diary in person in our library or have other questions about the collection, please visit the library or contact a member of the library staff.
*Please note that this diary transcription is a rough-and-ready version, not an authoritative transcript. Researchers wishing to use the diary in the course of their own work should verify the version found here with the manuscript original.
This line-a-day blog series is inspired by and in honor of MHS reference librarian Anna J. Clutterbuck-Cook (1981–2023), whose entertaining and enlightening line-a-day blog series ran from 2015 to 2019. Her generous, humane, and creative approach to both history and librarianship continues to influence the work of the MHS library.