Read the posts in order of when they were written. You can click on the title to open it and at the bottom of the entry is a link to the next installment so you can read from one to the other without coming back to this page.
The Road to Whitworth – August 1913
Martha Bell – Journal Entry August 1913 A long, long time in which a great many things have happened, has passed since the graduation and farewells in Harrisonburg [Virginia]. The days have been for the most part such happy ones that surely they should have a little place in my “Good Times Book”. My trip…
A College on the bluff
Whitworth College was founded in Sumner, Washington as Sumner Academy in 1883. The founders were the Rev. George Frederick Whitworth and a group of Presbyterian ministers and laymen. In the earliest years the institution taught preparatory classes or what would today be considered high school In 1890, the name was changed to Whitworth College and…
A Whitworth Education
In 1913, the Whitworth College Bulletin described the various aspects of college life from the scholastic to the social. Location of Whitworth College in Tacoma Starting with the admissions criteria. Would you have the necessary coursework to enter Whitworth College as a freshman? New Student instructions. Some returning students did not arrive until after classes…
Sept. 17, 1913 – Arrival
Martha Bell’s Diary September 17, 1913 Whitworth College Olmstead Hall Room 5 Tacoma Wash Here I am at College, and a Freshman once more. There is so much to tell I hardly know where to begin. It seems that I have been here weeks, but it’s really only a little over a day. We left…
Sept. 20 1913 – Settling In
Martha Bell’s Diary There has been so much excitement and commotion here that I haven’t had one minute hardly to myself. Hazel and I have got our room cleaned and now I’ve a little breathing spell. We both slept thru the ring bell and breakfast so I’m terribly hungry. The classes are about arranged now…
Sept. 21, 1913 – Sunday
Martha Bell’s Diary I’ve had a very lovely day. I went to the little Bethany Church, two blocks from here to S.S. [Sunday School] and church. Mr. Heath from Helena was there and it seemed so good to see an old friend. In the afternoon we went for a car ride to keep the girls…
Sept. 26, 1913 – Convocation
Martha Bell’s Diary Friday Sept 26 Dr. Major of Seattle gave the Convocation Address this morning in Chapel and it was splendid. I took notes on some of it and will put them down here so I can remember it. “Don’t be a pessimist, a pessimist is a man or woman who is dead a…
Sept. 28, 1913 First letter from Gus
September 28, 1913 Letter home to Rushville, Indiana from Gus Williams My Dear Folks, On Fri. I received mothers letter of the 22nd followed yesterday by her card and fine long letter from Mary [sister]. First I want to say somethings which I desired to and intended to in my last letter but which lack…
Oct. 5, 1913 Mother Goose Guessing
Martha Bell’s Diary Sun Oct. 5 1913 I am honestly the busiest person you ever saw. I simply don’t have time for anything like letter or diary writing. My school work keeps be jumping the whole day and then when I do have any spare time there’s always somebody here talking or something. Friday afternoon…
Oct. 9, 1913 Football Rally
Martha Bell’s Diary Thurs Oct 9, 1913 We had a big foot ball rally this evening and it was such fun. Right after dinner we all went down to the foot ball field and gathered around a huge bonfire. We sang college songs, gave lots of yells, and then each member of the team, the…
Oct. 12, 1913 Vaudeville Show
Martha Bell’s Diary Sun Oct. 12, 1913 Well the grand Vaudeville Show is over and it was the biggest success. Everything was simply great and so much better than anyone expected. I was in the “Sousa’s World-Famous Band” and the “Frivolous Freshman” stunt. We were afraid the Freshmen thing was going to be a fizzle…
Oct. 14, 1913 Move to Spokane?
Gus Williams Letter Home October 14, 1913 “ My Dear Father I Haven’t heard from home direct for some time but have kept in touch through the papers and Mary. I know I never deserve a letter but will seek refuge behind that old excuse of being busy which I truly am. However, as school…
Oct. 17, 1913 Cane Rush
Martha Bell’s Diary Fri Oct 17 1913 Such a lot has happened this week and I haven’t had one minute to tell you about it. Sunday evening at Vespers we had the loveliest little talk by Mary Gunn’s grandfather on “Prayer”. Later – I’m up in Helen’s room now. We’ve just come home from another…
Oct. 18, 1913 Play downtown
Martha Bell’s Diary Sat Oct 18 1913 Well I didn’t go to Seattle much to my sorrow. I decided that it was best for me not to. Almost the whole school went but as it happened not many of our special bunch and only two from Olmstead. I certainly have had a dandy time though,…
Oct. 22, 1913 – Pennants arriving
Martha Bell’s Diary Wed Oct 22 1913 My pennants have come at last. I’m so happy about it. We couldn’t wait one minute but put them right up after we came from Chemistry. My, but the room is improved. It is so nice and cozy now and we want to sit and look at the…
Oct. 23, 1913 Football at UW
University of Washington October 23, 1913 My Dear Folks I thought to get to write you Sun. last but I was in Seattle until 5 P.M. so did not get an opportunity then. I have been receiving the papers and enjoying them and also had a couple of cards from home. I am glad you…
Oct. 25, 1913 Game At Cushman
Martha Bell’s Diary Sat Oct 25 I’m just about ready to drop. I’m so tired but I thought I must tell you about my first foot ball game. I’ve really seen one at last. Our boys played Cushman Indian School this afternoon and won 53 to 0. One of the boys was very badly hurt…
Oct. 30, 1913 Bible Study
Martha Bell’s Diary Thurs Oct. 30 1913 There really hasn’t been much of anything happening lately but study. Another week is almost gone, though. We started our Bible Study Class this evening and I’m sure it is going to be very delightful and beneficial. Gladys Whipple is the leader and she’s a perfect dear. Oh,…
Nov. 1, 1913 Halloween Party
Martha Bell’s Diary Sat Nov. 1 1913 Think of it’s being the first of November. It doesn’t seem possible. Only seven more weeks till Christmas vacations! Well we certainly did have a grand time at the party last night. It was the cutest affair and so well gotten up. I dressed as a ghost as…
Nov. 4, 1913 Nice weekend
Martha Bell’s Diary Nov. 4 Tues 1913 The last few days have been simply perfect but today is just coming right down. We, Hazel Mildred and I had the grandest walk Saturday afternoon, way down as near to the water as we could get. We certainly did some climbing, but it was grand. I had…
Nov. 6, 1913 – Football visit
Martha Bell’s Diary Nov. 6 1913 Thurs. The coach was going to bring some of the foot ball boys over to see the Olmstead girls the other night but at the last told us to go up into the parlors at the Dorm. We had a great mix up and a fun time. Well then…
Nov. 7, 1913 Friday Hi-jinks
Martha Bell’s Diary Fri Nov. 7 1913 We’ve just got home from the nicest little party at Mrs. Condit’s. She had our Sunday School class and a few of the others that are in no S.S. class, those doing mission work etc. We had such a lovely homey time, played games and had a jolly…
Nov. 8, 1913 Football trip to Spokane
Gus William’s Letter Home to Rushville, IN Nov. 8, 1913 My Dear Father, I suppose that Mary has send you the letter which I wrote her saying that I would probably be in Kansas City the later part of Dec. It will surely be a great trip and an opportunity of a life time to…
Nov. 15, 1913 – Bremerton Football
Martha Bell’s Diary Mon. Nov. 17 1913 (Describing the events of the 15th) Quite a while since I’ve talked to you isn’t it? For most of last week nothing happened then then when they did begin they happened so fast there was no time to tell about them. But Saturday was our big day. We,…
A College Year 1913-1914 - Whitworth Archives 