Before this week’s diary dive, a little personal update!
I’m between jobs at the moment and finding the job searching process quite overwhelming. I love diary dives and want to keep it going, but at the moment I’m struggling to sit down and work on it. That’s why I missed last week. I might miss more weeks, just because I want to take the pressure off and find the joy in writing for this blog again.
Thanks so much for reading and I hope you enjoy today’s post! <3
For this week’s post we’re returning again to one of Margetta Hirsch Doyle’s diaries. I’ve previously featured her journal entries of this week, one of her journal entries from June 21st, 1943, one from July 11th, 1945 and another one from August 7th, 1945.
Margetta was born in 1925 in New York City. She went to William & Mary college during World War II, when the campus was mostly populated by women. She was in Kappa Delta Sorority, which we’ll read a bit more about in her journal entries below.
Her father was an avid diary writer, and inspired Margetta to start writing too by giving her her own diaries to use. Seven of her journals have been preserved and digitised, spanning from 1942 to 1945 (I’ve linked them in the further reading section at the end of this post). From her daily entries, it’s clear that Margetta really enjoyed writing - and she was good at it too. Her diaries are a joy to read and feel very personal.
November 20, 1944
The last day of Formal Rushing as we heave a sigh of reactionary relief and prepare to wait for the bids to come out tomorrow night and learn whom the sisters will be. This suspense is terrific!
Our Hotel Party was really smooth, and we were pleased with it. I can almost turn sentimental now that my last year of formal rushing draws to a close.
A letter from Bill was rather hurried from overseas preparations but was very sweet. I hate to think of him actually going overseas. I want the war to be over so tremendously - more than ever now.
November 21, 1944
A day of suspense, waiting to learn how many Freshmen are going KΔ - as we bit off all our fingernails. Till we knew, Elaine, Beth, Eleanor and I went to the Lodge for supper and then went to see “Sweet and Lovely,” the Benny Goodman movie and felt so much better about the whole thing.
We sat around excitedly the rest of the evening - and nearly died at word that KΔ snared 39 pledges - All wonderful girls too. The second largest group was 28, which means we’re really tops. Oh God, we’re so terribly thrilled and happy about this whole thing, and can’t believe it.
November 22, 1944
Our beam perseveres though we’re still not convinced that KΔ has truly acquired 39 new sensational pledges. It’s so much more than we’d even hoped for that it still hasn’t penetrated.
At noon today Silence was broken, and we all swamped over to the dorms to gush and take the new KΔs to the Greek’s for lunch. We swamped the place and practically tore it down in our exuberance.
Then this evening we had a mass buffet supper for all. It was very nice.
Another wonderful letter from Bill, which gave me a rather convincing glow.
November 23, 1944
Back to an ersatz normality, as the realization hits us of how far behind we are in our work. It’s an unattractive prospect, cause I’d much rather relax and bask in the glory of our pledges, instead of driving away with this study business.
Big boxes from home - and Beth, Elaine, Eleanor and I celebrated our home Thanksgiving by munching on cold roast chicken and the like. It was wonderful!
Today’s letter from Bill was another terribly sweet one. He’s so very understanding - Keeps telling me to shop around so that I’ll really be sure of what I feel.
November 24, 1944
A rainy, miserable day with still more work to be accomplished. It doesn’t seem as though I can possibly get it done, but I’ve thought that before and somehow it usually does get done. I surely am living for Christmastime though at this point.
I did some Flat Hat work and then became emerged in Child Psychology. It’s interesting stuff but at times becomes boringly involved.
Bill’s letter was wonderful again. I’m getting so spoiled from so many letters from him, but I love it.
November 25, 1944
I slept later this morning and then moseyed around downtown doing the errands I hadn’t had time for, during Rushing.
This afternoon we had an informal Rush party for Vivian Moses, [Joyce] Wilck, and Barbara Simons, three girls who were undecided when bids were handed out.
Tonight I was forced to do Child Psych and was much annoyed at having to study on a Saturday evening, especially since I had to fight a wonderful beam after having called Bill. It was a poor connection, but his voice was quite clear and I heard him say a lot of wonderful things. I do so wish it were an around-the-corner call though.
November 26, 1944
A Sunday best forgotten, since it involved much studying for Child Psych.
House Committee gave us a call down for hair on our dresser scarf after we’d spent hours vacuuming and cleaning our room. We momentarily blew off, but otherwise our spirits remained unruffled.
My little sisters are Margo Ross and Margie Beers, both wonderful girls!
See here for some scans and transcripts of Margetta’s diaries.
In The Doyle Diary Project, a group of students transcribed Margetta’s 1944 diary (so, the one I shared from today) and added helpful contextual notes to it - definitely worth a read!
Thanks for reading today’s post! If you enjoy diary diving with me, please consider subscribing to the newsletter or sharing it with other history-loving and/or nosy people. As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, due to some personal circumstances I might miss a post here and there for the next while. But don’t worry, diary dives isn’t going anywhere!