In 1905, at the age of fourteen, Ethel Oliver began to keep a diary. She continued to write in her diaries, almost daily, for the rest of her life. A few entries from the earliest diaries are presented here. They show something of what the life of a Cornwall teenager was like in the first decade of the twentieth century. Ethel lived with her family on a small farm in West Cornwall, Connecticut. Her father, William Oliver, was a farmer, blacksmith, and local politician. Her sister, Olive, was a couple of years younger.

Resolved to keep a diary. I changed from one bedroom to another. Mama went down street this afternoon and Olive went over to Mrs. Chertocks. Florence came over and spent the afternoon with me. Olive and I came to bed very early.

I worked this morning and this afternoon. I went over to Florence’s. Ella and Ethel were there and we all went up the road for a walk. We went as far as pine tree crossing and built a snowman. Then I looked up and saw a tramp coming down the track and then we went back again. We went first to our house then to Ella's then to Ethel’s. We staid there most of the afternoon and had lots of fun. When we got away from Ethels we all were weighed. Ella 128, Florence 110, I 123. I went in with Ella and then we played duetts on the piano. Mr. and Mrs. Smith came up in the evening. [Mr. Smith was the minister in the Congregational Church.]

Miss Wiedl sick. No school. Ella and I went for a walk down in the lane and afterwards I played duetts with her.

School today. I read a book "The Miraculous Pitcher" clear through this afternoon. It started to snow tonight but it changed to rain.

Olive and I went down the lane for a walk. We met Auntie and Fred and joined them and went almost to Lime Rock. We saw a tomb stone and papa said it was one which was made for the soldiers of the Civil War but was not used. An engine ran off the track into the river and a load of refuse stone was brought and this was put in it to fill up the gap which the engine had made. Nice and warm today.

School today. Too busy for anything. [ The West Cornwall Schoolhouse, located on the banks of the Housatonic River, is shown in the picture to the left. It is now the town library. The left half of the building was added since Ethel went to school there. ]

School today. Boys behaved dreadfully bad. All of us were kept after school. She let me out first.

School today. We went to study the stars tonight. Didn't learn much.

School today. Miss Weidl awful cross. The ice went out this afternoon after school. Florence, Lillian, Olive, and I went up the river to watch it.

School today. Have a new organ at school. Boys started to skin the flag pole. Started algebra & Rhetoric.

Papa and I took a trip to New York, all unexpected, to meet cousins Beatrice and Alf and Grandfather. Had a hard time finding them. First we went to the Aquarium & then to the Edin Musee. In New York now. [Beatrice and Alfred Kemp were Ethel's cousins, the children of William Oliver's sister, Mary Charlotte Oliver Kemp. They are in the picture to the left with grandfather Richard Oliver. Before 1880, Mary Charlotte Oliver married Alfred Kemp in Cornwall England. They then moved to Australia. Alfred Kemp died after a short time in Australia. Mary Charlotte returned to her family in England with 2 children. She died in 1885, leaving her parents to care for the young children. In 1905 the two children, now young adults, came to America with their grandfather.]

School today. I am the highest on the honor roll this month and last.

School today. Teacher made G Cole cry. Rain today.

School today. We had our first march with the music. Going to have a debate on "Sunday observance a public benefit."

School today. Long piece to learn for Easter.

School today. Started house cleaning.

School today. Played croquet at Ella's.

School today. Miss Wiedl kept us after school and let us out one by one.

Easter today. Florence and I went and helped to trim the church. We had a large seat and set lots of plants on it and then covered the seat with laurel. I was scared when I had to say my piece.

School today. Played base ball. Florence, Olive, and I went after flowers & I found some Dutchman's Breeches.

Raining but it cleared in the afternoon and we went to the sewing circle. Florence and I went to get ice cream and we met ER on our way home and he asked where we had been, and Florence said "None of your business" and he went away.

Florence and I went up on the mountain to get wintergreens. In the afternoon we had our sewing circle and then Florence and I went up in the lane after some strawberries. As we were coming back I found nine pair of scissors that someone had stolen and hid. We did not dare touch them so we came home and got Alf. He went up and brought them home. We found out that Li Hung Roraback had stolen them from the shear shop and hid them. Li Hung is in prison. Florence, Mrs. Bradley, and Mary Daking came up and we had a lively time after supper. Olive had ice cream.

Last day of school. We did not have school in the morning but instead we trimmed the school house. We had a few exercises in the afternoon and I played. Practicing for children’s day in the evening. [ The report card that Ethel received a couple of years earlier is shown above. Laura Patterson, the teacher who signed the report card is in the picture at the left.]

We had a school picnic up under the large willow tree by the river. Miss. Wiedl was there and we played games. A thunder storm came up and we had to come home. We staid down to Mrs. Tully's until about five o'clock.

Florence came over and we made ice cream in the evening. Mrs. Aldfield gave a lecture on "Temperance" in the Church.

A circus on the ball ground. We went and did not return home until eleven o'clock.

Mamma, Olive, and Beatie went down street and got some ice cream. Quite warm today.

Mrs. Rogers sent word to me to come up to her house to practice duetts for this evening. I went and I staid to dinner. We came down to Mrs. Ives in the afternoon so I did not get time to come home until about five o’clock. Went down again about half past seven and staid until nearly ten. I had my fortune told. I will tell what I can remember. I will meet my future husband in a year’s time. He has dark hair & dark eyes & is very handsome. We will live happily and will have 3 children. I will live to be very old I will have lots of money left me. He will have a hard time in winning me but will get me at last and he will love me very much. I shall be very happy in his love. [Ethel played the piano for Church and other functions for much of her life. Miss. Rogers was her piano teacher. The fortuneteller was more correct than wrong. Although Ethel already knew her future husband in 1905, they were not married for another 14 years. They did have 3 children, but Ethel died before any of the children reached the age of 10 years. ]

We commenced school today. 9 came into our part. [The school was split into two sections, a junior and a senior department.]

School today. Out at 1/2 past three. We went chestnuting.

School today. The honor roll is made out for the last three weeks. Ella first. Florence 2nd. I am 3rd & 4th. Took my music lesson. Teacher was not very willing to let me go.

School today. Miss Wiedl asked us all if we had whispered. We all had but Gertrude. Warmer today than yesterday but turned colder toward evening. Cloudy may rain.

School. We had three or four examinations. We had an entertainment in the afternoon. Sang three pieces while I played. We had a Xmas tree and distributed the presents which we had all made. Went in Miss Hart's room to hear her pupils recite. Their tree fell over but they fixed it all right. Xmas presents from Aunt Kate & Patty. [Miss Hart seems to have been the teacher for the younger children. I don’t know which Hart she was.]

School today. Mr. Hart showed us some pictures in the school house. Quite a few children there. They were mostly of London and some others. [This may have been Gould Hart, an uncle of Ethel’s future husband. Gould traveled around the country and the world taking large glass lantern slides, which he often showed.]

School today. Snow on the ground. Cutting ice on the river. I went skating but the ice was soft. Mama locked papa's keys into the chicken house. Papa hurt himself. Fell down in the shop.

School today. We had examples to do at home. Frieschmans are moving.

School today. Nothing very bad happened.

School today. The girls tease me about CM but I don't see why they should.

I had the most credit marks for the week. Jane came next. Teacher let me out first. We have had snow and there is good sliding. Molly Belcher is going to a dance with E.C., so I guess Ella is cut out. Papa is tired. Mama went to the Falls. [Falls Village, Conn., the next stop north by train] Papa wanted me to go but I did not want to stay out of school, as I have not missed since last September.

No school today. We had school yesterday on Washington's birthday. Lillian came up and I went down to her house.

School. Mr. Hart visited us and asked us lots of questions. Florence & I went to prayer meeting. Boys launched their boat. [Mr. Hart may have been Wallace’s father, Charles Whittlesey Hart, Sr. He was probably acting in the position of School Visitor. School Visitor’s were elected in town to visit the schools to check that the teacher’s were doing their jobs and that the students were learning the appropriate lessons.]

This is the last day of school and aren't we happy! Lillian is awfully mad because she was last on the honor roll and told her parents and they are mad because they think she should be first.

We had a school picnic and had a fine time up under the "old elm."

Florence & I went boat riding in the afternoon. The wind was blowing and we made a sail from an umbrella. In the evening we went out but the wind didn't blow so we couldn't sail. The boys came along and fastened their boat to ours and we floated for a long way until it was real dark. [Ethel spent many summer days in her rowboat on the Housatonic River.]

Florence is getting ready for an examination to be a school teacher. She wishes the Dean's school. and is studying dreadfully hard.

Florence went to Sharon to be examined and passed splendidly. She came out ahead of them all. I don't think Lillian is going to school next term.

Florence came over a few minutes in the afternoon and Papa rowed us both a way up the river in the boat and we went up to see the Deans school house.

Miss Wanzer is sick so that we could not start school. Florence's school commenced today. She had two pupils.

School commenced. The first words Miss Wanzer said were "less noise." I don't think I shall like her.

Teacher is trying me in Geometry and I have forgotten most all of it. I hate it. It's hard. Arlie & Mamie’s wedding today. [Arlington & Mamie Yutzler. Arlington ran Yutzler's Grocery store in West Cornwall for many years. ]

Mable and Eva didn't come to school today. Our furs came tonight. Gertrude, Olive & I came out early from school. Clifford and I studied Algebra together this week but next week I think I shall take up book keeping. I have good history lessons. Papa nominated on Republican ticket for Representative to Hartford.

School today. There was a C.E. supper in the Church. We had a lovely time. I believe I almost fell in love with Wallace Hart. He is very nice anyway. [ More than 12 years later, on August 1, 1919, Ethel Oliver married Wallace Hart, who is shown in the picture on the left. ]