Viola’s Diary subject of presentation
Take a trip back in time to life on Cape Sable Island during the First World War and a glimpse into the life of a young woman, when the Cape Sable Historical Society presents Viola’s Diary at the monthly meeting on Monday, May 7, at the Old Court House in Barrington starting at 7 p.m.
Ethel Nickerson, from the Archelaus Smith Historical Society, will be guest speaker for this event, which will chronicle passages from a diary written by her husband Royden’s greatgrandmother, Viola Morehouse Atkinson.
The diary spans the years 1915 to 1918 and Viola’s life as a student at the Yarmouth Academy, coming to Cape Sable Island to teach at the Newellton school, and meeting her future husband Oscar Atkinson. The diary also talks about local news and worldly events in- cluding the First World War, said Nickerson, adding there’s “a little romance in there too,” when Viola writes about Oscar.
“She talks about what life was like around here,” said Nickerson. “Things were quite bad around here when the war was going on. People were losing homes…it wasn’t good.”
A passage from the diary written by Viola on April 4, 1916, after talking about the war, reads “....The pussy willows are venturing forth ... last week must have filled them with hope. I say, what a blessing hope is. It is great satisfaction to me that I can look toward the future and hope, instead of looking into the past and thinking, ‘oh it’s no use.’”
A native of Digby County, Viola was born in 1885 and passed away in 1988.
The Cape Sable Historical Society extends an open invitation to all to attend the reading of Viola’s Diary. Refreshments will be served.