Tuttle Austin Flora (1 results)

Two handwritten diaries kept in 1941-42 by Pennsylvania resident Flora E. Austin Tuttle, who was widely read and kept abreast of important world events, with special attention to developing war news. In 1941, Tuttle was 82 years old and living with her daughter, Helen, and son-in-law, Jack, at their home in Sharon, Pennsylvania. Jack worked for Westinghouse, while Helen was a housewife. Tuttle writes in her diaries nearly every day and often remarks on current events, the weather, family and friends, and her general health, which is faltering. She receives most of her information from newspapers, such as the Chardon Republic (Ohio), as well as radio reports and some magazines. Born in Montville, Ohio, she lived most of her life in the small township of Huntsburg, Ohio, with her late husband, Arthur, who owned a dairy farm. She moved to Sharon, spending the last six years of her life with her only daughter. During her lifetime, Tuttle saw many changes in the world, so the focus of her diary note on January 4, 1941 about the make-up of the new Congress is of little surprise: "Of the 500 congressmen who answered 'here' at the opening session yesterday, eight were women, two of the eight were 65 years old. The newest comer is the widow of Chester Bolton is 55 years. She represents the 22 district of Ohio. Hattie Caraway of Arkansas first and only woman elected to the U.S. Senate." On Tuesday, March 11, Tuttle wrote: "The lend lease bill passed last night. Seems to be known the world over Britain is happy this country is coming to her aid. We get Liberty magazine to read. The late Ambassador Dodd's diary says Nazism is like a snake in the grass." On April 15, she mentions listening on the radio to a telecast speech given by Boake Carters, a once-popular radio commentator who fell out of popularity for his harsh criticism of the New Deal. "It was on the whole rather humorous," Tuttle wrote of the speech. "His subject 'Whither America.'" On Sunday December 7, 1941, she wrote: "The most important thing that has happened is that Japan has commenced to war on some of the U.S. possessions without declaring war." Tuttle opens up her 1942 diary: "At the beginning of this year we find ourselves in war. Self defense is one the first laws of nature. Japs struck at American defenses in the Pacific on Dec. 7. Germany and Italy have since declared war on the U.S. of America." On October 26, 1942, she wrote: "We all sat up to hear Wendell Wilkie. He came on the air at 10:30 and spoke over all networks about 40 minutes giving an account of his trip around the world. I was paid for listening." The diaries are bound in full brown buckram (4" x 6"). The spines are leaning a touch, with some general edgewear.…