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FRANCES M. SIMMONS : 1914 - 1918 HANDWRITTEN MANUSCRIPT 5-YEAR DIARY OF THE LIFE AND WORK OF A YOUNG WOMAN WHO MOVES TO NYC TO BECOME A RED CROSS NURSE AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE WAR EFFORT IN A HOMEFRONT HOSPITAL

8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. On offer is a five-year diary of Ms. Frances M. Simmons of Hillsboro, Texas, beginning in 1914 and ending in 1918. The diary is a fantastic artifact of the years of a homefront nurse in NYC during the First World War. It presents a thorough and comprehensive life, both of work and of play, for a young woman nurse treating returning soldiers ravaged by the brutal war in Europe. For the most part, 1915 is the year that is written in the most and, provides the most comprehensive look into Ms. Simmons’ life. Though there are many, many entries, though they are less consistently written. The entries start in Texas with family, "calling," ordering and receiving gloves and glove cases, picnics, etc. By 1915 Simmons has moved to New York City, either training or fully working as a public health nurse in Willard Parker Hospital on East 16th Street. The year or so in New York is quite interesting. Not only does it have medical significance (references to hospitals, tuberculosis cases, even a good new "Scarlet" [fever] case), but also social, from the low (visiting tenement houses) to her vibrant and fascinating social life. Wanamaker's department store is one her favorite places to visit (illustrating a middle-class salary for her work as a nurse), as was as frequent trips to the Metropolitan Opera, where she writes down what she saw and who was singing. (“March 5. 1915. Fri - aft. off. M. Butterfly: Farrar, Scotti - Fornia. Botta, Bada, Rossi, etc. Il Trovatore: Destin, Ober, Martinelli, Amato.”). She sees lots of movies too--everything from "Birth of a Nation" to "Baby Peggy." She goes often to the theater, skates in Central Park, and mentions regular trips to Brooklyn and the Bronx. Examples: “May 18. 1915. Saw Naval Review of Pres. Wilson from “Mayflower” as Atlantic Fleet passed out to sea - past Statue of Liberty - N.Y.”; “May 20. 1915. Thurs. Hard night @ ‘tubies’, Miss Flannigan a hard little worker. Very pleasant to work with.”; “July 5. 1915. Mon - Got up at 2:30pm. Went out to Bronx - saw Christine at Mrs. G’s about 20 - Letter to her from Will - plans for Mama’s trip.”; “October 25. 1915. Mon - Left Bronx, Went to Met. Life bldg. Miss Robins nurse. Society for Prv. of Cruelty to Animals. Henry St. Settlement. Neighborhood Playhouse. Pub. Lib. Seward Pk. Br.” The other significant time period is 1917, where she mentions "Unrestricted Submarine warfare declared by Germany" (2/1/17), watching Naval reviews, and even buying $100 (the equivalent of over $2,300 today!) worth of Liberty Bonds Simmons is very active in the war effort, as her cousin Will (who also lives in NYC) is in the army. She mentions in a December 1917 entry that he was made “1st Lieut.” of his company. Throughout the diary, there are many references to "auto drives," and "calls by phone." She travels quite a bit--to various parts of New England, New Jersey (esp. Sandy Hook), back and forth from the North to her childhood home in Hillsboro, Texas. Her family travelled a lot too, including "by sea," indicating that the family had some money. There are also times where it seems she is the primary nurse of single patients. One, named Mr. Sawyer takes up a number of weeks in 1916, until the entry, “May 25. 1916. Thurs. Mr. Sawyer died - 4:10am. Julian & me at the time. Dr. Smith arrived directly after death.” She attends his funeral the next day. Everyday of the diary has at least one entry written in it. As state before, 1915 is the most comprehensive year, but 1917 and 1916 come close. For reasons unknown, the months of November and December are almost entirely devoid of any entries that are not 1914. Simmons writes each entry is exceptionally neat and legible handwriting, and reading the short lines of text for each day is a delight. Despite the handwriting being very small, each word is written clearly and legibly. The diary has some Front inner hinge weakening, and the cover has a small tear on the top of the spine, as well as some slight shelf wear. It is a “Ward’s ‘A Line A Day’ Book”.. Manuscript. Book Condition: Good

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