Administrative Information

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open to all researchers.

Conditions Governing Use

Before reproducing or quoting from any materials, in whole or in part, permission must be obtained from the Special Collections Research Center, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library.

Preferred Citation

Claire Lilian Wight Diaries, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary.

Acquisition Information

The materials were acquired by Special Collections Research Center on 06/01/2009.

Processing Information

Accessioned and processed in June 2009 by Ute Schechter.

Biographical Note

"Claire was born on August 6, 1894, and was the daughter of Rev. W. E. Wight. After she married, around 1916, her surname changed to PAYNE.She was a student at Kalamazoo College from 1913 - 1916 and was the singles Tennis Champ for 4 years, later to be inducted into the Kalamazoo College Athletic Hall of Fame, October 17th, 1987: http://www.kzoo.edu/sports/ahof/alpha.html Further information about this individual or organization may be available in the Special Collections Research Center Wiki: http://scrc.swem.wm.edu/wiki/index.php/Claire Lilian Wight

Scope and Contents

Two diaries, 1907-1908 kept by Claire Lilian Wight (b. 1894) of  Kalamazoo, Michigan. Claire Wight was 13 years old when she began her first diary in 1907. Claire records daily activities such as school visits, reading, attending concerts, social and family activities, vacations, taking music lessons and playing tennis and going to the YWCA. Also included are two calling cards, one of Claire's and one of her uncle as well as a newspaper clipping for the "Tennessee Colored Jubilee Singers," whose performance Claire mentions in her diary.The following description was provided by the seller:"The first diary was kept in a ledger book. It measures 3 1/2" x 5 1/2", and has 47 pages filled with entries that date from July 18, 1907 to September 20, 1907. The second diary was kept in a memorandum book. It measures 4 3/4" x 6 1/4", and has 84 pages filled with entries that date from September 21, 1907 to April 3, 1908. Claire writes of her activities at school, home, and with her friends. She went boating on "Gull Lake", had her picture taken in town, enjoyed making candy, attended lectures, played dominoes and other games,  went to football games, took music and painting lessons, went coasting and ice skating with her friends, and much more! She writes of her parents going to Battle Creek and Grand Rapids, of buying Valentines, making Christmas presents, and so on."For excerpts from the diary, provided by the seller, see the finding aid link below.

Related Material

Claire Lilian Wight Diaries, Kalamazoo Valley Museum, Accession 2009.33.

Index Terms

Genre/Form of Material:

• Clippings (information artifacts)
• Diaries
• Visting cards

Geographic Name:

• Michigan--Social life and customs.

Topical Term:

• Teenage girls--Diaries
• Teenagers--Diaries
• Teenagers--Social life and customs

Additional Information