June 30, 1918 - Victrola and Victor Herbert

Amongst other activities today, Mary plays her Victrola as she has on other occasions.  The Victrola, an evolutionary product of the original Victor Talking Machine, moved the obtrusive sound-projecting horn of the early versions of the talking machine (record player) into the cabinet, where it was concealed.  The Victrola, made by the Victor Talking Machine Company in nearby Camden, New Jersey, became very popular in the first two decades of the 20th century.  A detailed history of the company and the technology can be found at The Victor-Victrola Page.

And while Mary stays home this evening, sister Nora and friend Marjorie Smith go to the amusement park, Willow Grove, to hear Victor Herbert.  In the early 20th century Willow Grove Park on edge of Philadelphia was known as the "Summer Music Center of the United States".  For several summers Victor Herbert, John Philip Sousa and others held concerts for several weeks at the park.

Victor Herbert (1859-1924) was an Irish-born, German-raised American composer, cellist and conductor.  More about Victor Herbert including the following Willow Grove program from 1917 can be found at the Library of Congress online exhibition.

June 29, 1918 - Wallace Reid

After going a while without attending a movie, today Mary goes with sister Marguerite to see "The Firefly of France", starring Wallace Reid.  The movie, based on a book of the same name by Marion Polk Angelloti, is about heroism in the war in Europe.  After the movie Mary writes: "When I see those pictures I just can't help but wish that I was over there."

The film has been lost.

A bio of the short and tragic life of Wallace Reid can be found at IMDB.

June 27, 2018 - Conscription

While Mary is learning how to use the comptometer, Kerensky in Russia continues to solicit support from the United States to undermine the Bolsheviks, the war in Europe continues to rage and turn in favor of the Allies, and the U.S. completes its second draft of young men into the military.  This from the June 27 The Philadelphia Inquirer:

The first draft of the war was in June 2017 and was instituted when far fewer volunteers signed up than had been anticipated.  A good summary of the history of conscription in the U.S. can be found at Wikipedia.