Mary Ruth Slaton diaries

The diaries of Mary Ruth Slaton, a housewife and mother from in Hopkins County, Kentucky, dated 1931-1973. Slaton begins writing her diary during the Great Depression in the early 1930s. She describes going to school, spending time with friends and doing chores. By the late 1930s she has finished school and transitions into her adult life. She describes activities she does with her husband Rex and later her son Robert. She notes her daily housework, the weather, and activities such as going to church, listening to the radio, visiting friends, playing cards, and, later on, watching television. She comments on the health of her family, and notes the deaths of friends and family. By the 1970s she often discusses her son Robert who is grown. There are 37 total diaries in the collection. The first 5 are presented here.