Project Life-1913



The Panama Mutual Life Assurance Society--Journal from 1913



Last time I was visiting with my Grandma, she pulled out this daily journal.  This was her father's journal that he kept during 1913.  He was young and single.  And he went South to work on the construction of the Panama Canal.  I couldn't help but appreciate this because it reminds me of my own Project Life Journal.

Journal Reads:  "Yesterday Grif and I were out to the Bathing beach.  Sally and all her pretty ones were there."

 I took the journal home and spent a good couple of hours just appreciating the records and the personal memories.  There is nothing like this anywhere else.  Nobody has these same accounts of what went on during this time.  This is what I hope to accomplish by using Project Life.

 My Great Grandfather wrote small snippets for each day that he was in Panama.  As you can see from the photo above, there was not a lot of space for each day. This is a lot like the amount of space allocated in my own journal.  He also included post cards, receipts, check stubs, invitations, doodles, and quotes. 



Journal reads: "There are over 1400 white school children on the Canal Zone.  And they go to school."



Some days were just a record of payments and money earned.

More photographs to go along with the journal entries

Population of the United States and possessions is over 100,000,000.

 1913.  In 1913 someone was recording their account through the small and mundane daily parts of life.  And now, almost 100 years later, it is being read and shared.  And it is an important documentation of life and heritage and history.  And I can't help but wonder who will come across my own Project Life journals in another hundred years. 
This inspires me to record even more...capture the moment....and consider all opportunities to record life.