Perkins+-+A+Page+from+Martha's+Diary

Rebecca was sitting on the couch in her living room thumbing through an old diary, when her youngest daughter, Rachel, came into the room and sat next to her. “Mom, can I ask you something,” Rachel softly asked.

“Of course, my dear,” answered her mother. “What’s on your mind?”

Rachel looked around and pointed at the book her mother was looking at. “What’s this book you’re always looking at, and why can’t I read it? Ray gets to look at it with you, and it’s just not fair!” Rachel crossed her arms and pouted, making it clear that she was unhappy.

Rebecca tried to hold back her laughter, and reached for her daughter’s hand. “Have I ever told you the story behind this,” she asked, as she gently patted the diary. Rachel quickly shook her head no and moved closer, sensing that her mother was about to start a story.

“Well you see, dear… this isn’t just any old’ book. It’s been in my family for many, many generations. My mother gave it to me just a few years ago, so it’s very important to me. This isn’t a book that we can get from the book store; it’s an old diary that was written by my great-great-great-gr…”

“Okay mom, I get it,” Rachel interrupted. “It’s really old. So what?”

Rebecca shot her daughter a stern look. “Like I was saying… it’s a diary that was kept by Martha Hinton during the late 18th century. Her husband, Joel Lane, was a very important man. Have you heard learned about him in school before, sweetie?”

Rachel scrunched up her nose and thought for a brief moment, before shaking her head no. “What does Martha say in her diary? Does she talk about bad stuff? Is that why I can’t read it?”

“Oh no,” her mother answered. “Martha wrote beautifully. You see, Joel was a very busy man and spent a lot of time away from his home and family. She was very lonely at times, and writing in her diary made her feel better. Would you like me to read you an entry?”

Immediately, Rachel’s eyes lit up. “Yes, of course!!” she yelled.

Her mother nodded her head, and began to read. “Dear Diary, it’s hard to imagine that another year has almost passed. I never thought this year was going to end. Oh, I miss Joel so much sometimes; I wish he was around more often. It’s hard taking care of three children – especially boys – and not having a man around the house to keep things in order. Henry, James and William are getting so big and they need their father around more often now. I know they are still young, but it’s never too early to learn proper manners. And sometimes, they just don't listen to me! Oh, I know if their father were here, they would never do some of the things they do! They just love to push my buttons. They need a stern spanking from their father! But as they say, boys will be boys I suppose. Oh, but no matter what happens diary, I will always be proud of my love Joel. I miss him terribly... but I know his duties are very important. He is an extraordinaire man and is doing wonderful things, even if he’s not at home. Have I told you, diary, that he’s a member of the colonial General Assembly? He has so many accomplishments, that sometimes I lose track of what I tell you. I don’t know everything that the General Assembly does, but I know he’s important. Diary, he is trying SO hard to create Wake County. Why, not too long ago, he introduced a bill in the House of Commons for Wake’s creation. According to the newspaper, the area that he is looking at is practically empty – I know he’d do wonderful things with it! I wish that he had been able to tell me about it himself. I write to him almost everyday because I miss him so much. But I’m sure he’s just been busy and that’s why he hasn’t been able to write me about it… but nevertheless, I believe in him so much, diary, and hope that he is able to accomplish all of the things he talks about. I pray every night that his bill will pass, and that we can soon live in Wake County! Oh diary, how exciting would that be, living in a place that my darling husband helped create. Oh, well, that’s all I have time for now, dear diary. The children are calling and there are so many things to do around the house. Yours truly, Martha”

She gently closed the diary, and looked over at her daughter, whose mouth was slightly open.

“What happened in the end, momma? I mean, I know we live in Raleigh… which is in Wake County… but did her husband really help make it? Did he ever come home? What happened to Martha? Was she still sad?”

Rebecca smiled, and proceeded to answer her daughter’s questions. “Yes darling, he really did help create Wake County. Just a short time after this entry was written, the bill received the governor’s approval. He is even known as the 'Father of Wake County.' But Joel wasn’t finished, not even close! He served in the state Senate for many years, and was even a delegate that helped ratify the United States Constitution. He even sold 1,000 acres of his land, to help create the city of Raleigh a few years later. He was a wonderful man, and North Carolina history just wouldn’t be the same without him.”

“But what about Martha, momma? What happened to her? You never said.”

“Well my dear, this was one of the last entries that Martha wrote… she died less than a year later.”

Tears became to form in Rachel’s eyes, but she held them back. She knew that if she cried, her mother wouldn’t read any more stories from Martha’s diary. She quietly left the room and felt a sense of pride, knowing that she was somehow related to such an honorable man.

Application: I would use this piece as a hook with my students to introduce a unit on Raleigh and its development and history. I want my students to understand the role that Joel Lane played in the creation of Raleigh and Wake County, since he is considered the "Father of Wake County." When studying Raleigh's history, I think a time line is essential! There are so many important dates and historical figures and it can be slightly overwhelming at times to remember it all. I would have my students work together to create a time line about the city of Raleigh, including some of the events mentioned in the story above. Each student would be given a time-period to research and would be responsible for compiling at least five dates to add to the time-line. Then, students would be able to pick one of the events that they picked and research it further. They would be responsible for presenting this event to the class. The only requirements will be that students say when the event occurred, why it is important and how it impacted Raleigh's history. They will be able to present their findings in any way - hey could write a newspaper article, a letter, create a picture collage - the sky is the limit with this assignment. I can determine what students have learned through their presentation to the class. I will look for accurate dates and events, creativity, and fulfillment of the requirements.