This collection of Gernet's diaries chronicles his daily life and covers eight years from the end of World War I until 1925. The diaries offer a view of an average workingman's day-to-day activities in a large urban center.

Gernet's entries document the activities of his wife, Lillie, and their two children, Fannie and George. His entries also chronicle his work for the city at an office located "on the Boulevard." The "Boulevard" was and remains a local name for the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Boulevard in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His work is not specified, but the context suggests that it involved drafting and/or supervision of construction or roadwork for the city. He discusses losing his job, a reporter contacting him to interview him about it, and obtaining a new job at Midvale Steel Co.

Gernet then notes his efforts to look for work in 1919 without much success. He details the various small jobs he does. However, his diaries indicate that he had adequate income to support his family. He could purchase a rental property and help his father on a farm they owned. He began working increasingly with his father on various jobs related to either surveying or drafting plans and blueprints. His year-end financial record shows that he owned rental properties and a number of investments.

Over the next five years, Gernet's diaries show that he worked with his father on various surveying, drafting, and engineering-type jobs. His annual, year-end financial records show a steady increase in earnings over the years and an increase in his investment portfolio. He notes the costs of items purchased (and, in some cases, passed on as they were deemed too expensive). He comments on the growth and progress of his children. He was an active member of his community, especially the Masonic lodge he belonged to. This collection of diaries would be of great interest to social historians, especially those focused on early twentieth-century life in the greater Philadelphia area. Its detail encompasses work, family life, and interactions between family members and friends in the wider community.