Used Whole Day for Homework - Sunday, January 31, 1960

Here goes January. I used the whole day for homework. This is getting monotonous. Oh, of course I went to Sunday School and church. The Smith twins sang a duet, "He's Got the Whole World in His Hands" - really cute. The Cuddeback kids were here for awhile tonight. I suppose they think I'm an old grouch since I kept saying, "be quiet," but I had to get my geometry done.

A Top Rating in Original Oratory - Saturday, January 30, 1960

Well, I guess my II last year and my III the year before paved the way for my I rating this year! This is more like it. My "The Decade of Man in Space" was fifth out of six in original oratory. Gerry and Neta got I's and Jerolyn has a bye. Phyllis and Mom did the wash in town this afternoon. Mom got me some new flats.

Declam Speeches for Assembly - Friday, January 29, 1960

Tonight we played Williamsburg here in two boys' games and won both. Phyllis, Virginia and I went up for them. We all gave our declam speeches this afternoon for the assembly. Some of them are really good. The school paper looks very nice - despite all my qualms with Mrs. Small.

Mrs. Diekman was Impressed - Thursday, January 28, 1960

Another school paper has been printed (but I haven't seen it). Now we've passed the halfway mark. Mrs. Small had to take it over to run off because Gilbert forgot to tell Mr. Shoemaker to wait for it. I gave my declam speech for the history class. Mrs. Diekman was particularly impressed when she found out I'd written it myself.

Every Subject at Home - Wednesday, January 27, 1960

I don't know if I could stand being an editor once a day, every day, for life or not. Not at the rate I'm going. I can never get anyone to type for me. Well, with working on the school paper in the last two study halls, I'm still doing homework. I had to do every subject at home, and I have English yet to do.

School Paper Work - Tuesday, January 26, 1960

The school paper threatens to dehumanize me once a month. I worked the last two periods on it - we're only a fraction done. Then tonight I did my studying and wrote my column. It's skimpy so far, but sometimes I write more than my share for $1.00 a column.

New Seats in Study Hall - Monday, January 25, 1960

I worked two hours at school on history and two more hours at home on geometry. I've still got the school paper to lay out. I do the makeup and layout myself. We got the new seats in study hall. It's just like a new world - 60 of them!

School Work and School Paper - Sunday, January 24, 1960

This afternoon Daddy shot a skunk over at Martin's that was going around in circles. Maybe it had rabies. I can't stand all the history Mrs. Diekman gives us. The second semester we have to take notes on everything we read. My gosh. We have a chapter physics test tomorrow. Week of the school paper, here I come.

Washington County Basketball Finals - Saturday, January 23, 1960

West Chester made it a tradition and played in both the boys and girls county basketball finals. Only trouble, the defending champs lost both games, the girls 41-40 to Crawfordsville and the boys to Kalona. We beat Kalona last year. Marilyn was there and Phyllis and Linda are going to her place after the game. Mom and Daddy decided I shouldn't go since Linda would have to bring me home.

B in Last Summer's Driver Training - Friday, January 22, 1960

I'm thrilled. I made both the nine weeks and semester honor rolls. I got a D on the physics test, but I got a B for the quarter. I got a B in driver training that I took last summer. If the girls beat Riverside tonight, we'll have both teams in the county finals again! Virginia and I went to town with Mom.

Grandma's and Mom's Social Club Supper - Thursday, January 21, 1960

This diary just ripped in front - one week old, and it has to last a lifetime. This was Ann's 11th birthday. I gave her a trick pencil, a film, and a little pen. She had Connie Stout overnight tonight. We had a club supper for the Richard Browns at Grandma's. It was more fun than I expected. Last year the school paper didn't have one superior rating when it was evaluated.

Worried About Physics Grade - Wednesday, January 20, 1960

We had family night at church. There weren't many there. Phyllis and Betty did their science, and Virginia, Ann, Ruth and Denise played hide-and-go-seek. I've been worried all day that my physics test "might" mean an F on my report card. Why do the semester test grades go on, anyway? I have a cold and headache, and there are measles going around.

No School Again Today - Tuesday, January 19, 1960

We didn't go to school today either. This has been some vacation! We'll surely go back tomorrow. I got my column done, an editorial written, and some other work done on the school paper. I'm getting a cold. I hope I don't have it a week from Saturday for the declam contest.

Spent a Snow Day Doing Writing - Monday, January 18, 1960

We didn't have any school today because of the snow. The line ring came just as I was about to get up -I guess I should have stayed in bed. I wrote to the Skateway about having a church skating party, the Board of Christian Education about scholarships, to a penpal, and did some school paper writing.

Am Officially Sunday School Secretary - Sunday, January 17, 1960

Youth fellowship was tonight. I gave my dear and faithful president's job to Betty. Phyllis lost by one vote, but she is vice president and I am secretary. I don't know if I can last through another year of youth fellowship or not. We had the annual church business meeting. I'm now officially Sunday School secretary. It is snowing.

National Merit Sample Test Results - Saturday, January 16, 1960

This morning I drove into town and Phyllis, Virginia and I got our hair cut. Virginia got her new glasses lenses. I got Ann a little more for her birthday. We had piano lessons. Carmen came along. Mom and I took the sample test for the National Merit Scholarship Test for fun. Of 21 questions she missed seven, I missed six. They're pretty hard.

"Superior" Ratings on School Paper - Friday, January 15, 1960

I got the school paper evaluation back that I sent for a month ago and we got a "superior" in all seven divisions. (Ratings were superior, excellent, good, fair and unsatisfactory.) The only thing we really need to improve in is headline count. They liked "Good Grief" and my editorials. Tonight we played Lone Tree in two girls' games and won both. Phyllis got to play. We got out of school at noon so teachers could work on tests and records.

Mid-Prairie State Hearing in Des Moines - Thursday, January 14, 1960

Well, I finally bought myself a new diary. I was in a hurry to get back to the Laundromat to take over the wash so Mom could go buy Ann's birthday presents. I picked it out in a hurry and besides I'm poor, but it will do. The state hearing for Mid-Prairie was in Des Moines today. We had our geometry and English tests today. I don't think I did too badly.

Studied for Tests All Day - Wednesday, January 13, 1960

Tomorrow semester tests begin. We don't have to be there except for tests. I have geometry and English tomorrow. I'm pooped from studying all day, so I didn't do much tonight. Some of the kids said they would be up all night! A house in Washington blew up early Tuesday morning.

We Had Yearbook Pictures Taken - Tuesday, January 12, 1960

Most of the day was taken up by yearbook pictures. Miss Harker has me in trumpet trio, brass sextet and brass quartet. I think I was in eight pictures. We had an FHA meeting today. English was my only class today. Once again I wrote a column, the first since before Christmas vacation.

Traveling Science Teacher - Monday, Janury 11, 1960

Today we had Vance Hamilton, a friend of Mr. Fudge, who, as a traveling science teacher associated with Michigan State University and the National Science Foundation, has traveled all over the country. He gave demonstrations for the science classes and a "lecture" for the geometry and algebra classes. He was really good. I gave my declam speech for Mrs. Kephart - practically without prompting.

Declam Speech is Learned - Sunday, January 10, 1960

Once I got started this weekend I hardly let down. I've worked since after dinner on history (am still not quite done), finished my interview, made my newspaper notebook cover, and made hamburgers for supper. Mom went along out to do chores and so did Virginia. Oh me, oh my. At least I have my declam speech learned. (I think!)

Some School Work Accomplished - Saturday, January 9, 1960

Well, another late start. (I got up late.) I finally managed to get quite a lot of my stack of work accomplished - history, English, declam speech retyped and some learned, cleaned my room (Mom vacuumed it this time) and 45 minutes of piano practicing at Mom's suggestion. I sure hate to use a good Saturday for school work.

First Friday is Dress-Up Day - Friday, January 8, 1960

Today was dress-up day (first Friday of every month). Tonight we played Kalona here. The varsity lost, reserve team won. I still manage to solve geometry and physics problems, and history and English have plenty of work, too. I must clean my room again.

Interviewed Mrs. Fisher for English - Thursday, January 7, 1960

I really had fun interviewing Mrs. Fisher this morning. Maybe I am cut out to be a journalist. She was very nice. Mrs. Kephart said the declam speech I wrote was as good as any original oratory she's ever heard and not to worry about that part of it! The contest is January 30 in Kalona. We had choir practice. Mom is at lodge. Ann is staying all night at Denise's for her birthday.

Declam Speech is Written - Wednesday, January 6, 1960

In English we have to conduct an interview so I called Mrs. Fisher tonight. I'm going to see her in the morning - then I'll be done. Whew. Tonight I got some geometry done plus my book review for English. It was quite an opposite day from yesterday in the way of accomplishment. In school I finished my declam speech - now to begin the speaking.

Sitting and Thinking - Tuesday, January 5, 1960

Almost all day I didn't get anything done. I just sat and thought about all I had to do. I missed eight on the physics test. Mr. Fudge gave us who plan to take the National Merit Scholarship tests a book that has information and sample questions - they look hard! We had a movie, "Our Mister Sun."

Declam Topic is "The 60s" - Monday, January 4, 1960

Back to school today we went. We are hard at work already. We did have a physics test to vary the day and a movie to enhance it - "Ceiling Unlimited." Mrs. Kephart likes my declam topic ("The 60s"). Now I need to do some rewriting. I never did get together with her in vacation. Tonight we went to see a good movie, "Li'l Abner."

Dotto Was Run Over - Sunday, January 3, 1960

Here goes vacation! We had youth fellowship. I thought we were going to elect officers, but we didn't. I finally finished "Your Trip Into Space." Poor Dotto got run over while we were at church. Daddy wanted to tie him up before we went but couldn't find him. He was in the road down by the culvert when we came home. We had a movie instead of a sermon.

Pleated Skirt is Finished - Saturday, January 2, 1960

We had piano lessons this afternoon. I had a fairly good one. I finished my skirt. Mom helped me by pressing in the pleats and it looks pretty good. I managed to open my physics book for the first time during vacation. We have a test Monday. I finished my presidents' book. I'm trying to finish Your Trip Into Space. Last day of vacation, here I come.

Rose Bowl Parade and Game - Friday, January 1, 1960

I started the first day of the decade of the "Golden Sixties" by getting up late. We watched the Tournament of Roses Parade and part of the game. Washington beat Wisconsin. This afternoon Mom and we kids went down to Cuddebacks. We played basketball in the barn. Larry, Phyl and I defeated Jim, Virginia and Ann. Bravo, I had high score for our team. I got some presidents' notebook stamps from Jim to complete my presidential history project.