Junior-Senior Prom - Saturday, April 30, 1960

Tonight we had our junior-senior banquet and prom at the Washington Country Club. I went with (none other than) Mrs. Diekman. Our theme was "Outer Space." The banquet was pretty, the food good, and the prom "at the country club" was just like books. At the music contest at Ainsworth both the mixed chorus and band got II's. I got ready for the prom in a half hour, as we didn't get home from chores till 5:00. Phyllis has been sick since yesterday so didn't go to school today.

Home From Drake Relays - Friday, April 29, 1960

We spent all evening trying to get Norma's lawn mower to start for the Peterson girls. I babysat for Fudges tonight. Mrs. Fudge, Mom and Mrs. Small went to a party for Mrs. Fudge at Mrs. Palmer's. Mr. Fudge was at the Drake Relays and I drove home after he got home. He said, "Why aren't you in bed?" to Craig. When I got home, Phyl said, "Did he pull the curtains down?" I said, "He wasn't in bed," and she said, "He wasn't?" It only then dawned on me that I "forgot" to put him to bed.

Moby Dick Takes Time to Read - Thursday, April 28, 1960

This is getting me down! I had to retype the faculty page of the programs because we left out Mr. Neville's name. That was this morning. I also typed my column at school and made two additions at Mr. Fudge's suggestion. Moby Dick takes a lot of time to read but it's pretty good.

Youth Temperance Week - Wednesday, April 27, 1960

Grandma brought some pamphlets to school and a filmstrip for National Youth Temperance Week. She didn't stay but had Mr. Fudge do it. He really put it across with a good impression, so I told Grandma and she'll be happy to report good results. I'm trying to squeeze a column in, with everything else!

Parliamentarian Candidate - Tuesday, April 26, 1960

We had another Mid-Prairie FHA council meeting at school to select the two candidates for each office. I ran for historian and ended up as a candidate for parliamentarian which they were short on. I can not figure my geometry out. I haven't had trouble with it for ages. Some of the kids at school are getting awfully ouchy.

Soccer Outside for P. E. - Monday, April 25, 1960

Miss Flake ran us like pigs again in P. E. We played soccer outside. Mrs. Small "forgot" that the school paper was to come out Friday, so maybe I won't have to slave to get it out. I've been studying for a "hard" physics test on radio, t.v., electronic controls, nuclear energy, etc. I feel determined.

A 784-Page Second World War Novel - Sunday, April 24, 1960

We ate dinner at the Smith's restaurant in Keota. It is interesting to have my geometry teacher take our orders. I finally got my 40 physics problems done, skimmed Moby Dick to chapter 40 and skimmed through a 784-page Second World War novel by Winston Churchill.

A Day Spent in Town - Saturday, April 23, 1960

A day that I planned to start out by doing 40 physics questions turned in to going in to Marilyn's to spend the day. I skipped my piano lesson. Mom and the kids came and got me tonight. We had a lot of fun shopping, driving, sitting, walking, etc. (I only got three physics questions done.)

Programs and Place Cards - Friday, April 22, 1960

Mom went to town to wash. Virginia and Ann got their eyes checked. They got a power lawn mower at Penney's for $50. They went to the florist and got some geraniums. The florist gave the kids some flowers. I put the three red carnations in the refrigerator for a possible corsage next Saturday night. We cut the program pages and made one place card design.

Senior Play was "Come Out of the Closet" - Thursday, April 21, 1960

Tonight was the senior class play. It was good. That was West Chester High School's last play. It was "Come Out of the Closet," a mystery-comedy. We junior girls ushered. It was fun after we got used to it. I wore my Easter dress. I typed up the duplicator copies for the prom programs.

April Fools Day Story Reprinted - Wednesday, April 20, 1960

Tonight we had choir practice. On the way home the lights on Mrs. Janecek's pickup went out. They left it in our driveway and I took them and Vicki home. Consequently, I've still got geometry to do. The St. Ansgar school paper (I send a copy of ours to Mrs. Wuerffell from the journalism workshop) used Jerolyn's and my April Fools story on their front page. Jerolyn will be thrilled!

Elementary Science Fair - Tuesday, April 19, 1960

The elementary science fair was today and tonight. Phyl and I stayed home tonight. I wrote about the science fair first in my column even though it is usually only high school news. Juddy Hall--whom I thought is a girl but is a boy - had some baby chicks hatching. We're having proportions in geometry.

"Kick Ball" Softball - Monday, April 18, 1960

The senior class dress rehearsal was tonight. The play will be Thursday night. In P. E. we played "kick ball" softball. I started my column. I'm going to have to be careful or I will get behind on Moby Dick for English. We're supposed to get a school paper out a week from Friday. It was colder again. Ann is getting her rock collection ready for the science fair tomorrow night.

Hail and Snow on Easter - Sunday, April 17, 1960

We had a nice Easter although the weather was about the worst we've ever seen for Easter. It was cold, windy, rainy, and it even hailed and snowed! We had dinner at Grandma's. Parcells couldn't come because Sonja was sick. Phyl and I played our horns and Virginia accompanied us for the 9:00 o'clock service.

A Ton of Feed in a Week - Saturday, April 16, 1960

The urge to play basketball, practicing our horns for tomorrow, and coloring Easter eggs kept me from getting any homework done except geometry. I hemmed up my Easter dress. We had a close thunder storm during chores. Several times I thought it had me. Daddy won an Easter ham at Porter's for buying a ton of feed in a week.

Ham Radio in Physics Class - Friday, April 15, 1960

School was dismissed at 1:30 for Good Friday. We went in to town to do the wash. I got a $4.00 value Sheaffer cartridge pen and ten cartridges for $1.00 and a new pair of white tennis shoes. With Jim Orr's ham radio today we heard a Keota-Batavia conversation mentioning "the West Chester physics class." We went to Grace Hill to church tonight.

Tape Recording a Current Event - Thursday, April 14, 1960

I spent all evening tape recording my 15-minute current event for history tomorrow. Mrs. Diekman has been asking all year for something new. Now after pulling off miles of broken tape and doing it over again about four times with dear Virginia's wonderful help, Ogden and Jim will probably goof off tomorrow. I take life too seriously. Jim Orr was our "physics professor" today.

No Assigned Homework - Wednesday, April 13, 1960

Tonight we went to the service at our church. The choir sang. I wish Mrs. Janacek would use the organ more - she's not even going to for our Easter song. This has been the first night in months that I haven't had any actual homework. Even then I recopied my book review, and there are many more things to do.

Forgetting How to Shift - Tuesday, April 12, 1960

I had to drive the Dodge out to Grandma's tonight. I forgot how to shift! Daddy had to get me started! Mrs. Kephart is going to send some of my writing to the National Council of Teachers of English for a possible scholarship. I wish I could find my Education and Survival essay, but I've probably written better things since. I'm going to have to get some current events ready for Friday.

Combined Churches All Week - Monday, April 11, 1960

I'm still pooped! I haven't read my latest column yet, and it was in Saturday. I think someone stole our Journal. This is the longest I've gone without reading it. They are having church every night this week, but we didn't go tonight. The churches combined for the services.

Able to Join the Church - Sunday, April 10, 1960

I'm so pooped I could drop! Betty Peters is here getting help with algebra from Phyllis. Carmen, Mrs. Pearson, Phyllis, Betty and I sang our quintet. It was pretty good. We had communion. Virginia and Ann finally were able to join the church and they weren't even expecting it. Rev. Peters had so many excuses they never did join last year and they never had the classes. I decided to run for FHA historian next year. We can choose the office we're interested in.

Shopping for Easter Clothes - Saturday, April 9, 1960

Daddy gave us permission to skip chores and go to town after our piano lessons. Purpose: to hike around town trying to find Easter clothes. I got a blue wool-cashmere shorty coat for $10.00 and a brown and white plaid sundress with brown jacket. I also bought a purse and hose. Mom got some red heels and purse. I made a play for the Sunday School class from the lesson book. It's for the breakfast. I got my $10.00 check from the Journal. I got my hair cut.

A Skit for Library Week - Friday, April 8, 1960

This afternoon the freshman girls gave the skit I wrote for the Library Week assembly. They performed my creation very nicely! Phyllis and some of the other kids got bookmarks for reading the most books. Phyllis and I went to choir practice. We're going to have a quintet Sunday. Virginia was home with a temperature today.

Non-Rotation Volleyball Server - Thursday, April 7, 1960

I got up this morning and wrote a skit for the freshman girls for Library Week. They'll give it tomorrow. Mrs. Fisher didn't ask Mr. Elder till yesterday if he'd speak - too short a notice. My team chose me me as their server for the two non-rotation games! These beautiful spring days!

University of Iowa Library Tour - Wednesday, April 6, 1960

This afternoon the library club toured the university library in Iowa City. Mrs. Kephart and Mr. Fudge went along. It fascinated me. They have telephone books for England, Scotland, Miami, etc., a room of old books and original manuscripts of Iowa authors, microfilm reading, all old magazines bound. They get 5,000 regular magazines. I wrote my column. We're at the point of half and half for spring and winter clothes.

FHA Council Meeting - Tuesday, April 5, 1960

Tonight I babysat for Cuddebacks' neighbors while they went roller skating with Cuddebacks. She paid me $1.55 - heavens! They have two little boys and a girl. They're so cute. This afternoon Mrs. Small, Gerry, Sheryl and I went to Wellman for an FHA Council meeting for next year's FHA. We got a lot accomplished. Phyllis's class went skating tonight, too.

A Speaker for Library Week - Monday, April 4, 1960

I finished my English project to meet tomorrow's deadline, shortened the skirt I think I'll wear (it's been too long - I wear it when we wear our matching shirts), and polished my shoes. I'll have to get up and do geometry in the morning. After school I went to see Mrs. Fisher. She's going to try to get Dave Elder to speak to us for Library Week.

A Drive to Fairfield - Sunday, April 3, 1960

This afternoon Mr. Peters and Betty, Sharon, Martha and Mary, and Phyllis, Virginia and I drove down to Fairfield only to find they had called the youth rally off. We didn't want to go very bad anyway. We had so much homework. I got most of it done, but I know I should have done some yesterday. But I deserve a break!

A Temperature on a Saturday - Saturday, April 2, 1960

It isn't fair! I've had a 100 degree temperature all day. Consequently, I got very little done, and no homework done. Virginia had a basketball girls party at Miss Flake's tonight. Mom and Ann did the washing before they brought home a car load of girls. Marion and Larry and Janet came up. I'm supposed to babysit for their neighbors Tuesday night.

Seven Times for Seven Points - Friday, April 1, 1960

I'm suffering a bruised hand and stiff arm from our third day of volleyball this week. I served seven times in a row for seven points - I think that's a record for me. Well, we got my beloved school paper given out - April Fools stories and all. Mrs. Smith gave us a chapter geometry test without warning. Ugh!