Saw Mrs. Leary Teach First Graders in Reading - Wednesday, July 7, 1965

This afternoon I drove over to Wellman to watch Mrs. Leary teach twelve first graders in remedial reading. I wanted to see how someone else's approach compared with mine. She was doing okay but is kind of "set in her ways." I'm pleased with some of my own ideas. (That about sounds like a direct contradiction.) I really am being lazy this week, except for some reading. I haven't even written any letters. I think I won't do much until after we get back from our New England trip, and I wonder how much I'll do then.

Rode Bikes with Mom on the Back Road This Evening - Tuesday, July 6, 1965

We went in to town this afternoon about 3:00. Phyllis had another appointment to see about the contact lenses she has now. I took my two water damaged dresses, some winter clothes and my commencement hood to the cleaners. They don't know if they can do anything with the dresses, but they will see. I took out three books from the library. Now I'm reading Papa's Wife which Mom and Phyl recommended. I can't decide if the minister's family in it is Episcopalian or not. Mom and I both rode bikes on the back road this evening.

Didn't get Named with Sisters to Help Make Hay - Monday, July 5, 1965

I worked on getting Mom's trunk that got wet in the Parkville basement "flood" back in decent shape. Using turpentine and soap and water, as suggested by Tex and following that with a coat of floor wax, it came out looking quite good. I rode my bike on the back road again - I've missed being able to do that. I put away my clothes, making Virginia's closet crowded once again. Daddy had the other three girls go out to help make hay but didn't name me as having to go. Maybe he thinks "teachers" shouldn't have to help with hay making.

Ruthie, Boys Came to Iowa While House is Remodeled - Sunday, July 4, 1965

We had a "Glorious Fourth" although I think the fact that it was on Sunday made it a little more quiet. Tex called me as planned at 9:30 so we would know the other got home okay. They drove back to Texas last night rather than today. We had several sparklers that we did tonight, plus a little tin cartwheel that never took off. Earlier this evening we went out to Grandma's. They rode the horses and we visited with Ruthie. She and the three boys came back with Grandma and Grandpa Tuesday and will be here while their house is being remodeled.

Picked Phyllis up at Tarkio after Leaving Park for Iowa - Saturday, July 3, 1965

I left Park this morning at 8:00 and got to Tarkio at 10:30. Tex came over to the health center and went with me to breakfast before I got on my way. Phyllis and I ended up doing a lot of driving around southern Iowa and northern Missouri before we found some fireworks to buy at Rock Port, Missouri. It was 2:30 before we finally got started home. We got here about 8:30. There weren't too many cars then, it didn't seem. Phyllis and I had a good chance to talk about all that has been going on at Tarkio (she went there on Tuesday) and Park.

Moved from Hawley to Health Center for Last Night at Park - Friday, July 2, 1965

Funny thing! In all my four years at Park I never spent a night at the health center. That's where they moved the remaining girls on campus when they closed Hawley today, so here I am! Dean Miller wanted me to move all of Sue's things up here since she wasn't going to be back until after Hawley was locked, but she changed her mind. Tex and I went over to Hawley a little while ago to let Sue in. I had my things packed and it was hot, so Tex and I washed my car, walked around and talked. I talked with Dr. Pai about our reading program and returned the books to Chinn School.

Had Some Nice Comments from Mothers of Students - Thursday, July 1, 1965

Because I hadn't noticed that (Evelyn's fiance) had left my trunks on the basement floor of their apartment (or thought about it, for that matter), the rain water completely ruined my cranberry velveteen bridesmaid's dress from Vivien and Charlie's wedding and my red brocade party dress. He had had the trunk turned on its top. My winter pajamas are in bad shape, too. Luckily, most of the winter clothes I had in it aren't very bad off, and besides, I didn't wear a lot of the ones I happened to have in that trunk that much anyway. Tex helped me clean up the mess when we got back from visiting with Evelyn. I had some nice comments from mothers of remedial reading students today. This afternoon I began getting things in order and did a few errands.

Wrote Evaluation Letters to Mothers of Students - Wednesday, June 30, 1965

This afternoon and early this evening I wrote evaluation letters to the mothers of each of the Tuesday - Thursday students. It was quite a task - I can just see doing it for 25 kids every nine weeks for all their subjects. I was talking to Evelyn on our Hawley phone and saying things about Tex - like "better than last semester's episodes" and "beats sitting in the dorm." Then I heard someone hang up and was horrified when Tex called up on the floor phone for me the moment I hung up. I knew it was him calling and let the phone ring five times. He said, "Are you through talking now?" He didn't say anything more - I guess I'll never know if he heard all of what I said or not. That time I chalked up a good one.  

Scored Reading Tests and Compared Month's Results - Tuesday, June 29, 1965

I have some interesting results from the reading test I gave this morning. The fact that we used different tests this time probably makes some difference in correlation, but Doug's comprehensive score was two years ahead of where he was a month ago, Bill's one year ahead, David's a month behind, Jean's two months and Scott's seven months behind. It's hard to know what to think. I got a nice red back and shoulders from sunbathing this afternoon. It rained hard just after Tex and I got back from the Dog 'N Suds so we sat in my car in the rain. Then it began to hail so Tex drove the car down to the White House garage until it stopped. We had a party for Mom Hunt tonight.

Went to Swimming Party and Picnic for Rita's Birthday - Monday, June 28, 1965

Sandy Odo invited Tex and me along with some other students to her home on Lake Waukomis for a swimming party and picnic in honor of Rita Fox's birthday. I didn't want to get my white swimsuit dirty in the lake water, so Tex and I didn't swim. We went for a ride in their canoe. I was still scared to feel it tip, after our upset in the Missouri River that time. This afternoon I typed the kids' remedial reading poems on duplicator masters and ran them off. I went back to Chinn School to get the scoring masks we forgot on Friday. I met Mrs. Gibson in Mackay, then went to the library and read a Commentary article on reading to which she referred me.