Books from Iowa State Traveling Library - Friday, March 24, 1961

I'm going to go to bed with intent to read our class play, The Birds and the Boys, and pick a part to try out for. I would have gone to bed sooner but I decided to wash my hair tonight rather than tomorrow. Browns built a fire right across the road from Grandma's house. That sure wasn't good, with them gone. I already got two criminology books from the State Traveling Library. I just sent the letter Wednesday. Boy, I've got to get busy, busy, busy, busy, busy.

Central and South America Slides - Thursday, March 23, 1961

Janet had her appendix out today. She is just about the age Virginia was. Tonight was family night at church. Dr. Paul Smith of Des Moines showed slides of Central and South America. Esteps had seen him last summer and he had a picture with Bill and Merl in it. Grandma and Grandpa are leaving for Kansas and Texas in the morning. I have to be in charge of Quill and Scroll initiation a week from tonight. As a matter of fact, we were never initiated ourselves. Mrs. Kephart didn't give any A's this nine weeks. I don't know if it makes me feel better or worse.

A List of "Shoulds" - Wednesday, March 22, 1961

We stayed after school tonight for band practice. I was about to starve. Phyllis and I were able to come home with Peters at 4:30 rather than wait till 5:30. We had choir practice for a half hour tonight. On my third nine weeks report card I got: English, B+, French, A, chemistry, B-, and economics, B. I shall improve. Gee, I should be doing better. It just now dawned on me, I'm studying two "languages."  I'm determined that I could get straight A's if I would regulate my time better--study good the first time, sleep when I am in bed, think when I do chores, and really have fun, too, when I should.

Moon Was Thought to be Missile - Tuesday, March 21, 1961

I think we could have gone to Des Moines today, as do some others. I don't know if we'll get to go or not. We are now studying sociology in Mr. Jones' class. I have to think up three topics that I'd like to have us discuss the last five weeks. Poor Dennis the Menace, Virginia's kitten, got run over. He wa so cute. Virginia went to the show, Where the Boys Are, with Julia. I didn't do much tonight. Last October 5 one of the U.S. foreign missile detectors registered 99.9 percent that one was coming--here it was the moon. Mom was reading in Reader's Digest about it.

A's and an A- on Play Evaluations - Monday, March 20, 1961

We had band practice tonight for our concert next Tuesday. The freshmen are playing with us and it really makes a big difference. The seniors were going to go to Des Moines tomorrow to the legislature, but they decided we can't go because of the weather. Darn! Well, I got A's on three of the plays I wrote about and an A- on Pygmalion. Maybe she decided I deserved it after her harsh treatment of me on the MacBeth test. We took Linda Timmins home after band and I tried to back up in "park." I thought I was stuck.

Cross My Heart - Sunday, March 19, 1961

This afternoon we went out to Grandma's since Parcells were out there. We weren't there too long. We came home and instead of working on my science project or research paper, I read Phyllis's book, Cross My Heart. I should have worked on the paper some, but at least I have a start since I used eleven books yesterday, brought three home, and had already used three. I did work on my project. Tonight we went down to Cuddebacks.

Remembering the West Chester Track Team - Saturday, March 18, 1961

Tonight defending state champion Marshalltown won the tournament again by beating Calumet. It would have been nice if Calumet could have won. We keep forgetting that West Chester won both the Class C indoor and outdoor track meets two years ago. I guess we were the type that took the trophy and left before the reporters came around to make a big to-do about us--that's good old West Chester. I spent the morning in the Iowa City library getting research paper material and 45 minutes this afternoon doing the same in the Washington library.