About the diary writer
- Barbara McDowell Whitt
- Kansas City, Missouri, Alexandria, Virginia, United States
- ~ About: A 1961-65 Park College Diary ~ As a high school girl and then a college coed in the first half of the 1960s, I wrote nightly entries on the pages of one-year diaries. In January 2010 I began transcribing the entries into a blog and gave each one a title. I grew up on three farms within 30 miles of Iowa City and the University of Iowa with its Iowa Writers' Workshop. As the oldest of four daughters, in my diaries I sometimes referred to my sisters as "the kids" or "the girls." We helped our parents, but we also had good, wholesome fun - a characteristic I took with me to Park. Park is 300 miles southwest of West Chester, Iowa, in Parkville, Missouri, on the Missouri River 10 miles northwest of Kansas City, Missouri, and across the river from Kansas City, Kansas. In 2000 Park College became Park University. Today Park's flagship campus is in Parkville and there are an additional 41 campus centers across the nation. Park was one of the first educational institutions in the United States to offer online learning. My last post was on May 22, 2018. I may be followed on Twitter @BarbaraMcDWhitt.
Daddy Is In the Hospital - Friday, May 19, 1961
Daddy is in the hospital tonight and has been since he got home from chores this morning. He had a terrible side ache and said he'd have thought it was appendicitis if he hadn't already had his appendix out. Mom called Dr. Lloyd and he had her bring him in. They still don't know but what it's a kidney stone. Mom didn't teach and was in there all day. I got my hair fixed in town this morning--I went in the Dodge. Back home, I read magazines, spent half my time on the phone, and started cleaning house. We went back to town tonight to do the wash and Mom went back to see Daddy. That's how I spent senior skip day. We didn't go to the hobo party.
A Danforth Award at Class Night - Thursday, May 18, 1961
Tonight was class night. Shirley Bush is valedictorian and Linda Scott salutatorian. Ross Rhodes missed salutatorian by .1 point. Bob Parcell and I got Danforth Awards. We were given copies of the book, I Dare You by William Danforth. I felt honored but Mrs. Fordyce had given me a hint that I was up for an award. I also got an editor pin and a miniature baritone pin for band. This was the last day of school and kind of sad since it was the last of everything. We had fried chicken for dinner.
A Very Nice Senior Year - Wednesday, May 17, 1961
Tomorrow is the last day of school, the last of all. I stayed after school again to lend my services to the newspaper and yearbook staffs. I didn't do a whole lot on either, but I was there. A lot of the kids were there after school tonight. I wrote the prophecy for the West Chester kids. Fred said he didn't know them well enough. I hemmed my class night dress and Virginia set my hair after I washed it. I could never have dreamed for a nicer senior year. And to think a year ago I was brooding over leaving West Chester.
Two Days of School Left - Tuesday, May 16, 1961
I can't believe that I have only two days of school left. The first two and the last two are the most "treasured" days of school. I spent all evening reading chemistry, and now I've got to "read" the last half of Of Human Bondage. I stayed after school till 5:00 to help work on the annual. That thing has a long way to go yet. I got a nice Fuller Brush comb and brush set from Leets. It will really be nice. I think I'll save it for college since Mom got me the new set last summer. Last two days, here I come.
National Honor Society Initiation - Monday, May 15, 1961
National Honor Society initiation was tonight. It was, thank heavens, very impressive. I gave out the certificates. Mr. Brown read off the new members' grade point averages, although we wish he wouldn't have. Phyllis was second highest with 95.8 and Linda Pence had 96.9. Daddy, Virginia and Ann went over, but Mom had a shower for Wanda Orr to go to. Mrs. Leary gave me a nice half slip for graduation. Today we started planning decorations for the hobo party, and I volunteered for the commencement decorations.
Honor Society Initiation Practice - Sunday, May 14, 1961
This was Mother's Day. Ann gave Mom a box of stationery and the rest of us gave her a Betty Crocker cookbook. We had Honor Society initiation practice this afternoon. Mr. Brown wasn't even there. I'm afraid the new members weren' too favorably impressed. Some of these kids don't even give a hoot about National Honor Society. I bet they won't have any programs and my robe will no doubt drag. We sat and talked a long time at Pence's. I wish I didn't have that eezy-geezy mother-daughter tea--FHA kills me this year.
Senior Class History - Saturday, May 13, 1961
We went to town this afternoon. I bought a white purse for graduation and some gold-printed thank-you notes, although as yet I have only received my miniature cedar chest to write a thank-you for. We got a frame (finally) for my senior picture. I finished mowing what Phyllis and I didn't get done yesterday. Tonight I wrote out the senior class history for class night. Phyllis and I did some of the wash while Mom shopped. One of the washers started running water and never did stop. I wonder if it ran over.
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