Gus Grissom's Flight Into Space - Friday, July 21, 1961

We watched Gus Grissom's flight into space this morning. For some reason a malfunction occurred that caused the hatch to blow off after the landing and the capsule filled with water and sank in three-mile-deep water. Grissom got himself off and started swimming. The lift-off was so easy and smooth and the flight perfect. The control crew was so calm. Alan Shepard was the one who got to communicate with him. I sewed some, wrote two letters (finished Vivienne's), washed my pleated skirt. It rained all day. Ann got dinner. Mom finished her comps.

Planning For Room 207 in Hawley Hall - Thursday, July 20, 1961

I gave one chapter of the lesson in Social Circle this afternoon since Mom wasn't able to be there. Grandma did the other chapter. Virginia and Mary gave their camp talks. There weren't too many there. The rest of the day when I wasn't sleeping or doing chores I was writing to Vivienne. I've got to get her letter off tomorrow or she'll disown me. She suggested bedspreads from Sears in her letter and now I'm suggesting drapes that could be used with plain spreads.

Hearing Man-in-Space Proceedings - Wednesday, July 19, 1961

We listened to records until 2:30 in the morning. I woke up ahead of Helen and Linda in time to hear the man-in-space proceedings on the radio. (Birkeys don't have television.) They postponed it because of the weather again, though. Helen brought me home around 10:30. We had piano lessons. We had to send Ann down to the ditch to run down the Dodge before we could go. I took the kids to see The Absent-Minded Professor tonight.

Band Concert, Ice Cream and a Slumber Party - Tuesday, July 18, 1961

Tonight Linda Scott and I are staying with Helen Birkey for a slumber party. We talked to Mary Ellen on the phone tonight, and next Tuesday (Kalona Barbeque Day) we're going to do the same thing again. I rode over to Wellman with the West Chester band kids. They had a concert and ice cream social. Helen, Elizabeth, Linda, Karen Plecker, Ronna and I had pop in Cappers. Birkeys, Linda, and I drove over to Kalona in our pajamas to get their sister at 10:30. Phyllis and I went in to do the wash this afternoon.

Area Boy Suffocates in a Grain Bin - Monday, July 17, 2011

This was my day of contributing somewhat toward my earning of room and board. I got both dinner and supper, hoed the garden and picked raspberries. Mom took the first part of her comps today. I guess they were pretty hard, but at least she knew what they were talking about. Gary Tadlock suffocated in a grain bin last night. Mom had him in Kindergarten. A Bible Story Book salesman was here. We bought the 10-volume set for $86.00.

Mary Todd Lincoln Was Like Scarlet O'Hara - Sunday, July 16, 1961

I had opening exercises downstairs again for the Sunday School kids. Mom said I did a real good job reading Noah's Ark. For some reason, yesterday seems longer ago than yesterday!?! I'm reading Love is Eternal about Mary Todd and Abraham Lincoln. She was a brat about like the mythical Scarlet O'Hara (film version); and she (Mary Todd) came from the richest family in Lexington, Kentucky. Virginia brought the cutest kitten home from camp. They had four down there that they wanted someone to take home since they would be catching the birds.

A Fresh Air Child is Staying on Nearby Farm - Saturday, July 15, 1961

The new Miss Universe is Miss Germany. She is an electronics engineer. Miss United States was fourth runner-up. I'm glad she didn't win as the U.S. has the most of any country. I understood a little of what Miss France and Miss Switzerland said. I got a letter from my roommate. She is very nice. Her father got his doctorate from SUI and she used to live in Iowa. She had been at church camp for ten days so that's why she hadn't written. We kids stayed with the Parcell kids while Mom went to get Virginia and Mary, and Peggy went uptown.  The Gingerich family has the cutest little "Fresh Air Child" Negro girl.