Park is a Wonderful College - Monday, September 11, 1961

It's marvelous what all can happen in such a short while. The only thing is a lack of sleep - as a bother. I'm convinced that Park is wonderful. Everyone is so very friendly. Shyness is getting to be a thing of the past. Today we had an orientation session - a philosophy professor and deans spoke, we took an English essay test, ACE math and verbals, and gave two-minute impromptu speeches (chose our own subject - I talked about our farm). Tonight the OACs gave the first banquet, skit, and dance of rush week.  

Park Days and Nights Are Underway - Sunday, September 10, 1961

We got to Hawley about 9:30 to unload my stuff. We went out for dinner in  Kansas City, Kansas after looking over the campus. Viviennne is so nice. She got here about 4:00. We really have a beautiful dorm and room and everyone seems so nice. We had supper with our advisors (Vivienne and I have the same one - Dr. Hampl - French), vespers, introductions to faculty meeting, and a mixer tonight. Viv and I got acquainted with an African boy from Kenya who's a freshman at Park. I've got to get to sleep or I'll never make it through the week.

We See Park College for the First Time - Saturday, September 9, 1961

Park College really looks nice! On top of that, the family who is next to us in our motel tonight has a girl who will be a freshman at Park! I invited her (Judy Percival from St. Louis) over to watch the Miss America pageant tonight. Miss North Carolina won. We left home at 9:30 this morning and got to Kansas City around 4:30. We drove downtown to take a look at the city after we got our motel. My purse from Lana Lobell came in this morning's mail. We had quite a time squeezing my stuff in the car and ended up putting my trunk in the back seat.

Set to Depart for Park College - Friday, September 8, 1961

I'm set to depart! We hope we can get all my stuff into the car without having to leave anyone behind! Phyllis, Mom and I went in to do the wash after school. Peters were in there. Grandma came to say goodbye this afternoon. I spent the afternoon packing and I think my trunk and suitcases are shut for the last time. There was a varsity-alumni football game tonight but it's a good thing we didn't try to go since I was still rounding things up. Maybe I haven't left my room in apple pie order for Phyl, but it looks pretty vacated.

Cleaning House and Doing More Packing - Thursday, September 7, 1961

I spent the afternoon cleaning house. I put the vacuum cleaner away just as they got home. I haven't done my share of house cleaning like Virginia does. I now have most of the stuff I'm leaving here packed into boxes so Phyllis can move into my room. I did chores by myself tonight. Phyllis went to a sack supper FHA meeting. I wonder if I'll forget anything on Saturday. I got another letter from my "Big Sister." Time has really flown these last few weeks.

$25 More Spent on College Purchases - Wednesday, September 6, 1961

I went to town this afternoon and got my driver's license renewed a month early. I took $25 and came home "broke." I'm costing too much to go to college. I got a rust suede cloth jacket that reminds me of one Mom had at Berea [the college in Berea, KY that she and my father graduated from in 1941], two brown towels to have extra, rollers, bobby pins and hair net, etc., and some cologne. I (with Mom's help) altered my magenta dress. The blisters that were on my arm yesterday are going down. I must have gotten them from poison ivy, oak or sumac while I was mowing grass. We're in a 40-mile-wide "sonic boom corridor" from St. Louis to Minneapolis. We've had two since Friday.

Beginning to Pack for Park - Tuesday, September 5, 1961

I began packing but I filled the trunk with just incidental stuff, so I'm going to put most of that in a box. I guess I don't know how to pack yet. I just happened to be leafing through a notebook and I discovered my "diary" for the first six days of this year. My dress from Lana Lobell came. It's real cute in the new magenta color but will need some adjusting since 13 was the smallest size they had. I sewed my blue nylon dress back together after taking the net off and shortened my half slip.