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.
College Classes Sound Enjoyable - Friday, September 15, 1961
College classes began today. I had four: French, biology, world literature and speech. We took a placement test in French. Biology will be big for the lecture sessions with smaller labs, lecture-demonstrations and discussion groups. World lit will involve a lot of reading (Ovid's Metamorphoses first). Speech, which will be mainly oral, will be informal in the Meetin' House. The LECs took us out to the Red Barn Summer Play House that Professor David has north of town.
We Register for Classes and Find Books - Thursday, September 14, 1961
We spent the day registering and running down second hand books. I'm pleased with my first semester schedule: French, biology, world literature, introduction to visual arts, speech and phys ed (speedball and basketball). It's a 17-hour load. I only hope I can manage. I came to Park with the understanding that it was required to have a campus job. Since it isn't for the first time in its history this year, I haven't one as yet. I was able to get second hand French and biology books. Tonight's event was ACCs sponsored sports in the gym. These whizzing days. Viv and I investigated the town of Parkville this afternoon.
We Buy Bedspreads in Kansas City - Wednesday, September 13, 1961
This morning most of the Park College freshmen trooped through the streets of Kansas City in the rain buying bedspreads, drapes and umbrellas. I guess we're getting the effects of Hurricane Carla as it has been cold and rainy (55 degrees this morning in Kansas City and water from the Missouri up to Hwy 9 [It later became Hwy 45.] Viv and I bought Martha Washington white bedspreads for $7.77 each. We're going to get our drapes and rug later. I don't have to take freshman English (among 35 who don't!) but will have to have a semester of speech. We had reading and IQ tests after dinner. The LLC party was tonight.
The PCCs Give A Roman Party - Tuesday, September 12, 1961
Tonight the PCCs gave a Roman party with the theme "Rome can be built in a day." We ate supper sitting on the floor and the waitresses wore long robes made out of white sheets. It was real nice. Gee, today we were all scheduled to take ACT tests. However, they didn't have enough test books so those who had already taken it didn't have to take it again. I spent the morning typing a research paper for Viv. This afternoon we had a meeting concerning student government, activities, music, and physical education, and we took a tour of the home economics department.
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.
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