A Day of Successes - Monday, September 25, 1961

This has been a day of successes. We just got our Park beanies that we have to wear till Saturday noon - a Hell Week "extension." Tonight the girls had physicals over at the health center. It sure is a nice place. I got my schedule changed and the appropriate approvals made. I think I'll like trampoline and fencing. Viv and I went down to the lumber yard this afternoon and bought two boards for our brick and board shelves. We found the bricks in Herr House basement. I bought a light blue Park College sweat shirt. There's a rumor that they're going to stop using the present emblem but I sure hope not.

Mid-Prairie Yearbook Came Yesterday - Sunday, September 24, 1961

I feel a thousand times better for having slept or rested over twelve hours last night. I hope to go to sleep as shortly after our 10:15 floor meeting tonight as possible. I had a hard time staying awake in church this morning even so. I guess it was partly hunger. I really helped my cold. Nancy Kelley and I thought there was an LEC meeting this afternoon in Mackay. We couldn't hear the announcement very good. We walked in on a Men's Athletic Council meeting! We felt so funny. We've sure been having some drizzly, rainy days. Margie, Viv and I took a little kitten over to Woodward tonight where there's already a mother cat and three kittens. I got my Mid-Prairie yearbook yesterday. At long last!

Hell Week is Over and Frosh Court is a Success - Saturday, September 23, 1961

Hell Week is over. I'm dead tired and I have a terrible cold so I'm going to bed. I guess our frosh skit and the whole talent show at frosh court were real good. Three comments I heard: "terrific," "a terrific freshman class," and " the best frosh talent show in four years." I pantomimed for our skit with Janet, Rand and Joe. By the way, my date for frosh court turned out to be [the head judge]. We were both in the show so I didn't see much of him. He gave me a huge hug in the JR [Jolly Roger - the student union] and kept yelling "Date!" out at me from a distance during the show. We had to do the "button" [a curtsy or bow] in front of Mackay for our capping ceremony, but the beanies aren't here yet.   

Planning a Freshman Skit for Frosh Court - Friday, September 22, 1961

I feel so good. I just got home from another frosh court skit planning meeting and found Margie had my bed turned down, tooth brush and pajamas laid out. We are using my suggestion of turning "The Night Before Christmas" into "The Night Before Hell Week" for the skit. I'm so tired though. I did a terrible job on my biology test. I ate breakfast at the goons' table, ironed two pairs of pants, and contributed in a hundred ways to my "learning" the Park way of life. The upperclass men beat the frosh in softball. We were made to cheer, cheer, cheer.

Awakened at 4:00 for Hell Week - Thursday, September 21, 1961

What a day! It started at 4:00 this morning with a screaming, banging arousing by the goons and goonesses, tramping around the parking lot and chanting [the Hell Week chant], walking single file to all the dorms, and carrying on on the athletic field till breakfast. I had to lie down on the blacktop for my funeral, was spanked twice with a long black paddle, and told numerous times that I was a "stupid frosh," etc. We also went through "air raids" and "floods" in Commons, etc. Some of the bratty freshmen were given a pretty rough deal, but I've had a lot of fun. I was almost too tired though to stay awake for the all-student chapel lecture. I've got a freshman skit practice to go to at 8:30.

Hell Week Has Begun - Wednesday, September 20, 1961

I sit here at my desk with wet hair doing biology. In the hall are upper class girls watching the "wee baby" frosh girls. ("Hell Week" began at supper tonight.) The goons and goonesses look like horror. We have to wear our skirts three inches above our knees and wrong-side out, hair uncombed, no makeup, and carry a favorite possession. It should be quite an experience. I'm still trying to get my schedule changed. Badminton and golf in phys ed is filled up so I might try to get fencing and trampolining. I'm changing speech to Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 9:00.

Park's 87th Opening Convocation is Impressive - Tuesday, September 19, 1961

The very impressive 87th opening convocation of Park College was this morning. All the faculty members marched in in their caps and gowns. There are 555 students at Park this year (not all full-time). They also had a combination memorial service for a former dean of Park, Dr. Sanders, who died Sunday. Afternoon classes were called off for his funeral. He was at Park as a teacher, dean and historian from 1911 to l959. I spent all afternoon on biology lab (characteristics and classifications of everything from copperhead snakes to bacteria). I have had to change my schedule because Dr. Hampl scheduled my bio lab for 1:00-2:00 - it's either 12:00 - 1:00 or 2:00 - 3:00, etc., etc.