Copley Returned Our Tree with a Party - Saturday, December 9, 1961

There's a party in the lounge tonight as the result of Copley returning our Christmas tree which they stole last night. I have my hair pinned up so decided I shouldn't stay for the party and besides that I could use the time to study for Monday's bio test. Nancy Ayers and I are going down to the kitchen to take in the hot cider and doughnuts in a little while. We sure had a good time talking in speech class. Don Smith is a riot when he gets to talking. This afternoon I did French, made a trip to Parkville, and started bio reading. Marge, Sharon Fritts and I studied in the trunk room tonight. I just found my "unpresentable" self forced into the lounge from the kitchen.

Going Down Mackay Hill on Cafeteria Trays - Friday, December 8, 1961

This was pre-registration day for next semester so there were no classes. I will be taking French, world literature, anthropology, anatomy and physiology, introduction to music, and apparatus and field hockey for 16 hours. And today it snowed. It's so perfect. Tonight a bunch of us went sliding on Mackay hill on Commons trays. We had a panic. Four guys were throwing snowballs at Hawley this afternoon and at every girl who came along. I about got taken when Sandy and I went to Marge and Janet's rescue. I wrote a speech based on the four-fold life (mental, physical, social, religious strength) but I doubt if I'll have to give it tomorrow.

Glenn Miller Orchestra is in Kansas City - Thursday, December 7, 1961

Tonight was the Snowflake Sonata Christmas dance with the Glenn Miller Orchestra in Kansas City. I guess only about 80 couples finally went. Some of the boys who didn't go to the dance came over and we had a ball stringing and eating popcorn, trimming the tree, singing Christmas carols, and then Bob Young and Bob Grinnell started doing actions to The Nutcracker Suite. Gee, I think I did fine on my art test. I didn't do so well on our last bio test - darn! I showed Dr. Hamilton the earth's-history-condensed-into-one-year timeline that I brought to Park. Approximately today on the timeline calendar mammals would have appeared. He had used the same thing on a 24-hour scale.

Hawley Receives a Piano for Christmas - Wednesday, December 6, 1961

I got a $25.00 check from home and my tuition check. I decided to send my river-smelling slacks and my sweet potatoed skirt to the cleaners, now that I have some money. I won't spend much more of it I hope. Tonight we were called down to the lounge for a wonderful Christmas surprise - a new little blond spinet piano. The thing was, Marge, Janet and I got back from supper just in time to catch them moving in the surprise and the music company truck parked by the door. Now I have to study my art. I wasted a little time this afternoon perhaps but not like lots of times. I decided to go see the upstairs of the library and what should I find but Dr. Hamilton on the floor reading from the stacks.

Two Scoops of Ice Cream from Vivien - Tuesday, December 5, 1961

This afternoon Vivien and I went down to Parkville while she shopped and treated me to two scoops of ice cream. The rest of the afternoon I spent studying art and French. Wow, do I ever need to raise my grades. As I look back over my time I can't figure out where it all went. I surely didn't waste a whole lot of it. Perhaps I'm studying too much again. We had fun in art class this morning. We didn't have bio lab this afternoon. Oh, I got an A- on my French test - one of the two highest grades in the class. This is another Religion in Life Week. The week's speaker had a good talk in assembly on "The Nature of Man." I guess I won't take time to go to the dorm discussion tonight.

A Cafeteria Tray Spill - Monday, December 4, 1961

Tonight Park played Wentworth for our first home basketball game. It was really a thriller. We came from behind in the last seven seconds and had a jump ball under their basket with them getting the ball when they were a point behind in the closing seconds. This makes up for some heartbreakers I saw last year. I felt so humiliated tonight when my tray slid off the rack in the cafeteria line. I had just put my dressing on my tray when - slide, wham. I had a big blotch of sweet potatoes on my skirt. I sent a post card to Varners. They're thinking about going to Iowa so they might be able to bring me back after Christmas.

A Flame is Carried Between Two Fireplaces - Sunday, December 3, 1961

Dearing's party tonight was fabulous. Their escorts lit a torch from Hawley's fireplace and John Hislop carried it over to Dearing's fireplace. Flo and I were right behind the torchbearer. It was like the Olympic Games. We had carol singing and several of us decorated the tree while others danced. Nayman enjoyed helping with the first American tree he had ever seen decorated. This afternoon I read more art. This evening we saw the film, "Epistle from the Koreans," for fellowship hour. That was the one the missionary ladies had last summer that Mom said I should have seen.