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.
A Copy of Finals Schedule Brought Back From Mackay is a Popular Possession - Thursday, May 10, 1962
Boy, tonight went fast. It's bad enough when the days go fast, but when the nights slip away, too --! I guess we don't have anatomy class tomorrow so I'll be able to sleep later. The finals schedule came out today. Since I brought a mail box copy back I had the most popular piece of mail for the day in my possession. I have French and anatomy the first day, world lit on Monday, and music Tuesday. In anatomy we had the fun of looking at both the male and female pig reproductive systems - it proved interesting to say the least.
A Kansas City Rabbi Was Vespers Speaker Tonight - Wednesday, May 9, 1962
Miss Hampl has taken too much of my time again tonight. We had an hour and a half of slides and an Air France film in French Circle. I must go to France some day. I'm still doing French. I went to vespers tonight. A Jewish rabbi from Kansas City gave a real good speech. He gave the benediction in Hebrew and translated each line into English. I don't know how I did on the music test. I missed an A by three points on my French test.
Listening to Classical and Romantic Music Records Tonight - Tuesday, May 8, 1962
I listened to classical and romantic music in the chapel tonight. I hope I can keep Mozart's 40th, Beethoven's 1st, and Brahms' 1st Symphony straight, not to mention Haydn's 104th, Smetana's Moldau and so forth. It was lucky I decided to come back with Judy Cox when I did as it was 9:45 and I had thought it was only 8:45. Now I've worked solidly on French and still haven't done the memorization. That lady's getting carried away with homework again. I was doing pretty well in hockey today. I switched to the forward line after Kathy Kline hurt her hand.
After All That Our Anatomy Test Grades Won't Be Recorded - Monday, May 7, 1962
French test tomorrow and a music test Wednesday. Ugh! And Mr. Hearson isn't going to record our anatomy test grades because he gave it (different and harder at that) to two of the Parchie Varsity kids a day late and got the idea we might get to thinking he was showing some kind of favoritism! After all that studying and concern. It was hot today. I got awfully tired of working in the library. I'm proud of myself that I got "Youth, Beautiful Youth" read for world lit.
The LLCs Have a Steak Fry at the Careys' House in Parkville - Sunday, May 6, 1962
This afternoon was the choir concert and for supper the LLCs had a steak fry at the Careys' house. We played badminton before we ate. Tonight Carlyn and I went to the Sunday night discussion group. The leader was rather long winded. Oh help, why am I letting my studies fall behind now, of all times? Right now my mood is not real pleasant.
Seven of Us Freshman Girls Go on Our Canoe Trip With Two Professors - Saturday, May 5, 1962
We took our canoe trip today. We were only sorry that Judy X couldn't get out of choir rehearsal to go along. Barb Page went in her place, and Becky, Flo, Judy Cox, Nancy, Marge and I. We went up to the Platte River to "put in," came down that and into the Missouri - about 15 or 18 miles till we got to the White Aloe below campus. We had a wiener roast on the shore and stopped in Kansas for a rest. Judy and I took turns paddling in Dr. Gaeddert's canoe. It was pretty windy and choppy at first (we almost turned back) but the last hour was beautiful. We were gone from 11:00 to 6:45. Marge and I about died laughing tonight at Parchie Varsity.
An Easy Day of Classes, a Snake, Tennis, Mackay Steps, and a Pizza - Friday, May 4, 1962
After supper I played tennis with Leila and Bonnie. Then Bonnie and I sat on Mackay steps, then came back and made pizza for ourselves, Judy Jones and Carolyn Frobig. I'm afraid another week has passed. I didn't have a lot in the way of classes today with the anatomy test, Dr.Hampl not there for French (she had done a recording for us), and a short music class. I saw a great big snake beside the Meetin' House steps. Mickey, Ed and Marge were down there waiting for poli sci and came to my "rescue" when I said, "Is this snake real?" It was so still.
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