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.
"Intelligence, Education and Culture of Jesus" - Saturday, December 1, 1962
I spent the day in Mackay working on my religion research paper. I've got quite a way to go on it, but at least I know where I'm "going" now. (I hope!) My topic is "The Intelligence, Education and Culture of Jesus." Tonight I took time out to go to the show, "The Young Doctors," with Barb. It was good. Open House is tomorrow night. Most of the freshman girls are going all out in decorating, but Margie and I will do well to get our room straightened up. I wonder as I wander.
Dr. Frank Meyer on "Education For What?" - Friday, November 30, 1962
Tonight I took some clothes down to the Laundromat to clean in the self service dry cleaning unit. I wanted to do my red sweater with the white stripe, as I thought it might run if I tried to wash it. Now I've been reading my French book. I should try to finish it tonight. I had wanted to have my conference with Dr. Hampl tomorrow, but I have to wait till Monday. This afternoon at 4:00 I heard Dr. Frank Meyer, a Communist turned Conservative, talk on "Education For What?" I don't know if I'm so fond of the Princeton-Oxford mind or not.
Dr. Sagan Gave His Concluding Lecture - Thursday, November 29, 1962
I am in a C rut, C to C+ again on the history test. My own fault. My write-up on the astrobiologist looked good in the Stylus. I think my article is just as good as the Kansas City Star article. Dr. Sagan gave his last lecture this morning - talked about communications with extra-terrestrials. I'm surprised how much of what he has said I've already known! I should go into the field as a major. It's strange how one can feel so good and so bad at the same time. A certain boy's smile, and then Dr. Sagan's theories. Oh, how wonderful it all is. Just wish we could abolish the grading system!
Dr. Sagan on the Possibility of Life on Mars - Wednesday, November 28, 1962
Dr. Sagan talked about the possibility of life on Mars tonight, also of life in meteorites. (I wonder if he had anything to do with the Life magazine article - if he did - gee, maybe he's the one I wrote to about our meteorite once.) He explained how Martian astronomers would interpret Earth. The history test wasn't bad, considering we knew ahead of time what to study for, but I should have done better, especially on the bank issue. I just wrote a post card home his week - also wrote to Schwartzes, Varners, Mary Ellen - "business" (social) matters.
An Interview with Dr. Carl Sagan - Tuesday, November 27, 1962
Today I interviewed a nationally famous astrobiologist, Dr. Carl Sagan, assistant professor of astronomy at Harvard, who's here today through Thursday to lecture on life in outer space! Since I'm so interested in the field, his first two lectures were fascinating and it was a thrill to talk to him. But, oh, I shake. If I weren't so insignificant in the whole of the universe (what happens to me doesn't matter that much) I'd be ready to punch the panic button for sure. We started bowling. I have to study history.
Studying with Most of Park Student Body - Monday November 26, 1962
Well, back to the grind. It will take a miracle to get me through the next three weeks. If I survive, it will truly be a wonderful Christmas vacation, but I won't have time to think about Christmas till December 20th. I spent the afternoon doing French. Tonight I read psychology and sociology. Now I have to work on my religion paper. Then I should read French and more psych. I only got a 79 on my religion test and a C on the soc test. Help. This constant pressure would get a weak person down. I bet no student body on earth works as hard on the whole as Park does.
Six Tarkio Students Were at Church Today - Sunday, November 25, 1962
A lot can happen in a day. This morning three freshman girls, two freshman boys and a senior girl from Tarkio College were at church as a gospel team. It was fun getting acquainted with them. It sounds like Tarkio is just as "un-churchy" as Park. They may come down to the Tarkio-Park basketball game next week. We had a dinner at church for them. We had to leave as soon as we finished eating (so did the Tarkio kids). Then we drove to Des Moines, finally found the Union Station, I got the 4:52 train for K.C., got here at 9:25, met Bonnie, Carol and Fran, and rode out to campus in Buzz's car with them, Judy Percival and Ruth Ann. And now again, back to typical college life.
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