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.
Listening to Hawaiian Music - Saturday, December 15, 1962
I am listening to some pretty Hawaiian music on the radio. I just finished reading about the ecology of Hawaii for sociology. I spent the morning sleeping and the afternoon reading - I'm getting no where fast and have so much more to do. Margie and I went to the movie, "Bachelor Flat," tonight. John Blair and Tom Straus went along. Tom walked me back to the dorm. A year ago we were home by this time. It's awful to mix finals and Christmas, but at least we can look forward to no studies during vacation. But there isn't much Christmas spirit on campus this year. And only ten days.
An A- on "Two Days Late" Religion Paper - Friday, December 14, 1962
At five till 9:00 tonight at least five kids, myself included, were rolling the last pages of psychology research papers out of our typewriters and dashing madly over to Mackay to get them in Dr. Gochman's mailbox before the 9:00 deadline. I didn't even get the last half of mine proofread - with my "tiredness" plenty of mistakes will probably show up. I got an A- on my religion paper. When I got it back and read what Dr. Johnson had written on the first page, at first I thought it said "too damn long." I thought, coming from Dr. Johnson, that was pretty bad. Then I realised he had written "two days late."
Student Peace Union Assembly - Thursday, December 13, 1962
I've done it again. My psychology paper is due tomorrow night, and I've barely started. I'm still reading. I guess I'll get up at 4:00 and work on through. But this time I'm limiting my topic! The Stylus was printed in green this week for Christmas. I've done so much writing for it. Wait till I show some of my talents to Mrs. Fordyce and Mrs. Kephart. I took time out to go to the Student Peace Union assembly this morning that some kids from Southern Illinois University sponsored. I should have asked the senior girl if she knows Frank Stewart, Almita's brother. I bowled 81 today, 82 Tuesday.
A Ride to Iowa - Wednesday, December 12, 1962
I thought I'd be writing home tonight to say they could meet my train next Thursday morning. Mom sent Edna's letter saying they could stop for me next Friday but they both thought I'd still be taking finals Friday. I meanwhile thought I'd be done Wednesday so thought I'd go ahead by train. Then I went to French class and Dr. Hampl provided a nice happy medium: a standardized French test on Thursday. So I guess I'll wait till Friday and have Esteps pick me up. I'll be one of the last kids left on campus, but this way I can rest up Thursday night and not get in at that inconvenient hour. I must work on my psych paper.
A New 16 MM Movie About Park College - Tuesday, December 11, 1962
It was one of those really cold winter days today. In assembly, after President Morrill gave some nice thoughts on Christmas, we saw the new 16 mm Park College movie. It was very good. It would sell me on Park College any day. I was in it at least three times, all from the fall of our freshman year: helping Vivien move into Hawley, in the snake dance, and watching the Hell Week softball game. I think I'll go to bed and get up early. I feel beat, and have a slight cold, too, so it will do me the most good. I did an article on the Military Degree Completion Program and hurried it down to the print shop at 5:15.
Turned in Religion Paper - Monday, December 10, 1962
I took the religion paper over to Mackay this morning and got it there just before 7:00. Some of the kids who got theirs back today got A+s after staying up Friday night to do them - I don't think they had put as much work in on them, so maybe my work was in vain (but not as far as my own personal satisfaction is concerned). I guess I'm doing my psych paper on mental telepathy. It better be short and to the point for a change! It snowed. It's so beautiful. I spent some time with Vivien this afternoon getting psych books. I rarely see her any more.
Finished Religion Paper is 50 Pages - Sunday, December 9, 1962
My religion paper is finished! Gosh, when I said it'd take a miracle to get me through the trimester, I didn't consider it including a 50 page religion paper. Guess I'll take graduate work in religion and hand it in as my thesis! Christmas at Park was today. The choir concert was magnificent. We all stood up for the Messiah. Then we had a lovely Christmas dinner with the brass quintet playing Christmas songs. But I couldn't go to the party in the J.R. - after I finally finished typing the paper I rushed it over to Mackay at 11:40 only to find it locked. I can't win! That means "in the morning ____."
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