About the diary writer

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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.

Typing Social Problems Paper - Monday, October 28, 1963

I finally got started typing my social problems paper that I wanted to do long ago. Now if I can just get it done in time for it to be figured in my mid-term grade. I talked to Mr. Colliver today and it seems that it will be possible to get a C or even a B in physiological psychology. On top of everything else this week, I'll have to type the health center reports and I'm also in charge of the individual yearbook pictures - posters, notes, sign-up sheets, and a Stylus article, which I wrote today. Thank goodness the LLCs decided we were all too busy to have an all-school Halloween party Friday night.

Church With Carol and Her Parents - Sunday, October 27, 1963

Help! I've got so much to do. I don't know where to begin. The Harvest Festival weekend is about over. It rained today and was pretty cold. It must have been the grace of God that Friday and Saturday were so nice. I went to church with Carol Patterson and her parents. They're real nice - he's kind of like Daddy. Between dinner and the band concert the king and queen candidates had their pictures taken at Hawley. This afternoon I read personality. Evelyn and I went to the show, "In search of the Castaways," tonight, but it wasn't very good.

LLCs Had Winning Float - Saturday, October 26, 1963

Well, we've had another wonderful Harvest Festival at Park College. It was fun riding in the convertibles in the parade and out onto the soccer field at half time. Karen and John are king and queen; first attendants, Liz and Frank; second attendants, Cheryl and Terry. The LLC float won first prize. I was just sure it would. Tonight was the hootenanny in the circus tent - real swingin'. Barb and I went with Teresa and her nice boyfriend from New York (originally Formosa). We just got back from having hamburgers at Waids. I answered Phyllis's letter - she thinks she can come here this weekend when she comes with Joyce to Independence. I took care of the information booth for an hour this morning and saw some of the skydiving at the same time.

LLC Float Looks Fabulous - Friday, October 25, 1963

Everything is so neat! The LLC float looks fabulous and is the furthest along of any float right now. The commercial paper and using newspaper instead of napkins really did the trick. Our float thrills me and gives me a sense of satisfaction like our high school senior class "Let's Feather Our Nest" float did. I didn't stay up past 10:00 - queen candidates need their beauty sleep! This afternoon I did Mr. Lippincott a favor and typed the stencil for the soccer team rosters down at the print shop. I got a letter from Phyl. She's planning to come to Independence with her roommate next weekend and come on over here - what fun. Finally got a letter from Grandma and Grandpa, too.

Introduced to the Student Body - Thursday, October 24, 1963

This morning the king and queen candidates were introduced to the student body. It really wasn't too bad having to stand on the chapel stairs while Jean Mayes read off our activities. (Karen and I just got done responding to the warning buzzer on the washing machine - the load had to be redistributed. We thought at first it was someone's alarm clock.) Activity is flying among LLCs tonight - we've made float letters, taffy apples, and the Johnny Appleseed gunnysack costume. Fun, fun, fun. I can't believe that so many nice things could happen to me.

Harvest Festival Queen Candidate - Wednesday, October 23, 1963

Today I found out that I am one of the three junior girl candidates for Harvest Festival queen, along with three senior girls! This is unbelievable. I feel it is a tremendous honor, especially as a junior. Selection is based on effective participation in activities and organizations (contribution to Park College), considering quality as well as quantity of leadership. Other junior candidates: Liz Ralston, Kathy Webb, Jim Ader, Frank Henderson, Terry Scullin; seniors: Karen Garner, Carol Patterson, Cheryl Wiley, John Garrett, George Horneker and Lynn Minert. We had a meeting tonight to go over the technicalities of the weekend. The home people went to Ohio over the weekend (including Friday).

Beds, Pitchers and Temperatures - Tuesday, October 22, 1963

I spent most of today taking notes for my social problems research paper. And tonight, too, I mean. Dr. Gochman didn't get there in time for statistics, so we left, and we didn't have class. At the health center this afternoon I made beds, filled water pitchers, and took temperatures. Diane is up there. She was supposed to go to a meeting of house presidents this afternoon with Mr. Hougland and Dean Pai, and Karen Garner had class, so I went. It didn't amount to much.