A Professor's Thanksgiving Meal - Thursday, November 28, 1963

I still don't know why, but Dr. Gochman called me this evening and had me come over to his apartment at Woodward to help him eat some Thanksgiving turkey, "along with some other students." The group - none of whom I know very well - wasn't exactly my type, but it was a privilege to be invited to a professor's home for Thanksgiving supper. Miss Thomas was there, too. Our Thanksgiving dinner in Commons was real nice, too. I always like to recall past Thanksgivings. I read physiological psychology this morning and did a reading report after dinner. Evelyn and Jim went to Hans' sister's for Thanksgiving.

Parkville and Studies - Wednesday, November 27, 1963

Fred Haenisch called me tonight and wanted to go down to a new establishment that has opened up in Parkville. They were supposed to be serving turkey sandwiches, but after walking up Parkville's main street and back we still couldn't get any, so came back to the J. R. to have refreshments and watch "The Eleventh Hour." He asked me to the show Friday night. Mr. Gibson is giving a make-up test in social problems. Bless his heart, I need it. Phys psych, too - I'm hoping for the best. Statistics is okay - hope personality still is. I must get my theory and technique research unit on the way.

Stephens Open House - Tuesday, November 26, 1963

Stephens open house was tonight. It was really nice, although not too many came. We had it tonight rather than Sunday. Fred Haenisch seems real nice. He and Rick Campbell spent quite a bit of time in our room. We have framed the Stephens composites [photos] of past years and hung them in the hall. Almita Stewart [whose parents influenced mine in their decision to suggest Park for me] is in the 1954-55 one. We got our proofs back. As usual, I can't make up my mind. We had a guest speaker in theory and technique on resource units. I'm going to have trouble keeping my presentation down to the third grade level. What was meant for ninth graders looked like what I might have thought was sixth grade.

President Kennedy is Laid to Rest - Monday, November 25, 1963

I didn't have any classes today. They originally called them off from 10:00-12:00 and then when the ceremonies lasted longer, they called them off for the rest of the day. There was a memorial service here at 10:00 and then a lot of us watched the funeral and procession to the cemetery on a television that was set up in Alumni. The funeral sermon consisted appropriately of quotes from Kennedy's inaugural address and some of his favorite Biblical passages. The flag-draped casket on the horse-drawn caisson as it made its way through Washington was an impressive sight. A contingent of planes flew over the Arlington National Cemetery and a 21-gun salute echoed in the crisp November air above the wooded plot.

Lee Harvey Oswald is Killed - Sunday, November 24, 1963

A complicating factor in the story arose about noon today when Jack Ruby shot and killed Lee Harvey Oswald, Kennedy's assassin, as he was being taken from one jail to another. It happened in the basement of the jail - now a different man is in custody. This is morbid. We have continued to watch history in the making. The flag-draped casket was drawn by seven horses from the White House to beneath the Capitol rotunda, accompanied by a muffled drum corps. Mrs.Kennedy and the two children were there. She is certainly maintaining composure. John Jr.'s third birthday is tomorrow and Caroline's sixth is Wednesday. I went riding this afternoon with Nancy, Karen and Bruce. The horses at this stable were really neat.

President Kennedy Will "Belong to the Ages" - Saturday, November 23, 1963

President Kennedy's funeral will be on Monday in Washington. He lay in state at the White House today. The new president has proclaimed Monday as a day of national mourning and public offices will be closed. Classes here have been cancelled from 10:00-12:00, and there weren't any today. The movie was cancelled tonight and we aren't having our open house tomorrow night. Radio and television have carried news almost constantly since yesterday at 12:30 when the shooting occurred. There is irony connected with several instances - Johnson is from Texas and was there when he became president. Also, Lincoln's successor was Johnson. Both Kennedy and Lincoln died in the fight for civil rights. I was reading what the papers of the world had to say. This will undoubtedly make Kennedy "belong to the ages." I studied - first Saturday afternoon this semester.

President Kennedy Was Assassinated - Friday, November 22, 1963

President Kennedy was assassinated today in Dallas. He died at 1:00, less than an hour after Lee Harvey Oswald fired shots at him and the governor of Texas as they and their wives rode a parade route in the presidential limousine. It is so hard to believe that he is dead and that something this awful could actually happen. The governor is in serious condition. They apprehended Oswald almost immediately. He used a telescopic lens on a high powered rifle from the sixth floor of an office building. Johnson was sworn in on the plane flying him, Mrs. Kennedy and the president's body back to Washington. The chapel was full at a meditation service tonight. From 12:30 when we first "heard" and turned the radio on, we have variously shared in this belief.