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.

Hawley Girls Conducted Simultaneous Door Slam - Thursday, February 25, 1965

It seems incredible that tomorrow could be Friday again already. Seth met me at the library at 8:30. Later, back at the dorm, we witnessed this year's rendition of an old Hawley tradition - the annual simultaneous door slam. They weren't too synchronised in their efforts. Then they came running through Stephens entrance in their snakedance. Mrs. Hufford called to say Holly didn't feel very well so they wouldn't come again today. I typed my paper on Teaching Machines for developmental psych this morning.

The Park Singers Had a Good Show in Alumni - Wednesday, February 24, 1965

I went with Seth to the Park Singers show in Alumni tonight. It was good. After french fries and Cokes in the J.R., I came back for a 10:00 house meeting. We've planned our Stephens dinner for March 7 and a party for the freshmen for March 16. Huffords weren't able to make it today. Mrs. Hufford called at 4:40 to say they couldn't get the car started. I sent my red brocade dress to Phyllis. She wants it for a dance. I didn't want to walk all the way to Parkville to mail it so took a chance that fifteen cents postage will be enough.

Dr. Pai Liked Philosophy of Education Paper - Tuesday, February 23, 1965

It snowed - the deep and drifting kind that causes schools - except for Park College - to close. I didn't have any classes since Mrs. Gibson couldn't get here for developmental psych class. This has been a neat day - first of all, the snow was relaxing. I talked to Dr. Frizzle and Dr. Radloff on the phone about their concept of the mind (for philosophy of education). Dr. Pai implied that I am a stronger - as opposed to a weaker - student. He liked my last philosophy paper. I went to the library with and then watched a TV program about Leonardo da Vinci with Seth. Maybe we, too, can be "da Vincis"!

Had Pie and Ice Cream for Washington's Birthday - Monday, February 22, 1965

The freshman girls invited us down for pie and ice cream for George's Birthday. We even sang Happy Birthday to him. The student council meeting lasted till 8:30 - then I met Seth in the J.R. We watched TV over malts. The maintenance department cooperated in enabling me to "take the responsibility for" getting our hair dryer fixed--today--after the hood came loose from the stand. It's about time we saw some quick action from them. The house council members have been getting the parts of our new constitution together.

We Gave a Family of Four a Tour of the Observatory - Sunday, February 21, 1965

I don't suppose I accomplished as much as I maybe should have this weekend, but then, according to Dr. Patton, only half of one's college living is supposed to come from books. After supper Seth took me up to the observatory to see the sunset. We gave a family of four (the mother had been at Park in the '40s) a tour of the observatory since they were up that way. Tonight we studied at the library. I read more philosophy, as I also did this afternoon.

Saw Ranger 8 Moon Shot Photos with Seth and Charlie - Saturday, February 20, 1965

Tonight I went to the basketball game with Seth (McKendree beat us in our last game of the season), and then we went to the double feature, Godzilla vs. The Thing and The Brass Bottle. Both were about equally stupid and funny. I certainly enjoyed being able to share the experience of seeing the first views of the Ranger 8 moon shot pictures with Seth and Charlie Armentrout in the J.R. They'll probably be involved with similar research themselves in the future. Seth saw a cloud spread out from the area of impact through the telescope this morning.

Went for Walk, Talked on Bench with Seth Tonight - Friday, February 19, 1965

Seth called me this evening to see if I'd like to go for a walk and, of course, I did. We walked down past the soccer fields and back through Parkville, then sat on the bench in front of Mackay and talked. It is a nice night. I'm glad to have the interest in astronomy and space that I do. Maybe I could say that Seth and I "talk space" as Nic and I used to "talk shop." Evelyn would say that Fred and I "talked weather" - I'll say we "talked studies" (another "s"). Mr. Wetherill said I could do a sociometric study, for my project, dealing with an elementary school classroom.