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.
Tension and Unnaturalness in Philosophy Seminar - Monday, April 12, 1965
It was somewhat colder again today. I wish spring would make up its mind. I went to the library tonight to get some books for my philosophy term paper. I hope this venture doesn't turn into too large a task. We all wrote on Dr. Pai's philosophy question although we had to "find it" ourselves in Mr. Carey's office. It seemed as if there was tension and unnaturalness among us in seminar. I do feel sorry for Mr. Carey whom I think feels just as bad as the rest of us.
Returned to "Normal" About Written Comp Grade - Sunday, April 11, 1965
Friends are wonderful. It is they who have talked me into forgetting my misfortune, and they're right - I had moped around long enough by 5:30 this evening. Since that time I've been "normal" again. I did call Mr. Carey this morning to talk about it. He was very understanding and sounded sorry himself. He told me the reason my paper had fallen down - I completely reversed the two given statements as to traditional and progressive education. (I guess I thought too far and went past the obvious.) This morning I went with Evelyn to the Lutheran church where she plays the organ.
Sobbing and Crying About Written Comp Grade of 74 - Saturday, April 10, 1965
If my written comp grade that I got back today is right and there is no mistake, I feel as if I'm suffering the worst experience of my life! As far as I'm concerned, a 74 is a D on the college scale and I do not believe that if I got a 94 on my GRE and have never had anything lower than a B in any of my education courses, that my comprehensive exam should be of D quality. After lunch I saw Seth and since he wasn't busy he listened to my sob story. I cried again tonight to myself quietly in Evelyn's and my room. The girls I've told are very understanding. Dee got an 85, MaryAnne 80. Evelyn is home this weekend, so I don't know her score. The other grades I've heard are 70-72.
College Oral Score was 84 and GRE Percentile was 94th - Friday, April 9, 1965
My college oral was an experience. In the first place Mr. Wetherill didn't know about it and Mr. Craig and Dr. Lark had to yell down the hill at Mr. Larson to remind him. We then went into Mackay and Mr. Dusing in the faculty lounge agreed to take Mr. Wetherill's place. We went to the dean's office for it and after an interesting and enjoyable session, I came out with an 84. At almost the same moment, I found out from Mrs. Hansmire my GRE score - 94th percentile for which I feel particularly pleased. I got an A- on the social psych test. The LLCs went to the Oak Ridge Manor for a dinner honoring the Johnsons.
Read About Vietnam and Civil Rights in New York Times - Thursday, April 8, 1965
Departmental orals weren't bad, although it's hard to know what Dr. Pai, Mr. Carey and Mr. Chronister thought about what we said. It's quite an experience. I wonder how tomorrow's will seem in comparison. Kathy Olson took hers with me. We started out in the kitchen since there was a faculty committee meeting going on in the lounge, but then we moved in there. Suddenly, on the "eve of the morrow" I wonder how much I really know. Evelyn, Jen, Winnie and I went to the Dari-Sweet again. I went to the library and read about Vietnam and civil rights in The New York Times to be "up" on current events.
We All Misinterpreted First Question on Written Comps - Wednesday, April 7, 1965
The social psych test was almost a written comp in itself, so I feel about written and studied out. I just hope I did well on it. Dr. Pai graded his part of the comps last night. He said everyone misinterpreted the first question. He "failed" two people. That makes us all feel a little uneasy. No one can say that majoring in education is a snap. I'll have to review arithmetic for elementary teachers before my departmental oral tomorrow.
Wrote on Eight Aspects of Education on Written Comps - Tuesday, April 6, 1965
Written comps are over, as we knew that inevitably sooner or later they had to be. This is something that it's hard to believe is over. I didn't think they were too bad. We had to write on two concepts of the mind, attitudes and values, learning theory, and curriculum, organization and administration. I received a letter from the North Kansas City system inviting me to make an appointment for an interview, so I got one for next Tuesday. Now I've been studying for the social psych test tomorrow as if it were another comp.
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