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.

Serenading a 1907 Park Graduate - Thursday, October 31, 1963

I just got back from the Frankenstein Halloween horror show - what a good way to pass phys psych! I also missed Nickel's party for Stephens since I thought I'd better go to the LLC serenade of a 1907 Park graduate, a former Lowell president on campus today, following a reception for him at the President's House. Oh well, can't win them all! What was done was fun. Mr. Gibson was so impressed with my paper that he gave me an A++! I see by student council minutes I have been appointed to the Crow's Nest and final Who's Who selection committees. Kathy O. cut my hair tonight - and made posters about Narva pictures for us!

Enthusiasm For Writing Papers - Wednesday, October 30, 1963

I just finished my social problems paper - finally! I still have a short one to do in the morning for theory and technique - on the use of opaque and overhead projectors. I wish I could put as much enthusiasm, for the most part, into the end result of "studying" as I do writing papers. Karen was over tonight to help me with the posters and Narva pictures. I got a pretty gold pin with gold sets from Mrs. Cowan. Everyone thought the personality test was really awful.

A Personality Test Tomorrow - Tuesday, October 29, 1963

There is a personality test tomorrow, and I have to have my paper in by Thursday noon if I want to raise my mid-term soc grade above a D. As long as I'm not worried, I guess that's the main thing. I mean, I suppose I should be, but I can function better when I'm not. Jim brought Evelyn some potted plants, so our room has become a "jungle." After I typed up the yearbook picture sign-up sheets at five-minute intervals (I typed 2:60 instead of 3:00), I found out Mr. DeCloud wants them at four-minute intervals!

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.