CARMEN LEE--LIFE IS NOT A VACATION, IT IS A JOURNEY

Day 131, "Every picture(3) has a story"

Churchhill dorm where I was a janitor my freshman year

Reed-Johnson Halls  Larry and I lived in Reed our freshman year

The building on the right is where Larry and I lived our sophomore year.  We had the basement apartment.  It was just across the street from the field house.

It was the fall of 1965.  I was excited and nervous to get to North Dakota State University.  My senior year of high school and the summer of 1965 had been difficult. Ronald had died during my senior year and his death hung over the farm like an old spider web not allowing anything to escape.  Mom was often in tears and Dad was silent Sam.  There would be some relief when Janet/John would come home but it looked like John was being sent to Vietnam and of course that also hung over my parents.  Joan/Ron also came home and that would help. Football had been a disaster.  I had been captain of the team and felt like I was helpless as we were hapless.  Basketball likewise ended in disappointment as we lost our first game in the district tournament.  We did rebound to take 5th and get a trophy.  We beat Lidgerwood and I scored 25 points.  Dad had cut out the paper clipping on it and saved it BUT never said anything to me.  

Anyway I had decided I did not want to go to college.  Mr. Newman encouraged me to talk to Jamestown College as he felt I could play football there but I thought I did not want to be a teacher!   I enrolled at NDSU mainly because at that time young men were being drafted out of high school if they did not enroll in college.  I was lukewarm about college but I was stone cold about being drafted!!!  I had no idea what I wanted to do so I was just in general college.  Dad had driven me to Fargo mid summer to enroll and take entrance tests.  When I arrived in early September I found out that due to my entrance tests I was enrolled in advance algebra and chemistry 2.  Oh my they were almost the death of me.  I passed but grades, not so great.  I also was put in an English class where the teacher was notorious for being mean to freshmen.  I found that out early on as I told the teacher that I would miss a Friday class as I was going to my brothers wedding.  Oh my she thought there was NO reason to miss class and gave me a hard time.  

The good, well not so good.  I was on the eating plan and morning, noon and night you could eat and drink as much as you wanted.  Fifteen pounds later Christmas came!  The weight came off quickly when I returned after Christmas break.

It took me about a month to settle in.  By that time I had a "work-study" job and I was into my classes.  Dad had paid me $500 for the summer and I had a loan so I was not worried about money but of course I did not spend any.  Joan/Ron, Dave/Marlys and Janet lived in Fargo so I wanted some transportation to see them.  I found a bike for $10 and I was good to go.  As winter came I just let a little air out of the tires so they would not slip so much on the icy roads.  It worked fine.  My job in "Work/Study" was working as a janitor mostly on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.  Churchhill was where many of the men athletes stayed and ALWAYS Sunday morning was a time to get out the bucket and mop and take care of vomit that was in many places!  

One morning I lost my wallet.  I was sure I lost it in the dorm but after looking everywhere I had been I did not find it.  About 3 days later I got a call from the police in Moorhead MN.  They wanted me to come to the station.  I was afraid but jumped on my bike after classes on a Thursday and headed there.  When I arrived they ushered me into a room and an officer came in by shutting the door behind him.  I was totally clueless as to what was happening.  It turned out someone had found my wallet and used my drivers license by changing the birthdate.  He had used it to purchase liquor.  He had changed the 7 to a 4 so it looked like he was 21.  Well the officer questioned me and I told him I had never been in the bar.  In fact I said I have never tasted beer!  He lectured me on the fact that I should have reported it which I did not know.  It ended well but was not a fun experience.

The third picture is the building Larry and I stayed in during our sophomore year.  I might add that 2 girls lived on the second floor of the building to the left!  BUT they never came to our apartment as that was forbidden as I said before.  The first year of college cost me $1100.  That was board, room, tuition  and spending money.  Actually the second year living off campus was less.  I do have to admit that I did eat a lot of cream corn with hot dogs mixed in!  Well there was Joan, Dave and Janet to help with meals a bit too!  Enough about NDSU for now.

70+ tennis at 11:30 today.  I am hoping it does not rain.  Then tomorrow my team has a very tough match at home and I will be excited if we could win 1 of 3.  If more than that it is off the chart.  Again on Friday a home match and I have hopes of 2 or 3 courts then.  

I started a book yesterday that is about the marines in WWII.  Oh my it is interesting and sad what went on.  I am finished with breakfast and the FP is gone.