The Summer of '69

Friday – July 4

Breakfast didn't start until 8:30 am. I had 2 slices of toast, 2 eggs, Special-K cereal, grapefruit juice and milk.

Heard a lecture this morning about x-ray diffraction in crystals.

Ate with a nice boy at lunch. I had grilled cheese sandwich, lime jello, fruit cup,cupcake and lemonade.

Must remind parents to come out Sunday for the picnic.

We only had Dr. Rommey's assistant, Ed Shay, for today's instructor – Dr. Rommey was away at Cornell. Got to use lapidary saw today. Got my blouse and skirt dirty. Lost my red felt-tip pen.

Fish cake, mashed potatoes, asparagus, lemon jello, cottage cheese, bread, “nutty”bar, ice cream and milk for supper.

Went to a concert and fireworks display, but it was raining. While the band was playing the “Marine's Hymn” a nearby thunderbolt sounded like artillery fire.

A girl came to my room tonight asking for all the change I could spare.She said she'd pay me back tomorrow. I gave her 70¢*. I wonder if she'll keep her promise.

Carol stayed out until after 1:00 am. I didn't go to sleep until after 1:30am.

*That would be a little over $6 nowadays.
 
Saturday – July 5

It's 9:15 am and Carol is still sleeping. She missed the breakfast of French toast. She didn't get up until 10:30 am.

I went down to the drugstore on Marshall St. and bought a jar of Vicks VapoRub, a notebook, a pad of paper and 11 postcards.

For lunch I had cold cuts, cheese, noodle soup, soda crackers, brownie, ice cream and punch.

Got a letter from home.

I noticed I'm getting a wisdom tooth on upper left.

I asked mom to look in National Geographic for articles on volcanoes.

Wrote a letter to Mr. Murphy*.

The girl that borrowed the change from me yesterday paid me back with 5¢ extra. Whoopee!

Had beef pot pie, rice, lemon jello, cottage cheese, bread, tomato juice, brownie and milk for dinner.

The first time I watched TV for any length of time. I saw “Truth or Consequences”, “Adam-12”, “Get Smart”, “The Ghost and Mrs. Muir”, “Hogan's Heroes” and “Petticoat Junction”.

Carol went to a dance. Later I heard some boys outside the window saying, “Turn off the light.”

Saw a huge ant on the floor.

Parents are coming tomorrow. Mom will probably want to organize everything. She'll have her work cut out for he if she tires to organize Carol.

* Mr. Murphy was my high school guidance counselor.
 
Enjoying your memories, Deb. A couple of questions are begging to be asked... number one, why would someone need 70 cents just for overnight if they had it available the next day? :unsure: And number two, was Carol 17, too? (Sorry if you already mentioned that... I don't remember.) And if so, what was she doing staying out until the wee hours?

Did your mama try to organize Carol? :giggle:
 
Sunday – July 6

Carol didn't get back from the dance until 5:00 am. She's been asleep 5 hours.

Breakfast consisted of 2 eggs, toast with jam, bacon, All Bran, cottage cheese, grapefruit and milk.

Mom and dad visited today. Dad left his pipe here. I did laundry, washed hair and did other grooming, looked at gypsum outcrops and ate at Carrols*. It rained so the picnic was canceled.

Carol came back from wherever she went about 6 pm. She brought boys back into the dorm. They were loud in the hall and she allowed them to come in to our room. I felt uncomfortable with boys in the room looking at everything. Finally they left to walk downtown, eat and see a movie. Another floor meeting tonight at 10:30 pm.

*Carrols was a restaurant chain popular in upstate New York the 1960s. More about it here:
Carrols Restaurant Group - Wikipedia
 
Monday – July 7

Slept until 8:00am. Had 2 eggs, toast with jam, Special K cereal, grape juice and milk for breakfast. Almost late for class.

Worked on insoluble sandstones and stains in the morning.

Lunch consisted of sloppy Joes, potato chips, pickles, bread, cottage cheese with radishes, cherry jello, ice cream, candy bar and milk.

In the afternoon I worked on insoluble deposits of shale. Visited the “thin section” lab and went to the library.

For dinner there was ham with raisin sauce, boiled potato, mixed vegetables, bread, orange jello, custard, cottage cheese with radish, ice cream and milk.

In the mail there was a schedule of campus activities, a letter from mom and Cuffy*. A letter from Carol's boyfriend was in my mailbox.

*Cuffy (a nickname) was a cousin that was living with us at the time because his parents had divorced. My uncle (mom's youngest brother) had become engaged by that time and his fiancée's shower is mentioned later.
 
Tuesday – July 8

Had an eventful day – another all-day field trip. To start out, I had scrambled eggs, bacon, toast with marmalade, Special-K cereal, pineapple juice and milk.

We started out at 9 am. Dr. Rommey forgot our box lunches, so we had to go back and wait for him a half an hour while he got them. They consisted of half cheese sandwich with mustard, a ham sandwich with mustard, potato chips, brownie and soda.

syracuse14c.jpg

First we went through Texas (NY) to Mexico Bay, then went to Sandy Pond. Got some more tan. Went swimming with “James Bond – 007” swim fins, mask and snorkel to observe the way water interacts with the lake bed. Everyone had a good time doing that.

syracuse 2a.jpg
I found magnetite in the sand. Looked at a big sand dune. Got back about 4:45 pm. Sand is everywhere from the beach – on the floor, in our hair, in our clothes and on the furniture. Showered and ate supper. We had roast beef, peas, mashed potatoes, bread, cottage cheese, cherry jello, mocha cake and milk.
 
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I've been reading through all your entries Deb... and I can't believe how much food was being served every day.. Huge breakfasts then lunch then dinner... wow !

One of your days worth of food when I was a teen would have been what we had for a whole week...

Anyway I'm really enjoying reading these entries... (y)
 
Wednesday – July 9

We had another exciting day. It began with French toast, orange juice and milk.

syracuse 5.jpg

Traveled up Rt 81. Stopped at several outcrops. I collected some good fossils. Went up to Wellesley Island State Park, the Thousand Islands and the St. Lawrence River. Went swimming after a box lunch of half a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, a full cheese sandwich, Fritos, an apple and soda. I got a bad sunburn on my back. We almost went into Canada, but Dr. Rommey decided not to cross the border, but we got within 2 miles of it.

Returned to dorm about 5:15 pm. Ate supper of spaghetti, lime jello, broccoli, cottage cheese, hard roll, ice cream with butterscotch sauce and milk with Bill (Dondi) Abramoff.

I got in a movie the audiovisual class was filming on my way to the cafeteria.

Received 5 letters today – 2 pen pals, mom, Grandma and Mrs. Velie*. Mrs.Velie sent me a dollar.** Grammy sent more 6¢stamps. Sent a birthday card to my high school principal.

* Mrs. Velie was the maternal grandmother of the cousin that was living with us at that time.
** $1 then would be almost $9 now.
 
Thursday – July 10

Started off with 2 eggs, toast with jam, grapefruit juice and milk.

Not much activity today as indoor classes took up the time. Dr. Rommey gave us a quiz about the last 2 field trips. Finished work on insoluble deposits. Went to the library and forgot and missed a movie on beach sands.

For lunch there was lettuce with tomato, potato salad, soda crackers, bacon, noodle soup, lime jello, cottage cheese, carrots and radishes, ice cream and milk.

Had a seminar in class in the afternoon. Discussed limestone, salt and gypsum deposits, sandstone and shale.

Got mail today from Uncle Ray* and 2 letters from mom.

Carol and her girlfriend had a pillow fight in the room. At dinner they served poultry kabob, green beans, rice, cherry jello, cream pie and milk. Carol went to the library after dinner.

* Uncle Ray was my maternal grandmother's brother.
 
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Friday – July 11

Laundry change today. Leaving this weekend for home. Breakfast consisted of pancakes, cornflakes, apple juice and milk.

Not much exciting happened today. This morning we talked about local stratigraphy, then heard a lecture entitled “How Do We Smell?”

For lunch there was tuna salad, lettuce, potato chips, potato salad, crackers, cottage cheese, cream pie and soda.

In the afternoon we looked at rock-forming minerals and saw a movie about waves and beaches.

For supper there was fish, hashed potatoes, mixed vegetables, cherry jello, bread,salad with boiled egg and pickle, raspberry sherbet and juice.

Carol said her sister might come to see her this weekend. It's fortunate I'll be going home because she can sleep in my bed.

Called Ace Taxi Company to take me to the bus depot. They came almost immediately.Cab fare $1.20*. Waited in the bus depot for about an hour. I bought a Mad magazine and crossword puzzle book. Bus ticket $4.90*. There were many suspicious-looking characters at the bus station. Got on bus #3857. Left at 8:05 pm. Arrived home at 11:30 pm. There was a thunderstorm during the night.

* $1.20 would be between $10 and $11 today, and $4.90 would be about $45.
 
debodun said:
A spent 6 weeks at Syracuse University taking a course in geology. I am a little fuzzy on how that came about. It may have been because I got a exceptional grade in earth science class in high school and my guidance counselor steered me into it. I did find the photos I took while there to add to the dry reading. It has been edited for spelling and grammar (for the most part). A new post every day (if my computer lasts). Here goes:

Sunday, June 29
Left at 11:06 am. Comfortably warm. Sunny with altocumulus clouds. Stopped for lunch on Route 20 at 12:36 pm near Cherry Valley. Getting more cloudy the further west we go. Stopped at a drugstore in Cazenovia and get AlkaSeltzer and gum. Arrived at Kimmel Hall at 3:20 pm. Finished moving by 4:30.

View attachment 488574
There was an orientation meeting at 7:15 pm. Dr Drüger spoke (middle to early 40s, short, dark, funny guy) and introduced Dr. Rommey, the geology professor (tall, thin, blonde, late 40s or early 50s). Met Carol, my roommate, at the reception. She got the wrong room at first. There will be 5 girls in the geology class. Messed up library card. Floor meeting in Terry's (the floor supervisor) room. Have to keep doors locked all the time now. Went to bed at 11:15 pm. Didn't go to sleep until almost midnight.
Click to expand...
Do you possibly remember the name of the restaurant or place where you stopped for lunch?

(I was in that area during that period of time, and may be familiar with it)
 
Two days posted since they are fairly short.

Saturday – July 12

I didn't wake up until 9:00 am. It was the best night's sleep since I went to Syracuse. French toast was for breakfast.

Went to the hairdresser's at 11 am. Had a Mexican TV dinner for lunch.* Went fishing in the afternoon. Caught a large bullhead and many small fish.

Dinner consisted of 5 small hot dogs, strawberry chiffon pie and soda. I looked over volcano articles in magazines and selected useful ones. Did some crossword puzzles. Watched television. Went to bed at midnight.

*
Swanson.jpg

Sunday – July 13

Got up late. Mouse* came to my bed. Had a glass of Tang for breakfast. Goofed around all morning. Called Grammy R and Grammy D. Swiss steak, fried rice, chiffon pie and milk were for lunch.

Getting ready to return to Syracuse. Went out Thruway (I-90). Got off at Exit 35, Toll was $1.70.** Ate at Carrols again. Had hamburger, French fries and thick shake. It was quiet in the dorm – most kids are away at a picnic. I got a new meal ticket. Received a letter from Aunt Marian*** with some tracts.

* Mouse was a gray cat I had at the time. When he was born, I said he looked like a little mouse - the name stuck.
** $1.70 would be about $15 today.
*** Aunt Marian was my mother's oldest brother's wife.
 
Oh that picture brings such a memory to me! We sometimes had TV dinners on Sundays after church because there were 5 kids and my parents and it was an easy and fast meal. I begged for that exact Mexican dinner week after week and Mama kept telling me I wouldn't like it. She finally gave in and got me one... I hated it. Even worse was watching everyone else enjoy their fried chicken or turkey & stuffing while I pretended to like my choice. :ROFLMAO:
 
Monday – July 14

Had to get up early (7:00 am) to go on a field trip to Green Lakes State Park. Scrambled eggs, toast with jam, corn flakes, grapefruit juice and milk were for breakfast.

It was hot in the sun at the lake. We took water samples from different locales and depths. Watched Mr. Arthur Fritz take sediment samples from the bottom.

syracuse 3a.jpg

There was ravioli, crackers, cookie, cherry jello and lime juice for lunch. When a girl saw me brushing my teeth, she remarked, “What an ancient thing to do.” and “Don't your teeth fall out from brushing them?”

In the afternoon I helped filter the water samples collected at the lake. It was interesting to see the differences in color and appearance in the different samples, then we discussed the data collected.

Had chicken, boiled potatoes, radishes, pickles, bread, cottage cheese, ice cream and milk for dinner.

A girl down the hall was telling us her mother had 7 miscarriages before she was born and 5 after.
 
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Tuesday – July 15

This morning there was French toast, bacon, All Bran, grapefruit juice and milk for breakfast.

No field trips today because Mr. Shay has leg trouble. I worked with the x-ray machine in the morning, got bored and went to lunch where corned beef, lettuce, Cheese-Its, soda crackers, noodle soup, lemon jello, coleslaw, doughnuts and grape juice were offered.

syracuse 5a.jpg

In the afternoon, I worked on dissolving gypsum and dripstone. Also worked on density (specific gravity) of rock samples. Soon after, there was a lecture on sedimentary rocks by Dr. Rommey, but I didn't go to that. Instead, I went to supper and had lasagna, poultry kabob, green beans, bread, cottage cheese, lime sherbet and milk. There was a package in my mailbox, but it turned out to be for Carol. Problems next door in Room 14. Girls come in after curfew, then sneak out the window.
 
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