The Summer of '69

Wednesday - July 16

Got up early to watch the news of the Apollo 11 mission then went to breakfast and had 2 eggs, toast, cereal, orange juice and milk. I went to the lab, but there was note on the door from Dr. Rommey telling us to report to his office. He had a TV set up and the class watched the blast-off there.

Afterwards, we, went on a field trip to “Farmer Jones” field where there were, some shale outcrops. The class had fun commenting about the cow dung. Then we went on to some other outcrops there were highly fossiliferous. Got back in time for lunch, but Carol almost caused me to miss it because she lost her key on the field trip and I didn't bring mine. Carol went downtown to get food, but I found Terry and she let me in.

For lunch there was chicken salad on lettuce, Cheez-Its*, bread, orange jello, candy bar and milk.

During the afternoon I worked on placing rocks in geological time sections. Then we heard a lecture by Gerald Millendorf about Atlantis. Got back at 4:30 pm and went directly to dinner. There was veal patty, applesauce, boiled potatoes, bread, cottage cheese, ice cream and milk.

* Cheez-Its are still being made. They are small, square, cheese-flavored crackers.

Cheez-its.jpg
 
Thursday – July 17

Had peeping Toms last night. Soon after we went to bed, they came and looked through the bottom of the window and started using dirty words. I sat up in bed and ruffled the curtain and they jumped down.

For breakfast I had pancakes, cereal, grapefruit juice and milk.

Went on a field trip to Lord's Creek. I got all wet and scratched up, but there were excellent coral fossils to be found. Got back late for lunch, so afternoon class started late. Heard Larry Wilkin's seminar about how environmental pollution will affect future sedimentation processes. He has pinkeye.

For lunch there were hamburger, French fries, lemon jello, carrots, radishes, ice cream and milk.

I noticed that people around here have no sense of humor and make me feel like a jerk when I tell a joke. They look at me like I'm insane. They also either take me up on almost everything I say, or don't pay any attention to what I'm saying.

Supper consisted of beef, noodles, peas, cottage cheese, cake and milk.

Carol and Paula Traktman are working on a poster They took it down my Apollo poster and used the back of it for their own. Another thing that bothers me is the girl's lack of patriotism and thrill about astronauts going to the moon. They act like this great achievement was sickening.

Got 3 letter stoday – two from mom and one from Linda Palmer*.

* Linda Palmer was a neighbor and a grade behind me in school.
 
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...
Cazenovia, huh? I was born there and after a life of traveling, I am here again. My aunt and uncles huge home was on Forman St. Small world.
 
Friday – July 18

Stared off with scrambled eggs, toast, cereal, tomato juice and milk for breakfast. Had an uneventful day in the labs. In the morning, I worked on the fossils collected yesterday, then went to a talk on “Deceptions in Science”.

For lunch there was macaroni and cheese, cherry jello, bread, cake, ice cream, grape juice, orange juice and milk.

Spent the afternoon looking at aerial photographs through the stereoscope and drawing cross-sections of the terrain.

Going home tonight and I have to call a taxi at 7:00 pm.

For dinner there was fish, potatoes, cottage cheese, date bar, ice cream and milk. Cab fare was $1.20 again, but the driver tried to short-change me 20¢. I got him straightened out! Got on bus 4065 and had an unremarkable ride home.
 
Saturday – July 19

Slept until 8:30am. I had milk and shredded wheat with blueberries for breakfast.

Went fishing and caught an 11 inch bass and many small sunfish. Came home and had a fried chicken TV dinner.

Went to Latham* in the afternoon and bought deck shoes and a new dress.

Didn't have any dinner, but went to Audrey's** bridal shower. Had a lot of cake and punch there. Came home and worked on my volcano project until 1:00am.

*Latham, NY had a large shopping center, one of the first “malls” around here, but now it's considered a “dead” mall. More about it here:

Latham Circle Mall - Wikipedia

**Audrey was my mother's youngest brother's fiancée.
 
Sunday– July 20

Didn't have any breakfast because I was busy getting ready to go back to Syracuse, but I had an omelet for lunch with some carrot cake. Watched the news for a while about the Apollo mission. I heard they landed on the Moon safely on the car radio on the way back. I ate at Carrols again – hamburger, French fries and root beer.

A lot of the girls were watching TV when I got back. They had made a mess of the room and had taken down the flag poster and Apollo sign I had taped in the window, and put up a psychedelic poster. Watched the astronauts disembark on Moon at 10:56 pm and due their duties until 1:00 am.
 
Last edited:
Monday– July 21

Slept through breakfast this morning, but heard they had French toast. Played my clarinet for a while. Noticed some things out of order like my stationery box and my radio battery is gone.

Went to lunch and had tomatoes, lettuce and bacon, soda crackers, orange jello, fruit cup, cake and milk.

Attended class in the afternoon. Dr. Rommey had a TV there and we watched the Eagle's lift-off from the moon. I worked on aerial photographs.

Came back to the dorm and ate supper of pork chop, mashed potatoes, peas, radishes, pickles, bread, cottage cheese, ice cream and milk. Then watched the Eagle dock with the command module. Worked on my volcano project.

Elaine came in later and we rehearsed the speech we're giving on our geology seminar. It took us 50 minutes but Elaine ended up talking to boys through the window.

A man came to the room asking for Carol because she didn't sign in. She didn't get back until 2 am.
 
debodun said:
Some mysteries will never be solved. What good would it have done to confront suspects when I had no solid evidence? Not worth alienating people over a missing battery and postage stamps. Perhaps back then, I was a more forgiving person. ;)
Click to expand...
I did exactly the same at school.. I had minor things stolen.. major to me at the time, but to anyone else very minor, and I knew who took them because as bullies do they used them right in front of me...

I said nothing... I always played the long game.... and altho' as an adult I would have confronted someone without a thought and still would ...... but I also still to this day play the long game very often.. and it almost always works in my favour !
 
Tuesday– July 22

Started the day of with scrambled eggs, sausage patty, English muffin, cereal, orange juice and milk.

Went to a demonstration on NASA equipment. I got some pamphlets about NASA. Got back from the lecture and had a submarine sandwich, orange jello and milk for lunch.

Elaine gave her seminar first in the afternoon, then we had a work session,then I gave my report later in the afternoon.

When we got back from class, the fire alarm was ringing in the dorm. I went to dinner. There was roast beef, squash, mashed potatoes, bread, coleslaw, cottage cheese with an apple slice, ice cream and milk.

When I returned, the hallway floor was flooded. I learned the incinerator got overheated and it turned on the sprinkler system.
 
Wednesday– July 23

For breakfast there were pancakes, cereal, pineapple juice and milk.

This morning we had our first symposium. I didn't think it was very interesting.

Lunch consisted of grilled cheese sandwich, lima beans, lemon jello, cupcake and orange drink.

Spent the afternoon in the lab again. Brought some rocks back.

I had spaghetti, broccoli, cottage cheese, cookie, fruit cup, chiffon pie and milk for dinner.

Played cards with Mary and Paula for 3 hours.
 
Thursday– July 24

Began with breakfast of eggs, toast, orange juice, cereal and milk.

Went to another symposium this morning.

Spaghetti, lime jello, candy bar, ice cream, and punch were for lunch.

Went on a field trip to Onondaga Lake in the afternoon. That lake is really polluted. The water was gray and opaque and smelled really bad. There were dead fish floating in it and algae growing on the rocks all around the shore.

When I got back I felt like I had to take a shower before supper. They gave us turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans, coleslaw, cottage cheese, cake, ice cream and milk.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top