Getting By
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Whose ponytail is that?
By Wendy Ham Rossi
I worked in Dean Doty's office and had to take chapel attendance by memorizing everyone's heads from the back!
The waiting game
By Cheryl Gustafson Banks
I remember waiting on the tables in Wally Hall. We wore hairnets to keep our hair from falling into the food. We set up the tables with plates and bowls, rolls of bread, cutlery and napkins. We had large trays on which the kitchen staff put the large bowls of the main dish and salad. We lifted the trays to our shoulders and brought them out to the dining room to our stations from which we served our two tables.
Sometimes if the entrees were something that the diners didn't like, they would make comments to us as if we were responsible for the food. (They gave us plenty to laugh about back in the kitchen.)
On Monday lunch, two of us were assigned to serve the Toastmasters. I remember that Kofi Annan '61 was a member of that club. Who knew that this Mac Classmate would have such an interesting life and make such a contribution to peace in the world?
Minnesota cold
By Gary H. Hickok
I hated cold walks on campus. At the end of the day, I hated my cold ‘48 Plymouth. I remember awesome snowstorms when we (buddies from south and west St. Paul) unloaded from the car and pushed stranded cars on the St. Clair Hill.
The feel of winter
By Marijo Hunt Hickok
I remember the smell of wet wool scarves, mittens and coats in the Off-Campus Women's Lounge, a home away from home for this commuter. I remember trying to stay awake in a 3:30 p.m. history class up in Old Main, where the radiators competed with the prof. for our attention.
Life on campus
By Allan H. Taylor
On campus I was director of Dayton Hall (sort of) and a washer of pots and pans in the cafeteria’s kitchen sink; plus I was on the wrestling team.
Before Women's Lib
By Katharine (Kay) Cole Burke
To fulfill the requirements for a minor in social studies I took Econ 101. Our prof for the class was on a committee for the Eisenhower administration and was periodically in Washington, D.C. In his stead we would have a very nice young T.A. I had great difficulties understanding Samuelson (textbook author) and theories such as "butter and guns." Having needed to take the final early, I had to stop by the Econ office to find out my grade. It was not a positive visit. I had received the one and only failure in my academic career. The "nice young man" was very sympathetic to my angst. Upon further discussion he decided he could reasonably give me a passing grade on the test as, "I was a woman and would not need the information for my future." No complaints. I was grateful.
Practice teaching while pregnant
By Carol Holmquist Terry
No one knowing what to do with me because I would be in "no shape" to teach -- I had been married in 1958 to Lloyd Peitzman '58 and found myself "with child" a few months later. Thus when the time came for me to begin my practice teaching at Mac the following fall, it was very apparent to the entire St. Paul school system and Macalester staff that it soon would be inappropriate to have me be seen in any classroom (Ah yes, we were still back in the dark ages where a teacher was not allowed to teach beyond her 6th month of pregnancy.)
Thus it was finally determined by the powers to be that I could practice-teach the whole day right away in order to fulfill my practice-teaching component, and then be allowed to pick up my other credits needed for graduation through correspondence courses. I remember coming back to my kindergarten class just once before the expected birth in order to bring them a special treat, but I wore a very full coat and was so self-conscious I only waved to the class from behind the coat rack; you see, I was almost eight months pregnant ("shame, shame, shame!") But, after our daughter, Linda Ruth, was born in February of 1959 and I was back "in shape," I could once again enter the classroom with my head held high as I proudly presented wee Linda (who is now a doctor and ready to turn 50 this next February) to my students.
Sneaking ice cream cones with the dishwashers
By Paul A. Larsen
I worked in the cafeteria busing and washing dishes. If we were the last to leave, we helped ourselves to giant ice cream cones, which we conveniently forgot to pay for. Finally got other work in student government. I plan to add something extra to our Reunion gift to make up for the ice cream.
Many good excuses to stay on campus
By David E. Mooney
I lived at home all four years, but I remember carpooling with Kris Ronnow, Coralie Sue Johnson, and Nancy Peltzer. I enjoyed campus life very much, though, and spent much time at games, dances, and meetings, when not in classes. I caught snoozes at the library, and enjoyed many hours working out in the wrestling room.
Getting creative
By Nancy Keyt Wright
Because money was tight, my roommate and I made bedspreads out of dishtowels sewn together.