Saturday, September 16, 2006

Top Ten Memories of Harding U

So, some of you out there didn't know I was a Harding girl? I'm one of the few and far between that live in Abilene but didn't go to ACU. There's a handful of us and we look GOOD!

  1. Pattie Cobb or Heritage? I did both during my time there - Pattie Cobb did have more of a smell but what can you expect? The place was 40 or 50 years old when I was there.
  2. Singing in Pattie Cobb - Pattie Cobb was much looser and had talent night every once in awhile. It was actually my first public solo and my friends were (happily for me) rowdy and in front. I sang "Walking After Midnight" by Patsy Cline and it gave me the confidence to do it again.
  3. Hell Week and Rough Night - Did we really call it Hell Week? I'm pretty sure. My class was one of the last to have a TRUE hazing experience. That year somebody didn't wash off the stuff they had painted him with and his parents sued HU. That's when we all learned the phrase in loco parentis. IDIOT! Ruin it everybody, will ya? I personally was sooo nasty when it was over and I continued to find feathers in my hair (from the "tar" and feathers) for weeks afterward.
  4. Bible At 8:00 - I was the most naive Freshman EVER!! My first semester I had Bible 5x a week at 8 AM. There was a very strict attendence policy for Bible classes and I had to be there everyday!
  5. Fall on Campus - It's the most beautiful campus! Lots of trees that turned beutiful colors in October - just lovely.
  6. Spring on Campus - Then in the spring the dogwoods would bloom. They are so gorgeous! There was a huge pink one near the library that I can still see in my mind.
  7. Cathcart, Stephens, and New Dorm - I lived in all three and I think I liked Stephens the best. It just fit me. The Dorm Mom was some grumpy woman that thought those rules were the Ten Commandments or something. I would say "Get a life" but it's too obvious. They did rename New Dorm while I was there so I lived in both New Dorm and Sears.
  8. Bible 206, Bible207 - Okay, it's hard to believe that this makes the list but it does. My freshman year (ONLY!) two guys would advertise the campus devos during chapel by singing those 2 words over and over. It was always hysterical and we all loved to see them coming on stage. One of those guys was Monte Cox - currently on faculty at HU.
  9. Playing softball - I ended up in a jock club. Harding had a very elaborate system so everyone got invited to join a social club. I was accepted into my 2nd choice and it had lots of jock girls in there. I was NEVER a jock. My junior year they put me on the field because I was early to watch the game (insert athletic supporter joke here) and they needed one more person to field a team. I'd never thrown a ball or hit a ball or been on the field - yikes! I walked one and struck out one. My boyfriend taught me to catch after that. I do want to say that I loved my club, Kappa Delta Kappa, and those were some of the best girls to hang with ever.
  10. Getting my diploma - I wasn't an outstanding student and I had finally learned to study by my senior year - so I was happy to get out! Cliff Ganus handed me my diploma and my entire family was there - it was a good moment.

It's hard to believe that moment was 20 years ago but it was. This is my reunion year and they don't even have my address anymore. I usually read in alumni magazine that Pop gets (Class of '59) and see if anyone I know is listed. I've run into some people over the years that I went to school with and how can we not be friends? It's a small college and it was a wonderful experience.

Memories, light the corners of my mind Misty watercolored memories of the way we were.....

2 comments:

Sarah said...

I would pay MONEY (and sit on the front row and cheer) to hear you sing "Walkin' After Midnight"!! I bet you do it justice, too!

Lawrence Underwood said...

Denise,
Has it been that long ago? I guess so. Great blog, btw. I found it from Lisa's.