Going to college in 1952 was quite different from today!
I went to Washington, DC during the summer of 1952 after graduating from high school, and worked for the Navy. I saved my money to go to college that fall. I remember buying some twin sheets, a blanket and green chenille bedspread for my dorm room and some light green organdy ruffled curtains for the window (I thought they were beautiful).
I didn't decide to go to Troy State (now Troy University) until I returned home late August and learned that my friends had decided to go to Troy instead of Auburn. So, I decided to go to Troy but had not applied, etc. That's another story that I wrote about last year.
I lived in Shackelform Dorm (not co-ed then). Boys were only allowed in the lobby at certain times of the day. My room was upstairs right over the front entrance. A big magnolia tree provided some shade from the hot sun in the afternoon. We didn't have air conditioning. I don't remember even having a fan!
I'm sure they provided us with a list of items to bring, but it probably was a short list. Not at all like the list printed below that you bring to school in 2010. Certainly no electronic items, telephones, TV, etc. I think my roommate had a radio. Very basic stuff.
I went to Washington, DC during the summer of 1952 after graduating from high school, and worked for the Navy. I saved my money to go to college that fall. I remember buying some twin sheets, a blanket and green chenille bedspread for my dorm room and some light green organdy ruffled curtains for the window (I thought they were beautiful).
I didn't decide to go to Troy State (now Troy University) until I returned home late August and learned that my friends had decided to go to Troy instead of Auburn. So, I decided to go to Troy but had not applied, etc. That's another story that I wrote about last year.
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I'm sure they provided us with a list of items to bring, but it probably was a short list. Not at all like the list printed below that you bring to school in 2010. Certainly no electronic items, telephones, TV, etc. I think my roommate had a radio. Very basic stuff.
One thing I remember taking to school is a pair of hand-embroidered pillow cases my mother made for me during the summer. She liked to do handwork but with 7 kids (I was the oldest) she didn't have much time to do needlework. So, these pillowcases were a "labor of love" that she made for me and I still have them (58 years later). I take them out sometimes and rub my hand over the pretty pink embroidery and imagine my mother working on these, probably late at night when everybody had gone to bed. She wrapped them and gave them to me when I was packing to go off to school. I was so happy to have embroidered pillowcases. )
I remember when our granddaughter Nerissa was getting ready to go to Clemson and how she spent the summer getting things for her apartment. She and her roommate had color-coordinated all the furnishings: hot pink and black I think. I helped her make a monogrammed pillow for her bed. Towels, shower curtain, etc. all had to match. Having sent our boys off to school with things we already had on hand, I had not gone through furnishing a dorm or apartment and was amazed at how much time and effort goes into "getting ready" to live away from home.
Note: I only went to Troy State for 4 quarters. I graduated with honors from Texas A&M at Commerce (TX) 20 years later with a B.S. in Home Economics. Also graduated from Paris Jr College in Paris, TX with an Associate Degree in Science. Attended Francis Marion College in Florence, SC to obtain a teacher's certificate and taught school one year before moving to GA.
This note from the Troy University site:
Suggestions of Items You Might Want to Get for Your Room (in 2010):
(Items written in red either didn't exist in 1952 or we didn't own them. Shared a common bath and bathroom at end of hall with others and took turns cleaning the toilets, etc. School furnished paper, mop, broom,etc.)
Telephone (public pay phone on each floor of dorm)
Telephone Calling Card
Toilet Tissue/Paper Towels
Cleaning Supplies such as stove/oven cleaner; toilet bowl cleaner, shower cleaner; broom, mop Air freshener (you just opened your windows to air out the rooms)
Deodorant/ Soap
Desk/Closet Organizer
Shampoo/Conditioner
Bath Towels/ Bath Cloths Floor Mat For Shower
Area Rug for Room (rooms had hard wood floors; some had throw rugs but I didn't)
Dishes (pots, pans, spoons, forks, plates,cups) (no microwaves back then; ate in cafeteria; food banned in rooms)
Flip Flops (for bathroom)
Pillows
Blanket/Comforter (Twin Size)
Bed Linen (sheets) Twin Size Bed
Toothpaste
Toothbrush Laundry basket Detergent (like Tide or Gain) Raincoat/Umbrella
Clothes hanger
Alarm Clock/Radio 3M Command Adhesive Strips
TV (cable Ready) – no larger than a 19”
Bottle/Can Opener
Computer
Ruler Calculator
Pens/Pencils Pencil Sharpener
Medicine (Tylenol or Advil) Note: went to infirmary for all medications
Iron/small ironing board
I remember when our granddaughter Nerissa was getting ready to go to Clemson and how she spent the summer getting things for her apartment. She and her roommate had color-coordinated all the furnishings: hot pink and black I think. I helped her make a monogrammed pillow for her bed. Towels, shower curtain, etc. all had to match. Having sent our boys off to school with things we already had on hand, I had not gone through furnishing a dorm or apartment and was amazed at how much time and effort goes into "getting ready" to live away from home.
Note: I only went to Troy State for 4 quarters. I graduated with honors from Texas A&M at Commerce (TX) 20 years later with a B.S. in Home Economics. Also graduated from Paris Jr College in Paris, TX with an Associate Degree in Science. Attended Francis Marion College in Florence, SC to obtain a teacher's certificate and taught school one year before moving to GA.
This note from the Troy University site:
Suggestions of Items You Might Want to Get for Your Room (in 2010):
(Items written in red either didn't exist in 1952 or we didn't own them. Shared a common bath and bathroom at end of hall with others and took turns cleaning the toilets, etc. School furnished paper, mop, broom,etc.)
Telephone (public pay phone on each floor of dorm)
Telephone Calling Card
Toilet Tissue/Paper Towels
Cleaning Supplies such as stove/oven cleaner; toilet bowl cleaner, shower cleaner; broom, mop Air freshener (you just opened your windows to air out the rooms)
Deodorant/ Soap
Desk/Closet Organizer
Shampoo/Conditioner
Bath Towels/ Bath Cloths Floor Mat For Shower
Area Rug for Room (rooms had hard wood floors; some had throw rugs but I didn't)
Dishes (pots, pans, spoons, forks, plates,cups) (no microwaves back then; ate in cafeteria; food banned in rooms)
Flip Flops (for bathroom)
Pillows
Blanket/Comforter (Twin Size)
Bed Linen (sheets) Twin Size Bed
Toothpaste
Toothbrush Laundry basket Detergent (like Tide or Gain) Raincoat/Umbrella
Clothes hanger
Alarm Clock/Radio 3M Command Adhesive Strips
TV (cable Ready) – no larger than a 19”
Bottle/Can Opener
Computer
Ruler Calculator
Pens/Pencils Pencil Sharpener
Medicine (Tylenol or Advil) Note: went to infirmary for all medications
Iron/small ironing board
