Kutztown Revisited #2

 

Kutztown Revisited - Take Two

Last post I shared how my sweet husband decided we should celebrate our anniversary on the 8th of each month....not just once a year.   We started the day at Renniger's Farmers Market and then headed to the place where we met - Kutztown University.  Well, then it was Kutztown State College.  One of the first things I learned about Kutztown was that the tower of Old Main looked like a chicken if you saw it from the right angle.  Can you see it?

We parked near the football stadium - all new since my time - and noticed all the apartments in the area.  Also new...

We strolled down the long walkway that used to separate the girls and boys dorms...co-ed dorms were just starting back in 1973.  On the guided tour map this walkway is called the long walkway.  In my day we referred to it as the DMZ....a leftover term since we were not that far away from the VietNam years.

The beautiful fountain has always been there...but it was upgraded with nice landscaping.  Only problem was a sign you cannot see says "keep out of fountain area".  Don't know why.

We visited my old dorm...Johnson Hall!  This is where we met - and where I met some of my dearest friends/sisters. Oh, yeah - we were "Johnson's Babe's" - and we even had tee shirts that said that in the iconic Johnson &Johnson font.   Wish I could re-create some of those shirts.

We couldn't figure out why the dorm looked deserted and tried to get in and ask at the desk.  Back in the day I was a "DA"...Desk Assistant.  I thought it would be fun to see if in this day of cell phones they still even HAD DA's announcing that " Jane Doe has a long distance telephone call on 4A"...because we did not even have phones in the rooms, just pay telephones on each wing.  Wow...how did we survive ?

Found this when we tried to get in...CLOSED ?!?!?!

While strolling back past the other dorms we stopped a student to ask "what happened to Johnson Hall?" and she said it was being used as the COVID dorm for a short time, but she was not sure why it closed.

We strolled past Old Main...

Then crossed Route 222 ( many more crosswalks these days) to find Rohrbach Libary.

SUCH fond memories of this library...when I visited here for a "library camp" while still in High School I remember walking in and finding a reception with coffee, the best little danish pastry I ever had, and the Bach Brandenburg Concertos playing in the background and I thought..."WOW, this is my place".

I had a fantastic education in Library Science and was thrilled to graduate in 1977 with a degree in Bachelor of Science in Education, Library Science, K -12.

The education I received helped me get my first job as a librarian in a very small library, then as a catalog librarian in a suburban Philadelphia library, a Children's Librarian in a large public library, and then - my best years - a School Librarian in a small Elementary School and then Jr. High/Middle School for the majority of my career.  I really LOVED my job - and that all started here!

The library department has changed over the years...like my career.  Started being thrilled to type catalog cards on an IBM Selectric typewriter instead of a manual...and grew to learn/love/teach technology!

Love the saying on this display...

Left the library to make our way to the Campus Store.  We had to ask directions....let me just say - everyone was so gosh darn YOUNG!!!  AND...when I asked what happened to Johnson Hall this young woman said "yes, it was being used as the Covid Dorm, but then there was a huge sink hole on the ground floor and they had to condemn the building !!! We picked a good day to visit and I was able to get some KU shirts.

This yard sign was in front of the house where we parked....loved it!

That was our trip last month...What will be the treat for November 8th ?  Well, the Covid pandemic is still playing havoc with our plans.  We will not eat at an inside restaurant as the positivity rates are 11 - 12% in this area.  So, it will be a ride and if warm enough, lunch outside.

Do you ever go back to visit your college or the place where you met your special 

someone ?  I was overcome with the feeling of how blessed we were to have met each other ( my husband did not attend Kutztown, he went to the University of Pennsylvania, and we met through his sister - who was also a Library Science Major.  What if we never met ???  Oh, no - it was meant to be!   Have you had good return visits to the places in your past?  I would love to hear about it!  Please leave a comment below - and thank you so much for visiting Our New Vista!