The Trunk Series ~ Moments in Time ~ December 2, 1963

Fall of 1963 was my first semester at UCSB. I didn't have a car at the time and rode home for Thanksgiving with a friend from Mill Valley. I flew back on December 2nd. Take note of the cost of the flight. Yes, you're reading it correctly at $22.37. I looked up the conversion to 2014 dollars and it translates to $171.49. The actual cost of a one way flight, half a century later, is now about $220.00.  

Check out the Hertz ticket pouch. Oh Baby, a Chevy hardtop. Maggie, my housemate in the Pine Hall dorms, had a white one. We saw a lot of California in that beast and once set a land speed record from UCSB to Mill Valley to make it to a party at Rym Partridge's house. 

It's amazing how a small piece of paper can open doors to the past, to your history, and to some of your monumental dumb ass moves as a teenager. It's a wonder we survived our youth.

The Trunk Series ~ September 19, 1963

In 1963 the freshman dorms at UCSB were former officer's barracks for the Marine Corp Air Station that was once located near Goleta Point. It was kind of the wild west for those of us away from home for the first time.  There were about 20 students per building and a Resident Assistant (Responsible Adult) who multi-tasked as house manager, referee, wrangler, field marshal, and peace keeper. 

This loose knit community of dorms was centered in a wooded meadow a short walk from campus: The Center for Endless Shenanigans. Shortly after the Beatles appeared on Ed Sullivan singing "I Want to Hold Your Hand" we had a late night visit at Pine Hall. Awakened by knocking on the window we opened the curtains to see Mike Sterling and one of his buddies, in full bug regalia with pipe cleaner feeler headgear. As soon as the window slid open they broke into the song.

My Mom kept all my letters from UCSB. The letter of this date brought a smile and some memories. It was sent Air Mail for the grand sum of eight cents. My handwriting was still legible. It spoke of boys and dates, bad food and long lines at the dining halls, and looking forward to Thanksgiving and Mom food. Life was so simple and from the perspective of a 18 year old, getting acquainted with independence and new friends, quite the bee's knees. 

I'm sure the following had my folks rolling their eyes. Fearless and free we took everything in with open minds and sometimes a little commentary.

"We are naming the field mice in the hall by alphabet and we're already up to the letter S."

"My roommate Pam and I watched a professor cut up a lady for Human Anatomy classes. He was so casual about the whole thing, smoking and listening to the Dodger game at the same time."

It was definitely a different place and time. Campus was isolated from the real world. There were no computers or cell phones. Social media didn't exist. Hell, we hardly ever saw television. Looking back it was a blessing that served us all well. We learned how to communicate, to write, to make friends and entertain ourselves outdoors. 

The Trunk Series ~ Feb 08, 1964

In the Fall of 1963 I left bucolic Mill Valley to attend UC Santa Barbara. I was 18 and it was time to go away to school. I had no game plan but I was off on a new adventure and that's what counted.

At the time UCSB was the new kid on the block of the UC system. The student population was maybe 3,500 students, mostly living on campus or a short walk away in Isla Vista. The weather was great, the beach was always calling, you didn't need a car, and dogs were allowed in class. Somewhat insulated from the real world it had a well earned reputation as a party school in those days.

Freshman and sophomore year students lived in dorms. The original ones on campus were refurbished military barracks. The four of us met our freshman year while living in Pine Hall. Sophomore year we were moved uptown into Santa Rosa Hall one of the new dorms. The ultimate goal was to move to Isla Vista, but that would have to wait for junior year.

Pam, Maggie, Me and Priscilla

Pine Hall 1963

We decided on some peace keeping measures early on and wrote up this agreement regarding the borrowing of each other's clothes. The signatories: Margaret R. White, Priscilla H. Mullen, Shelley K. Macdonald, and Pamela B. Detloff

Maggie and I have remained close friends over the years, but we've lost touch with Priscilla and Pam. I've started doing some research on line to see if I can find the two of them. It would be a hoot if we could reconnect. There are stories to tell from those years ~ if we can still remember them.