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by Elaine Carey

As an educated protessor'swife, what does
one do in Grinnell, iowa'! That answer dif-
fers with each person as Mrs. Ruth Kurtz,
Mrs. Patricia Magee, and Mrs. Netia Worley
proved in recent interviews.

Mrs. Kurtz finds her main point of dislike
with Grinnell in that it is not in western
U. such as Colorado. Born in a small
cow town in northeastern California, Mrs.
Kurtz attended Colorado College, majoring
in Biology and elementary education. Teachr
ing occupied the next several years of Mrs.
Kurtz’s time. Although she disliked it, she
didn’t terminate her leaching until 1968 upon
returning to Grinnell from Africa. Folowing
her retirement from teaching, she didn’t
discover her ”niche" in Grinnell until
1970 with lher presentt job at the Grinnell
Travel Center. The first years in Grinnell,
beginning in 1961, her disaffection with the
environment was partly colored perhaps by
her dislike for domesticity of the home
and the town. Housekeeping was not icr
her and she prefers the open lands of the
West which are not Covered with sidewalks
and roads.

The Grinnell Travel Center has improved
her outlook on Grinnell because she re-
ceives vicarious enjoyment from sending
people on vacations to have a good time.
Opportunities tor hertotravel are numerous
as special rates are given to travel agents
and she has utilized these special rates
on the average of every four months.

Social stimulus comes mainly from colr
lege events and relationships with iaculty.
Most other activity is in the way of small
group get~togethers or going to the Long
horn. Mrs. Kurtzappraised theSeniorClass
party last year as the best time she had
ever had in Grinnell.

For additional diversity in Grinnell, Mrs.

Kurtz stated she would personally like long
hicycle trails, horseback riding, and a
larger place similar to the Longhorn where
people could dance. Although she does have
some objections to the town, she is ter-
rible busy with her position at the Travel
Center which gives her a great deal of
pleasure.

Mrs. Patricia Magee, originally from
southern California, hardly notices the
conﬁnes of Grinnell as her position as a
graphic artist tor the Central lowa Regional
Association of Local Government in Des
Moines keeps her well occupied.

As an art major, Mrs. Magee attended
Louisiana State University and Columbia
College of Chicago, Los Angeles branch.

when the Magees first moved here, Mrs.‘

Magee didn't object to the limitations as
much because they lived close to campus
where students and iaoulty were more
accessible. with their move to an isolated
farm home and no jobs available in Grin»
nell that appeared lucrative, conditions were
not as suitable for Mrs. Magee. During
that period, she participated in the sculp~
ture and painting classes at the high school
and would have also taken college art
courses but these were always filled. Day—
time activity for Mrs. Magee was restricted
left her cold. As she doesn’t mind com-
muting, her job in Des Moines has made
a huge difference.

Dinners, the Longhorn, and college events
consume her social energies. She noted
that her shopping needs, especially in art
supplies, were unfulfilled by Grinnell. The
college was cited as the main plus 0! Grinr
nell, as she commented, “the intellectual
and social stimulation is far superior to
that of a small town without a college or
without a good college.”

Raising and showmg Afghan hounds has
been an activity which has added to the
Magees’ Grinnell life by taking them to
new places and people.

Getting out every day for her job added
to the schools and day care center, have
made Mrs. Magee much less disgruntled
with life as a Grinnellian.

Another art major, Mrs. Netia Worley,
calls herself a city hater and a doer which
makes her happy with her environment.
Finishing her major in silversmithing three
years ago at Grinnell, Mrs. Worley doesn’t
believe location has an effect on her since
she is an artist. She does woodcutting
and sculpture at home approximately eight
hours a day, takes classes at the college,
and birdwatches. Since she is not a shopper
or movie fan, she finds nothing She can’t
do in Grinnell that she could do in a city.
Originally from north of Chicago, Mrs.
Worley and family attend college events
and utilize the PE complex, Grinnell, she
states, has the advantage of allowing her
to do things quickly and easily leaving time
tor reading, a little amateur biology, racket
hall, and art. it she was a "spectator,”
Mrs. Worley admits she’d be dissatisfied
with Grinnell life, butasa “doer”shedoesr
n’t feel that way, especially since she and
her family travel every summer.

Mrs. worley emphasized, as did Mrs.
Kuﬂz and Mrs. Magee, that factors in favor
of Grinnell are the safety, cleanliness, the
school system, and the smallness of the
town which they consider excellent for
raising their children, allowing them more

freedom to pursue personal interests beyond
child care.

 

