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| Rita Foxall Vos (taken 1949 -1950), an underclassman at Kletzing College. |
In the fall of 1949, 18-year-old Rita Vos, packed her suitcase and traveled 152 miles from the only city she ever knew, Macomb, Illinois to Kletzing College located in University Park, Iowa. She was able to have this opportunity due to the influence, both financial and spiritual, of her neighbor Ralph Owens and her church. Tuition to Kletzing College was $100.00 (plus room and board). According to the Kletzing College Bulletin 1950-1951, which included the course catalog, "room rent includes the use of one radio per person and a total of 200 watts of electrical current. This includes the use of laundry, but each student must furnish his own iron." As a high school graduation present, Rita received from her mother a radio so it is likely Rita brought one with her.
Who was Ralph Owens? He was a self-employed carpenter and a member of the Free Methodist Church in Macomb. He was roughly the same age as Ray and had two children slightly younger than Rita. Rita wrote in a journal she kept in high school about the time spent with the Owens, eating supper, playing games, and attending church. Another name often mentioned in journals was Rev. Garris and his wife, Myra, who ministered at the Methodist Church.
Ralph Owens, a neighbor of Ray Foxall (Rita's father), resided at 914 W. Piper Street in Macomb. According to the 1950 census, Ray was living at 822 W. Piper St. in Macomb. This seems like a distance but glancing at Google Maps, a few houses separate the two families. Ray’s parents, Henry and Mary “Tad” Friday Foxall’s backyard shared a property line with Ray at 809 W Jefferson (It must be genetic for a son to live next to his mother) and Ray’s brother Floyd at 815 W Jefferson (that must not be genetic). Rev. George and Myra Garris, a childless couple, resided at 725 W Jefferson Street in Macomb, a few blocks east of Henry and Tad. Rita, during her high school years (1945 to 1949) lived with her father, stepmother, and three younger sisters. It is not known if Rita’s family, intermediate or extended, also attended the church ministered by Rev. Garris.
The details of the church financing Rita’s education and how they selected Kletzing College are lost to time. But given her less-than-ideal childhood, perhaps the sense of adventure, and the opportunity to better her life through education, Rita made her way to school, and found lifelong friends and her future husband (the story goes someone dropped a pencil in religion class and their eyes met). She seemed to have enjoyed a new, fresh start at college as shown by these pictures.
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