Thank you. I'm overwhelmed by your praise, and especially by your saying that I conveyed some impressions about the times.
The '60's were like living in an AU in so many ways! I loved the times because I came of age then, fell in love, and had my first baby; but like almost everyone else, I was terribly upset by the displays of racism, sexist discrimination, violence in this country, and the war going on in Vietnam. I was definitely a pacifist. The shootings at Kent State, the assassinations, the outright murder of civil rights workers in Mississippi--those things made me incoherent with anger, made me want to cry when I couldn't because the grief was too deep, made me pray for hours and hours that the hatred might somehow end.
On the other hand, some real advances were made in civil rights (at such a terrible price!), and women's rights were at least being talked about. That was about the extent of it, though. When we moved back home from East Tennessee, Frank took a position at the university near here (and was made Professor Emeritus a couple of years ago, after he retired). I had taught there in between babies, and as we were walking to lunch I asked the Dean what the outlook was for my getting a position when one became available. He just smiled and shook his head. "We don't have the nepotism rule any more, but we kind of figure that if we hire the husband, we are hiring the wife along with him." Well, screw you too! I thought, me, the pious pacifist.
In fact I did teach there again, but not on a tenure track; I wanted my hours fixed so that I could be home most of the time with my children, and I never did get a PhD, which would have made tenure worthwhile. For a long time Frank said I resented his having that degree and my not, and maybe I did; it had been my goal when I started out. But nothing on earth is more important than my family, so it fell by the wayside.
Have I mentioned that Des, my oldest son, lives next door? I enjoy him and his family so much, and they are a great deal of help and comfort to me. Des's wife, Lenae, is an RN,
Anyway, thank you so much! I get hung up on the sixties, and that time will probably show up again in my entries. In fact, I just thought of what to tell next, and it is 100% true. I did a lot of, and was entangled in a lot of, really fun things when I was younger, which is as it should be.
The '60's were like living in an AU in so many ways! I loved the times because I came of age then, fell in love, and had my first baby; but like almost everyone else, I was terribly upset by the displays of racism, sexist discrimination, violence in this country, and the war going on in Vietnam. I was definitely a pacifist. The shootings at Kent State, the assassinations, the outright murder of civil rights workers in Mississippi--those things made me incoherent with anger, made me want to cry when I couldn't because the grief was too deep, made me pray for hours and hours that the hatred might somehow end.
On the other hand, some real advances were made in civil rights (at such a terrible price!), and women's rights were at least being talked about. That was about the extent of it, though. When we moved back home from East Tennessee, Frank took a position at the university near here (and was made Professor Emeritus a couple of years ago, after he retired). I had taught there in between babies, and as we were walking to lunch I asked the Dean what the outlook was for my getting a position when one became available. He just smiled and shook his head. "We don't have the nepotism rule any more, but we kind of figure that if we hire the husband, we are hiring the wife along with him." Well, screw you too! I thought, me, the pious pacifist.
In fact I did teach there again, but not on a tenure track; I wanted my hours fixed so that I could be home most of the time with my children, and I never did get a PhD, which would have made tenure worthwhile. For a long time Frank said I resented his having that degree and my not, and maybe I did; it had been my goal when I started out. But nothing on earth is more important than my family, so it fell by the wayside.
Have I mentioned that Des, my oldest son, lives next door? I enjoy him and his family so much, and they are a great deal of help and comfort to me. Des's wife, Lenae, is an RN,
Anyway, thank you so much! I get hung up on the sixties, and that time will probably show up again in my entries. In fact, I just thought of what to tell next, and it is 100% true. I did a lot of, and was entangled in a lot of, really fun things when I was younger, which is as it should be.
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