Ramey, Estelle: interview I, March 17, 1981. Digital
Scope and Contents
Includes re: becoming feminist and regarded as "harridan"; women's bitterness and anger towards men; noting that lots of boys do like smart girls; marriage as watershed moment and need for husband to have investment in wife's success; feeling job options would be better with college degree; beginning college as math major; taking science class from gym teacher, then another (female) teacher teaching the class and Ramey becoming interested in science; no science jobs available and becoming receptionist at Marshall Fields because she was pretty; chemistry professor offering her job if she got PhD in physical chemistry; professor told her "you can be a lady or you can be a chemist, you can't be both." She was his best student and he liked her, fact that she was a pretty young woman helped her in that it intrigued professor; she notes this kind of thing happens frequently and often is not connected to sexual favoritism; getting married; being told she would not be hired and should take care of her husband; then work being available due to World War II; working while pregnant; being comfortably off and seen as independent and therefore more appealing; not surprised at getting job offer; there were so few women applying for school/jobs that it was hard to say there was actually discrimination against them, there just were not many around. Advantage of being woman if you're bright and sure of yourself: you stand out more. Fierce competition for jobs after World War II when men returned. Need for man to be interested in you and open door for you. If man is afraid of woman and insecure, he will not help you. Men succeed because of luck and timing also. No matter how successful a woman is, as long as women are perceived as women, you cannot escape your own group. If all women are devalued, so are you. Wanting things to be better for women; being sisters' keepers, obligation of successful women to help other women, otherwise they'll burn in hell; it does not matter that things were relatively easy for her; given honorary degree for work she had done on behalf of other women.
Dates
- Creation: 1912-1998
- Creation: Majority of material found within 1979-1988
Language of Materials
Materials in English.
Access Restrictions:
Access. Most of the collection is open for research.
#1.16 and T-462.23 - T-462.24 are closed until the death of Susan C. Geller.
#2.3 and T-462.28 - T-462.29 are closed until the death of Donna Haraway.
#3.9 and T-462.61 - T-462.62 are closed until the death of Karna Wahlstrand.
#T-462.63 - T-462.64 are closed until the death of Edith Woodward.
An appointment is necessary to use any audiovisual material.
Extent
1.04 linear feet ((2 + 1/2 file boxes) plus 65 audiotapes)Physical Location
Collection stored off site: researchers must request access 36 hours before use.
Physical Facet
Audiocassette.
Repository Details
Part of the Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe Institute Repository
The preeminent research library on the history of women in the United States, the Schlesinger Library documents women's lives from the past and present for the future. In addition to its traditional strengths in the history of feminisms, women’s health, and women’s activism, the Schlesinger collections document the intersectional workings of race and ethnicity, gender, sexuality, and class in American history.