Education for Women [View all]

I consider my own life. I entered Sweet Briar College in the fall of 1975. One of the last small independent women's colleges. My mother was a graduate of both Barnard and Wellsley.

I'm convinced my mother surreptitiously convinced my father that's where I should attend college. She argued that I could find a decent husband at such a school. I'd have an educational background that would make me marriage material. Plus, it was 1975 and all-male institutions like Princeton and the like were slowly -- and reluctantly -- starting to admit women. The odds would be against me versus an all-women's college.

Of course, Mom didn't believe the marriage market theme she was advocating. Having a BA and an MS from two women's colleges, she understood that I would be the beneficiary of small classes, a variety of disciplines found in liberal arts (e.g., ancient and modern languages, literature, history, economics, music, art, theater, dance, science, philosophy, etc.) Another advantage would be to learn to speak up in class as men would not be there to comment, intimidate, etc. * Leadership skills would be inherent in our classes. And I would learn critical thinking skills.

I took courses indiscriminately, i.e., without a thought of a career. Learning for the sake of learning.

I never married. (Take THAT, Dad!)

I've had a variety of employment due to my ability to learn quickly.

I've had a good life and I give my due to Sweet Briar College. I've decided all major choices without compromise.

My father quickly realized my need to be independent and autonomous and he didn't like it a bit. We had a blow-up the night before I graduated. And you know what I did? I put on a backpack and traveled throughout the UK and Europe by myself that summer.

I re-emphasize: Education, especially for women, allows you a completely different destiny (excuse the alliteration) than if you had married right after high school (if you got that far) and started a family.

Scientia est potentia.
Knowledge is power.

* I graduated from New York Law School. As opposed to support of the class when I spoke up at Sweet Briar, instead, I got catcalls, male "Oooooooo" responses, etc. from prospective attorneys. I was spared that for four years at college.