A Stroll Through the Progress of Women's Studies

Introduction
At a symposium, sponsored by the women’s studies program, I listened to seven women tell stories of the trials and tribulations they faced while putting together the women’s studies program, from finding a room to house a reading group, to creating a major out of a bunch of classes. Their personal stories, paraphrased below, tell the story of the program.

Jock strap stench
The first women’s literature classes were five-week programs through continuing education. The first one started with four teachers and 14 students. They met in the only available place—the basement of an all-male dorm. Though the room smelled of jock straps, it did not stop the women from attending the meetings. In fact, women came out of the woodwork to attend our class.
~Alice Fannin

Paying the bills
When my husband received a bill for my gynecological exam, I sent his wife a check for the fees.
~Karen Schilling

The textbook dilemma
The four teachers decided that all we had to do to start an undergraduate class was to find a textbook. But not just any textbook. We wanted to find a textbook that gave honest and true presentations of women. When we realized no such book existed, we decided to put together an anthology. The book writing process took three years and was censured by male editors and critics. Those men said that many parts “were not to be included” because they were offensive to men. The male editors and critics did not want stories of women succeeding, or of women finding strength within themselves to be in the book. But we pushed on, we were determined to have a women’s literature class, but we could not have one without a good anthology. Eventually we succeeded, got our book published, and now can hardly believe that Miami is crowding 45 people in a classroom for women’s literature.
~Becky Lukens and Alice Fannin

Defining the program
It was an enormous amount of fun putting the women’s studies program together in the mid ‘70s. There were already classes focusing on women’s issues, but there was no way to find them all together. So we cross-listed them to make them easier to find. Though the paperwork was a real pain, figuring out how to expedite the process was fun. Miami faculty, staff and students all supported the program with their commitment towards women’s issues and politics.
~Judith deLuce

The budget typo
The first time women’s studies had a line in the budget, we were given $100. But that was a mistake. We actually got $200. When we said something could not get done, that is when it got done. We made it through the year with $200 budgeted to us and no secretarial or staff support. Compare the women’s studies program to a Judy Garland/Mickey Rooney movie. The theme of their movies, and our program was “if you can dream it, someone can do it.”
~Karen Schilling and Judith deLuce

Enthusiastic learning
We put together a women’s reading group. We read a lot of international women’s writings, and we were a little over enthusiastic. Each week, our readings got shorter and shorter, until we came up with the motto “Great women, good food, short books.” I eventually started a class based on that reading group.
~Susan Jarratt

Designing the major
The courses were all there, but the option to major in women’s studies was not available. Because there was so much commitment from students and faculty, putting the major together happened easily.
~Alice Adams

The crashing failure
I wrote a grant. I worked on this grant for a long time, rewrote it, and then rewrote it again. I wanted to make sure it was just right. We wanted to get some technology, and technology meant getting a space to keep it in, and having a space for technology meant having a place to meet with each other. We wanted to establish a research center. I had a friend on the grant board, and when they finally made their decision, I was told we were not given the grant money only because the request had come from the women’s studies program. It was well written, and the request would have been granted had it come from another department. From this I learned to consider carefully before investing my own time and energies. (The women’s studies program still does not have its own center.)
~Alice Adams

Alice Adams, associate professor and director of women’s studies at the University of Maine at Farmington
Alice Fannin, Emerita, English professor
Jane Goettsch, director of women’s center
Susan Jarratt, English professor at the University of California, Irvine
Becky Lukens, Emerita, English professor
Judith de Luce, classics chair and professor
Karen Schilling, Psychology chair and professor

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