When I read through the blog assignment this week, one story that came to mind was one told to me and experienced by my husband's mother (my mother-in-law) who began an early childhood school 50 years ago, the same school that I work in today. Fifty years ago, she was working in the local public school district and saw that there were no facilities available for children to attend before the first grade level. She wanted to create a place for children to come during their early childhood years to help prepare students for their grammar school experiences as well as provide care for parents and families for their young children, being a single mother and widow in her mid-thirties. Although her intentions to open an early childhood school were more than admirable she was confronted and approached with criticism by some of the local public saying that she was stepping outside of the boundaries meant for women and providing a new method for women to leave the home and step into the workforce. All of the comments and disgust she received came from the male members of the community who, at the time, were biased against women working in a "man's" position, a time when the oppression of women was the dominant culture of society. Despite the confrontations she dealt with during the beginnings of her private school, she pursued her dream and developed a high quality and the most well known early childhood program in the area 50 years later. In this particular scenario, those people that would have to change would be those male members of the community who felt that women should remain as housewives rather than members of the workforce. Obviously times have changed dramatically as women have entered the workforce, opening business, and pursuing their personal employment goals.
Mentally placing myself in her shoes at that time, I can only imagine how difficult it would have been to follow a goal that it being outright put-down and frowned upon by other members of the community, her peers and colleagues. I think I would have felt suppression of my personal goals and desires to make a change in local education for the better. I can only hope that I'd find the same courage to step past the norm to do something that would bring a new idea and benefit to society.
Caitlin,
ReplyDeleteI applaud your mother-in-law for seeing a void in the local educational system and fighting to feel it. I know it had to be hard for her to push for change with so much opposition.If it weren't for people like her, the rest of us might not have gotten the chance to step out of the ome and into the work force. Tell her thank you for all of her hard work.