Ontario Women's History Network, Dept of History , , Hagey Hall, Waterloo, , Canada N2L 3G1, 519.888.4567 ext. 28500 http://arts.uwaterloo.ca/ OWHN NEWSLETTER ~owhn/ http://arts.uwaterloo.ca/~owhn/ OCTOBER 2010 Ten Years of The Spring 2010 Launching the Second Wave: Voice of Women OWHN conference celebrated the femi- On Saturday morning, the conference started off emphasized the point that VOW was nism of 1960-1970. An with three fascinating perspectives on the group a women’s peace movement—a exciting and informative Voice of Women (VOW): Ursula Franklin, Martha movement that was not simply about program included a Goodings, and Marie Hammond-Callahand. We were speeches; everyone did something. It behind-the-scenes visit fortunate to have Ursula Franklin lead off with a dis- was these women who undertook to the Royal Ontario cussion of the early days of VOW’s activism. Ursula the research on peace issues at the Museum, talks by height of the . Ursula Franklin, Martha Following Ursula Franklin’s talk on Goodings, Marie the early days of the VOW, Martha Hammond-Callahand, Goodings, a former Ontario Council Cerise Morris, Beth chair for the VOW, reflected on her Atcheson, Alison Pren- personal experiences with VOW tice, Linda Ambrose, since the 1970s. For Martha, the Tracy Penny Light, and VOW was a godsend in her life as a Rose Fine-Meyer. Some wife and mother in the suburbs. of these talks were VOW provided a political and activist video-recorded and are outlet for many women as they ad- posted at the OWHN (Continued on page 7) website.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Fashion Trends in the 1960s News from 2- the North Senior Curator Alexandra tory of western textiles and by Dr. Palmer. Many indi- Herstories 2 Palmer led the OWHN dele- fashionable dress, with par- vidual items from the 1960s Cafe gates on a Friday evening ticular emphasis on the 20th collection were presented on tour of the Royal Ontario and 21st centuries. Dr. Palmer tables for delegates to view Lessons in 3 Liberation Museum collection of textiles has authored catalogue essays closely. Delegates were also and fashions from the 1960s. for many international exhibi- privy to a private tour of the Royal Com- 3 Dr. Palmer is the Nora E. tions. Her book Couture & costume collection in the mission on Commerce: The Transatlantic Patricia Harris Gallery of the Satus of Vaughan Fashion Costume Curator for the Graduate Pro- Fashion Trade in the 1950s Textiles & Costume on the (2001) won a Clio award for fourth floor. Research 4 gramme in Art History at Note: York University. She is also Ontario history. Dr. Palmer is After the talk and tour, OWHN’s a professor in Fine Art His- currently working on Chris- delegates attended a recep- History tory at the University of To- tian Dior: Constructing His- tion held at the Duke of Keynote: 5 ronto and is the exhibition tory 1947-1957, to accom- York Pub. A wonderful eve- Many Worlds editor for Fashion Theory: pany the exhibition at the ning was had by all!! Royal Ontario Museum The Journal of Dress, Body Rose Fine-Meyer AGM Minutes 6 & Culture. Dr. Palmer's re- planned for fall 2011. search as a costume and tex- OWHN delegates were tile historian covers the his- treated to an outstanding talk PAGE 2 HerstoriesCafe

Coordinators Rose Fine-Meyer in places which are historically Women’s Day at the Cum- and Kate Zankowicz announce relevant to the evening topic, berland House, International A forum for those the inauguration of Herstories and will often include an on-site Student centre: University of who work on and are Café which aims to start con- historical walking tour. campus, St. George. interested in women’s history—a versations between history en- Tentative Schedule: Speakers TBA community of like- thusiasts, historians, archivists, minded people. November 23, 2010: Nina Friday, April 2011. “Women museum practitioners, history Bascia, “Women and Unions” and Museums” at the Food teachers and students. at the Centre for Social Innova- Studio, ROM . Speaker: TBA “Think of it as a salon: a place to tion, 215 Spadina Avenue 5-7 May, 2011. “Women and share ideas, pool historical re- pm. Food” at the Gladstone Hotel sources, and stimulate debate in January 20, 2011: Afua Coo- an intimate and relaxed setting.” per, Topic and Location TBA Website: http:// Cafe talks will be located herstoriescafe.blogspot.com/ March 08, 2011: International Prizes throughout the city of Toronto,

Dr. Kristina Huneault, a Concordia University Research Chair in Art History, is the 2010 News from Northern Ontario winner of the Marion Dewar Award presented each year by From Sara Burke, Chair of History at Linda M. Ambrose, “Zelma and Beulah Argue: the National Capital Committee Laurentian University, Sudbury: Sisters in the Canadian Pentecostal Movement,” on the Scholarship, Preservation in Winds from the North: Canadian Contributions to and Dissemination of Women’s The 2010 John Bullen Prize of the Cana- the Pentecostal Movement, Michael Wilkinson and History. dian Historical Association was awarded Peter Althouse, eds. (Leiden & Boston: Brill Aca- 2010 John Bullen Prize of the to Dr. Amélie Bourbeau of the De- demic Publishers, 2010), 99-127. Canadian Historical Association: partment of History at Laurentian th Dr. Amélie Bourbeau of the University, for her doctoral thesis: La Laurentian University will celebrate its 17 an- Department of History at réorganisation de l'assistance chez les nual Women’s History Week from October Laurentian University, for her 18-22, 2010 with a series of “open classrooms” doctoral thesis: La réorganisation catholiques montréalais : la Fédération de l'assistance chez les des Œuvres de charité candiennes- including lectures in the History, Sociology, and catholiques montréalais : la françaises et la Federation of Catholic Women’s Studies departments. On Tuesday, Fédération des Œuvres de Charities, 1930-1972. (UQÀM, 2009). October 19, we will host a “Brown Bag Dis- charité candiennes-françaises et The prize, in the amount of $500, was cussion: Working on Work-Life Balance,/ la Federation of Catholic "Causerie midi : Les défis de la concilia- Charities, 1930-1972. (UQÀM, awarded in 2010 for the outstanding 2009). historical dissertation written by a Ca- tion travail-famille.” On Thursday, October nadian citizen or landed immigrant living 21, at 7 p.m. we look forward to this year’s in Canada accepted for a doctoral de- LEAF Sudbury event: the world premiere of REMINDER: gree at a Canadian university between 1 Recovering Love, a documentary film about Renew your October 2008 and 30 September 2009. women and addiction. A Q&A and reception will membership for The award was given in May 2010 at the follow with the film’s Director Laura Sky and 2011 Annual Meeting of the Canadian Histori- Executive Director Diane Massicotte. cal Association at Concordia University, Montreal. http://www.cha-shc.ca/en/ Prizes_24/items/15.html

PAGE 3 Lessons in Liberation: Teaching the Women’s Royal Commission on the Movement of the 1960s Status of Women

The last session of the day during faced as participants offered their ideas Dr. Cerise Morris spoke to "'Simple the spring conference was entitled about topics, texts, resources, and Justice' is not so simple: the RCSW “Lessons in Liberation: Teaching films that they have successfully incor- then and now." Dr. Morris dis- the Women’s Movement of the porated in their own teaching; ideas cussed the structure and findings of 1960s, An Interactive Work- that they encouraged Linda to build the Royal Commission, profiling the shop” and featured three present- into the course she was revamping for insights of the Commissoners and ers who are teachers of history: the fall of 2010. Tracey Penny Light those who presented to the Royal Dr. Linda Ambrose, from shared a wealth of ideas about how to Commission. Beth Atcheson of- Laurentian University in Sudbury; incorporate teaching strategies that fered a personal account of the Dr. Tracy Penny Light, from St. both model and reinforce feminist early days of Second-Wave Femi- Jerome’s University, in Waterloo; practices. Using Tracey’s concepts, nism, recounting some of the genu- and Rose Fine-Meyer, winner of participants left the workshop with inely ground-breaking achievements the Governor General’s Award several new ideas about how to of women in those years, many of for Excellence in the Teaching of achieve greater student engagement which were grounded in the rec- Canadian History from OISE in through a variety of student-centered ommendations of the RCSW. At Toronto. learning activities. Rose Fine-Meyer the same time, she identified the movement’s failures, including the Each presentation proved focused on sources and resources that lack of a national child-care to be very practical with confer- can be used in the classroom to en- act. Beth’s commitment to femi- ence participants taking away lots gage students with the texts, materials, nism has not dimmed at all, as evi- of practical suggestions for making and ideas that typified the women’s denced by her central role in the the history of the second wave movement in the 1960s. The group Feminist History Society, which has women’s movement come alive in was transported back in time as Rose now published its first volume. To the classroom. Linda Ambrose reviewed a set of instructions for how become a subscribed member, invited audience participation as to lead a consciousness-raising group please contact the Feminist History she presented the group with the and participants offered suggestions Society at 2938 Dundas St. W., challenge of making suggestions about what might be included in a time P.O. Box 70573, Toronto, Ontario about what should ideally be in- capsule to represent the 1960s. With M6P 4E7. Charitable receipts will cluded in a course for undergradu- such a rich exchange of ideas, there be given for a portion of the sub- ates studying Canadian women’s was no shortage of inspiration to take scription cost. history in the second half of the home to our classrooms! twentieth century. Lively debate Linda Ambrose Sharon Cook & Lorna McLean and a plethora of suggestions sur-

News from Nipissing University, North Bay (sent in by Katrina Srigley) Natalie Zemon Davis will give the Nipissing History Department's 2010-2011 keynote address on September 24. Her talk is titled: Decentering History: Local Storytelling and Cultural Crossing in a Global World. Katrina Srigley, Breadwinning Daughters: young single women in a Depression-era city, 1929-1939 (Toronto: Univer- sity of Toronto Press, 2010) Katrina Srigley and Stacey Zembrzycki, Remembering Family, Analyzing Home: Oral History and the Family, Oral History Forum d'histoire orale, 2009. Research Note: OWHN’s History Conferences

Title: "We never blew our teachers. This examination is part of “GENERATIONS: Exploring Race, own horn enough … typical a larger project which draws on women!" The work of the On- teachers, publishers, women’s organi- Sexuality, and Labor across Time tario Women's History Net- zations and others to challenge the and Space,” June 9-12, 2011, Uni- work to promote women's ways in which women have been in- versity of Massachusetts, Amherst. narratives in public school his- tegrated, subsumed, ignored or mar- URL: http://berksconference.org/ tory courses. ginalized within history courses in announcements/calls-for- Beginning in the 1970s, public Ontario. OWHN played a significant school boards in Ontario took role in promoting women’s historical papers/2011-berkshire-conference- steps to prohibit gender discrimi- materials but also in building net- on-the-history-of-women/ nation in schools through the de- works between teachers, students, velopment of affirmative action scholars, and communities through Feminism & Teaching Symposium, the joint publication of resources and and equal opportunity policies. April 2011, URL: http:// Although policies were in place, twice-yearly conferences. The con- they did not significantly alter his- ferences provided a venue for educa- feminismandteaching.org/ tory textbooks or course guide- tors to make contacts, develop pro- lines, which continued to produce jects and acquire classroom materials. Women and Gender in Colonial unbalanced and unrealistic por- But despite the many successful Contexts, 19-21 January 2012, Paris, trayals of women. Teachers found conferences throughout its twenty France. http:// ways to sidestep restrictive history years, OWHN struggled to maintain guidelines and textbooks by using an influential position in the continu- www.sociolingo.com/2010/03/cfp- supplementary materials to sup- ing shifting political environment of women-and-gender-in-colonial- port their history teaching. This education. Its limited size and finan- contexts-paris-2012/ paper reflects on the work of cial status, and failure to develop #axzz13DajwaVc teachers to reach out to feminist more permanent networks, re- scholars and women’s organiza- stricted the organizations ability to “We Demand”: History/Sex/ tions that challenged traditional expand and sustain effective leader- historical frameworks through the ship. However, the organization did Activism In Canada. Vancouver, publication of historical materials provide much needed opportunites British Columbia August 25-28, from a feminist perspective. for teachers to access historical re- 2011, [email protected]. As a case study, I examine the sources about women and share work of the Ontario Women’s their interests in a like-minded com- Gender and Health: Histories, History Network/Le Reseau d’his- munity. May 2011. Tracy Penny Light, torire des Femmes en Ontario For more information, contact: Sexuality, Marriage, and Family (OWHN), to establish a distinct Rose Fine-Meyer network between the work of Studies/History, St. Jerome’s Uni- feminist scholars and history versity/University of Waterloo, [email protected]

International conference: "War in a Gender Context – Topics and Per- spectives within Women's and Gen- der History of the First World Ursula Franklin and Martha War." 29 September - 1st October Goodings reflect on The Voice of 2011. Please visit http:// Women. www.univie.ac.at/Geschichte/ Neuverortung- Ontario Women's History Network, Dept of History , Geschlechtergeschichte/ for de- tailed information. University of Waterloo, Hagey Hall, Waterloo, Ontario, Many Worlds: A Personal Take on the 1960s One of the main attractions of the course she encountered. famously labelled “the problem that 2010 OWHN conference was the key- However, like most women of has no name.” note address by our founding chair, Dr. her generation, Alison also had to Although she was not directly Alison Prentice. We were delighted to chart a course that took into ac- involved in the women’s movement have the opportunity to see her again, count the vicissitudes of matri- of the 1960s, Alison’s experiences now that she lives in British Columbia mony and motherhood. Married during that decade provided a valu- and her journeys back to Ontario are less to Dr. Jim Prentice, a physicist at able form of consciousness-raising. frequent. As a bonus to enjoying her the , she By the next decade, she was con- company, we were treated to a highly found herself in England during tributing directly to second wave entertaining account of what it was like his sabbatical leave. The prospect feminism through her pioneering to be a teacher, mother, and budding of spending several months scholarship on women and educa- feminist during the 1960s. abroad was an exciting one, but tion and her involvement in groups Alison shared stories of the various the reality turned out to be quite such as the Association of Women forms of sexism – sometimes blatant, but different. The young wife found Electors. more frequently subtle and systemic – herself isolated in the English Thanks to Alison’s presentation, that she encountered first as a high countryside, with two small sons OWHN members were reminded school teacher and then as a doctoral in diapers, no washing machine, once again of the enormous value student and university lecturer. Fortu- and a very limited support net- of hearing the stories of women nately she could rely on her genes work. While the denizens of who both make and write history. (coming from a long line of strong Carnaby Street may have been Gail Cuthbert Brandt women) and her intellectual skills (honed revelling in the “Swinging Sixties,” in the woman’s culture of Smith College) Alison was having a personal en- to assist her in navigating the obstacle counter with what Betty Friedan

Alison Prentice delivers the keynote address.

Women's Worlds 2011 in Ottawa-Gatineau Women’s Worlds, an international conference held every three years that brings together scholars, activitists, and community members, is coming to the Ottawa-Gatineau re- gion in 2011. Co-organizers are Carleton University and the University of Ottawa, together with l’Université du Québec Gail Cuthbert Brandt, Chair, OWHN, intro- en Outaouais and Saint Paul University. Sponsors include Status of Women Canada. Visit www.womensworlds.ca for duces panel on the Voice of Women more information. PAGE 6 Minutes of the AGM, May 2010

Mark your Ontario Women’s History Network, An- held in Ottawa in October 2009 when nual General Membership Meeting, On- OWHN partnered with LEAF Ottawa to tario Institute for Studies in Education, focus on the history and impact of the calendars! Toronto, May 1, 2010 Person's case. She mentioned that there had not been much time to prepare for The OWHN Present: Gail Cuthbert Brandt, Alyson the 2010 conference since it followed so 2011 Conference King, Alison Prentice, Julia Roberts, Sharon closely, but that everyone took on respon- Anne Cook, Rose Fine-Meyer, Jan Haskings will be held at the sibilities to ensure that this conference -Winner, Beth Atcheson, Paula Bourne, was successful. Royal Military Jane Errington, Ursual Franklin, Tracy Gail thanked Tracy Penny Light for her College, Kingston, Penny Light, Linda Ambrose, Lorna important work getting the website set up McLean, Katherine McKenna and confer- ON, on the and Gail has been trying to keep the site ence attendees. theme of women updated. Gail thanked Alyson King for her in the Canadian 1. Agenda. Gail Cuthbert Brandt, Chair, attractive and informative OWHN news- army and air called the meeting to order and spoke letter. We want to keep it going and she about the changes which had taken place in encouraged all OWHN members to sup- force. the renewal of the OWHN organization port the newsletter by sending in material.

and thanked everyone for attending the Gail added that she was happy to see a April 1-2, 2011 2010 conference. The agenda was distrib- resurgence in the membership of OWHN uted to all present. and suggested the past objective of meet- Stay tuned for Approval of the Agenda: Moved by Jane ing twice a year had proven to be too am- more details soon. Errington and seconded by Linda Ambrose. bitious. Therefore a combined annual con- The motion was passed. ference and meeting would now be the 2. Business arising from the minutes. A few norm for the organization. OWHN plans minor corrections were made. Jan Hask- to alternate the conference each year: one ings-Winner would not continue in the year in Toronto, then one outside of To- position of Vice-Chair, but would remain ronto, and then back to Toronto. The as a member at large. There was a brief 2011 conference will take place in King- explanation of the change of the AGM ston, Ontario in spring 2011. meeting date from October to end of Gail confirmed the two-year terms of the Send items for April/beginning of May as a permanent executive and moved that we confirm the change to the OWHN AGM meeting/ slate of officers for 2010-11: the next conference. Chair: Gail Cuthbert Brandt, Vice-Chair: Newsletter to: Approval of the minutes: moved by Julia Alyson King, Treasurer: Julia Roberts, Sec- Roberts and seconded by Jan Haskings- retary: Rose Fine-Meyer, Members at Alyson King Winner. The motion was passed. large: Jan Haskings-Winner, Linda 3. Report of the Chair. Gail Cuthbert Ambrose, and Sharon Cook. Alyson.king@ Brandt reported that members of the ex- Approval of slate of officers: moved by ecutive consulted on a regular basis Jane Errington, seconded by Lorna uoit.ca throughout the year via e-mail. The execu- McLean. The motion passed. tive also met at OISE on Friday afternoon

prior to the commencement of the 2010 conference. 4. Treasurer’s Report. Julia Roberts, (Continued on page 7) Gail talked about the excellent conference

OWHN NEWSLETTER PAGE 7 AGM Minutes (con’t)

(Continued from page 6) individual professors and then nominated. However, students Treasurer, distributed the treasurer's report for the year could also self-nominate. There was a discussion of the pros Jan. 2009-Dec. 2009. OWHN started the year with and cons of this initiative and the ways in which professors $1400 and ended with $1300. Julia stated that organiza- could also be involved in the promotion of such a competition. tion handles about $7000 a year in various activities, Some individuals felt professors were already overwhelmed sponsorships, etc. Julia also added that she would provide with essay awards and might not bother with yet another, while membership receipts for those who requested them. others gave support to the idea. The idea will be discussed fur- Approval of Treasurer’s Report: moved by Rose Fine- ther by the executive and brought back to the membership at Meyer and seconded by Jan Haskings-Winner. The mo- the next annual meeting. tion passed. 6. Other Business. The annual posters were discussed. Pat Sta- 5. New Business. Gail led a discussion about possible ton offered once again to design and publish the poster and themes for the 2011 conference. She noted the 1941 OWHN will provide some of the financial support. There was a formation of women's divisions connected to the Cana- brief discussion about the history of the posters. It has been 20 dian army and air force. We might want to celebrate years since the first one (March 24, 1990) was produced. Every- their achievements and bring scholars and women who one showed enthusiastic support for the posters. were involved in various war activities together to discuss Gail thanked everyone for attending the AGM, and the meeting women’s roles in the Second World War. It would be was adjourned. important to celebrate the diversity of women involved- Rose Fine-Meyer, Secretary. Aboriginal women included- and also to recognize the May, 2010. peace movements that took place before, during, and after the war. Jane Errington kindly agreed to be the local arrangements coordinator for the 2011 conference. There were some suggestions made that we partner with other groups-women ’s veterans, for example – to see if we could obtain DND funding or support. VOW (con’t)

Gail also discussed ways in which we might raise our pro- (Continued from page 1) file as an organization; for example, by issuing certificates dressed concerns around the depiction of Native Canadi- for elementary school students who do projects about ans in textbooks and concerns about peace. As a rela- women. We could create an OWHN certificate, perhaps tively small group, Martha’s Dundas, Ontario, chapter did for grades 4-8. We would need to create clear criteria. not take part in many of the large, national events. In the 1980s, tension arose about where the emphasis should lie Jan Haskings Winner indicated that there was a possibility regarding nuclear disarmament: legal action or education. of working with the Ontario Heritage Fairs to put such a By the 1990s, the group was active in education about program in place and offered to pursue it with that group. issues beyond nuclear disarmament, including sponsoring Once we decide on the criteria, we could have regional an Indian film maker, Anand Patwarden, to show his anti- judges decide on local winners and then provide certifi- nuclear film “War and Peace” in Toronto, raising money cates-or perhaps trophies. There was a good discussion, to provide toilets for girls in Kenya, and a forum on Af- ghanistan. Today, Martha has gone back to her roots with and many were in favour of this initiative, which would the group Seriously, Time to Stop, provide a stronger link between OWHN and teachers www.seriouslytimetostop.com which works to educate and students in Ontario. youth about nuclear disarmament. Martha was followed Gail suggested another option might be to introduce an by Marie Hammond-Callahand (via Skype from Spain) who conducts historical research on the VOW. Her talk, undergraduate essay award for the best Women's His- “‘I don’t know why these women don’t stay home and tory paper. We would have to decide on specific criteria tend their kitchen:’ Gender Order, Communism and and create a small committee to read the submissions. RCMP Surveillance of the Voice of Women, 1960-1965” Perhaps it would be best if the essays were first vetted by provided an interesting background to the personal re- flections of Ursula and Martha.