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CLAIMING THE FUTURE THE INSPIRING LIVES OF TWELVE CANADIAN WOMEN SCIENTISTS AND SCHOLARS / SE BATIR UN AVENIR
Edited by Francess G. Halpenny; prepared by Elizabeth May for the Committee for Advancement of Women in Scholarship of the Royal Society of Canada
Reviewed by Esther Hutchison.
Volume 20 Number 2
Science and scholarship have presented few role models for girls interested in entering those fields. This book is designed to address this problem. It consists of twelve brief biographies (two to three pages each) of women currently or recently employed as an electrical engineer, geophysicist and epidemiologist. Also profiled is a native lawyer, an art historian, and a literary historian. The accounts do not ignore the obstructions that faced these women in the course of their education and employment, but show how they were able to persevere in spite of obstacles. Two examples: Monique Prize was discouraged by her male faculty advisors and the dean of engineering. "Girls go into chemistry," she was told. "Girls do not become engineers." She persevered in the face of prejudice from faculty and fellow students, and, in spite of personal tragedy, never regretted her decision to become an engineer. Therese Gouin-Decarie's convent studies were not designed to lead to higher education, so she had to find tutors to prepare her for university entrance examinations. Today those teachers are her colleagues at the University of Montreal. In addition to the biographies, each entry begins with a quotation from the woman being profiled and ends with a brief paragraph of her advice to her readers. Far from being didactic, these quotations are short, upbeat and encouraging. For instance, Charlotte Keen, geophysicist, advises, "Enjoy life and do what interests you." The various regions of Canada are fairly well represented, with three women from each of Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia, two from Saskatchewan, and one from Nova Scotia. The cover of the book is attractive with a photo of several young women at work. Each biography is illustrated with a small photograph of the subject. As an important addition to a sorely neglected area, this book is recommended. Esther Hutchison, Spruce Grove Public School, Spruce Grove, Alta. |
1971-1979 | 1980-1985 | 1986-1990 | 1991-1995
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