Dossier f12 - Campbell-Clark, Azelie, nee Campbell

File consists of a recording of Azelie Campbell-Clark. Topics of the conversation include subject as Queen's student during 1930s; influence of Depression on choice of studies; similarity of economic conditions to 1970s. Absence of job counselling in high schools; role of ignorance in reinforcing role-conditioning, limiting career horizons. Childhood notion of library as a leisure resource, not broadened till period at Queen's; concept of research-work (no school library) entirely lacking in Kingston high school education. Female Arts Faculty member's attempt to discourage subject from taking Commerce on grounds of another female Commerce student's failure; subject's amazement at form of argument which would never be used to discourage a male. 'The white woman's burden': pressure to succeed as female student for sake of women following after. Probable 22:4 male-female student ratio in subject's graduating class. Female diffidence as factor in women's suppression; lack of sexist discrimination at Queen's; paranoid student conception of faculty as being keenly anxious to weed students out. Student years in basement of Kingston Hall. Site of old Commerce building, former 'home for friendless women and children'. Subject's year in Arts to balance education; year at Kingston Business College. Characteristic 'worry' during Commerce years, lack of social participation. Student rallies on Leonard Field. Application to McGill Library School; kind letter of encouragement from Jean Royce. Lack of political involvement on Queen's campus during subject's time. Measure of student application shown up by intense application of veteran students following WWII. Subject's period as Research Secretary, Industrial Relations section of Queen's Commerce Department; first experience of 'the real world' when Queen's cut her salary in half, to match it with women's poor salaries in other sectors of the university. Four-year post-war period as Assistant to the Director of the School of Commerce; Queen's hectic work handling courses for Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario, Bankers' Institute, Trust Companies. Unfond memories of inky Gestetner machines, proximity of Commerce tea facilities to Biochemistry's neurotic rats (Craine Building). Lack of established procedure for salary negotiation: memory of strolling in Commerce Quonset hut, emotionally unable to control voice, remonstrating with Dr. Mackintosh for increased wage. Commerce Dept.'s chronic plumbing problems. Warm encomium for contemporary Queen's Commerce faculty (all male); tribute to female secretarial staff for giving so much despite being paid so little.