Dossier f22 - Earl, Olga, nee Somerville

File consists of a recording of Olga Earl. Topics of the conversation include influence of minister, Queen's graduate high school teachers, Scottish family heritage, in decision to attend Queen's; feeling that it was not uncommon for women to attend university. Unrealized ambition to attend Somerville College, Oxford: father's death before graduation, death of brother in Ypres gas attack, 'it just didn't seem right to go.' Parents' approving support of Queen's venture; YWCA residence shared with young women from Glengarry County (M.&M. Govan, Grace Grant Campbell, authoress of stories based on Glengarry); thrill of visiting Glengarry County, familiar from Ralph Connor stories of childhood: 'I felt that I was stepping into a magic world.' Teaching in St. Thomas, Ottawa; recommendation of Civil Service work by Hon. T.W. Carruthers, Minister of Labour; successful Civil Service exam; employment as Carruther's Assistant Secretary. Position as first Librarian, Dept. of Health and Welfare; controversial head of Dept. who roused Canadian indignation- 'he pooh-poohed the idea of Santa Claus.' Occupational therapy course; position as craft therapist to returned soldiers in Massey-Treble convalescent home, Toronto. Co-operative spirit of women at home during WWI, employment in munitions factories; devastating impact of young men's deaths 'just at the time when youth was ready to ... get out in the world and do anything'. Engagement at Queen's, unhappily broken off (on account of fiance's war­resistance) after brother's death in battle; marriage to next fiance much later, 'long after he was a widower.' Enrolment in librarian's course (U. of T.), employment with U. of T. library; promotion to Dept. of Hygiene and Preventive Medicine; position as librarian to new School of Hygiene, as secretary to Director Dr. J.G. Fitzgerald. Role as guinea pig for various Dept. tests, including draft test conducted by Dr. Charles Best. Position in Public Health Library, Ottawa. Marriage to widower Dr. Earl, grown-up stepchildren; numerous war-related deaths in subject's family;//sister's family. Opinion that the world is improving. Husband's position as first biology professor at Simon Fraser Univ., first Dean at York Univ.; work starting summer courses in Bermuda, Hamilton, opening biological station with Dr. Kearn; positions as Acting Head, Bishop's University, Lennoxville, and as Dean of Arts, Queen's University. Enjoyment of Lennoxville, Opinicon. Lack of career interest in library work despite enjoyment of it, support of husband understood as 'the thing to do'; pleasant burden of entertaining staff, students every Sunday, 'I didn't do any work after I was married, I was too busy.' Thought of teaching when she first entered university. Delightful work in U. of T. Dept. of Hygiene and Preventive Medicine library. Dismay at increase in student/professor ratio at Queen's, televised instruction in Biology courses. Subject's security throughout Depression, 'it didn't affect my life at all'; decision to sell car to needy doctor, partly because he was a Queen's grad. Sense of connection with Queen's University, lack of connection with U. of T.; fine Queen's Alumni Association in Toronto. Approval of equal pay, equal opportunities for women; feeling that children need their mother; approval of increased domestic responsibilities for men. Unawareness of discrimination against women; disapproval of Queen's discrimination against female Med School applicants; lack of contemporary interest in women's suffrage movement. Ingrained Conservative politics, admiration for local Conservative Minister of Labour; apolitical nature; childhood chant,'Tories live in glory/And Grits live in spit'; amalgamation of St Thomas Liberal and Conservative daily papers, double editorial perspective. Teaching excellence acquired by Queen's students through custom of summer-teaching out west; men's option of summer fire-ranging; sonnet received from fire-ranging fiance. Continued distress at broken engagement with unenlisted fiance; chance meeting later in U. of T. medical library.