Dossier f27 - Gertsman, Lillian, nee Coplan

File consists of a recording of Lillian Gertsman. Topics of the conversation include education of son, daughters. Roots in Ottawa, attendance at Ottawa Ladies' College; father's decision that subject should attend Queen's. Social life at Queen's. Difficulty adapting to co-educational system, inability to graduate; completion of degree by correspondence work, summer school, 1967. Queen's off-campus residence, 61 West Street, shared with 12 women. Eluding residence restrictions by attending supposed dramatic rehearsals. Close friendship with roommate, denial that female friendship is potentially closer since initiation of women's movement. Cigarette-smoking at Queen's - chain-smoking father's disapproval. Marriage, 1940; husband's chemical degree, work in metallurgy. Pleasure in children's successful education; daughter's university teaching career, cut short by staff cutbacks. Subject's view that she was not confined, discriminated against as a female student. Lack of discipline, disciplinary abilities, in subject's character. Enjoyment of Ottawa Teachers' College. Regretted lack of participation in Queen's extracurricular programmes, clubs. Lack of career-motive in attending Queen's. Distressing anti-Jewish prejudice against subject at Queen's; subject's belief that people's faults are individual not racial . Involvement in B'nai Brith, Council of Women of Ottawa, Red Cross, Elizabeth Fry Society, etc. International travel accompanying husband on professional trips; closeness of people in post-war England; reporting impressions for articles in Journal; special enjoyment of India, Mexico. Husband as a moderate hemophiliac. Support from Jean Royce during early study difficulties. Spirit of Queen's Alumni. Subject's favourable attitude to women's movement: Interval House, support for women in politics, belief in judging people on individual merit irrespective of race or sex; Charlotte Whitton, Flora MacDonald. Subject's serious but naive stand for Ottawa Board of Education, 1972. Belief in testing abilities, trying new things: international success of Anne Harris, sculptor,in career started in her forties. Importance, satisfaction, of committee-president roles; failure of Students' International House, Ottawa, through inability to secure president. Ottawa as an embassy city. Spontaneous nature of committee career, volunteer-work; lack of future plans; love of youthful activity, dancing; fear of aging. National Art Gallery art history programme. Subject's Anne Harris pieces. Women's problems coming to terms with mastectomy operations. Friendship with Nigerian student.