Dossier f64 - Mitchell, Caroline

File consists of a recording of Caroline Mitchell. Topics of the conversation include Kingston Whig Standard article on subject (May 1978). Subject's golf enthusiasm, acquaintance with Sandra Post, Jacqueline Bourassa. Playing golf in England with enlisted father (WWI), dependence of club on Canadian soldiers for membership. Cataraqui Club membership, 1920; current practice (aet. 75: good for health, bad for morale), swimming exercise at cottage. Subject as former badminton champion; 'dandy' club formed by merger of city and garrison clubs in antique school (Wellington and Gore St.); failure of club after forced sale of building, WWII. Curling activities from 1960. Skiing interest at Queen's. French, English studies, let lapse after graduation; uncertainty of personal ambitions. Study for study's sake customary among women during 1920s; schoolteachers as sole female careerists. Annual formals (Meds, Arts, Science, Science Overflow); coveted tickets to Science formal, site of Science Overflow in present-day City Hall. Cheap, pleasant 'social evenings' sponsored weekly by various Years. Continued single status of many of subject's female contemporaries; Sibyl Maclachlan as notable exception. Subject's indecisive 'chequered career': proprietorship of wool shop prompted by hobby interest, ended by wool rationing during WWII; unspecified war job; book-keeping for real estate office; unspecified work, Alcan; book-keeping for Queen's Women's Residences, 1963-71; retirement, 'the best job there is'. Rooming-house business continued since 1940s: previous conformity with ban on co-ed student housing, recent acceptance of both sexes; acquaintance with students through friends, 'no need to advertise'; job benefits of making friends, keeping active. 'Thrill' of honorary recognition by Cataraqui Golf Club. //Stay in Germany with former rooming couple, side-trips to Paris, Spain. Four years in English girls' school (WWI). Time-honoured Kingston 'roots', residence in grandfather's house since childhood; family background. Lack of formal qualifications for book-keeping work; 'dandy' position at Queen's under Dean Bryce; employment by Mr. Bryce at AIcan. Utter contentment living in Kingston. Enjoyment of work, colleagues, despite poor pay; refusal to take coffee breaks, seen as waste of employer's time; stoic indifference to unequal status as female worker, lack of interest in women's movement. 'Beautiful time' playing sports after graduation, lack of defined ambition; decision not to marry, 'I'm so glad I didn't'. Surprising lack of interest in baseball, football, hockey (despite interest in football team at Queen's). Curling acquaintance with Judge Alice McKeown; lawyer Cooky Cartwright, subject's golf 'protegee'. Sandra Post's first Ontario golf tournament, aet. 11; older members' jealous protestation against junior's age (i.e. skill). Cartwright's advocacy of women golfers' right to wear shorts; subject's disapproval of extremes in golfers' dress codes (e.g. mini-shorts). Abstention from Cataraqui Club parties 'because I haven't got a man to go with'; participation in bridge club. Early pro members of Cataraqui Club: Bob Cunningham, Dick Green. Subject's acceptance of discriminatory fees, timetable restrictions placed on women in golf club; belief that members free to play on weekdays ought not to clutter the course outside business hours. Club election of male and female presidents; usual appointment of male president to club presidency. Male-female championship tournament trophy, seldom won by women (once by subject); subject's 'intense annoyance' with illogical assignation of runner-up award, ungenerous stroke differential, rendering male victory certain, trophy itself meaningless. Cataraqui Club fire, 1973.