Dossier f84 - Ross, S. Marion

File consists of a recording of Marion Ross. Topics of the conversation include McGill Physical Education diploma course, employment with YWCA; resignation in mid-Depression (desirous of degree permitting employment in schools), enrolment at Queen's. Part-time work as university sports assistant; post­graduation inheritance of supervisory position. Former employment in English slum school (Griffintown, Montreal); inability to cope (aet. 20) with juvenile delinquency, switch to YWCA. Enjoyable YWCA work in St. John, 'the friendliest place I've ever been in'; exhausting YWCA work in Brantford; enjoyment (apart from killing hours, poor pay) of working with people, voluntary enrolment of all ages 3-60. Changed aspect of YWCA since 1930s: recent co-operation of YMCA with YWCA, higher pay in combination with higher public fees, decreased responsibility for hard-up women. Part­ student part-staff position at Queen's, service to intramural sports programme as unofficial liaison officer (personally acquainted with Queen's 250 female students); unsatisfactory social life, belonging to neither staff nor student crowd. Success of women's intramural programme (dependent on women's low enrolment in lab courses, availability after Arts lectures for gym from 1 :00 to 3:00pm) preceding School of Phys. Ed.; decline as more women enrolled in sciences, as School of Phys. Ed. took over afternoon slot; programme's death in last year before acquisition of new gym building (virtual restriction of existing gym facilities to School of Phys. Ed., intercollegiate teams). Pat Radcliffe (nee Gardner), most outstanding Queen's student female athlete of subject's acquaintance: all-round sports proficiency, top standing in School of Medicine, also married and keeping house. Ruth Cooper, student athlete of Olympic diving team quality by today's standards; Cooper's unheard-of contribution of 25 points in basketball game against famous Edmonton Grads (women's team of commercial school graduates of international rank, coached by Queen's grad Mr. Page). Dorothy Maclaughlin, allround female athlete and first-class student, member of outstanding basketball team not limited by players' small physiques. Importance to women's intercollegiate sports of Alma Mater Society president Rosemary Bartlett's move (1952) in allotting five-twelfths of women's student athletic fees to constitute women's athletic budget; former position of having to request funds for programmes, never knowing where they stood. Direction of student sports by Athletic Board of Control (for men), Women's Athletic Board of Control (without cooperation except in days of women's requests for funds). Initiation of School of Physical Education (1947) by subject and jake Edwards: post-WWII show of interest by several universities; attendance at Phys. Ed course content conferences; programme proposals to Principal Wallace, Wallace's insistence on undiluted Arts degree for Phys. Ed student (aim to prepare Phys. Ed students as Ontario high school teachers); eventual scheme of three­year Arts programme with extra Phys. Ed 'activity courses', switching to Phys. Ed specialized programmes in fourth year. Demanding 'double' nature of Phys. Ed.-Arts programme, including required sciences; gradual recognition by students, professors, that Phys. Ed. students must be able (reversal of 'dumb jock' image); Dr. Mackintosh's high profile as factor in faculty recognition of Phys. Ed calibre. Non­participation of Phys. Ed. students in 1960s student rebellion, for sheer lack of time. Expanded opportunities for university Phys. Ed graduates following application of university degree requirement to elementary schoolteachers; 'boom' in recreational programmes accompanying society's recognition of need for artificial exercise. Social value of sense of accomplishment gained from sports, easily visible achievement of goals. Pleasure at soccer's coming of age in North America. Team sports as the province of the young, largely unavailable after formal education; reliance on individual sports with age, importance of learning to play them while young. Value of jogging as form of sport open to all, regardless of talent for games. Expense of football as compared with soccer, desire that football programmes in schools should be scrapped.//Queen's football stadium character Alfie Pierce: uncertain means and mode of existence, 'a sort of rat around the stadium'; original status as team water-boy,later janitorial duties; rumour of ill-treatment by family as only Negro member; helpfulness in intimidating children away from archery practice, importance to football graduates as old­time rallying-point. Cookie Cartwright's insistence on re­newing women's intercollegiate hockey at Queen's; subject's difficulty persuading women players (fearful they would lose control over sticks) to wear gloves. Cataraqui Golf Club: scarcity of female members, junior members; women's tendency to join only after raising children. Seemingly normal conditions at Queen's throughout Depression; growth despite financial hardship, 'Dr. McNeill could squeeze a nickle harder than anyone I ever knew.' Discontinuation of intercollegiate sports throughout WWII; partial use of gym as dormitory for soldiers-in-training (well­behaved groups at first, succeeded by rowdies resentful of women students' refusal to date them); fitting of women's gym classes around hourly disturbance of military march of soldiers to and from gym. Women students' Red Cross Corps (uniforms, formal drill, annual inspection by Prof. Earl); motor mechanics course at Barriefield, fun driving convoys till banished by men; women's aptitude for Morse code training. Women's responsibility for carrying on student activities, eagerness for leadership functions once given opportunity. Influx of war-veteran students, rise in level of serious thoughtful study. School of Physical Education: small numbers in first graduating classes, continuing problem of women drop-outs after third year (fourth year seeming too long when teaching positions were readily available). Versatility of Phys. Ed.-Arts degree, valuable ability of Phys. Ed. teachers to switch to Arts at any time. Defence of mandatory thesis component of Queen's School of Phys. Ed. degree.