When I Grow Up, Part One
When this page from a 1956 issue of Seventeen magazine showed up, Victoria commented that because she was tall, she had been urged to become a model; however, she was not interested in any of the suggested careers for women. Physics was her thing.
I had fewer options than those listed in the Seventeen advertising section. My parents told me that I had three choices: I could become a nurse, a teacher, or a secretary. In the first year of high school, 9th grade, I told them I wanted to be a librarian. I had been a volunteer at the school library for a couple of years, the work appealed to me, and the librarian had taken a liking to me. I had always loved reading and at fourteen believed that being a librarian would be a wonderful job. My parents said no: secretary, teacher, or nurse. And they made me quit being a library volunteer.
When it was time to choose my courses for tenth grade, I had no idea which of those three jobs would be right for me. None held any appeal. My parents filled out my course selection card in a way that would keep my options open for a year: I was to take a second year of Spanish in case I was going for the nurse or teacher option; I was also to take first year typing in case I was to become a secretary. If the latter were to be the case, I would learn everything I would ever need right there in high school and they wouldn't send me to college.
Eight years earlier when my sister -- who had been pushed into the secretarial option -- was offered a full scholarship to college, they told her to turn it down: college was a waste for a girl. So it seemed they had made some progress by the time my turn came along.
(to be continued)
Comments
I didn't realize how restricted you were by society's expectations in the 60s!
My parents also gave me something good, the base of a tremendous faith in God.
Last week I saw a tee shirt in a catalog that said "I'm a Nurse - what's your superpower?" Love it!
Hugs!
On the other hand, now with SO much choice it can be/still is really hard for the average high school kid to choose even one option to get started. Add to that how expensive college and first apartments are now and how difficult it is to get post grad jobs (heck, even after school and jobs for those that decide school isn't for them are hard to get). Then it's even harder to keep jobs in an environment where companies operate focused only on the bottom line and much less so with concern for providing for their employees for life.
Back in the day parents advised that way because they were thinking "practical and safe" -- how limiting they were being was not even in their consciousness. Sometimes, I wish I could "tell" my kids what they "should" do but I know that what I grew up believing was a "practical and safe" career path may not be the same in today's world (or in their near future) and certainly what floats my boat may not be the same as theirs!