Letters to the Editor

Volume CX, Number 3 (USPS 349-900) Spring 2021

President

Elizabeth L. Hillman

Associate Vice President for Institutional Advancement

Nikole Hilgeman Adams

Managing Editor

Allison Rost

Design and Art Direction

Nancy Siller Wilson

Editorial Assistant

Lila Goehring ’21

Contributors

Kate Robinson Beckwith, MFA ’13 Rebecca Bodenheimer Arya Samuelson, MFA ’19

Editorial Advisory Committee

Angela Bacca, MBA ’12 Sheryl Bizé-Boutté ’73 Melissa Bender Henley ’99 Sarah Lehman ’86 Mira Mason-Reader ’15 Mari Matoba ’03 Livi Perez ’14, MA ’17 Mason Stockstill, MFA ’09

The Mills Quarterly (USPS 349-900) is published quarterly by Mills College, 5000 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland, CA 94613. Periodicals postage paid at Oakland, California, and at additional mailing office(s). Postmaster: Send address changes to the Office of Institutional Advancement, Mills College, 5000 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland, CA 94613. Copyright © 2021, Mills College Address correspondence to Mills Quarterly, Mills College, 5000 MacArthur Blvd., Oakland, CA 94613. Email: quarterly@mills.edu Phone: 510.430.3312

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(Please use outline)

Besides the inequities and struggles portrayed, I was disturbed by some things in the article “Black Power and the Mills Girl” (Mills Quarterly, winter 2021). I was at Mills from 1957 to 1961, somewhat before the era being described, but I do not agree that marriage was promoted, or even being a “lady.” We were asked to remember who we are and what we represent. I took that to mean to have respect for oneself and others. Child psychology courses were in the general psychology department. I don’t remember a home economics class, but I did take economics and subscribed to the Wall Street Journal the whole time I was there. By 1957, there was no special mention of engaged or married students at graduation. The engagement ceremony in the residence dining hall consisted only of passing around a champagne glass with flowers and a lit candle in it. The engaged woman blew out the candle and her friend made the announcement. (After mine, in May of my senior year, my friends said, “You can’t marry him—you are nothing alike!” However, almost 60 years later, we are still together.)

There were also many scholarship students (I had a full one from Procter & Gamble). Many students had campus jobs; I waited tables. We chose Mills not to find husbands, but to get a good education unhampered by men in our classes. Actually, after our first year, when there were “exchanges” with men from UC fraternities and from St. Mary’s College, it was quite difficult to find a man to date! I met mine by joining Model U.N.

At my graduation, then-Governor Edmund (Pat) Brown spoke. When he started out saying he was very honored to be asked to speak at this “classy GIRLS’ school,” a student-wide groan was heard! –Kathrine Stacey Baxter ’61, Pacific Palisades, California

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Your feedback about the Quarterly could appear on this page! Submit your letter to the editor via email to quarterly@mills. edu, online at quarterly.mills.edu, or by mail at:

Mills Quarterly 5000 MacArthur Blvd.

Oakland, CA 94613 The Quarterly reserves the right to edit letters for length and clarity.

A longtime favorite gets an update!

The AAMC’s beloved eucalyptus leaf pins, originally created by the Class of 1948 for its 50th Reunion, have undergone a redesign, and we’re happy to share them with you. As before, the leaves are handpicked on the Mills campus and then preserved in 24-karat gold or sterling silver. These new pins feature the delicate texture of the original leaves and a more refined shape. Gold or silver plating traces the veins of the leaves to create the look of fine filigree jewelry. Gold pins are $45 each and silver are $40 each plus shipping and handling. Purchase one or browse many other merchandise offerings (all sales benefit the AAMC or Mills College) on our online store at aamcmerch.square.site.