1969 BYU Campus Education week. By Marvel Crookston, Instructor
A few months ago, when I was picking up the children at school, another Mother I know well rushed
A few months ago, when I was picking up the children at school, another Mother I know well rushed
up to me. Emily was fuming with indignation.
"Do you know what you and I are?" she demanded.
Before I could answer,,, and I didn't really have one handy, she blurted out the reason for her
question. It seemed she had just returned from renewing her driver's license at the County Clerk's
office. Asked by the woman recorder to state her occupation, Emily had hesitated, uncertain how
to classify herself.
"What I mean," explained the recorder, "is, do you have a job or are you just a ...?"
"Of course I have a job," snapped Emily. I'm a Mother."
The recorder smiled indulgently, then she wrote; "Occupation: Housewife."
"Oh no," protested Emily, "I'd rather be listed as a Mother."
"We can't list 'Mother' as an occupation. 'Housewife' covers it," said the recorder emphatically.
I forgot all about her story until one day I found myself in the same situation, this time at the Town
Hall. The clerk was obviously a career woman, poised, efficient, and possessed of a high sounding
title like "Official Interrogator" or "Town Registrar."
"And what is your occupation?" she probed.
What made me say it, I do not know; the words simply popped out.
"I'm a Research Associate in the Field of Child Development and Human Relations."
The clerk paused, ball point pen frozen in mid-air, and looked up as though she had not heard right.
I repeated the title slowly, emphasizing the most significant words. Then I stared with wonder as my
pompous pronouncement was written in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire.
"Might I ask," said the clerk with a new interest, "just what you do in your field?"
Coolly, without a trace of fluster in my voice, I heard myself reply;
"I have a continuing program of research (what Mother doesn't) in the laboratory and in the field.
(Normally I would have said indoors and out.) I'm working for my Masters (the whole darned family)
and already have four credits (all my daughters). Of course this job is one of the most demanding
in the Humanities (any Mothers disagree?), and I often work 14 hours a day. (24 hours would be
more like it.) But the job is more challenging than most run-of-the-mill careers and the rewards are
in satisfaction rather than just money."
There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk's voice as she completed the form, stood up,
and personally ushered me to the door.
As I drove into our driveway, buoyed up by my glamorous career, I was greeted by my "lab
assistants"--- ages 1 1/2, 3, and 7. Upstairs I could hear our new experimental model, six months in
the child development program, testing out a new vocal pattern.
I felt triumphant. I had scored a beat on bureaucracy....and I had gone down on the official records
as someone distinguished and indispensable to mankind, rather than just another.....
Home! What a glorious career!.... Especially when there's a title!
She is just trying it today so I will let you know if it works, I had a friend swear by it. Wish us luck that maybe a week from tomorrow she will be trained.
Day Five: We were up bright and early to see one of the most gorgeous places in the world. The Flume gorge in New Hampshire. If you ever go to New Hampshire, do not miss this spot, it about brought tears to ours eyes at how beautiful it was. WOW.
