IDENTITIES

december 1997 / planet of the arts 33°

Photograph of Grace Salez

JOTOGRAPH BY KAREN WREGITT

Mature Women and Continuing Education

A Student At Forty-Five

by Grace Salez

am often asked why I chose to register full-time into an arts

program at the age of forty-five. It seems to me that what

people really want to know is: how old am I? This issue of my

age points to a perception that post-secondary education is

the right of a certain age group and that I am not of that
group. Although I’m sure the question is not meant to be mean-spir-
ited, I do feel frustrated that in the 1990s we have not moved beyond
the stereotypes that are at the core of this question.

The pursuit of continuing education after forty became a stimu-
lus for me to connect with other mature women and ask them if they
had ever considered registering in college or university programs. I
also sought to discover why there is only a very small minority of
mature women visible in post-secondary educational institutions.

In Women Over Forty: Visions and
Realities, Marilyn R. Block writes that
continuing education for mature
women is a relatively “new phenome-
non” stemming from the feminist
movement of the sixties. Block exam-
ines how the battle for inclusion in
fields of study primarily reserved for men began in our homes.

This was my experience. Although I was asked what I wanted to
study after high school finished, the choice of going to art college was
not an option open to me. My father’s idea of a proper career choice
was teaching, nursing, or secretarial work. I resented having my life
planned out according to the wishes of my Dad. I rebelled, left home
and fell into a series of odd jobs. | met someone I cared for, became a
mother, and for the next twenty-two years spent my time caring for
and nurturing a family. My interest in art remained and | tried to stay
involved in “art courses” but “the family” was always my first priority.

At the age of forty-three, daughters grown up and independent,
partner able to take care of himself, | finally found the time to take a
serious look at what I needed to do for myself. Someone — I do not
remember who — asked me, “If you could choose to do something in
your life that you had always wanted to do, what would that be?” The
question made me realize that | had come to an important cross-
roads. | had an opportunity to choose which path I wanted to travel

on from that day forward. At that moment, after twenty-five years in

My father’s idea of a proper
career for me was nursing,
teaching, or secretarial work.

the waiting, I gave myself permission to register into an art program.
Dad, I wish you could have been there.

This scenario is typical for many women of my generation. In the
sixties, a young woman’s needs were not considered. The rules of a
male dominated society dictated her role inside and outside the
home. Today, with the breakdown of these traditional gender roles,
women of my generation are considering entering into the student
realm again.

The problem is taking the next step. With my middle-aged ‘look,
my middle-aged ideas, and my middle-aged fear of being ridiculed,
how would I fit in with a generation of young adults? My biggest fear
was of being up against technically proficient youth who would spot
my non-expertise and rub it in. Yes, | did bump into the odd young
person who felt obvious distress at the sight of a gray-haired woman
sitting in on “their” classes. There was pressure from certain young
individuals to keep my views to myself,
to silence myself.

The worst thing was feeling isolated
at times by the obvious message that
my presence in a public chit-chat ses-
sion was not welcomed. Thankfully, in
any crowd there are individuals with a
strong sense of self who do not blindly follow a bully piper. It was
with these individuals that I shared similar concerns about our place
as student artists and what that meant to us.

Another fear I had was that instructors would treat me different-
ly from younger students. I had twenty instructors during my five
years at two art colleges. One instructor made it clear through body
language that he resented my presence in his class. But over time he
saw that I was a serious student and his attitude changed. I chose to
see my instructors as a pool of talent that would help me tap. into
understanding what it was that I was trying to get at in my work and
how best I could accomplish my task. In this process I connected with
a group of individuals who were supportive and caring and shared
their knowledge without reserve.

It is a difficult decision for a mature woman to derail her life and
choose post-secondary education. In the late nineties we are still
fighting stereotypes, not only of who we are, but also of why we
choose to carve out new pathways in our mature years. Marilyn R.

Block writes, “[women over forty] expect that education will fill the

void in their lives while bringing them personal enrichment and a
more meaningful relationship with the surrounding world.” (Block,
p. 108) This observation is narrow and demeans the ambitions of
mature women. The word “void,” to me, is irritating and suggests that
by the time a woman is forty she has not had life experiences that
inform her about her relationship with the world. I think differently.
It is an enriched woman of any age who takes up the challenge to

- enter an educational institution, not to fill a void but rather, in

Adrienne Rich’s words, “to take responsibility for oneself, meaning to
refuse to let others do our thinking, and naming for us: it means
learning to respect and use our brains and instincts; and knowing it
will be hard work.” (Rich, p. 233) For some of us this realization came
late in our lives, but better late than never.

In spite of continuing stereotypical thinking in regard to mature
women and continuing education, we can only hope that this new
crack in the door of educational opportunity will help address the
still tentative footing mature women have. We need to keep in mind
that in today’s capitalist global world, educating mature women is
seen as a threat to the existing patriarchal structure, because an
informed woman is not as likely to buy into the status quo.

We need to forge ahead and to discover that the trepidation of
being the oldest in class gives way to discovering that learning to use
your brain to work out complex ideas has its own sweet reward. For
me, meeting the challenge of my longtime dream of being part of an
art educational community has been the best step I have ever taken.
Today, having recently graduated, I am cash poor, but the wealth of
experience and sense of community that became part of my educa-
tion at Emily Carr Institute have changed the way I view myself with-
in the larger community of my fellow pilgrims on this planet we call

Earth. ©)

Bibliography
Block, Marilyn R., Janice I. Davidson and Jean D. Grambe. Women Over Forty:
Visions and Realities. New York: Springer Publishing Company, 1981.
Rich, Adrienne. On Lies, Secrets, and Silence. New York: W.W. Norton & Company,
Inc., 1979.

Thanks to Someone who made me face my crossroads.

IDENTITIES

december 1997 / plonet of the orts 33

Mature Women and Continuing Education

A Student At Forty-Five

by Grace Salez

am often asked why I chose to register fl time into an arts
program at the age of forty-five. It scems to me that what
people really want to know is how old am 2 This sue of my
age points to a perception that post-secondary education is
the right of a certain age group and that 1 am not of that
group. Although 1m sure the question is not meant to be mean-sie
ited, I do fel feustrated that inthe 1990s we have not moved beyond
the stereotypes that are at the core of this question,

‘The pursuit of continuing education ater forty became a stim

lus for eto connect with other mature women and ask them i they
had ever considered registering in callege or university programs. 1
ako sought to discover why there is only a very small minority of
‘mature women visible in post-secondary education institutions
{In Women Over Forty: Visions and

eats, Maiyn R. Block writs that
‘continuing education for_mature
women is relatively “new phenome

non” stemming from the feminist
movement of thesia Block exam
ines how the battle for inclusion in
Fels of study primarily esrvd fr men began in our homes

This was my experience. Although was asked what I wanted t0
study afer igh schoo finished the choice of going to at college was
‘not an option open to me. My father’ ids of a proper carer choice
eas teaching, nursing, or secretarial work. {resented having my ie
planned ou according tothe wishes of my Dad. rebelled eft home
and fl into series of jobs. met somone I cared for, became a
nother and for the next twenty-two years spent iy fim caring for
and nurturing fay. My ters in art remand andl red to tay
{wold in “at cours but “the family" was always my fist priority
[tthe age of foty-the
partner able to take cate of himself Finally found the time to take a

ughters grown up and independent,
Serious lok at what I needed to do for myself Someone ~ 1 do not
emerber who ~ asked me, "If you could choose to do something in
youre that you had always wanted to do, what would that be?” The

wetion made me realize that 1 ad come £9 an important ros

roads had an opportunity to choose which path I wanted t travel
‘on fom that day forward At that moment, after twenty-five years in

My father's idea of a proper
career for me was nursing,
teaching, or secretarial work.

the waiting, gav€ myself permission to register into an art program,
Dad, I wish you could have ben thet

This scenario is typical for many women of my generation. Inthe
sixties, young woman's needs were not considered, The rues ofa
male dominated society dictated her ole inside and outside the
home. Today: withthe breakdown of these traditional gender roles,
women of my generation are considering entering into the stadent
eal again,

The problem is taking the next step. With my middle-age look?
‘ny middle-age ideas, and my middle-aged fear of being ridiculed,
hhow would fii with a generation of young adults My biggest fear
‘was of Being up against technically proficient youth wh would spot
my non-expertise and rub itn. Yes 1 did bump into the od young
person who flt obvious distress at the sight ofa gray-haited woman
‘Siting in on “thee” class. There was presure from certain young,

Individuals to keep my views to myself,
to silence mysl

The worst thing was feeling isolated
at times by the obvious message that
iy presence in public chit-chat ss
Sion was not welcomed. Thankfully in
any crowd tere are individual with 2
strong sense of self who do not blindly follow bly
ith these individual
2s student artists and what that meant tows,

4 shared similar concerns about our place

Another er I had was that instructors woul rest me diferent
ly from younger students, | had twenty instructors during my five
yeas at two at colleges One instructor made it clear through body
language that he resented my presence in his cls, But overtime he
saw that Iwas Serious student ad his attitude change. chose to

W instructors a a poo of ta

that would help me tp into

understanding what it was that I was trying to gta in my work and
how bes could accomplish my task In this proces I connected with
group of individuals who were supportive and caring and shared
their knowiedge without reserve

It isa dificult dcision fora mature woman to derail he life and
choose post-secondary education. In the late nineties we are sill
Fighting stereotypes, not only of who we are, but alo of why we
choose to carve out new pathways in our mature years. Marilyn R

Block writes, “ome

over forty expect that education will the

‘void in ther lives while binging them personal enrichment and a
‘more meaningful relationship with the surrounding worl” (Block,
108) This observation is narrow and demeans the ambitions of
‘mature women. The word "oid” to me isieitating and suggests that
bythe time a woman is forty she as not had ie experiences that
inform her about her relationship with the world | think diferenty
leis an enriched woman of any age who takes up the challenge to
‘enter an educational intttion, not to fl void but rather, in
[Adrienne Richs words, "to take responsibility for oneself, meaning to
refuse to lt others do our thinking, and naming for us: it means
learning to respect and use our brains and instincts; and knowing it
willbe hard work" (Rich,p.233) For some of us this realization came
latin our lives, but beter late than neve.

In spite of continuing stereotypical thinking in regard to mature
‘women and continuing eduction, we can only hope that this new
crackin the door of educational opportunity will help address the
stl tentative foting mature women have, We noe to keepin mind
that in today’s capitalist global world, educating mature women is
seen asa threat to the existing patriarchal structure, because an
{informed woman is not as likly to buy into the status quo.

We need to forge ahead and to discover thatthe trepidation of,
‘being the oles in clas gives way to discovering that earning to se
your brain to work out complex ideas has its own sweet reward. For
1me, meting the challenge of my longtime dream of being part of an
art educational community has been the best tep Ihave ever taken.
“Today, having recently graduated, 1 am cash poor, but the wealth of
‘experience and sense of community that became pat of my edict
tion at Emily Cate Insitute have hanged the way I view mys with
in the larger community of my fellow pigeims on this planet we eal

Earth,

Bibliography

Thanks o Someone wh made mefce my crisroats