IN CONVERSATION WITH LANIE MELAMED

Brought up in England, Doris went to a convent school where she remained from the age of 7 until 17. "It wasn't even high school. In England high school wasn't something you did." This might have been the end of her academic career but for a series of "happenings" along the way.

Doris came to Canada in 1934, secured the first job she applied for, then got married and stopped working for pay. During the war, she worked as a secretary, but she returned to work in the home when her husband returned from the war.

After her husband died in 1969, Doris decided to return to the paid work force. She was in her 50s at the time and thought it best to brush up on her secretarial skills. She went to Lasalle College where she took courses in the electric typewriter and the dictaphone (which were just coming in at that time). She found a job working in the library at McGill University. "The job was wonderful. I loved the atmosphere and being in charge of the department. When I got to be 65, I had to retire." (Had she been able to wait one more year, the mandatory retirement law would have changed.)

Retirement in Doris' case meant starting a new venture: "Then I asked myself, 'What do people do when they retire?' I decided to go into the antique business. One thing I knew a great deal about was french glass paper weights. And that's what I did. I became the only [person] in Canada to sell paperweights. I travelled, gave talks, and even wrote a book. I was known as 'the paperweight lady' .It was very ego-building." After 9 years the work become too demanding and she sold the business.

At about this time Doris read in the newspaper that Concordia offered a course for senior people where they didn't have to write exams. She was 71 at the time and hadn't a clue about what to study. Her first choice was a Women's Studies course. "One thing I did know something about was women's history, having lived through the late Victorian era and the changes for women through the 30s, 40s, and 50s. I never had so much fun in all my life!"

Her major was English with a minor in art history. The first year Doris took a lot of different courses.

"It gave me a feel for the university, how it worked, what the proofs were like, how I would relate to the other people in the class. Those are important things to know for a senior person going into education, especially how they would ,relate to the other students because of the age difference."

Seven years ago the Elderhostel program was started at Concordia and Doris was asked to be on the committee. Today she is serving her third year as campus coordinator of the entire program.

"I am continually learning all the time. My mind is completely open to everything that is going on. I don't always agree with everything but I can at least listen and learn about it. I am interested in all the modern technologies: computers, word processors, fax machines, anything that has to do with making life smooth, not just washing machines and dryers. I always want to know how it works and why it works and what you have to do to learn. I'm continually learning."

"My experience with the Notre Dame de Grace (NDG) Citizens Council, of which I am co-president, has taught me a lot. This organization has opened my eyes and my mind to the problems that senior women of my generation have to deal with. Most older women are very poor.. .and getting poorer all the time... They are terrified of bureaucracy of all kinds.. timid about trying to get what they should have. They are afraid to disturb the status quo. I'm talking about my generation.. . Women of my generation generally have very poor health, they won't go to doctors, and are frightened of hospitals (I don't blame them). .It really is very sad. (As women get older) there is no place for them to go... Working with the Council has been a learning experience that opened my eyes to something that I never knew existed."