Other
Hutchinson, Mildred (audio interview #3 of 3)
INTERVIEW DESCRIPTION - This third interview with Mildred Hutchinson, like the previous two, is sometimes difficult to hear both because of her soft voice and the background noise heard on the second side of the recording (3b). 1976-07
- Date
- 2021-03-04
- Resource Type
- Creator
- Campus
- Keywords
- Handle
- Language
- Notes
- SUBJECT BIO - Mildred Hutchinson was interested in social issues and "underdogs" all her life. She focused her energy in the PTA, YWCA, and particularly the United Methodist Church, which she viewed as more liberal than the Congregational Church in which she was raised. After graduating from Los Angeles HIgh School, Hutchinston attended one year of nurses training in San Diego, where the family had moved. After she married in 1919, she dropped out and devoted herself to family life. She became increasingly involved in the United Methodist Church after her son was grown, and at the time of the interview was head of the Social Issues Board for southern California and Arizona. She remained active until her death , just short of her 106th birthday. Although the interviewer was hoping to document Hutchinson's involvement in social issues, these details are sparse. TOPICS - church; gender roles; Depression; WWII; job opportunities for women; YWCA ; volunteerism; McCarthyism; attitudes towards women's clubs; and LWV;husband; homemaking; volunteer work; social action; United Methodist Church; reflections on life; WWII; changes in Los Angeles; impact of women's group in Methodist Church; civil rights movement; and attitudes towards women's movement;
- *** File: refmhutchinson5.mp3 Audio Segments and Topics: (0:00-5:18)... The interview begins abruptly with a discussion of the community in which she lived in Los Angeles and the church she attended. Her community revolved around church groups and their activities, including Sunday school and youth activities. Her mother was quite involved with church activities on a voluntary basis, but she would not leave the house unless her domestic work was finished. She believed that it was a woman's responsibility to be both a homemaker and active in the community. (5:18-10:41)... She discusses gender roles within the Congregational Church, indicating that women organized the programs for the children and sung in the choir, but did not participate in sermon services. She recalls the various ministers who served while she was a member of the church. (10:41-22:01)... Though the Congregational and Methodist churches were very similar in structure and worship, she felt that the Methodists were social activists. Although the demarcation of gender roles was the same in the Methodist Church as in the Congregational Church, the Methodist women did have a women's organization. She describes the differences in career and job opportunities for women between the years of the Depression and WWII. Most people resented women if they worked during the Depression because they were taking a job a way from a man who needed to support a family. In contrast, WWII ushered in unlimited job opportunities for women. She describes the YWCA's "Agricultural Camp," which stimulated girls interests in career opportunities and assisted the war effort by providing soldiers with food. The camp was state-funded and the Methodist Church provided the facilities and recruited girls from various schools to attend the camps. (22:01-27:26)... Her son was fighting in Australia and New Zealand at the time that she was working for the YWCA and the Agricultural Camp. He returned from the War in 1945. Between the years 1942-44, she was involved in various activities, including serving on the Board of Directors for the YWCA. She discusses her initial involvement with the YWCA in the 1930s, and her desire to connect to a broader concept of activity. Her first day serving on the Board of Directors was the day the YWCA decided to desegregate their pool facilities. (27:26-36:35)... She describes the YWCA membership as a cross-section of the population in Los Angeles. Besides children's groups, the YWCA focused its efforts on the creation of branches dedicated to the needs of teen-aged girls. She recalls the conflict in the YWCA over the government's request that members sign a loyalty oath during the McCarthy era. The YWCA feared that many of its members would be targeted for their involvement with "fringe" organizations that fell under Communist control. (36:35-41:47)... She had no interest in the women's club in the Methodist Church, describing it as an ineffective group of women who spent their time gossiping and doing nothing for the community. However, she believes that women's clubs changed their focus in the 1940s to an emphasis in missionary work. Though Hutchinson joined the LWV, her activity with the group was limited because she did not have the time to dedicate herself to their programs. She recalls that the LWV was an issue-oriented group that focused on government organizations and provided people with valuable information. end of tape *** File: refmhutchinson6.mp3 (0:00-5:30)... The interview begins abruptly with discussion of voluntary work. She describes her husband's attitudes towards her activities. He neither encouraged, nor discouraged her from being active in voluntary work. In addition to her voluntary work, she was responsible for all of the cooking and cleaning duties. She followed her mother's example by not participating in activities until her housework was complete. (5:30-10:28)... She recalls attending a conference for the Methodist Church in the late 1930s. The emphasis of the conference was world peace. She discusses her impressions of minister's wives and their interests in social issues. (10:28-13:53)... She explains that her interest in social issues was a natural outgrowth of her involvement with the church. (13:53-21:38)... She reflects on her plans for the future, indicating that she would like to remain living for many more years. However, she does not want her son to be burdened with caring for her. The highlights of her life include her activities with the YWCA and her trip to Washington, D.C. with the United Methodist Church. She believes that the McCarthy era was a low point in her life because of an overwhelming feeling that she did not have any friends. In addition, the Depression and World War II were very trying times for the nation. (21:38-28:43)... During WWII, women's roles and job opportunities changed considerably. When women got a taste of work outside the home, they wanted to continue and found ways to do it. She discusses the changes in child care during the war as a result of women being called into the work force. She believes that the attitudes towards women and work changed after the war. She also discusses the changes that occurred in Los Angeles as a result of the influences of the motion picture industry and the labor movement. (28:20-38:28)... Note: the audio quality in this segment is poor. She discusses the various positions and issues embraced by the Methodist church, including their stance during WWII. The Women's Society of the Methodist Church had some outstanding leaders (Thelma Stevens, Margaret Bender, Dorothy McCloud). She recalls an incident when a woman active in the church stood up and advocated civil rights and integration. Hutchinson comments that many southern women endured a great deal fighting for civil rights. (38:28-44:59)... She believes that the success of the women's movement is evidenced by the increase of women in decision making roles. She predicts that women's presence in government and industry will also increase over time. Women will continue to gain momentum through knowledge and education, not through force. However, Hutchinson does not believe that the movement possesses strong leaders. end of tape
- Rights Note
- This repository item may be used for classroom presentations, unpublished papers, and other educational, research, or scholarly use. Other uses, especially publication in any form, such as in dissertations, theses, articles, or web pages are not permitted without the express written permission of the individual collection's copyright holder(s). Please contact the CSULB Library Administration should you require permission to publish or distribute any content from this collection or if you need additional information or assistance in using these materials: https://www.csulb.edu/university-library/form/questionssuggestions-the-digital-repository-group
Relationships
- In Collection:
Items
| Thumbnail | File information | Actions |
|---|---|---|
|
5063130470569051-refmhutchinson5.mp3 Public
|
Download |
|
|
9607217140341648-refmhutchinson6.mp3 Public
|
Download |
|
|
5334751449122092-refmhutchinson1.jpg Public
|
Download |