Freda L Ramsey

Several years ago, four generations of Ramseys, Youngs, and Hubbards were gathered in Mom’s kitchen in Mt. Pleasant. We were talking about women, being women, and all of the changes in our lifetimes as women. In her characteristic way of starting “deep” conversations, Mom asked us what we each viewed as the most important event in our life times as women. She said that for herself, it was the women’s movement of the 60’s and 70’s which for her, was fueled by our Dad’s (her husband’s) interest in pushing women to claim their rightful place at the table. I decided that for me, it was the opportunity—or rather the expectation—that I would get a college degree and pursue a career. In our family, it was an expectation, not a possibility, and I think the fact that I grew up knowing that made a huge difference in my life. My girls talked about their educations and the fact that so many doors are now open to them because the women in generations before them turned so many foot paths into well-worn trails, eventually paving the way for the lives and choices that women of today now enjoy.

Then it was Grams’s turn. And she said thoughtfully in her, well-there-it-is kind of way, “For me, it was the invention of the electric iron.” We were all dumbstruck. Several moments passed while her words sank in. Meanwhile, she gave us one of those Grams looks. You know the one…where she sort of raises one eyebrow and looks at you with just a little nod as if to say, “Think about it, you’ll understand, because I mean it.” And gradually, it did sink in. When Grams was a young woman, doing the wash took two full days. You washed by hand or with the help of a wringer washer. Wringing the water out of heavy work clothes was hard work, even with the help of that wringer. And all of those heavy garments had to be hung to dry, then brought in and folded. The next day was ironing day. Heat the iron on the stove. Iron. Heat. Iron. Heat. Iron. And iron some more. It kind of gives you pause to think that the invention of something like an iron that plugs into the wall could revolutionize life for an entire generation of women. But it did.

My Grams taught me a lot about how much little things matter. I loved her stories and the way she would just set those pebbles in the path for all of us to think about. Not often, just every now and then. Those are the moments I remember most.

Several years ago, four generations of Ramseys, Youngs, and Hubbards were gathered in Mom’s kitchen in Mt. Pleasant. We were talking about women, being women, and all of the changes in our lifetimes as women. In her characteristic way of starting “deep” conversations, Mom asked us what we each viewed as the most important event in our life times as women. She said that for herself, it was the women’s movement of the 60’s and 70’s which for her, was fueled by our Dad’s (her husband’s) interest in pushing women to claim their rightful place at the table. I decided that for me, it was the opportunity—or rather the expectation—that I would get a college degree and pursue a career. In our family, it was an expectation, not a possibility, and I think the fact that I grew up knowing that made a huge difference in my life. My girls... READ MORE →