Transcribe
Translate
Ain't I A Woman? newspapers, June 1970-July 1971
1970-07-24 "Ain't I a Woman?" Page 11
More information
digital collection
archival collection guide
transcription tips
"FLEECING THE PRESCHOOL SHEEP..." big business cashes in on daycare We came in early with the commuter traffic to get to the Hotel Commodore where the big conference on whether and how big business (toy makers, "educational" materials makers -- like films, books, etc. --, established chains in day care like Mary Moppett, and others involved such educators and market analysts) should begin investing in early learning and day care. We came because we felt a need to demonstrate that this kind of approach to people's needs is all wrong. Big business has not just had a sudden revelation that people need day care and therefore moved to act; rather, it has seen that in many communities people are moving on their own to establish day care for their children and seen in this a possibility to move in, run things their own way, and make tidy profits. We have day care centers established. There are two in Iowa City. There are a dozen in New YorK. They are parent-controlled. They are free. They are staffed by parents and unpaid volunteers. They are running on donated or borrowed space and supplies. They desperately need funding. The most dedicated volunteer will eventually have to give up if money does not come from somewhere. How ironic! As we are struggling to survive and give our children decent and loving attention, we took a few days off to be amazed at a conference at which delegates who had paid $225 each came to discuss how they could set up NON-parent-controlled, Profit-operating day care. Corner on the market! ACTION AT THE COMMODORE The Commodore is right next to Grand Central Station. As we arrived we were leafletted with a statement from the woman and a schedule of the conference. Outside the hotel entrance was a moving picket line, well-stocked with signs: FREE DAYCARE FOR OUR CHILDREN! OUR LAMBS SHALL NOT BE FLEECED! (this particular sign was prompted by the title of one of the talks: "Fleecing the Preschool Sheep"). New York, Boston, and New Haven women had come together. Word passed around: move up to the conference area in small groups. We did, past a florid hotel manager (hey! come on, now, hold it, just get out of here....) keeping cool, just drifting up. There were monitors after a fashion who were responsible (as much as possible) for signalling when a bust was coming. The [photo] strategy meeting the prior night had decided to avoid a bust. When about 50 women got upstairs the signs came out and the press towards the doors began. It took about 3 minutes to get in; women took over the stage and lined the walls with their signs. It was so easy that we felt somewhat adrift as to what to do; some women took turns at the mike presenting our case: that child care is a service which should not be available only to those who can afford to buy it; that child care must be motivated by love and care, by parental concern and activity, not by profitability; we extended an invitation to visit our already established centers; we told them we needed money. Actually, nothing that clear probably came across to anyone. The conference was in fact disintegrating to chaos as delegates, various factions of the women, and, soon, children accompanying the women challenged each other. The conferees were trying hard to keep their cool, to be accommodating. First they invited 3 women to stay for the rest of the conference, then 4; then a 10-minute recess was called and we were all invited to stay on the undiscussed premise that we allow the presentations to be given and save our attacks for the "proper time" and remain courteous (a rather naive assumption since few if any of the women had the slightest idea of conference etiquette). It didn't work. Argument. Outburst. Children screaming. We were called racist cop-outs. They were called fascists. We demanded money. 75c was collected. Pig photographers [photo] got thrown out. The hotel people looked very worried. Some delegates were outraged. Some were amused. Some was right-on. Many delegates seemed "well-you-may-have-a-point-and-I-am-sincerely-interested-in-finding-it-out-but-can't-you-be-more-orderly?' It was really hard for me to believe that all these people had no idea of what was going on, no idea of why we were angry, no idea of how desperate we are for continuing our centers on the ideals on which they are founded: love for the children, completely parent-controlled, FREE! I couldn't make up my mind: were they really so ignorant or was this a big PR show? In any case, they really wanted to get out of that mess. And they pulled a good tactic. They recessed for lunch and left the women the room. We were getting ourselves together for a badly-needed strategy meeting when word came in that pigs were in formation outside. We split. Groups went out singing the beautiful song: CHILDREN POWER TO THE CHILDREN PEOPLE! WOMEN POWER TO THE WOMEN PEOPLE! PARENT POWER TO THE PARENT PEOPLE! Iowa women went to Grand Central and ate sandwiches and then went back to check out the Commodore. Three pig cars outside, the conference had been moved to another room, and no one without credentials got past the man with the gun. We decided to get down to the women's center where a meeting was gathering. Eventually we reached a consensus to stage a strong picket, at least in the early morning, to pass out the remaining leaflets and to let them know we were still there. A list of unfunded centers was drawn up to be passed out. And that was the extente of our involvement with this action. I'm left with definitely mixed feelings. The women were not together on the action; there were really no plans for what to do if the conference were liberated. In so far as such a conference should never have been held in the first place, though, we contributed a lot to messing it doen. We have so damn much to do! We have to fecine our needs, where we hurt and why we hurt; and WHO in terms of EXISTING PEOPLE is our enemy? Should I assume a person is an enemy until he proves himself a friend (and most of the delgates were, of course, "he's")? We have so much getting together to do! ALL POWER TO THE BEAUTIFUL RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE PEOPLE! AND LOVE TO OUR SISTERS... a Woman? [hand drawn arm] July 24, 1970 11
Saving...
prev
next
"FLEECING THE PRESCHOOL SHEEP..." big business cashes in on daycare We came in early with the commuter traffic to get to the Hotel Commodore where the big conference on whether and how big business (toy makers, "educational" materials makers -- like films, books, etc. --, established chains in day care like Mary Moppett, and others involved such educators and market analysts) should begin investing in early learning and day care. We came because we felt a need to demonstrate that this kind of approach to people's needs is all wrong. Big business has not just had a sudden revelation that people need day care and therefore moved to act; rather, it has seen that in many communities people are moving on their own to establish day care for their children and seen in this a possibility to move in, run things their own way, and make tidy profits. We have day care centers established. There are two in Iowa City. There are a dozen in New YorK. They are parent-controlled. They are free. They are staffed by parents and unpaid volunteers. They are running on donated or borrowed space and supplies. They desperately need funding. The most dedicated volunteer will eventually have to give up if money does not come from somewhere. How ironic! As we are struggling to survive and give our children decent and loving attention, we took a few days off to be amazed at a conference at which delegates who had paid $225 each came to discuss how they could set up NON-parent-controlled, Profit-operating day care. Corner on the market! ACTION AT THE COMMODORE The Commodore is right next to Grand Central Station. As we arrived we were leafletted with a statement from the woman and a schedule of the conference. Outside the hotel entrance was a moving picket line, well-stocked with signs: FREE DAYCARE FOR OUR CHILDREN! OUR LAMBS SHALL NOT BE FLEECED! (this particular sign was prompted by the title of one of the talks: "Fleecing the Preschool Sheep"). New York, Boston, and New Haven women had come together. Word passed around: move up to the conference area in small groups. We did, past a florid hotel manager (hey! come on, now, hold it, just get out of here....) keeping cool, just drifting up. There were monitors after a fashion who were responsible (as much as possible) for signalling when a bust was coming. The [photo] strategy meeting the prior night had decided to avoid a bust. When about 50 women got upstairs the signs came out and the press towards the doors began. It took about 3 minutes to get in; women took over the stage and lined the walls with their signs. It was so easy that we felt somewhat adrift as to what to do; some women took turns at the mike presenting our case: that child care is a service which should not be available only to those who can afford to buy it; that child care must be motivated by love and care, by parental concern and activity, not by profitability; we extended an invitation to visit our already established centers; we told them we needed money. Actually, nothing that clear probably came across to anyone. The conference was in fact disintegrating to chaos as delegates, various factions of the women, and, soon, children accompanying the women challenged each other. The conferees were trying hard to keep their cool, to be accommodating. First they invited 3 women to stay for the rest of the conference, then 4; then a 10-minute recess was called and we were all invited to stay on the undiscussed premise that we allow the presentations to be given and save our attacks for the "proper time" and remain courteous (a rather naive assumption since few if any of the women had the slightest idea of conference etiquette). It didn't work. Argument. Outburst. Children screaming. We were called racist cop-outs. They were called fascists. We demanded money. 75c was collected. Pig photographers [photo] got thrown out. The hotel people looked very worried. Some delegates were outraged. Some were amused. Some was right-on. Many delegates seemed "well-you-may-have-a-point-and-I-am-sincerely-interested-in-finding-it-out-but-can't-you-be-more-orderly?' It was really hard for me to believe that all these people had no idea of what was going on, no idea of why we were angry, no idea of how desperate we are for continuing our centers on the ideals on which they are founded: love for the children, completely parent-controlled, FREE! I couldn't make up my mind: were they really so ignorant or was this a big PR show? In any case, they really wanted to get out of that mess. And they pulled a good tactic. They recessed for lunch and left the women the room. We were getting ourselves together for a badly-needed strategy meeting when word came in that pigs were in formation outside. We split. Groups went out singing the beautiful song: CHILDREN POWER TO THE CHILDREN PEOPLE! WOMEN POWER TO THE WOMEN PEOPLE! PARENT POWER TO THE PARENT PEOPLE! Iowa women went to Grand Central and ate sandwiches and then went back to check out the Commodore. Three pig cars outside, the conference had been moved to another room, and no one without credentials got past the man with the gun. We decided to get down to the women's center where a meeting was gathering. Eventually we reached a consensus to stage a strong picket, at least in the early morning, to pass out the remaining leaflets and to let them know we were still there. A list of unfunded centers was drawn up to be passed out. And that was the extente of our involvement with this action. I'm left with definitely mixed feelings. The women were not together on the action; there were really no plans for what to do if the conference were liberated. In so far as such a conference should never have been held in the first place, though, we contributed a lot to messing it doen. We have so damn much to do! We have to fecine our needs, where we hurt and why we hurt; and WHO in terms of EXISTING PEOPLE is our enemy? Should I assume a person is an enemy until he proves himself a friend (and most of the delgates were, of course, "he's")? We have so much getting together to do! ALL POWER TO THE BEAUTIFUL RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE PEOPLE! AND LOVE TO OUR SISTERS... a Woman? [hand drawn arm] July 24, 1970 11
Campus Culture
sidebar
