Wild Women And Water

Wild Women And Water

Juvenile herstory
Recently in the picture book section of the Orono Public Library
I found two books on women well ahead of their times. Their
passionate curiosities centered around the ocean. Needless to say I
dove right in. :-)
Zoologist Jess Keating's Shark Lady: The True Story of How
Eugenie Clark Became the Ocean's Most Fearless Scientist takes a big
bite out of shark myths as well as portraying a crusading advocate for
those apex predators. Clark was born in 1922. She grew up
considering sharks beautiful and studying all she could about them.
"As she grew older, many were still telling Eugenie what to do.
Forget those sharks! Be a secretary! Be a housewife! Eugenie wanted
to study zoology, but some of her professors thought women weren't
smart enough to be scientists or brave enough to explore the oceans.
And they said sharks were mindless monsters."
Even after she earned her degree people still didn't take Clark
seriously. She didn't let that stand in her way. Readers will enjoy
learning about her amazing adventures and discoveries.
Robert Burleigh's Solving the Puzzle Under the Sea introduces
readers to Marie Tharp. In the 30's her family traveled with her
cartographer father. She became very curious about what the ocean
floor, then uncharted, looked like.
When Tharp graduated college perceptions of proper gender roles
stood in her way. She was even told she couldn't go on research
vessels because of the superstition that a woman on a ship would bring
bad luck.
Readers will enjoy learning how she achieved her ambitious
verging on impossible dream.
Who knows? There may be a future marine biologist or
oceanographer in need of a just right impetus.
On a personal note, Coming Out Week at UMaine started auspiciously.
We had great weather. Dean Dana and others gave dignified speeches.
The guy who was protesting was anything but dignified. He had this
whole list of sins going on at UMaine (perversion, adultery,
fornication, Satan worship...) and he kept screaming that everyone was
going to Hell. A crowd gathered to protest the hate and venom he was
spewing. Some of us tried to counter him with scripture as in only he
who is without sin may cast stones. He didn't listen--especially to
those of us who were not men. In his world we were supposed to be
home cooking and cleaning for men instead of daring to debate theology.
A great big shout out goes out to Dean Dana and the others who share
our pride in the beautiful rainbow flag and the students who spoke up
for what they believe in rather than being silent bystanders.
jules hathaway





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