Career Expectations
The education and discipline we had were a good base for life when we left school. At that time there was only a choice of a few careers – teaching, nursing, domestic science and secretarial. Of course, things have opened up so many more career opportunities for girls these days which is a very good thing.
Myra E Catchpole née McKeachie (Class of 1944)
There was a lot of emphasis on conformity and being “young ladies”, which I thought very outdated, and even rather unfair comments to some new girls like “you may have done that at your old school but we don't do that here”. We were told not to talk about sweating but informed that “horses sweat, men perspire and ladies glow”. So we talked about “glowing buckets” after gym classes.
I remember very little discussion of the women’s movement, but have a strong memory of the attitude at GWLC that the girls were the intellectual equivalent of the boys, we should be confident about our abilities and could do anything we wanted. This came particularly from Miss Fleming and I remember her saying she hoped some of us would go on to be engineers. Also Miss Nicol who had a no nonsense ‘get on with it’ attitude. This contrasted with another teacher who said (in exasperation at some incident in class) that our parents were probably wasting their money as most of us would just get married. We were quietly outraged at the suggestion we wouldn't have careers.
In practice there was very little careers education, just some very out of date leaflets. Those who were academic were encouraged to go to university, particularly for medicine or law. Careers in nursing, teaching, the civil service, banking and secretarial studies were seen as suitable and secure options.
Mary Stewart (Class of 1976)
There was very limited careers advice – one of the English teachers was responsible for this and kept various prospectuses for the Scottish universities – the assumption seemed to be you would ether go to a Scottish university (of which there were only 8 at that time) or train to be a teacher or a nurse. I remember she gave the whole class a talk on possible careers once, starting with A for actuaries and accountants. It wasn’t a success and at no time were people invited into school to talk about what they did in their jobs.
Pamela Chesters née Beveridge (Class of 1974)
I left GWLC in 1962 with the requisite clutch of Highers to attain university entrance; I applied by letter to the University of Edinburgh only - as was the accepted thing to do - and received my acceptance by return of post. My acceptance was based on the facts that I had the relevant qualifications and that I had been at Watson’s - there is no doubt that the UoE appreciated that the School turned out suitable candidates for them, well-educated girls, skilled in laboratory techniques and well -prepared for study and academic work. The standing of GWLC was high in academic circles. Having been awarded the Sixth form maths prize and having completed the three maths papers at Advanced Level Highers I was on a level playing field with other Scottish pupils in my class - mainly boys. In the Sixties only 4% of University students were women - now it is nearer 60%. In 1965 I emerged with a BSc degree in maths, physics and mathematical physics I emerged with a BSc degree in maths, physics and mathematical physics; following a post-graduate certificate in Secondary Teaching I taught maths in a Glasgow Secondary school, completing my “parchment” and subsequently married - not a Watsonian but a Herioter - whose school motto "I distribute cheerfullie” fitted well with Ex Corde Caritas.
I did not consciously become involved in the Woman’s Movement - I just lived through it and, looking back, contributed in a small way to it. The domestic delights of bringing up a small family contrasted with the professional, orderly environment I had left behind; I joined voluntary societies and other activities. I was a member of the Children’s Panel, Citizen’s Advice, University of Edinburgh Court and Vice-President of Graduate Women International, based in Geneva. This last organisation endeavours to make available Tertiary Education for all women worldwide, so that they can participate in civil society on an equal basis to men. My membership of the University Court involved, as well as managerial issues, an encouragement to achieve equal pay for particularly professorial women whose pay had fallen well behind, encourage the implementation of the Athena Swann protocol promoting flexible working conditions for women academic staff, and the establishment of an on-site workplace nursery for the children of staff to help the domestic arrangements of young staff members. There were many other initiatives that I have been involved with, to assist women in making the transition from full-time housewives to women making their contribution to the family in the workplace, juggling responsibilities and maintaining a happy home life.