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yella26's review against another edition
4.0
Very insightful -- Jill Conway is obviously an incredibly intelligent woman who did incredible things. Her memoir almost makes me want to consider becoming a college administrator. Lots of philosophy & history. One thing, however: if this book was supposed to convince me to go to Smith College, it did the opposite. She fought against what seemed to be a very closeminded and difficult administration.
pturnbull's review against another edition
4.0
Conway's memoir covers the ten years that she served as the first woman president of Smith College, from 1975-1985. These were tumultuous years in the development of higher education curriculum as well as for women's roles in society. Conway's perceptions about college politics and feminism are insightful. I especially enjoyed her discussions about the experience of being a female leader at a women's college in the mid-70s. Her description of an event at which hundreds of young women pounded on the floor calling for "Jill!" is one example. I marveled at this display of exuberance and self-confidence and lack of concern about being ladylike or behaving in a way that could turn off men. During the same historic period, I was at coeducational public institutions, and this kind of behavior by female students was unfathomable, to the detriment of our development as empowered citizens and future leaders, I believe. This book may have a narrow readership, but it will prove satisfying anyone interested in the recent history of higher education and the development of women's status in society.
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