Barnard College - Mortarboard Yearbook (New York, NY)

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Of all the heavenly gifts that mortal men commend. What trusty treasure in the world can countervail a friend? In the most profound meaning of friendship, we proudly dedicate our yearbook to Barbara Schmitter, Dean of Studies and Vice President of Student Affairs, in gratitude for her devo- tion to us, the student body. She personifies the Barnard spirit in her balance of human and educational values. 7

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Who can say what new horizons Ue before us if we can but maintain the initiative and develop the imagination to penetrate them Chen Kornreich Editor-in-Chief, Mortarboard 1981 Transition periods offer the mind an opportunity to delve into the past and decide upon the future. Graduation for most Barnard women does not symboUze a termination but a capricious time of conversion. Senior year and the interval until the adult world begins, be it with entrance to the career world or family life, lends itself to reflection: Who am I? Where did I come from? Where am I going? As Barnard graduates we share some roots and experi- ences. We were part of the mosaic of Morningside women, part of the pencil-pushing academic environment. As Barnard scholars we encountered the frustration of being a member of the vanguard of women yet the insult of lack of support from our male allies east of Broadway. On one hand we experienced being part of the seven sister colleges; yet, on the other hand, the metaphor of the ivy tower tempted and haunted us. We are expected to pursue traditionally male careers with success yet to remain feminine in line with the archaic patriachal definition. For us the fruits of knowledge proved to be sweet yet sour. We were urged to change ourselves and move beyond the structures of the female world to a wider one. Barnard proved to be the perfect setting for this personal change; yet when we tried to stimulate a wider revolution we discov- ered opposition from the university at large. It was, is, and will be our challenge to catalize society to incorporate women as equals to men both in the domestic and worldly spheres. Our greatest feat will be to find the goal at the end of society ' s maze, to develop and integrate the ideals we learned and the growth we experienced at Barnard into the real world beyond Barnard ' s gates. We entered Barnard as diverse and varied individuals; we graduate as a unified composition who like a kaleide- scope, presents within its circle a multitude of patterns. 6

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These lines I give thee so that if mankind Recall me happily in years to come And muse, some distant evening, on my name Baudelaire