Women in Pear Industry to be Focus of Susan Reid Talk at Hannon Library

Nov 5, 2009 from 4:00pm to 6:00pm UTC-08
Location: SOU's Hannon Library in Meese Meeting Room (LIB305)
Latest Activity: Nov 8, 2022

(Ashland, Ore.) – “Pear Packing in the Rogue Valley: Traditional Women’s Work,” a talk by Susan Reid about the historic role of women in the local pear industry, is scheduled for November 5, 2009, at 4 p.m. in the Meese Room (#305) of Hannon Library at Southern Oregon University. Those attending will be able to view a related photo display of women packing pears from the 1980s The lecture reflects her interest in the traditional roles of women in work, with pear packing as a case study that also celebrates the importance of women’s work in the regional economy, and will include reading of several original poems inspired by seasonal work. This talk will be the first of the 2009-10 lectures sponsored by the Friends of Hannon Library. Light refreshments will be served, and there will be time to ask questions.Ms. Reid will be bring a collection of photos taken in the ‘80s by Jane Cory Van Dyke and historic photos from the Southern Oregon Historical Society to illustrate her presentation. She wrote a Master’s thesis entitled “Pear Packing: a Season of Women’s Work” as part of combined sociology and English graduate study at SOU in the late 1980s. Photos and poetry were also incorporated into the work for her degree. Her thesis is now available digitally through the History Collection of Hannon Library’s Southern Oregon Digital Archives, which may be accessed at http://soda.sou.edu/history.html.Active in public service and volunteer work, Susan Reid was elected to the Ashland City Council on the Nuclear Free Zone (NFZ) platform and served over 1982-2002. She was instrumental in making Ashland the first city in the nation to be voted a Nuclear Free Zone by its citizens. She was subsequently invited to be part of a peace tour of England in 1985. Susan and Karen Sue Smith, also an Ashland City Council member, traveled across England and Wales with the Hibakusha—survivors of the Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Susan also served on the Board of Directors for the League of Oregon Cities, and chaired their Energy Advisory Committee for 15 years.The lecture is free and open to the public. Parking will be available. For more information, call 541-552-6835.The Friends of Hannon Library is a community-based organization dedicated to the growth and development of the Library’s resources and services, while also fostering beneficial relations with the residents of the region. The Friends’ annual lecture series provides an active forum for all people interested in books, libraries, and scholarly pursuits. By joining, members directly support the Library to the benefit of students, faculty, and community patrons. Contact the Hannon Library today about becoming a member, 541-552-6816.

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Women in Pear Industry to be Focus of Susan Reid Talk at Hannon Library

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