Pat Schroeder Speaks About Career, Life

Strong women in a male-dominated world must learn to face challenges with humor and good spirits, former U.S. Representative Pat Schroeder (D--Colo.) told a crowd of about 200 in Longfellow Hall on Friday night.

With the speech, Schroeder, a 24-year veteran of the House of Representatives, kicked off a national tour for her new book, 24 Years of House Work...and the Place is Still a Mess.

In her remarks, which frequently elicited laughter from the audience, Schroeder canvassed a variety of issues, such as the integration of women in the military, the importance of reading to young children and the definition of sexual harassment.

She said more laws must be passed to complement the Family Medical Leave Act, such as a new proposal to loan money for child care centers.

"In the average city they pay a zoo keeper twice what they pay a child care worker," she said. "We've got to get our priorities straight."

In her own career, Schroeder said, she had to adjust to an environment sometimes hostile to women.

Reporters would often ask her questions such as "Why are you running as a woman?" she said.

Schroeder recalled an incident that occurred after the House of Representatives became ten percent women in the 1992 election.

"One of the bulls came over to me and said, `This place is beginning to look like a shopping center to me.' I said, 'Where do you shop where only 10 percent of the shoppers are women?'"

Schroeder said the only way to deal with her challenges was to rely on humor. "So I decided to get up every day and play with it. And that's what my book is about," she said.

After her speech, Schroeder chatted with fans upstairs in the Lyman Common room andsigned copies of her book.

Pamela A. Campos '92 said she was pleased to beable to see Schroeder. "I grew up in Denver andvery much followed Pat Schroeder," she said."There's a long tradition of Colorado politiciansbeing very strong spoken."

Most attendees were female, but two ofSchroeder's most enthusiastic supporters weremen--Emeritus Professor of Economics John KennethGalbraith and Dr. T. Barry Brazleton, a notedpediatrician. "She's one of the best people thatwas ever in the Congress," Galbraith said. "That'san easy compliment to win, but she wins it."

Campos said she is upset that Schroeder decidedto leave Congress last year.

"Twenty-four years is a long time," Schroedersaid.

In the future, Schroeder said she hopes moreyoung people will become interested in becomingpoliticians.

"They all want to be George Stephanopoulos,"she said. "They all want to be spinsters."

Schroeder continues to be an advocate forwomen, children and families.

Last year she taught at the Woodrow WilsonSchool of Public and International Affairs atPrinceton University; currently she is CEO of theAmerican Association of Publishers, and the chairof a committee at The Institute for Civil Society,a social policy think tank.

The event was sponsored by the Institute forCivil Society, the Radcliffe College AlumnaeAssociation and the Radcliffe Publishing Course

Pamela A. Campos '92 said she was pleased to beable to see Schroeder. "I grew up in Denver andvery much followed Pat Schroeder," she said."There's a long tradition of Colorado politiciansbeing very strong spoken."

Most attendees were female, but two ofSchroeder's most enthusiastic supporters weremen--Emeritus Professor of Economics John KennethGalbraith and Dr. T. Barry Brazleton, a notedpediatrician. "She's one of the best people thatwas ever in the Congress," Galbraith said. "That'san easy compliment to win, but she wins it."

Campos said she is upset that Schroeder decidedto leave Congress last year.

"Twenty-four years is a long time," Schroedersaid.

In the future, Schroeder said she hopes moreyoung people will become interested in becomingpoliticians.

"They all want to be George Stephanopoulos,"she said. "They all want to be spinsters."

Schroeder continues to be an advocate forwomen, children and families.

Last year she taught at the Woodrow WilsonSchool of Public and International Affairs atPrinceton University; currently she is CEO of theAmerican Association of Publishers, and the chairof a committee at The Institute for Civil Society,a social policy think tank.

The event was sponsored by the Institute forCivil Society, the Radcliffe College AlumnaeAssociation and the Radcliffe Publishing Course