Interview with Joan Margel (née Bayers) 2.7

Partial Transcript: 1. What can you tell about family relations, household chores and responsibilities (decision making, wife beating, upbringing of children)?

Segment Synopsis: They talk about household responsibilities and roles in the family. Joan talks about the division of labour. In the country, men were expected to be strong and tough. She says women were expected to all of the household work without any of the thanks. She says that wife beating was normal, and tells a story about a man who abused his wife. She talks about the expectations of women to just "put up with it." Joan says that the men could get a break and go into town, but the women were always working. She talks about the work her mother did when her father would leave and go into town. She says that the husbands did not necessarily help their wives when they were pregnant. Joan talks about how women's hard work is often devalued and how this is even reflected in language. She says that there was no sympathy or appreciation from husbands for the hard work their wives did. She talks about how different men are now, at least in Canada. She talks about going back to teach and having her husband Joe look after their newborn baby, and her father's negative response to this when they returned to Rycroft. She says that women had to have meals ready at exactly 6:00 and 12:00 for their husbands. Joan talks about women feeling oppressed. She says that women used to congregate at her house and cry. The interviewer talks about the changes he has seen in himself and his family in regards to household responsibilities.

Partial Transcript: 1. Comments about the control of money in families, family allowance for children and saving money for university.

Segment Synopsis: Joan says that the man of the house controlled the money, and the women produced the food. She tells a story about Fred Sandul and his wife, and Fred's anger at his wife buying a new stove. She says that the men had total financial control until the introduction of the family allowance, which gave women some power. She says that the family allowance was only given if the children went to school. In grade 9, her family got their first allowance and her mother gave it to her for university. After that Joan worked to collect more money for university. She talks about fathers not contributing money for university, especially for a daughter. Daughters had to fight for an education, and earn the money themselves. Joan waited tables and worked on construction crews to earn her money. She says that because men controlled the money, the equipment they wanted was prioritized over "women's items" like stoves. Joan tells a story of her mother apologizing before her death for not having a car to take the kids around. Instead, they had 22 trucks for her father's work.

Partial Transcript: 1. Comments about women becoming professionals and co-bread winners in families.
2. Was your mother involved in the decision making in the family?

Segment Synopsis: Joan says that in her generation women became professionals, and that was the hardest thing for marriages because the men thought they should control the money. She says she didn't teach after her second child and Joe became the breadwinner. She says when she returned to teaching he was relieved. Her mom always believed that women should get an education. She talks more about her mother's views on education and making money and getting remarried. Joan talks about the men who wanted to marry her mother. They talk about women's roles in decision-making. She tells a story about her mother and father's relationship in regard to business and decision-making. Joan kept the books when she was in business and tells stories about that. She says that usually the women did the work, but the men would make the big decisions about things like cars and tractors. She talks about a generational shift with women later on, and talks more about men buying cars. Joan says that people in her children's generation are much more cooperative when it comes to decision-making, but she does not think this applies to her grandparents' generation.