The Interviews

The Interviews

After completion of my first term assignment, I decided that an interesting follow-up assignment would compare the sex education programs in rural and urban Ontario over two generations during the mid-twentieth century.

In order to do this, I would interview two people from two generations, but from the same geographical location, and compare their personal experiences regarding school-based sex instruction. I would also compare their experiences with what students were learning in terms of sex-ed elsewhere in the province, via research taken from my first term paper.

I decided to ask my mother and her mother if they would be willing to participate. The main reasons I chose these women are threefold: they fit the above mentioned criteria, they were able to meet for interviews and follow up interviews, and they are related.

I feel that a familial connection would help me write this assignment because my research has proven that sex education often came from within the family during the mid-twentieth century.

The first interview I conducted was with my grandmother (my mother’s mother). As per her request, I am keeping her name confidential, and will refer to her as “Grandma” throughout my assignment. I am using “Grandma” instead of a fake name because I am very grateful for her participation in my research, and I feel that referring to her as Grandma is respectful. I realize that her identity is not 100% protected by my stating that she and I are related, but rest assured that she is content with the fact, as long as her birthname is not on the internet.

Grandma was born in 1938 in Essex Ontario; she is the fourth of seven children. Grandma has lived in Southwestern Ontario her whole life; she grew up in Chatham, Ontario, but has lived in Kent Bridge, Ontario (just outside of Chatham) since 1983. My grandmother began attending Queen Mary Public School, in Chatham in 1943. She then attended Chatham Vocational High School until 1954. She has a grade ten education, and believes that, “[she] was never a good student” (Grandma, 2005). In 1955 Grandma married a handsome young man (nameless for the sake of this assignment). Together they had 5 children between the years of 1956-1972, three boys and two girls. My mother was the third of these children, and she was the first female child. Throughout Grandma’s life she worked as a receptionist at a doctor’s office, and also volunteered with the Girl Guides of Canada, and various Church Committees. She now spends her days at home in Kent Bridge with my grandfather and great-grandmother. She has been involved in ceramics for as long as I can remember, and enjoys crocheting and sewing. She is an amazing seamstress, currently working on multiple bridesmaid dresses and a wedding gown for my aunts wedding this autumn.

The second interview I conducted was with my mother. She would prefer that I do not use her name either, so we will refer to her as “Mom” for the same reasons mentioned about regarding Grandma’s identity.
Mom was born in Chatham, Ontario in 1963. As a youth, she was an active member in the Girl Guides of Canada. My mother began attending King George Public School in 1968, and entered Chatham Kent Secondary School in 1977. In 1981 my mother graduated from CKSS and began working in retail part-time. In 1983 she met and married my father who had three children from a previous marriage. She moved to Stratford, where my father grew up, and I was born in 1984. She took on the motherly role quite quickly by helping my father with his three children and me. Since then, my mother has worked in various retail stores and factories. In the late 1990’s, my mother began attending night classes at Conestoga College in Kitchener, Ontario, and in 2003 she graduated with a diploma in business administration. She is now working for a customs broker in Stratford, Ontario. On her spare time she enjoys crocheting, baking, and spending time with her three grandchildren.

Grandma and Grandpa

picture borrowed from: family album 1999

Mom

picture borrowed from: family album 1997

Initial Interview Questions:

1. From what years did you attend school?

2. Do you recall being taught any form of “sex education” in school as a child/teenager?

3. Who taught it to you? (m/f? teacher, nurse, doctor, classroom visitor?)

4. How often did the subject arise in the class?

5. How did the students respond to the subject?

6. Were boys and girls taught the subject together or separate?
Why do you think that occurred?

7. What were the main points emphasized during sex education lessons?

8. Were you taught the proper names for reproductive body parts, or were they given alternate nicknames?
If so, do you recall any of these names?

9. Were students encouraged to ask questions?

10. Were you encouraged to discuss the subject with friends/parents outside of class?

11. How did you feel after learning about the topic in the classroom?

12. At what age were you taught about menstruation?
Were you taught in school, or at home?
Did most females learn about this topic before or after their first full menstrual cycle?

13. During both WWI and WWII an increase of venereal disease cases were discovered, do you recall this issue being discussed in the classroom during “sex-ed?”

14. Were you taught that pre-marital sex was a sin?
If so, did you learn this through school, church at home or a combination of the three?

15. Were you taught in school to look your best at all times to attract a future husband?

16. Did you or any of your friends drop out of school to get married and start families? Was this common behaviour?
Was in frowned upon?
How did your parents feel?

17. Did you or any of your friends become pregnant before dropping out of school?
Was this common behaviour?
Was in frowned upon?
How did your parents feel?

18. Do you have anything else to add that we might have missed?