And what of the women themselves? They became architects, artists, astronomers, community leaders, doctors, educators, engineers, entertainers, farmers, historians, IT professionals, investment bankers, lawyers, librarians, mathematicians, military personnel, nurses, physicists, politicians (the most famous, Hillary Clinton, was valedictorian of her class of 1968), psychologists, scientists, social workers, stay at home moms, volunteers and writers. They are concerned with and work to support issues such as the future of education, global warming, conservation, equality and of course women’s issues. They are mothers, daughters, partners, caregivers, and friends.
The yearbook stories run the gamut from the triumphant to the not-defeated. The individual economics are not discussed but intuited. One family donated $25 million to erect a new building. Some attended reunion thanks to a Student Aid donation that made travel and week-end fees a possibility.
The majority of women who entered college in 1957 married, a number of them more than once. A percentage have female partners. A significant group of women are alone, mainly through death of spouse or partner. Most have children and grandchildren. These women speak candidly of successes and tragedies. Resilience is a main theme throughout. Many share thoughts about their legacies, to their families and community at large:
Staying healthy is the biggest challenge. Grandchildren are the biggest reward, and gratitude is the foremost emotion.
I am loving retirement and the freedom to do what I like. Life has never been better.
One woman discovered that her beloved husband of many years had another wife and children in a distant state.
Being satisfied with what I have, vs. yearning for what I don’t, yields a modicum of tranquility.
One alum dictated her piece from a hospice bed and died just before reunion: she opined that most of her friends are anxious about what will give out first, the body, the mind, or the funds. She exhorted classmates to accept help gratefully and not fret about things beyond their control.
Each profile in the record book shows the young woman at graduation, in her most vibrant and hopeful incarnation. Most included pictures of themselves now, many with generations of family. Some pictures are simply of the Wellesley campus.
At the end of reunion, on June 5, 2016, women embraced and promised to see each other at their 60th in 2021.