An Act Surprising: Memories of the February Sisters
by Christine Smith
This is a memory of my day as a February Sister.
In 1972 a group of 30 women and 3.5 children occupied the East Asian Studies Building at the University of Kansas demanding a level playing field for women students and staff. I am told it was the first time in U.S. history that women occupied property in pursuit of their own rights.
I am not sure why I wanted to write it all down. At the time it did not seem like an historic event; it just seemed like the best way to advance the issues facing women at that time.
Memory is a tricky thing. I used several techniques like visiting places, talking to people and taking each tidbit of the times I remembered and trying to work out what came before or after. I will try to identify those tidbit because I believe them to be free of conjecture or ego or more free.
Ballad of the February Sisters
Air: Yankee Doodle
words by Christine Leonard Smith
Now here attend and hear a friend
Trill forth a harmonious ditty
Strange things I'll tell, which late befell
Right here in River City.
T'was winter cold with sleet and snow
and February risin'
A gang of girls in flowing curls
pulled off an act suprisin'
Robin Morgan came to town,
The truth can't be denied, Ma'm.
She told the women to be proud
And how the world had lied, Ma'm.
The sisters bold, it must be told,
rallied to the fury,
first realized then organized
And did it in a hurry.
The February Sisters bold
Commandeered a house, Ma'm.
With women true and children too
And held it for a night, Ma'm.
In darkest night began the fight
And lasted 'til the morning.
They stood their ground, while all around,
A panicked town took warning.
"Arise, Arise, "the chancellor cries,
The truth can't be escaped, Ma'm
"Call out the cops, call out the guard,
East Asian has been raped", Ma'm.
Dean Em is there with silver hair
To try and calm down Larry,
He bristles more, with fear is sore.
And still the sisters tarry.
O, boys they came and fond of games,
Screamed loudly in a drone, Ma'm.
"There's snakes within, it is a sin
For you to be alone, Ma'm".
Vern Miller young, with loose, loose tongue
Set out to wrong the right, Ma'm,
Heard there were some who were with young
And went out like a light, Ma'm.
SenEx met the chancellor's threat,
The situation viewing
First damned their eyes with great surprise
Then said, "There's trouble brewing."
They sat in fright all through the night
They planned and then they pleaded."
"Let's not offend J. Citizen"
At last they "sort of" ceded.
With the risin' of the sun
There came the victory singing
And hundreds strong they marched along
Their fists were raised and swinging.
With faces flush from winnings blush
There sisterhood stood strong, Ma'm.
Our power clear, it is still here.
And now the truth is told, Ma'm.
The Chancellor was Larry Chambers
Dean Em was Emily Taylor, Dean of Women
SenEx was the University Faculty Senate Executive Committee
Vern Miller was the state Attorney General --It was rumored that when he heard the news he got a "posse" together and started for Lawrence. Then he heard that someone in the house was pregnant and he returned to Topeka.
The Six Demands of the February Sisters
1) We demand an Affirmative Action Program.
That office opened in the next few months.
2) We demand free Day Care Center financed by the University.
Hilltop opened in the fall of 1972 and is still operating.
3) We demand that a woman be designated to fill the currently vacated position of Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs.
Frances Horowitz was the first female vice-chancellor hired in 1978.
4) We demand an end to unfair employment practices which not only use Civil Service as a means of keeping women’s wages.
The state reformed Civil Service shortly after this...
5) We demand an autonomous Department of Women’s Studies to be controlled and chiefly taught by women.
Opened as a program a few classes in the fall of 1972.
6) We demand a Women’s Health Program.
Didn't really see much change until Schwegler retired a couple of years later.