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Smith Hosts National Conference On Diversity Congresswoman's Papers Come to Smith Not-Ready-For-Prime-Time Robotics New Book Restores Credit to Sophia Smith ............................

Smith Voices Heard in New Volume The voices and visions of Smith alumnae--33 authors and 22 artists--are featured in a new volume, Smith Voices: Selected Works by Smith College Alumnae, edited by Patricia Skarda of the English department. The anthology of poetry, fiction and essays and reproductions of original art has been in the works for two years, during which Skarda had the assistance of two interns, two STRIDE Scholars and "an army of students who helped me proofread." Skarda's interest in literature written by Smith alumnae began in the college's centennial year, 1974­75, when she taught a student-initiated course on Smith authors. And then, about 10 years ago, she edited what she calls "the pilot" for the current book. Called Smith Voices, it served as a prize presented to hundreds of high school winners of Smith Book Awards. When that collection's 3,000-copy printing was exhausted, Linda Salisbury '78, then a member of the National Alumnae Admission Committee, stepped in to create an endowment to support a new Smith Book Award book. Although Skarda says the new volume "bears only slight resemblance" to the earlier one, they share the primary purpose of supporting the college's admission and advancement efforts. The newly published book includes literary selections from such well-known alumnae as Madeleine L'Engle '41, Molly Ivins '66, Anne Morrow Lindbergh '28, Julia Child '34, Sylvia Plath '55, Betty Friedan '42, Meg Greenfield '52 and Gloria Steinem '56. Alumnae artists represented include Sandy Skoglund '68, Pamela See '73 and Susan Hiller '61. The book was designed by Elizabeth Pols '75. As Skarda observes in the dust-jacket blurb, the voices in the book are unique to each alumna. "They are loving and strident, realistic and surrealistic, pleasing and shocking, but they speak with authority and marked individuality to vast audiences and many have, in fact, changed the world by the articulation of their particular visions. For many of the more than 50 women chosen for this collection, Smith set a standard against which they measure themselves."

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NewsSmith is published by the Smith College Office of College Relations for alumnae, staff, students and friends.
Copyright © 1998, Smith College. Portions of this publication may be reproduced with the permission of the Office
of College Relations, Garrison Hall, Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts 01063. Last update: 10/18/99.

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