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Mills Honorees Look Back On CareersBy ELAINE REED\ Three silver-haired alumnae settled down in leather armchairs in the Bender Room of rare books in the library on the Mills College campus to talk.They reminisced about theiralma mater in spirited schoolgirl fashion. And they spoke with modesty of their achievements in various spheres ofscience.Their return to campus was surrounded with pageantry and honor. Yesterday thethree, Dr. Kathryn Grove Shipp, Dr. Camille Mermod and Dr. Dixy Lee Ray, were awarded honorary doctor of law degrees at Mills graduation exercises.On land, on sea and in outer space, the ladies have exDRS. DIXY RAY, KATHRYN GROVE SHIPP, CAMILLE MERMOD'Daughters' of Mills College received honorary degrees at ceremony.celled. Dr. Mermod is a physician; Dr. Ray, a marine biologist, and Dr. Shipp a research scientist whose discovery will head for the moon.Dr. Shipp works for the Navy and resides in Silver Spring, Md. She is credited with a new explosive which wili be used in lunar exploration.A 1925 graduate of Mills, Dr. Shipp is one of six government career women selected to receive a 1967 Federal Woman’s Award. She earned her Ph.D. in chemistry from Yale University in 1930 and was an instructor at Vassar College for two years. She interrupted her science career for a 25-year span, during which she reared four children. She is the grandmotherof five.Dr. Mermod of Maplewood, N.J., was graduated from Mills in 1922. She has a medical degree from Stanford and studied at the Mayo Clinic. She served as pathologist to six hospitals in and near Newark.In private practice since 1946, Dr. Mermod was named New Jersey Medical Woman of the Year in 1959. In 1965 she was awarded the Elizabeth Blackwell Medal by the American Medical Woman’s Association.Dr. Ray is a leading marine biologist. The youngest of the three, she was graduated from Mills in 1938. She is director of the Pacific Science Center in Seattle, A one-time Oakland High School biologyteacher (193842), Dr. Ray is an associate professor of zoology at the University of Washington. In 1964 she was scientific director of Stanford University’s research ship Te Vega during the International Indian Ocean Expedition study of coral reefs.All three consider the various fields of science wide open to women who will take advantage of them. However they feel many women are too willing to give up, noting a lack of applicants in science.“The biggest myth in the world is that science is difficult,” Dr. Ray insisted.How do they feel about their honorary degrees?Mr. Mermod: “I feel very humble and it’s quite unexpected.Dr, Shipp: “Quite frankly I don’t think it’s deserved, but I’m very grateful.”Dr. Ray: “I was very pleased and proud to be recognized by my alma mater.”Then Dr. Ray quipped: “But it takes a mimimum of 30 years to be invited back.”The conversation turned to college days with Dr. Mermod recalling how daring she was to wear an ankle length skirt with a two-inch slit at the ankle.All three attended Mills on full or part time scholarships. But they earned spending money and room and board in a variety of ways. Dr. Ray hashed and worked as relief operator on the switchboard.Caring for the children ofDr. Aurelia Reinhardt, then the president of Mills College, provided room and board for Dr. Mermod. And Dr. Shipp worked as a student assistant in the chemistry department.Noting that none of the ladies altered their silver col* ored hair prompted Dr. Ray to comment: “We must accept the inevitable. Growing old gracefully is still something to be commended.4 More Set Fires Near PittsburgPITTSBURG - A series of incendiary fires is plaguing the Pittsburg Fire Department.Chief Horace Enea appealed to the Sheriff’s Office today to seek out the culprits after four more grass’ fires caused his department to be called out over the week-end.The chief said his men have responded to 14 “set grass fires” in the Columbia Park and El Pueblo areas since May 23.While both sections are outside of Pittsburg the department serves them under contract with the Contra Costa County Housing Authority.Chief Enea said the fires all have been minor “but they are taking up a lot of our timeneedlessly.”
Newspaper Details
Oakland Tribune
Oakland, California, US
Mon, Jun 12, 1967
Page 32
Full Page
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USA 23 Sep 2019
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