Joan Pearlman

I arrived in Woods Hole in the summer of 1969 as part of the Harvard entourage brought by Steve Kuffler. (I grew up in Iowa with my extended Russian immigrant family) My first husband, my 3 daughters and I settled in to an MBL apartment, then Devil's Lane. The specialness of the community was palpable. It was also a time when I was on the cusp; my husband had finished his training and taken a job in St. Louis. My daughters were now in school. Up to this point, I had worked in a variety of teaching jobs. The move from Boston (my 5th city in 12 years) meant I had to leave my studies toward a graduate degree in art history. Some careers later, after marrying Peter Kivy (aka Lobster Claus) in the MBL Rare Books Room (we met in Woods Hole), I got an M.A. in folk art history. I taught at The New School in New York where we winter, and gave a talk on Cuban art for the MBL.

Back in St. Louis, I had made a practical decision to get a degree in Counseling Psychology, leading to jobs, mostly involved with the feminist movement. While at the Univ. of MO as Counselor for Women, then, Director of Continuing Education for women, I was involved in upgrading women's status and opportunities. Two books resulted from that, bringing in enough royalties to buy my house in WH.

How does this tie in to WH (besides the house which anchored me)? My first experience with consciousness raising (CR) groups was in the Community Hall about 1970. Word was sent out that some women were interested in forming a CR group. That evening, hoards of women, coming from all directions, converged on the Hall. We broke into 10-12 groups and by the end of the summer we were astounded and quite moved by what we learned about each other and ourselves. Many of us went home in the fall and started CR groups there. For me, this WH experience directed my new career in counseling and leading groups for women.

I had custody of my house after a divorce, and moved back to Boston partly to be close to WH and my wonderful friends here. My daughters, Chee, Karen and Marnae, were in college on the East Coast, and the WH house was an anchor and draw for all of us. It had sheltered us during the summers of science school, folk singing, working at the Fishmonger and Market Bookstore, going to Stony and the library, eating lobsters, marching on July 4th, etc. Now, it does the same for my grandchildren who arrive in summer from Sydney Aus. and Geneva NY.

I've enjoyed serving on the boards of the MBL Associates and the Falmouth Artists Guild. I spent many a Saturday at New Alchemy weeding, picking bugs and enjoying being with the environmentalists. That experience informs my volunteer work today. Last summer, I had my first solo photography show at the terrific WH Library. Until I wrote this, I hadn't contemplated how intertwined my life has been with Woods Hole, what a great bond I have with this community, and how happy I am to be one of the "over 75" women drawn back by nostalgia and sense of place.