When the Female Student Room Was Established

2021/10/28

The Female Student Room was newly established in the southern corner of Yamashoku in 1963. Before it opened in September, the preparatory committee held five "Career Seminars for Female Students" to hear opinions from working alumnae. At the end of February 1963, the number of undergraduate students was 21,748, of which 1,723 were female students. The room remained until the demolition of Yamashoku in the fall of 1991, and in its final years, it was lent to the Mother Student Association as a place for breastfeeding during the summer schooling of the Correspondence Education Program.

One day, I suddenly received a call from the Keio Office of Communications and Public Relations. "You spoke to students at a career lecture in the Female Student Room in 1963, didn't you?" "...No, I have no memory of that." "We are certain because the name Ms. Chino (maiden name) is on the photo from that time." Because of this, I ended up tracing my memories back sixty years—six decades ago—and recalling how we scrambled during that era of job scarcity. Even now, when older people ask what year I graduated and I reply "1961," they sometimes say, "Job hunting for women was tough that year, wasn't it?" That year, the only media-related recruitment for women was for announcer positions at broadcasting stations. I don't know the total numbers, but it seems many female students hoping for jobs rushed to apply. That "moment" arrived in a flash; I ran around several broadcasting stations, and it passed like a storm. When things settled down, I was left with a sense of hollow exhaustion and a sense of fulfillment.

Although the number of female students had increased at the time, there was no culture of women gathering on campus to talk, and I have no memory of exchanging opinions during job hunting. One person found a job as a secretary for an overseas correspondent by looking at the newspaper's help-wanted ads. Another person got a job by pleading with her alma mater to hire her as a teacher. Each of us was making our own efforts and fighting our own battles.

When I joined NHK, I naturally assumed that getting a job meant working until retirement. However, when a senior male colleague peered into my face and said, "Are you the one who says they'll work until retirement?" I felt my heart turn cold. Also, women often gathered to talk, and when I mentioned to a senior colleague that I felt it was somewhat bothersome, she told me, "Women still have a weak position in the workplace. That's exactly why it's necessary to stick together sometimes." I thus experienced the weight of female groups.

It was right around this time that the "Female Student Room" was created. I think it was very encouraging for female students. Looking at the students in the photos, my heart warms at their gazes, where I can sense expectations for the future even within their anxious expressions. I am curious about the "present" of those who attended. That said, if anyone knows about the flyer for this meeting that I don't remember, I would be happy if you could let me know.

(Junko Hashimoto, former NHK announcer)