Speaking engagements as the chancellor's wife
Aycock briefly describes some of the speaking engagements she had during her husband's tenure as chancellor of the University of North Carolina. Aycock sometimes spoke at women's organizations or to student wives. According to Aycock, this was one of her many responsibilities as the chancellor's wife.
Citing this Excerpt
Oral History Interview with Grace Aycock, March 28, 1990. Interview L-0037. Southern Oral History Program Collection (#4007) in the Southern Oral History Program Collection, Southern Historical Collection, Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Full Text of the Excerpt
- FRANCES A. WEAVER:
-
Grace, is there anything we haven't covered now that you can
think of that relates to the, in a sense, responsibilities of the
chancellor's wife.
- GRACE AYCOCK:
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I think of the fact that I did make a few talks.
- FRANCES A. WEAVER:
-
Oh, you did. So you were called on to talk to what, Woman's
Associations?
- GRACE AYCOCK:
-
No, they were mostly in Chapel Hill and were students' wives
groups. I remember especially the law students' wives and
pharmacy students' wives. Also, to one of the Valkyrie
breakfasts. I remember once presenting the Irene Lee Award.
- FRANCES A. WEAVER:
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Oh, that's to an outstanding woman, I believe.
- GRACE AYCOCK:
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Woman, yes. I was an advisor of the Carolina Woman's Council
which was made up of leaders of the dormitories.
- FRANCES A. WEAVER:
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I see. So you did that. What message did you give to women as the
chancellor's wife?
- GRACE AYCOCK:
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I mostly talked to the student wives about what an important thing I
felt they were doing to help their husbands get through school, and some
of them, of course, were working outside the home.
- FRANCES A. WEAVER:
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Putting husbands through, we called it. PHT, we called it.
She's getting her PHT, Putting Husband Through, yes. I
remember those days.
- GRACE AYCOCK:
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And of course, the Valkyries are mostly about being a student leader,
which, of course, they were. The presentation of the Irene Lee Award was
a shorter presentation.
- FRANCES A. WEAVER:
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Of that.
- GRACE AYCOCK:
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Yes, mostly about the girl who had won it.
- FRANCES A. WEAVER:
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Well, Grace, I think we've covered a lot of aspects of the
chancellor's wife. Certainly not all there was, but I think
you've given me a good insight into it. I certainly remember
those days well, living down Laurel Hill Road from where the
chancellor's residence was.
- GRACE AYCOCK:
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The only thing I can remember that I have not mentioned is that the
Homecoming Queen was once selected at our house.
- FRANCES A. WEAVER:
-
Oh really.
- GRACE AYCOCK:
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Yes, the group who were doing the selecting and all the candidates were
there. It was an interesting, fun afternoon for me, but it was probably
more strenuous for them.
- FRANCES A. WEAVER:
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A little stressful for the girls.
- GRACE AYCOCK:
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And sometime during those years I served as a jurist for the Miss Chapel
Hill Contest. Not at our house, but I think it was in Memorial Hall.