Beth Ashley, Tam 1944* - journalist
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Sweeping changes have radically transformed women's lives over the last few decades. At times the changes have been confusing and overwhelming, but always they have been challenging as women grapple to redefine themselves in a...
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Sweeping changes have radically transformed women's lives over the last few decades. At times the changes have been confusing and overwhelming, but always they have been challenging as women grapple to redefine themselves in a world in constant motion. Amidst the uncertainty, writer Beth Ashley has served as a thoughtful and honest guide, her words reflecting the issues, needs, challenges and victories of her audience. As Beth has searched for what it means to be a woman living in Marin County, U.S.A. at this point in history, she has shared both the pain and the joy of her journeys. Her readers have seen their paths reflected in the glow of Beth's writings, and their lives have grown bigger, richer and deeper as a result. Born in 1926 in Newton, Massachusetts, Beth feels that she’s still a New Englander despite years of California living. The last of Guy and Marion MacVicar's offspring, Beth was blessed with loving parents who were devoted to their four children: Beth, her two sisters, and a brother. Beth's father was a successful investment banker, and the family prospered, enjoying well-appointed homes, maids, and elegant cars until the Great Depression wiped it all away. Beth's father's struggled to keep the family afloat and often worked away from home during Beth's childhood. In those desperate days, some men committed suicide rather than face the total loss of their fortunes, but Beth's father was essentially a cheerful man, and put his energies into supporting his wife and four children. Beth was too young to fully experience the family's reversals. Her childhood days were happy, and she remembers her mother's influence on her young life. "My mother was "a real lady," Beth recalls, "a wonderful, dear, quiet, gentle person." The family was often on the move, and Beth lived in many places across the country and attended more than a dozen schools before college. Without lasting childhood friendships, Beth drew support from her loving, strong family. Beth recalls her father's pride in his children. He was always promoting them and making them feel good about themselves. Writing was also a part of Beth's childhood. She recalls writing "hideously illustrated adventure books" in the fourth grade and also always worked on the newspaper of whatever school she attended. Wartime brought dramatic changes. Beth's family moved to Marin County, California in 1942 when her father became head of recruitment for Marinship in Sausalito. The family first lived in San Rafael, then moved to Sausalito and finally Belvedere When Beth had finished her junior year of high school, she was admitted to Stanford University. At Stanford Beth hesitated to pick a major as she was intensely interested in many subjects. Two things drew Beth to journalism: her passion for finding the right words to express herself and an insatiable curiosity about the world and people around her. Beth thought journalism might be a little like taking a class in every subject. Because the men were away at war, many opportunities opened for women students on campus and Beth became editor of the Stanford Daily, an experience that sealed her fate. In 1947 Beth graduated magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa with a dual major in journalism and political science. She was ready to take on the world. In 1947, Beth worked briefly as program director of KTIM, a start-up radio station in Marin County. She wrote, produced and narrated a daily news and interview show called "This is Marin," and also developed a disc jockey show called "Kate and Tim" after the call letters KTIM. Beth enjoyed radio, but still hoped to work on a newspaper. She got her first newspaper job at the Inglewood Daily News in Southern California as a copy editor and reporter. She ended up, eight months later as city editor. While enjoying her job, Beth was always looking for new horizons. When a friend from Stanford asked her, out of the blue, if she'd like to move to Paris, she answered, "Why not?" Beth and two friends, a man and woman, spent a year living in St. Germaine de Pres in Paris. Beth worked as a
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Highlights:
Ashley attended Tam in 1942 and 1943; she was admitted to Stanford after completing her junior year in Redondo Beach. She writes a coumn for the Thursday edition of the Marin IJ.
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