Sister Hall
Please note the titles of the respective conductors. Note that the one male in the group is graced with the noble title of "Dr" while the women retain their submissive "sister" title. At least that's how I see it. Sister is what you call someone at church. Or your actual sister. You don't, or shouldn't, refer to a woman in an academic setting as sister. How often do you ever hear people call their male professors "brother" (with the exception of religion classes)?
Please admire "Sister" Hall's academic achievements:
M.M., Choral Conducting, Brigham Young University, 1993.
Postgraduate Music Teacher's Certificate, London University, England, 1978
B.M., Royal Academy of Music, London, England, 1977.
Associate of the London College of Music (piano), London, England, 1977.
Licentiate of the Royal Academy of Music (singing), London, England, 1976.
Postgraduate Music Teacher's Certificate, London University, England, 1978
B.M., Royal Academy of Music, London, England, 1977.
Associate of the London College of Music (piano), London, England, 1977.
Licentiate of the Royal Academy of Music (singing), London, England, 1976.
And now "Sister" Applonie:
M.M. Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, 1990
B.M. (cum laude) Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, 1984
Kodaly Certification, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, 1997
B.M. (cum laude) Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, 1984
Kodaly Certification, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT, 1997
And now "Dr" Staheli:
D.M.A., Choral Music, University of Southern California, 1977.
M.M., Choral Music, University of Southern California, 1973.
B.A., Magna Cum Laude, Piano Performance and Music Theory, including emphasis in voice, Brigham Young University, 1972.
M.M., Choral Music, University of Southern California, 1973.
B.A., Magna Cum Laude, Piano Performance and Music Theory, including emphasis in voice, Brigham Young University, 1972.
Yes, the ladies are both lacking in doctoral status. But they both have a wealth of experience and certification deserving of recognition higher than sister. Like maybe their names. Don't you think?
14 comments:
Oh my. I agree with everything you said. Perhaps "Master Hall" and "Master Applonie" would be more appropriate? Or else one should write "Brother Staheli" to even the score.
Jean Applione was my voice teacher when I was in high school. I absolutely adore her.
"Professor" would have been much more appropriate. It's likely, however, that the people who created the email asked them how they'd like to be credited - that should really be standard practice in these situations. If so, then I honestly see no problem with it, or need to "even the score" when clearly their qualifications are not equal.
How often do you ever hear people call their male professors "brother" (with the exception of religion classes)?
Any time the male professor didn't have a doctorate, and sometimes when they did!
I agree with you completely. I just wanted to add that nuns are referred to as Sister unless they are the head of their covenant, in which case they are called Mother (ie Mother Teresa). Maybe they were trying to give off some weird vibe like that?
Her name would have been so much easier.
I'm thinking it must have been self-selected. Or perhaps they had a department standard, and this program accentuated the quirkiness of the variation in credentials. I had a professor who hated being called "Dr" so he chose "Professor" as title.
Chances are, they preferred "Sister" over "Ms" or "Mrs" or "Madam"
I agree... but Skyler had a professor teach his MCOM class that went by brother... he also didn't have a phD and teaches adjunct at BYU and UVU... isn't that weird?
Amy- I agree- professor would have been better. Perhaps they did request to be called sister, but in that case, I'd like to shake them. But just a little. I see it as condescending and a bit demeaning. Maybe it doesn't bother them, but I think it should! I wish women would stick up for themselves more.
On another note- my favorite professor in the world, Dr. Wendy Baker, has apparently been introduced/referred to dozens of times as "sister" in an academic setting when in the presence of men referring to each other as "Dr." I think it's a common thing at the BY.
I introducing the guest speakers at a conference at UVU last March. I asked each person on the discussion panel how they would like to be introduced and each one of the women (who all had PhD's)said something like, "oh, Judy is fine" or "I prefer Becky." They were all very accomplished women with lots of letters after their names, but they all preferred to be called by their first names, even in an academic setting. I'm not sure what this means, I'm just throwing it out there. I may have noticed it because a certain person I spend a lot of time with notices these types of things.
Judging by the first line of my last comment I can't seem to read or write properly. Maybe it was good that I just asked them what they wanted to be called rather than read it off the paper.
I agree with everything you said, except about the title 'Sister' being condescending and demeaning. My sense is that women as accomplished as these two ladies are would have no problem sticking up for themselves if they did see the title of 'Sister' as such.
somewhat similarly, i've noticed that female auxiliary presidents (rs president, yw president, primary president, etc) tend to be referred to as "president" far less often than male auxiliary presidents. words matter, which is why i never let my byu students call me sister ___.
Fautie says:
Hah! I guess the misogynistic tendencies of the LDS Church are still alive and well at BYU still.
Oh but we have come such a long, long way.
And Kelly, women who stick up for themselves in the LDS Church get kicked out. Just ask Margret Toscono or Lavina Fielding Anderson. Course that was the early 1990s. Maybe you would not get kicked out today.
Very interesting observation. Who wrote the article?
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