The Cincinnati Enquirer from Cincinnati, Ohio • Page 21

i 22 Thursday, December 20, 1973 Xavier Professor To Help Students Find Philosophy Of Women 0 I 1 x- MM Jv A tVcvc. sly Or fP '1 iiiiiiiirr concepts of woman throughout the history of philosophy. She will cover Plato, Aristotle, Karl Marx, Gertrude Von le Fort (author of "The Eternal Schopenhauer (who said that woman is the being with long hair and short ideas) and Simon de Beauvoir (Jean Paul Sartre's mistress who wrote "The Second The course will be divided Into three parts: How do we know we are What what is it to be a and what are the consequences of being a "What it is to be a woman is behind everything else," said Mrs. Blair, who received a professor of philosophy degree from the University of Buenos Aires. "There is a lot to do in analyzing all sex-based statements and deciding which are the valid reasons behind them.

This is the philosophy of woman I would teach." She goes through the newspapers in search of articles about women she could use in class. "But there are so much contradictions. For instance, I read in the paper an article that denied Catholic bishops the right to decide if women should or should net have abortions because since they are not physically capable of having children, they are not mentally capable of deciding whether or not women are allowed to abort. Thus, women are equal to men but men are not equal to women. "A WOMAN HAS SOMETHING to give which is original from man," said Mrs.

Blair. "Woman is a different reality and this is what I will teach my students. Men and women initiated the course, and men and women are enrolled in it." She agrees with Karl Marx's criticism of women as sex objects, which alienates their dignity. But she thinks that a woman has been put together better for beauty than a man because her body Is a better reflection of her spirit than a man's. "The body is a good tool for a woman to show her beauty." According to Mrs.

Blair, some people in the women's lib movement confuse the civil society with the familial society civil is based on justice, family is beyond justice because it's based on love. Lately there has been some discussion by ardent libbers that housewives should get paid Blair definitely nixes this, saying the housewife does her work for love, love is free, therefore the housewife's work is invaluable. She believes that people should do in their lives what they would do even If they did not get paid. "Don't do jobs for money only, but also for the satisfaction of giving yourself to others. The United States society is based in quantitative notions, everything is measured.

What man can give is much more valuable than what he Is paid," she cautioned. She believes that women must be liberated from themselves before society will "liberate" them. If a woman acts independent and grown up, she will get treated that way, and vice versa. "We are in a new paganism today. Plato suggested that the only differ-, ence between man and woman was a physical one, which Is female chau-vanism.

Aristotle said that woman was merely a defection of man, which is male chauvanism." Mrs. Blair's personal philosophy is that the sexes are complimentary and essential to each other. "I believe in making scientific what is common sense, and I am against any philosophy that goes against reality." Actually, she has been preparing for a long time for her upcoming role as professor of philosophy of woman. Enquirer (Ed Relnke) Photo MRS. GEORGE BLAIR, a native of Buenos Aires, Argentina, where she was a key figure in the underground revolution to oust dictator Juan Peron in 1954, will teach the first "Philosophy of Woman" course at Xavier University next semester.

The poster behind her is the one circulated by her students to promote the course. began at the University' of Buenos Aires where she joined the women's branch of the Association University of Catholic Action (AUDAC which means courageous in Latin). She wrote a chapter on woman and philosophy for AUDAC's publication "Woman and the University," which concentrated on the special roles of women in professions and politics, especially what men could not do. Then she became a political activist against Peron in the 1954 revolutionary movement, after which she: taught philosophy In Buenos Aires high schools and pontifical universities for five years. In 1961, she came to Fordham University in New York City on a Obviously, she is not feeling the pinch of the identity crisis.

She said that one of the reasons for lack of identity in the American woman is that the culture Itself does not have a model. Whereas, Argentina uses the Virgin Mary for its model. "The woman in Argentina is the 'bone of the culture' and does not get mixed up in man's little everyday business," she said. "However, they exert great influence when it is needed, for Instance the well-known Argentine poet and senator, Belisar-io Roldan, voted against a law he had planned to vdte for because his mother asked him not to It was shocking to her sense of morality." Pan American Union Scholarship to get her master's degree in phy and education. There she met and married her husband, Dr.

George Blair, who Is the chairman of the philosophy department at' Thomas More College. THE BLAIRS have been in Cincinnati since 1963, except for one year, 1966, when Dr. Blair was asked to return to the University of Buenos Aires on a Fullbright scholarship. Mrs. Blair successfully combines an active teaching career with the raising of two children, Paul, nine, and Mlchele, six, and admits she loves to cook French gourmet foods.

By VIGEE HALL SEELEN Enquirer Feature Writer If a woman Is not home washing the dishes, she feels she has to go out and act like a man, said Mrs. George (Elena) Blair, an underground political activist against Juan Peron in the 1954 Argentine revolution. As organizing secretary of the women's branch of the Union Federals political party during Peron's first regime, she traveled through Argentina from June, 1953, to June, 1954, making contact with the women and developing the principles for the feminine branch of the party. In the book, "A Black Rose Operation," an account of the civil resistance against Peron in preparation for the revolution, she was personified in her role of secretary as the character "Zulema." Mrs. Blair, who is an assistant professor of philosophy at Xavier University, will teach the first course in "Philosophy of Woman" at Xavier next semester.

"I see today a crisis of identity and ideas in woman. The solution is in a philosophy of woman. I told my students the way to help in solving the identity crisis (a false dilemma of woman feeling she is either a satellite of man or independenty self-centered) is to get a clear idea of what woman is. I said I would be willing to teach a course if they wanted it." WITHIN' THE FIRST few days, 32 students signed a petition. The chairman of the philosophy department accepted the course.

"What I am mostly proud about is the students were the ones who pushed it," said the beaming Argentine native. She described her upcoming course as a discussion of different Breast DEAR ABBY: May I answer that 45-year-old woman who survived breast cancer, and inquired about the possibility of having plastic surgery to replace the amputated breast, but she didn't want to appear "vain or I had a breast removed, and later had reconstructive plastic surgery to make me "whole" again, and I can't tell you how much it did for my morale, I am 50, and believe me, I'm no sexpot, and I also had a very understanding husband who tried to make me feel that I was still as beautiful and desirable as ever regardless, but I had the operation for myself. I would encourage any woman who wants this type of surgery and is able to have it. Mine was done by Dr. Shattuck Hartwell at the Cleveland Clinic, and he was marvelous.

WHOLE AGAIN DEAR WHOLE AGAIN'. I think it's important to add that not all women who have had breast amputations are candidates for this type of surgery, but thank you for encouraging those who can. DEAR ABBY: Have you ever heard of the superstition, "Three times a bridesmaid, never a bride? I have been a bridesmaid twice and am now engaged to be married next July. A girl friend of mine, who Is being married in March has asked me to be a bridesmaid at her wedding, and I want to accept, but this superstition keeps coming to mind. Everyone I've mentioned it to says I am foolish to let something like a superstition bother me, but if Restoration Isn't Silly Pffl Doris Hasn't Yet Called something happened to prevent my being a bride, I would never forgive myself.

Frankly, being a bride Is far more important to me than being a bridesmaid for a third time. What do you think I should do? CAUGHT TWO BOUQUETS DEAR CAUGHT: Feeling as you do, decline the invitation to be a bridesmaid. DEAR ABBY: Tonight was my wife's 30th birthday. I am 34. We've been married 10 years.

I bought her a corsage and took her out for dinner. When we got home she kissed me and said she wanted another present which wouldn't cost any money, but would take about two minutes of my time. Then she led me to the bedroom and on my pillow she had the following clipping from your column. She said she had been "saving it" until she had the nerve to show it to me. And here it is: "Dear Abby: Once again, a letter in your col (as well as bankbook) since her favorite people are dogs and other animals.

Seems to me I read recently that actress Claire Trevor had passed away. My husband says I'm wrong which I hope I am. Can you resolve this for me? And also, tell us her age and about how man films she made? Lillian Frombach, Miami. Miss Trevor, 64, happily, is alive. On the stage from childhood, her first picture was "Life in the Raw" in 1933, followed by more than 150 feature films.

She won an Academy Award for her role In "Key Largo" (1948). Born Clair Wemlinger, the noted actress has only one hangup. She enjoys smoking cigars. "Someday," she has said, "I hope I'll learn not to Inhale!" Who at the UN said, "I am not a gentleman, I am representative of the Soviet Union John Bruns, Buffalo. Semyon Tsarapkin, Soviet delegate to the United Nations in 1964, in reply to Ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge's Inquiry on why "the gentleman" was asking for the floor.

To which Lodge retorted: "The two are not necessarily mutually exclusive-" Every once in a while on a talk show I hear some performer refer to umn from a man complaining because his wife doesn't give him enough affection. (1 Just can't get her into the When a man says 'affection' he means sex. Sex is great, but what most women really want is affection. The reassuring words, the warm embraces, the loving looks. In my case, I can't show my husband the least bit of 'affection' without his wanting to head for the bedroom.

He isn't the 'affectionate' type. And he doesn't want to waste time with preliminaries. Women are advised to fake orgasms in order to please their husbands. Will you please advise men to fake a little affection in order to please their wives? It could save their marriage My wife's name is not "Jinny," but I know what she meant. Thanks for printing that letter.

Sign UP" DEAR WISED: Maybe this will "wise up" others. It A Day "flop sweat." What does it mean? Mrs. Buddy Barnett, San Jose, Calif. Flop sweat is an old vaudeville term, still used, to describe the sheath of perspiration that soaked a comic when his act flopped. Usually he'd blame it on a "tough audience" and, as he slumped off stage, he'd remark: "Boy, I'm covered with flop sweat!" How many boys and girls has Bing Crosby fathered'? Mrs.

T. Hartley, St. Cloud, Minn. Six sons and one daughter. Four boys from his marriage to the late actress Dixie Lee, whom he wed In 1930.

And two boys and a girl from his marriage In 1957 to actress and registered nurse Cathy Grant. Incidentally, the seven offspring try to stage a reunion every Christmas season. wrm mushrooms grow wild on riflesso's printed shirtdress by rontinL.soft, satin-sheen polyester takes on graceful, feminine lines. Comfortable, always. Easy care, of course; it's completely machine washable.

And, how the mushrooms bloom. in light blue on brown. Sizes 8 to 16 $38 Regency Place (q358), Third Floor and Suburban Stores, if Will Doris Day be back on TV now that her series has concluded? Mrs. Otis Farrell, Richmond, Va. Doris doesn't have to call it a day.

You'll probably see her more frequently on your home screen than ever before. Filming commercials for General Foods under a contract that calls for $1 million over a five-year span-for only 17 days of work. She'll do the Gaines dog food spots- a product close to her heart CLAIRE TREVOR wants to quit inhaling..