Women in Washington County. A Conference Cosponsored by Hagerstown Junior College and CASA/New Directions for Women (Hagerstown, Maryland, April 1981).

The proceedings of a conference are presented, at which representatives from various Washington County (Maryland) women's organizations discussed education, employment, career choice, and domestic violence in relation to the status of women. The monograph first presents four position papers dealing with these conference themes: Diane E. Weaver notes the preponderance of women in low-paying jobs and the need for non-traditional career counseling; Marie E. Nowakowski discusses the failure of education to enhance the status of women in a society which is not receptive to their participation in powerful positions; Robin L. Spaid reviews the problems faced by displaced homemakers and the low priority assigned by society to women's programs; and Vicki A. Sadehvandi discusses the plight of battered women. Next, the text of Constance Ross Beims' keynote address is presented in which she discusses the historical struggle of women to gain recognition and legal rights; the low socioeconomic status of women in Maryland despite an equal rights amendment to the state's constitution; special issues related to employment, health, and education; and the limited response of government to battered, displaced, and homeless women. Finally, the monograph reviews the issues raised in small group discussions which examined each of the conference themes. The conference program, evaluation results, and a list of participants are appended. (JP)