Taking a cue from the book, “The Girls of the Atomic City,” by Denise Kiernan, the Monday luncheon program of the AAUW Oak Ridge Branch will feature a panel of Girls of the Secret City, a press release said.
Colleen Black, Lynn Fortenbery, Cleva Marrow, and Dot Wilkinson will share their experiences about how they came to Oak Ridge from various states and the early days in the new community and their varied jobs, the release said. They will talk about their first impressions of Oak Ridge and happenings in their new home town.
Black came to Oak Ridge from Nashville in 1944 with her family. She worked at Ford Bacon and Davis as a leak detector operator.
Fortenbery, with a new degree in chemistry from Lawrence University in Appleton, Wis., came to Oak Ridge in March 1944 to work for Tennessee Eastman.
Marrow, from western Kentucky, came to Oak Ridge in 1944 as a bride, having worked at the Kentucky Ordnance Works in Paducah, Ky. She did what is now called quality control for the calutron.
Wilkinson came from Hornbeak, Tenn., near Memphis, right after high school to work in Oak Ridge as a calutron cubicle operator.
The AAUW meetings are being held for the rest of this year at First Presbyterian Church on the corner of the Turnpike and Lafayette in Room 102 of the Education wing of the Church. Members of the public are invited to attend.
Preceding Monday’s panel discussion, which starts at noon, is a luncheon catered by the Soup Kitchen. It will consist of a choice of soups, sandwiches, and a dessert. The cost for the luncheon is $8. For reservations, call Marge Congdon at (865) 483-3120 or Mary Uziel at (865) 483-1043.
AAUW (American Association of University Women) is an organization with branches in all 50 states. Its mission is to advance equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, philanthropy, and research. Membership is not limited to women, and the local branch has a number of men as members. A university degree is not a requirement to join. More information about the organization may be found at www.AAUW.org or oakridge-tn.aauw.net.
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