[ RuthSimmons - 28 - 09:16:24 ]
RE: [yazminRaquel-students/MontgomeryHigh] What persuaded you to become president of Smith college?
I became president of Smith because it is a very strong women's college, and I wanted to help educate girls and women.

[ RuthSimmons - 32 - 09:19:43 ]
RE: [Raquel-students/MontgomeryHigh] How do you feel about being a great great granddaughter of slaves? Was it hard becoming president of Smith college? Did your sex affect of you becoming president?
My great great grandparents who were slaves were of course in bondage against their will. However, they made the best of their circumstances and made a way for their children and grandchildren to live and have pride in who they are. So I am proud of what my forebearers accomplished in spite of the hardships. My gender was probably an asset in becoming president of Smith because Smith is a women's college.

[ RuthSimmons - 33 - 09:20:37 ]
RE: [JamieLizaAnneliseAadith-Steve/StanfordMiddleSchool] Hi, What is your goal in life?
My goal in life is to be helpful to other people. I hope you will also have that goal.

[ RuthSimmons - 34 - 09:21:53 ]
RE: [Steve/StanfordMiddleSchool] What's your favorite book?
My favorite book is called "Song of Solomon" by Toni Morrison. What is your favorite book?

[ RuthSimmons - 35 - 09:22:36 ]
RE: [students/MontgomeryHigh] Do you go to schoools to speak publicly?
Yes, I often speak at schools but mostly at colleges.

[ RuthSimmons - 40 - 09:24:53 ]
RE: [Steve/StanfordMiddleSchool] Did you ever remember of anything particular about being discriminated against?
The main thing I remember about discrimination when I was young is that people would call me names when I walked down the street. It was a pretty frightening experience. I hope that doesn't happen to children any longer.

[ RuthSimmons - 41 - 09:26:38 ]
RE: [Steve/StanfordMiddleSchool] What have you changed most about Smith College, and what are/were your goals?
I conducted a study last year to help people at Smith think about new ways of doing things and I think that was very successful. We are now implementing a number of new programs such as internships.

[ RuthSimmons - 42 - 09:27:59 ]
RE: [students/MontgomeryHigh] What was your report about that resulted in a number of initiatives that received wide spread attention?
My report was completed when I was at Princeton University and it was about Race Relations. I was trying to offer some suggestions about ways for people of different races and ethnic groups to get along better.

[ RuthSimmons - 45 - 09:31:26 ]
RE: [mcdermon/RuralHall] How many college degrees did you get? Were your great-great grandparents in the civil war? How many years did you spend in college? When is your birthday? What do you do in your spare time?
I have a BA, an MA and a PhD. I also have many honorary college degrees. I was in school until I was 27 years old. I don't think my great great grandparents were in the Civil War. I have very little spare time but when I am free I like to read. I hope you read a lot because reading helps tremendously when you are in college.

[ RuthSimmons - 47 - 09:33:56 ]
RE: [students/MontgomeryHigh] How long did you go to college? Do you have any children? Would you like for them to follow in your footsteps?
I went to college for about 10 years, first to get a BA, then to get an MA and PHD. I have two children, a boy and a girl. I hope they will not follow in my footsteps but feel free to create their own paths. It's very important for young people to create their own way. I did that as a child and I was encouraged to do so.

[ RuthSimmons - 50 - 09:37:49 ]
RE: [students/MontgomeryHigh] How do you feel about receiving so many prizes? Do you consider yourself a successful person? How did you feel about becoming Glamour Women of the year?
It's always good to be recognized for what you have accomplished but it's exceedingly embarrassing sometimes to have people compliment your work. I try to understand the need to accept awards. I think I am reasonably successful but I am always trying to become better at what I do. Anyone who thinks they are perfect probably isn't; we have to strive constantly to improve ourselves. Being a Glamour Woman of the Year was fun because I met the other winners. They included the Women's Olympic Basketball Team, Rosie O'Donnell and many other wonderful women.

[ RuthSimmons - 52 - 09:40:16 ]
RE: [Patti/CJHS] Did you have any heroines that inspired you as you grew up?
I admired many people when I was growing up. First, my mother was a great influence on my life. Then my teachers were instrumental in helping me set high goals for myself. So my heroines were not distant people or stars or athletes; they were everyday people who offered me an example of how to live my life.

[ RuthSimmons - 54 - 09:42:19 ]
RE: [AndersonElemSchool] Hi Mrs. Simmons. Do have any regrets or wish you could go back and change anything in your life?
It would be selfish of me to want to change anything in my life because I am today the product of all that happened to me. But if I could change anything, I would change the fact that my mother died when I was very young. I hope that if your parents are alive you will appreciate having them with you.

[ RuthSimmons - 55 - 09:44:51 ]
RE: [Tish/NASAChatHost] From Stephanie - What did you enjoy doing most when you were young and in elementary school?
When I was in elementary school we had something called a May Pole dance. It was colorful and full of pageantry. We dressed in rainbow colors and had long streamers which we trailed when we danced. It was so much fun.

[ Tish/NASAChatHost - 56 - 09:45:08 ]
You are all sending in very thoughtful questions and we are posting them slowly to give Dr. Simmons a chance to answer them all. So even if you do not see your message posted immediately we do have it here and will try to get to them all. Thank you for being patient. We also have a number of questions we are receiving via email from students who are having logging in problems and we are posting them for the students.

[ RuthSimmons - 57 - 09:47:27 ]
RE: [Steve/StanfordMiddleSchool] Is there anything that you distinctly remember about growing up in a segregated neighborhood?
The main thing about growing up in a segregated neighborhood is that you couldn't go to movies and restaurants and theatres the way that people can today. So the opportunities for meeting different people and experiencing different art forms were very limited.

[ RuthSimmons - 60 - 09:51:02 ]
RE: [Tish/NASAChatHost] This question via eamil from Claire in Palo Alto, CA - What degrees is Smith College known for and are there special requirements to get in?
Claire, to get into Smith you have to have a strong high school average (A's and B's) and good scores on the Scholastic Aptitude Test. You also have to be well-rounded and be able to contribute to campus life. Naturally, you have to be a hard worker and want to apply yourself in your academic subjects. To read admission information on the Web: www.smith.edu and click on the Admission button. Good luck to you!

[ RuthSimmons - 62 - 09:52:50 ]
RE: [AndersonElemSchool] Dr.Smith, did you have any teachers that inspired you along the way?
I had many teachers along the way who inspired me. I hope that you will follow your teachers' advice because I did and it contributed to my success.

[ Tish/NASAChatHost - 63 - 09:53:28 ]
Via email from Debbie Hartwig's class: Did you have any friends that were white or other races when you were living in a segregated neighborhood? Did you ever get to play with them?

[ RuthSimmons - 70 - 09:56:09 ]
RE: [Patti/CJHS] What kinds of things would you recommend that a female student focus on in order to be successful?
A female student should work hard to overcome any anxiety about subjects that girls have traditionally not excelled in. You should take as many math courses as possible; you should study science to gain an understanding of the natural world. You should learn how the world works economically. And you should learn how machines operate so that you will not be intimidated by machines. It's a good sign that you are on the Web; we know you will be computer literate!

[ RuthSimmons - 72 - 09:57:56 ]
RE: [Tish/NASAChatHost] Via email from Sonia/Burton Valley Elem. - Did you always know you would be successful? What did you want to be when you were younger?
I did not know I would be successful when I was young. In fact, I probably thought I wouldn't be because my family was very poor and I didn't think I would have enough money to go to college. But, it all worked out so that I could attend college after all.

[ RuthSimmons - 73 - 09:59:51 ]
RE: [students/MontgomeryHigh] How many languages do you speak? and which languages do you speak?
I have studied five languages: French, Spanish, Italian, German and Latin. I only speak French fluently but I can make my way in Spanish and I can read Spanish much better than I speak it. Hola!

[ RuthSimmons - 75 - 10:04:15 ]
RE: [Patti/CJHS] I notice that you went to an all-black elementary school. Do you feel that integration of schools has helped, or do you think that more focused attention can be gotten in a segregated environment?
I don't think that segregated schools are bad from the standpoint of not offering a good basic education. The problem is that a segregated education is a limited and limiting education. Our world now requires us to work with and understand many different people. How can we do that without interacting with different groups over many years. If I had not travelled and studied with different races throughout college years, I would not have been able to be president of a college. I think I am a better president because I speak French, I have lived in different parts of the world and have friends and acquaintances from many different ethnic groups and races.

[ RuthSimmons - 77 - 10:05:26 ]
RE: [mcdermon/RuralHall] What is the title of your book?
The title of my book is The Educational System in Haiti.

[ RuthSimmons - 79 - 10:10:04 ]
RE: [Tish/NASAChatHost] Via email from Sue Rusk-Vice Principal of Burton Valley-Are there any suggestions that you can give our teachers to help reduce racial problems in this day and age with our students.
I think the most important thing for all of us to do to advance racial accord is to insist on everybody's responsibility to work toward racial understanding. Every young person should be made to see that they have a personal stake in bettering race relations in this country and that, as a result, they have to work ACTIVELY at learning about other people, trying to improve themselves, and fostering better attitudes in their friends and relatives. Racial understanding is accomplished one person at a time.

[ RuthSimmons - 80 - 10:13:01 ]
RE: [Tish/NASAChatHost] Via email from Mrs. Hancock's class - Do you see more benefit in celebrating black historians during Black History month or do you think it is better to show current black role models to students these days?
I think that understanding historical figures is very important. At the same time, current figures can often be more palpable to students. I think both are important, though I don't think historical figures should be studied just during Black History Month.