Dorothea Beale: Principal of the Cheltenham Ladies' College, 1858-1906 — Story, Setting & Ideas

Discoveries and enterprises of the Nineteenth Century--Effect on the educational world--Girls’ education in age of Elizabeth and in Nineteenth Century--Protests against the latter--Pioneers of higher education--Our indebtedness to them 1

Dorothea Beale--Parentage--Mrs. Cornwallis and her daughter--Their influence on Dorothea Beale--Home life--Early education--School life--Time of self-education--Attitude to games--Reading in early life--Euclid--School in France--Some personal characteristics--Religious and other influences of home 4

History of Queen’s College--Early students--Rev. F. D. Maurice--His opening address--Dorothea Beale’s attitude to teaching--Study and friendship at Queen’s College--Appointment there--Difficulties--Resignation--Impetuosity of nature--Some inherent difficulties of women’s life 10

Clergy Daughters’ School at Casterton--Hasty acceptance of post there--Beautiful situation of school--Evils--Personal difficulties--Mr. Beale’s letters--Dorothea Beale’s dress and appearance--Thoughts of resignation--Father’s advice--Appeal to committee--Suspicions of High Church tendencies--Determination to resign--Notice from committee--Acknowledged indebtedness to the school--Appreciation--Work at home--History of England begun--Spartan habits--Some philanthropic work--Offer of service--Dawning conviction of real vocation--Her diary begun--Extracts--Time of waiting--Religious life and beliefs 16

Cheltenham Ladies’ College--Early history--The first Principals--Advertisement for new Principal--Dorothea Beale candidate--Tributes to character and ability--Alleged High Church tendencies--Declaration of belief--Time of anxiety--Appointment as Principal--Work at Ladies’ College--Personal appearance at this time--Rule of silence--Precarious financial position of school--Practice of economy--Question of renewing lease of Cambray House--Mr. Brancker--His wise policy and administration--Some reminiscences--The Fight against ignorance and prejudice--Dorothea Beale’s inspiring leadership 27

Blue Book Report on condition of girls’ education--Dorothea Beale’s evidence and theories with regard to women as teachers; effects of higher education on health; idleness and health; the teaching of music--Modern ideas on the teaching of this subject 38

Rearrangement of school hours at the Ladies’ College--Opposition met and overcome--Gradual breaking down of prejudice--Gossip and disloyalty--Dorothea Beale’s gift of inspiring loyalty--Miss Belcher--Death of Dorothea Beale’s father--How she spent holidays--Singleness of aim--Idea of Sisterhood of Teachers--Expansion of Cheltenham College--Opposition to a new building--Dr. Jex Blake’s plea--Farewell to Cambray House--Continued growth--College incorporated under Companies’ Acts--Boarding houses made an intrinsic part of College--Defining of Principal’s powers--Cambray House again 43

Cheltenham College magazine started--Dorothea Beale, editor--Her “silver wedding”--“Old Girls’” Gift--Scheme of Guild put forward and carried out--Emblem--Opening address--Dorothea Beale’s remembrance of former pupils--Miss Newman’s work--Continued after her death--St. Hilda’s, Oxford--St. Hilda’s, East London--Dorothea Beale’s attitude to charitable enterprises 51

A time of darkness--Effect on outlook and character--Some general interests--Freshness of outlook--Pundita Ramabai--Interest in Indian widows--Women policemen--Balfour’s Education Act, 1902--Attitude to prizes--John Ruskin and the Ladies’ College--Paris Exhibitions--Another Royal Commission on Education--Visits of Empress Frederick and Princess Henry of Battenberg to College--Epidemic of smallpox--Dorothea Beale and vaccination--Personal honours--Officier d’Académie Française, Tutor in Letters of Durham University, Corresponding member of National Education Association, U.S.A., Freedom of Borough of Cheltenham, LL.D. Edinburgh--Robes presented by staff--Three weeks’ tour--A brief interval of ill-health--Story of the Shannon portrait--College Jubilee celebrations 58

Greatness of personality--Varied gifts--Prodigious power of work--Great organising capacity--Organisation of the Ladies’ College--Advice to teachers--Her sense of humour--The tricycle learnt at 67--Her extreme sensitiveness--Power of sympathy--Her outlook that of a religious poet--Her Scripture lessons--Her views on marriage--Tribute of the Bishop of Stepney 70

Signs of the end--The last Guild meeting--The last term--A journey to London--The doctor’s verdict--Operation--Waiting the call--A morning of suspense--Laid to rest--Tributes to her character and work 75

The modern world--The need of work--Power of education--Supreme importance of home training--Responsibility of parents--Teaching as a vocation--Personal fitness--Different kinds of teaching--Elementary schools--Boarding schools--Demands of the work--Its joys and advantages--The need of devoted teachers 79

I should like to acknowledge my indebtedness to all who have helped me in the writing of this short biography: especially to Mrs. Raikes for her kind permission to use her “Life of Dorothea Beale of Cheltenham,” without which this book could not have been written; also for her most generous help in many difficulties: and to Messrs. Constable, the publishers, for their kind consent. It is impossible to name all who have so willingly helped me, but I should like to mention Miss A. M. Andrews of Cheltenham; Lieut-Colonel J. F. Tarrant for his help in many ways; Mr. J. J. Shannon for kindly allowing a reproduction of Miss Beale’s portrait; Messrs. Martyn of Cheltenham for their photograph; “The Times,” Messrs. Macmillan, and other publishers, who have permitted me to quote extracts from works which are still copyright.

“Tho’ they to-day are passed They marched in that procession where is no first or last.”