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Pioneering Women’s Education (Hardback)

Dorothea Beale, An Unlikely Reformer

Military > Biographies P&S History > By Century > 19th Century P&S History > Social History Women of History

By Sally Waller
Imprint: Pen & Sword History
Pages: 216
Illustrations: 30 black and white illustrations
ISBN: 9781399012294
Published: 30th August 2022

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Although much less well known than some other nineteenth century female campaigners, such as Florence Nightingale or Emmeline Pankhurst, Dorothea Beale is nonetheless deserving of wide recognition for her pioneering, and at times radical, ideas. Dorothea's work for the education of girls made just as significant an impact on the liberation of women as did that of Florence Nightingale in ennobling the nursing profession or Emmeline Pankhurst in drawing attention to women's political inferiority. Although very much a woman of her times, through her work as Principal of the Cheltenham Ladies' College, her writings, her speeches and her widespread involvement in societies promoting women's interests, Dorothea helped to show what women were capable of, providing them with greater confidence and self-belief.

Drawing on a wide range of original sources, this book traces Dorothea's life and work. It considers the formative influences of her youth, her response to the disappointments of her early career and examines how her own educational ideas evolved, were put into practice and came to influence schools and colleges both at home and abroad. As well as an in-depth analysis of her pioneering work in Cheltenham, her many other interests, connections and involvements, including her contribution to the suffrage campaign are also explored. However this book is not just a story of one woman's achievements, great though they were. There is an attempt to understand Dorothea as a person with reflections on her character and personal life throughout and the book ends with an appraisal of the many contradictions to be found in this intriguing 'conservative reformer'.

Dorothea Beale was a woman whose quiet and unassuming manner hid a strong sense of vocation, a fierce determination and an undoubted practical ability to achieve her ends. Dorothea would have been amazed at the changes that occurred in the position of women in the century after her death in 1906, and yet it was in no small measure thanks to her work that this breakthrough in female opportunities occurred.

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

I was interested in reading this book on the subject of Dorothea Beale and her outstanding achievements in providing education to women. I had never heard of her in relation to this subject and was impressed by the scale and depth of her life. Sally Walter has written a well researched book and should be commended for introducing Dorothea to a wider audience. I have no issue reading academic literature and this is a book which leans in that direction. However, I would recommend making the effort. My grateful thanks to Netgalley, Pen &Sword and Sally Walter for this exemplary book.

NetGalley, Carol Elizabeth Keogh

"It’s a very interesting and well-written biography, giving a well-rounded rather than hagiographic view of its subject."

A Tudor Reader

As featured in an article

Evesham Journal

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

I was surprised how much women’s education in the UK owes to this one woman. The 1864 Schools Enquiry Commission was persuaded to review girls’ education as well as boys and Miss Beale gave evidence. She prepared carefully and presented around a hundred examination papers of lamentable quality, written by “higher middle class” girls upon their arrival at Cheltenham. Miss Beale convinced the commissioners that the problem with girls’ education was not the girls, but the dreadful quality of the teaching. Teachers needed to be trained. The Commission’s findings ran to twenty volumes of Blue Books and Miss Beale, worried that the recommendations for girls’ education would get overlooked, arranged for a separate extract and publication of that material. It had a huge impact, resulting in more girls’ schools being established to match boys’ grammar schools. The curriculum moved away from painting, music and dancing to maths, science and other useful subjects.

When Dorothea Beale took over as Principal, the college had 89 students. By 1898, there were nearly 1,000. The importance of women’s education had become accepted and students could confidently move on to university degree courses, studying the same curriculum as men. Ex-Cheltenham students became heads of many schools around the world. The book shows how Miss Beale never stopped working to promote girls’ education. She found the confidence to take on the shareholders and College Council (yes, both all-male at first) at a time when women were expected to defer to men; and to convince them what was best for girls’ education.

Yep, I’m glad I read this book.

NetGalley, Colin Edwards

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Tells the amazing life story of remarkable Dorothea Beale.
Someone I had never heard of I am ashamed to admit but after reading this book I wish I had known her.
Such a great book well written and must read .

NetGalley, Karen Bull

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Pioneering Women’s Education draws from a large range of original sources in order to trace Dorothea’s life and work. It considers the formative influences of her youth, her response to the disappointments of her early career and examines how her own educational ideas evolved, were put into practice and came to influence schools and colleges both at home and abroad. As well as an in-depth analysis of her pioneering work in Cheltenham, her many other interests, connections and involvements, including her contribution to the suffrage campaign are also explored. However this book is not just a story of one woman's achievements, great though they were. This book also helps to paint a picture of who Dorothea was as a person.

I give Pioneering Women’s Education five out of five stars!

NetGalley, Michelle Kidwell

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Pioneering Women’s Education by Sally Waller expertly told the story of how one woman energized women’s education not only in England, but in many other countries. The chapters in this book provide an increased appreciation of the availability of education to women today. I have a feeling, if Dorothea were still alive, she would fight for educational reform for women on a global scale.

NetGalley, Deborah Pendleton

About Sally Waller

SALLY WALLER read Modern History at Oxford University and has subsequently devoted her life to education, through teaching, examining and writing. She has produced many history textbooks for a range of publishers in the course of her career and, most recently, has been the editor and part-author of a popular Advanced Level History series for Oxford University Press. She has also contributed articles to educational journals and has pursued a number of independent research projects. Her recent retirement after many happy years as a History teacher at the Cheltenham Ladies’ College has given her the opportunity to combine her historical and educational interests through this study of that College’s pioneering Principal.

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