Beale, Dorothea, 1831-1906; Cheltenham Ladies' College -- History; Teachers -- England -- Biography
begging Miss Beale’s acceptance of an honour which has been
brought within the reach of her sex largely through her own
endeavours.’
Her account of the ceremony is best read in her own letter to the
Vice-Principal:—
‘_April 12, 1902._
‘Just a few lines while waiting for breakfast. We start at
eleven for Glasgow, and I am in the midst of the agonies of
packing.
‘Yesterday was a long day. We started at 9.20, as it is a
long drive to the M’Ewan Hall. In the voting-room we met
our Chairman and various distinguished professors—Laurie,
Saintsbury, Professor Rücker—of the people I knew; but the
most important of all was the beadle. In a little while our
names were called, and one had to step into place. First came
the Doctors of Divinity. There were six LL.D.’s, headed by
the Lord Chief-Justice, who was followed by Mr. Asquith, whom
I followed in every subsequent procession.... Arrived at the
hall, we sat as it were in the front row below the stage in
our hall. There were central steps, opposite which sat the
Vice-Chancellor or Vice-Principal. Each went up and stood with
his back to the audience whilst the leader of his faculty
expatiated on his claims to the honours; he looked like a
person being reprimanded. Then the beadle invested him with the
hood, the V.-P. put the cap over his head, he wrote his name
in a book, and then seated himself with other exalted persons
on the platform. Various speeches followed, but none were made
to ordinary graduates. Music played, no sticks or umbrellas
were allowed, and no cries such as the savages utter at English
Universities; the only amusement was to fly paper from the
galleries; some seems to have been made into windmills, they
flew rather well. Then procession again to the voting-room,
where I was first to claim my box; there was nothing to
compare with my shabby things—cardboard most of them, but I am
persuaded that my robes were far superior to any other. Ask
those who saw them from a distance.
‘Well, we next proceeded to church, and St. Giles’ looked most
beautiful. The sermon I did not hear, but am assured that
was because the preacher had an Aberdeen accent. One thing I
omitted. Just after I had taken the degree, as I was seated on
the platform, came a porter with a telegram for me. I opened
it and found congratulations from the Kindergarten. Please
tell them how smartly it arrived at the right moment. The
others kindly sent arrived at the hotel, and I found them on my
return; please thank the senders.
‘After church some nice Miss Stevensons carried us off. They
have a beautiful house and a splendid view of the heights,—one
is Chairman of the School Board. They are always at work. Then
we came back and were visited by various old girls.’
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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