Beale, Dorothea, 1831-1906; Cheltenham Ladies' College -- History; Teachers -- England -- Biography
In the matter of discipline, as of tuition, Miss Beale appears to
have worked on lines already laid down. Perhaps she kept before her
mind counsel which she later gave to a pupil who left Cheltenham to
be head of a Foundation School: ‘Remember the school belongs to the
governors, not to you.’ But we are equally certain that she would not
have worked on any lines which she did not approve. She found no system
of rules and penalties. She did not wish to introduce one; but she
made real and abiding, in a manner hardly credited by those outside,
the rule introduced by Miss Procter, by which no pupil might speak
to another without leave. With regard to this rule, which at once
taught self-control and produced order, the ‘quietness which minimises
irritability,’ it may be further remarked that in a place and time of
‘exclusive’ views, the College could hardly have existed without it.
The rule, kept, in itself prevented any pupil from making friends for
the first time in College; at any rate, it enabled her not to do so.
There was, however, when Miss Beale first came, a good deal of speaking
without leave. This disobedience with other irregularities she gradually
overcame, not by an overawing personality alone, but with the ‘quiet’
ways and the word in season of which more than one old pupil speaks.
Tracing in sequence the history of Miss Beale’s first two years, when
the College, though in the eyes of the world slowly perishing, was
really sinking strong foundations, the Report of 1859 stands out with
its commendation of the new Lady Principal. ‘Of Miss Beale herself it
may suffice to remark, that to varied and extensive knowledge in all
branches of Education, and skill in imparting it, she unites a manner
and disposition which at once command the respect and win the affection
of her Pupils, and renders it pleasant to your Council to maintain that
frequent personal communication with her which is greatly conducive to
the wellbeing of the Institution.’ Beyond this there is little definite
to record, save the steady half-yearly diminution in the number of
pupils and of the balance at the bank, and the consequent retrenchments,
implying fresh burden and effort for the small teaching staff.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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