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 CHAPTER X. 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 CHAPTER XI. 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 CHAPTER XII. 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 PREFACE. 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. E. H. S. CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTORY. “Tho’ they to-day are passed They marched in that procession where is no first or last.”