Cheltenham College

“ The Ladies’ College did not originate with Miss Beale. She brought to it, when it was but a weakling and like to perish, all her dreams and all her energies. She made it emphatically her own; but its first inception was with a small number of Cheltenham residents, notably with the Reverend H. Walford Bellairs, then H.M. Inspector of Schools for Gloucestershire, [30] and the Reverend C. A. Bromby, [31] Principal of the Training Colleges. Its foundation was a continuation of work already begun in the town with the opening of Cheltenham College, in 1843. ”

“ In this connection one might mention that she never cared much for scholarships, though as time went on she accepted one or two for the College, and she herself founded one at Casterton School. She preferred to lend money to those who wished for training which they could not afford. During her time at Cheltenham she lent money to many students: it had to be returned when the student began to earn money, and in hardly any cases did the student fail to do so. ”

“ At the end of these various controversies it was realised that the College could not be a merely local institution, but had a great future before it, and was destined to play a very important part in the higher education of women from every part of the country. ”

“ Bromby in all the great schemes, by which Cheltenham, rich and poor, was to be enlightened, and in the case of the Proprietary College for Ladies, it is his name which comes to the front, and it was in his house that the first meeting to draw up its constitution was held.
There was every reason to hope that a high-class day-school for girls, then almost unknown, might succeed in Cheltenham, where parents had had a successful experience [87] of such a school for their boys. Everywhere, people, who cared about a good education for girls, found it difficult to obtain even at great cost. ”

“ When she went to Cheltenham her pupils were counted by tens: to-day they are to be counted by hundreds, and the institution [Pg 67] in respect of organisation and educational efficiency will bear comparison with the best of the great English public schools. ”

“ His lecture at the opening of Queen’s College was a most inspiring one, and his words must have fallen on the ears of some of the girls who listened to him like a call to high and noble service.
“The vocation of a teacher,” said he, “is an awful one: you cannot do her real good, she will do others unspeakable harm, if she is not aware of its usefulness.” He spoke against the harm done by simply providing her with necessaries. “You may but confirm her in the notion that the training of an immortal spirit may be just as lawfully undertaken in a case of emergency as that of selling ribands.” ”

“ Owen was also a link between the Ladies’ College and the Cheltenham College, that elder brother, under whose protection alone our College could have grown up. It is a strange thing that women are threatened with exclusion from the projected Educational Authority; women, who are born to the care of children, who are so much needed to hold the outposts in our educational army, which are being deserted by men. ”

“ Thus each who tried to follow her teaching left the College not merely as a devoted pupil of Miss Beale, possibly even indifferent to her, but with a clearer consciousness of the ‘Light that lighteth every man,’ and the paramount necessity of walking in it.
Was the strenuous life all they learned at Cheltenham? It was doubtless not easy to tell the whole. The strength and greatness of their Head lay not alone in devising and carrying out important and detailed work. ”

“ Hilda’s College at Cheltenham made it convenient, if not imperative, to find exercise for the energy there inspired and directed, and to supply classes for practice. To keep this stream of energy within her own guidance for a longer period than the time of training involved, it was necessary to have scope for it at hand. Even the great and growing College was not large enough to employ all the workers it trained, and the Principal was ever alive to the necessity of having a certain number of teachers from outside, bringing with them fresh ideas and methods. ”

“ The training for teaching is very thorough and long. That for secondary or high school work is usually expensive; but the cost of training for elementary school teaching is much less, as the Government have their own training colleges. After January, 1921, all teachers registered by the Government will have to be trained not only educationally but in the art of teaching. Degrees, now, are almost a sine quâ non, or are at any rate very desirable. All universities admit women to their degree examinations, though Oxford and Cambridge do not yet grant degrees. ”

“ Becoming a senior student, and classical tutor of Christ Church, Oxford, in 1863, he acted as one of the classical moderators from 1862 to 1865. In 1866 he left Oxford to become second classical master at Cheltenham College, whence he passed in 1871 to the headmastership of Brighton College. ”

“ The power of mind which could keep the right hold on both is certainly rare.
The first committee consisted of associates of the College and a few other old pupils. Meetings were held to draw up the organisation of the new society, and this was made known at large in a delightful article by Mrs. Ashley Smith in the Magazine for spring 1884. In this the writer adventured far enough into the future to be able to suggest the possibility, at no very distant date, of some corporate work, ‘such as is done by many boys’ schools,’ but in 1884 the time for this had not arrived for Cheltenham girls. ”

“ I believe a place in the Ladies’ College at Cheltenham is vacant, and if so it might suit you. Miss Procter the Superintendent and many of the Committee are considered High Church. Miss Brewer, I am sure, would be very much pleased to hear from you, and I think would be disposed to facilitate your appointment, if there is still a vacancy. She, being one of the teachers, could answer any inquiries better than I. There is no home provided for the teachers by the Committee, but they have hitherto made private arrangements to live together. ”

“ The boy, who is to be a soldier—one day he hears a distant bugle: at once he knows. A second glimpses a bellying sail: straightway the ocean path beckons to him. A third discovers a college and towards its kindly lamp of learning turns young eyes that have been kindled and will stay kindled to the end.”—James Lane Allen.
The opening of Queen’s College marked a great advance in the cause of girls’ and women’s education. It had its root in the Governesses’ Benevolent Institution, which was founded for the purpose of helping governesses in times of need. ”

“ This, for instance, is the case at Cheltenham College, the Modern Department at which appears, in fact, to have been originally instituted with the express object of affording means of special military education, and at the present day is officially called the “Military and Civil Department.” At one time, also, even at some schools in which Modern Departments did not exist, classes were formed in which instruction in military subjects was given to boys intended for the army. Both at Eton and at Harrow such classes existed, and fortification and military drawing were taught in them. ”

“ During his incumbency of Cheltenham the population more than doubled. In the town he erected, or caused to be erected, five district churches, with schools, and also contributed largely to the establishment of Cheltenham College. On the recommendation of Lord Palmerston he was nominated dean of Carlisle, 24 Nov. 1856, and in the same year had the degree of D.D. conferred on him by the Archbishop of Canterbury. He held the perpetual curacy of St. Mary, Carlisle, from 1865 to 1868. He tried by every means in his power to improve the condition of the poor in Carlisle. ”

“ Finally, it may be added that, whether conscious of it or not, she could not keep herself out of the great movement which was enabling women to share with men many of the incomparable advantages of University life, she had also her own conception of what University life might do for women, and by means of a College at Oxford for her own College at Cheltenham. ”

“ Her friend, Elizabeth Ann Alston, wrote:—
“Of her power of teaching others and making them delight in their studies, there is no doubt. But you do not know her, as I do, in her home and daily life: there all look up to her and seek her counsel.”
Many testimonials were given as to her character and work, and these made such a favourable impression on the Cheltenham Committee that she was summoned for an interview on June 14. ”

“ In 1851 he was an examiner in the Moral Sciences Tripos at Cambridge, and in 1852 in the Classical Tripos. From 1853 to 1858 he was Vice-Principal of Cheltenham College, and from 1858 to 1883 head master of Queen Elizabeth's School, Ipswich. He examined for the India Civil Service in 1856 and again in 1890, and he was classical examiner in the University of London from 1869 to 1874, and an examiner in Greek at the same University from 1886 yo 1890. ”

“ She then went into some particulars about the work at Cheltenham Ladies’ College, hours of work, the rule by personal influence rather than by punishments, the law of silence and her approval of examinations as leading to more thorough work. She also went into the reasons why she considered that women were better educators of girls than men, and ceteris paribus were quite equal to them as teachers. The education of boys at that time she considered to be rather unsatisfactory, and too limited in scope. ”

“ He was assistant-master at Rugby School from 1841 to 1859, and principal of Cheltenham College from the latter date till 1862. On 23 Dec. 1874 he died at The Cedars, Putney, where he had resided for several years. ”

“ Accordingly, he established a Registry for Teachers, and set on foot a scheme for granting diplomas. The latter naturally led to the starting of examinations, which revealed such appalling depths of ignorance in those who were supposed to instruct others, that the need for their tuition was realised.
As is always the case in great movements many were thinking along the same lines, and Miss Murray, Maid of Honour to the Queen, was at this time meditating the starting of a College for Women, and was, as a matter of fact, collecting funds for this purpose. ”

“ In her reply to the various questions asked, Dorothea Beale gave a good deal of information about her own school and the condition of education it revealed. The Entrance Examination at Cheltenham showed as a rule deplorable results. Frequently girls came from expensive schools incapable of writing, spelling, or composing in their own language, almost ignorant of French [Pg 40] grammar and scarcely able to work correctly the simplest sums in arithmetic.
“I think the remedy for bad work,” said she, “is to bring such work to the light. ”

“ So I think the shareholders may have confidence in their Chancellor of the Exchequer. We may well be proud of the result, but we are deeply indebted to Miss Beale’s exertions for it, and I am glad her remuneration (by capitation fees) is so much increased.’
By 1864 all pressing anxiety for the existence of the College was over. With its one hundred and thirty pupils it was practically full. A regularly constituted boarding-house was opened. Here the day-pupils, whose parents were leaving Cheltenham, could be taken, and thus another cause of diminution in the number of pupils was put an end to. ”

“ No parent was ever more closely encompassed by the love of children. There were those at Cheltenham who thought for her, waited on her, read to her—no light task—those who, should she desire it, were ever at her beck and call. Some of these were on the College Council. One, in particular, Miss Flora Ker, who lived at Cheltenham, was always at hand, making the interests of the College and little attentions to Miss Beale the first duty of her day. Another, who had become head of a boarding-house, thought of her daily needs to the smallest details. ”

“ I feel I can appeal to you as lovers of truth, as those who feel that no advantages of education, of health, or any other, can compensate for the disadvantages which would arise to any children who lived in an atmosphere of evil-speaking, lying, and slandering.”
More than most Heads, perhaps, Dorothea Beale had the gift of inspiring loyalty in her staff. As the College grew older the teachers were largely recruited from Old Girls. Some women there now, no longer young, have been at the College since childhood. ”

“ As a rule the desire to teach indicates some aptitude for the work; though between the eager expectancy of the untried student and the quiet joy of the skilled teacher, lie many dark valleys which must perforce be passed. This, however, is not peculiar to teaching. It is common to all work of a personal nature, in fact is inherent in all high living.
For those who wish to teach, the great problem arises: “What kind of teaching shall I undertake?” It is a difficult one to solve.
In England the different kinds of teaching for girls are very clearly defined. ”

“ As the College grew, Miss Beale felt more and more the need of a house where those who were trying to train themselves to be teachers could board inexpensively, and in 1876 was made that beginning which, as she said, was ‘full of blessing to the College, and of much use beyond its bounds.’ This was before the Maria Grey Training College was opened, and when there was no institution at all in which women could receive definite preparation for becoming teachers in secondary schools. ”