Penny Thompson Eliza Lowe and the Founding of Woodard Schools for Girls

Annotation

Nathaniel Woodard founded an educational system 'firmly grounded in the Christian faith', and the establishment in 1874 of the first Woodard girls' school lies at the heart of his legacy. However, the role of one remarkable woman in securing this legacy has until now been obscured. Eliza Lowe and the Founding of Woodard Schools for Girls is her untold story. Drawing on scholarly articles, newspaper reports, letters from pupils, census records, and local and family archival material, Thompson describes life in Eliza Lowe's school, from swimming in the sea to politics at breakfast and competitions for an 'amiability' prize. While discussions of Nathaniel Woodard and 19th-century girls' education provide context, Eliza's own letters reveal a woman of wit, curiosity and humanitarian feeling. Her achievements will inspire students of women's history and girls' education, and encourage those who believe that religion enhances education, while her lasting legacy will interest both former pupils and those who continue in the Woodard tradition today.