Chapter 29
ELLA HAD THOUGHT—NAY, dreamt—about this day since the workmen began renovating Keatley Cottage.
She stood just in front of the small structure, soon to be known as the Keatley Hall School for Young Ladies, and surveyed the rust-hued stone and slate roof, the symmetrical windows, and the large wooden door.
In a matter of minutes she and her father would stand before this building and announce that the Keatley Hall School for Young Ladies would officially open after the Christmas holiday.
In a few short months, four young ladies would embark on their education, but if the school was to sustain itself as a separate entity from the Keatley Hall School for Boys, they needed to enroll more students.
What had started as an overcast morning had given way to a day of both brilliant sunshine and late-summer warmth. A group of goldfinches flitted past her toward the east meadows, and several warblers had collected close to a small grove of blackberry bushes near the cottage garden.
White tents and chairs dotted the landscape around the school. The Society members had gathered and milled about, and even some of the local villagers and the vicar, drawn by the novelty of a girls school, had made their way to observe the festivities.
As she ascended the steps of the platform to join her father and Mr. Hawthorne, she spied Gabriel Rowe under the branches of a nearby ash tree, speaking with Mr. Templeton. Sunlight filtered through the fading leaves, dappling his broad shoulders and highlighting his features.
She knew what she was up against. Several members were adamantly opposed to educating women—especially in natural philosophies—but she’d not be deterred. They had already come so far.
The audience continued to gather, and as it did, Phoebe, in a gown of pale daffodil, stood at the edge of the activity with Miss Sutton.
The distance was too great to make out Phoebe’s expression, but it didn’t matter.
Ella did not like the unsettled air between them, but how could this situation be made right?
Neither one of them was willing to change their opinion of Mr. Bauer.
When the crowd grew quiet, her father stepped forward.
His voice, which had seemed so thin and feeble, echoed with a timbre that harkened to the voice she remembered.
“My dear friends, many of you knew my wife, Mrs. Leonora Wilde, and her father, Mr. William Keatley.
Referring to Mr. Keatley as a visionary is an understatement.
We have his determination to thank for the founding of our beloved Society half a century ago, and due to his resolute steadfastness, Keatley School is a beacon of educational excellence.
He was emphatic that young men should be inquisitive about the natural world—to study not only the classics but also the patterns of life around them.
“Mr. Keatley’s only child, Leonora, shared that God-given passion.
He educated her as he would have a son—to appreciate the wonders of our natural world.
Her life ended early, but before she died, she had one goal: to open a school for young ladies that offered opportunities equal to those offered to their male counterparts.
“Inspired by her memory, the Keatley School for Young Ladies will open at the new year. Our daughter, Miss Ella Wilde, shares her mother’s passions and will preside over the school as its headmistress. She will tell you more.”
Butterflies darted through her belly as Ella stepped next to her father.
Not even the current uncertainties could stifle her optimism.
She turned to the faces watching her. Every one of them had an opinion of her—some positive, some negative.
None of that mattered now, for if she could affect another young woman positively, her efforts would not be in vain.
The wind swept in and rustled the leaves in the trees, sprinkling down the first of autumn’s color.
She cleared her throat and spoke loudly.
“My mother wanted all students to see the world as she did: as a marvel to be studied and a treasure to be discovered. Young women are often steered away from such endeavors in favor of more traditional feminine pursuits, and I count it a shame. I challenge this Society to question that norm. What contributions can your daughters and granddaughters make to the fields we study? As of now, four young women from Society families will be attending Keatley Cottage for their formal education. Our goal is to increase that number to twelve. These young ladies will be taught the classics, including areas of natural philosophies: biology, chemistry, anatomy, to name but a few subjects.”
Ella continued the rest of her speech, and when she had completed it, Mr. Hawthorne and her father entertained questions.
Ella held her breath as she waited for the crowd’s reactions.
Would they go inside? Would there be more questions?
Would they laugh and return to Keatley Hall and ignore her completely?
Would she be mocked for her unusual behavior?
Time would tell, and until then she would keep her goal firmly in front of her.