COVE

I found this in today’s paper and I just had to save this article. It seems like most things today are run by men and I am glad to see women working their way up in this patriarchal society. Most girls don’t attend school so it’s very rare to hear about a woman graduating university. In a way, this lady reminds me of my sister, Gerty. Not that Gerty was the first to open her own shop, but they both are very independent and won’t quit even when the odds aren’t in their favor. When Gerty brought up the idea of starting up a photography studio, most people shut it down and called it scandalous or a bad idea. Even with the cards stacked against her, she gave it her all until she saw the shop succeed. She is very self-reliant and I look up to her for that. She is also the reason I am where I am in life. If it weren’t for her idea, I wouldn’t have met Frank and we would probably be living with Aunt Caroline. I never got the chance to attend but I would like for my daughter to attend university. Frank and I have discussed sending our daughter to college when she gets older. Perhaps by the time she is old enough to attend university, it will be common for women to attend school and be self-reliant. If it’s not, maybe she will be on a magazine inspiring more women to pursue an education.

As we dive into the commonplace book of Lucy, she starts by acknowledging that she’s rarely heard of women graduating from university. Seeing as how the picture was published in London in 1885, we know that this Lucy was born during the Victorian era. It was uncommon for Victorian women to receive higher education during this time (“A History of Women’s…”). In fact, the first time a woman received a degree in the UK was in 1878, only 7 years prior to this picture being published. School was usually reserved for students whose families could afford to pay for it. In 1870, the Elementary Education Act was passed and made school available for children between the ages of 5 and 12, however, many poorer families chose to send their children to work instead (“A History of Women’s…”).  Lucy also writes about how the woman in the picture reminds her of her sister, Gertrude, who runs the photography studio with her. At the time, it was uncommon for women to be running businesses because of the idea of “separate spheres,” where the public sphere was typically assigned to men and the private sphere was assigned to women. This meant men were expected to handle the businesses and provide for the family while the women’s role in the private sphere was to provide a “place of renewal for men.” Many women who tried to be in the public sphere were not taken seriously (Gorham 4).

“A History of Women's Education in the UK.” Oxford Royale Academy, 16 Mar. 2021, www.oxford-royale.com/articles/history-womens-education-uk/.

Gorham, Deborah. The Victorian Girl and the Feminine Ideal, Taylor & Francis Group, 2012. 

ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/ugalib/detail.action?docID=1101353.

“Picture of a Female Graduate of London University from the Graphic.” The British Library, The British Library, 16 Apr. 2015, www.bl.uk/collection-items/picture-of-a-female-graduate-of-london-univer...