School_Board_work_and_other_causes Flora_Stevenson

flora stevenson school, comely bank edinburgh john alexander carfrae

the 1872 education (scotland) act made possible women serve on school boards. flora stevenson s friend henry kingsley had told kind of person should have opportunity. 1 of first 2 women elected, , continued in role whole life, becoming chairman of board. experience in working poorest children meant elected started work on scheme offering food , clothing in exchange commitment attend school. convenor of attendance committee many years , gave evidence on subject select committee on education in scotland in 1887.

she believed in value of industrial schools delinquent children , efforts led innovative day (non-residential) industrial school @ st. john s hill on fringes of edinburgh s old town. in 1890s involved in plans day industrial schools act (1893), scottish office departmental committee on juvenile delinquents, , committee advising scottish office on reformatories inebriates.

stevenson strong supporter of quality education girls. disapproved of girls in edinburgh schools spending 5 hours on needlework each week while boys having lessons, though promoted edinburgh school of cookery , domestic economy. told newspaper, means let girls of generation trained housemothers let not forgotten well-being of family depends equally on housefather .

as support women s suffrage, flora stevenson s political views included belief in enforced school attendance, felt key improving lives of deprived children, , opposition free school meals, thought should responsibility of parents, supported charities when necessary. these themes addressed in lectures on educational subjects, cordially received . vice-president of women s free trade union while tariff reform contentious issue, , of women s liberal unionist association.

she involved many other social projects , charities. , louisa paid niece, alice stewart ker, study medicine in berne year. alice become 13th female british doctor.