ELEGANCE AND EXPRESSION. SWEAT AND STRENGTH: BODY TRAINING. PHYSICAL CULTURE AND FEMALE EMBODIMENT IN WOMEN'S EDUCATION AT THE MARGARET EATON SCHOOLS (1901-1941) Anna H. Lathrop A thesis submitted in conformity with the requiremznts for the degree of Doctor of Education in the Graduate Department of Theory and Policy Studies University of Toronto @ Copyright by Anna H. Lathrop 1997 National Library Bibliothbque nationale of Canada du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographie ÇeMces services bibliographiques 395 Wellington Street 395, rue Wellington Ottawa ON K1A ON4 Ottawa ON K 1A ON4 Canada Canada The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive licence allowing the exclusive permettant a la National Library of Canada to Bibliothèque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distribute or sell reproduire, prêter, distribuer ou copies of this thesis in microform, vendre des copies de cette thèse sous paper or electronic formats. la forme de microfiche/nùn, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format électronique. The author retains ownership of the L'auteur conserve la propriété du copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protège cette thèse. thesis nor substantial extracts fiom it Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or othewise de celle-ci ne doivent être imprimés reproduced without the author's ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. ABSTRACT Elegance and Expression, Sweat and Strength: Body Training, Physical Culture and Fernale Embodiment In Women's Education at the Margaret Eaton Schools (1901-1941) Doctor of Education Anna H. Lathrop Graduate Department of Theory and Policy Studies. University of Toronto This thesis examines the history of the Margaret Eaton School. a private institution of higher learning which was designed to train young upper and middle class women in the field of dramatic arts and physical education in Ontario between 1901 and 1941. The three organizational phases of the school, the School of Expression (1901- 1906). the Margaret Eaton School of Literature and Expression (1 906- 1925) and the Margaret Eaton School (1925- 194 1 ) is examined through the directorship of the school's three principals: Emma Scott Raff Nasmith. Mary Hamilton and Florence Somers. This investigation examines the changing image of the Margaret Eaton girl. as training in elegance and expression for the theatre shifted to training in athletic ski11 and pedagogic knowledge for the field of physical education. From Emma Scott Raff Nasrnith's Delsartean techniques of body movement, to the camping experiences of Mary Hamilton's Algonquin wilderness, to Florence Somerts materna1 vision of women's athlrticism; each phase added yet another dimension to the evolving portrait of the Margaret Eaton girl. Elegance and expression and sweat and strength were aspects of this body experience. Each director fowarded her own vision of women's education which camed both elements of consistency and facets of difference from her predecessor. This thesis examines the uneven contours of this community experience. and analyzes how faculty and students both extended the borders of possibilities for women and. also. conformed to prescriptive patterns of gender appropriate behaviour. An examination of the school's archival documents is augmented by interviews with faculty and students of the school, and provides the basis for this investigation of over forty years of body training in wornen's higher education. Through this body experience. students were both transformed and empowered. restricted and stereotyped. The thesis concludes with the closure of the school in 1941. and its absorption into the nation's first CO- educational degree program--the School of Physical and Health education at the University of Toronto--in 1942. A glimpse into the benefits and costs of this next stage in the "evolution" of women in higher education is offered. as lost autonomy and a dramatically altered vision of what it meant to be "physically educated" were exchanged for the hope of academic legitimacy. For mj mother, Margaret Davison Lathrop 1 am deeply grateful to the Company of women who have sustained this academic enterprise. First and foremost, my sincere thanks to Alison Prentice. my advisor and mentor. Her patience and quiet guidance is matched only by her wisdom and insight. 1. am both proud and saddened to have been her last graduate student. but remain confident that those before me will continue to work toward widening the feminist circle of enlightenment in higher education. Thank-you for your scholarly passion. which 1 most assuredly "caught." 1 also thank Helen Lenskyj and Elizabeth Smyth for their time and inspiration as members of my academic cornmittee. as well as Ruth Pierson and Deanne Bogdan with whorn 1 have had the pnvilege to study. Thank-you for sustaining the fires of scholarly passion. 1 am also deepiy indebted to my dear colleagues at Brock University who have nurtured me in this journey. Nancy Robertson Murray supported my initial steps in this enterprise, and has been a constant source of enthusiasm and steady encouragement. She helped me to see and believe that the way ahead was possible. Maureen Connolly entered midway in this project. Her fire and wamor spirit camed me when times were desolate. And to Nancy Dodington. my companion during the final stages of this project and beyond. 1 thank her. "to the Ievel of everyday's most quiet need. by Sun and candlelight." Thank-you for "stimng the puddingsw--in the selfless spirit of a Susan B. Antony--so that 1 might complete this work. 1 also thank my children. Julia Nelson Course and Christopher John Course--for their love, support and patience through a process which felt intolerably long at times. Thank-you for discovenng. along with me. that "motherhoodn is a constant source of wonder. Finally, to my parents. Daniel Whiting Lathrop and Margaret Helen Davison Lathrop, thank-you for your physical and spiritual vigor. and your unfailing support and encouragement throughout this academic journey . And finally, to the graduates whom 1 had the privilege to interview. thank-you for the opportunity to revisit and share your Margaret Eaton years. TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT...................................................................................................... DEDICATION. ................................................................................................. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS............................................................................................. ..v *. LIST OF AB BREVTATIONS ..................................................................................... .vli INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................. 1 CHArnR EMMA SCOTT RAIT NASMITH AND THE FORMATIVE NFLUENCES OF THE SCHOOL OF EXPRESSION .................................... 27 "WE STRIVE FOR THE GOOD AND THE BEAUTIFULIn THE MARGARET EATON SCHOOL OF LITERATURE AND EXPRESSION (1 907- 1925) ......................................................................... 70 MARY HAMILTON AND A NEW VISION FOR THE SCHOOL........ 1 13 "BEAUTYAND FITNESS" THE MARGARET EATON SCHOOL ( 1926- 1934).. ...........................1 48 FLORENCE SOMERS AND THE FORMATTVE IlVFLUENCJ3 OF WOMEN'S PHYSICAL EDUCATION IN ONTARIO ...................... 187 THE FINAL YEARS AT THE MARGARET EATON SCHOOL (1 934-194 1) ................................................................................................ 229 CONCLUSION ........................................................................................................... ..269 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY.................................................................................. 288 ABBREVIATIONS ARCHIVES OF ONTARIO, EATON'S COLLECIION. TORONTO. ONTARIO EFA: EATON FOUNDATION ARCHTVES. TORONTO, ONTARIO NA: NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF CANADA, OTTAWA. ONTARIO TA: TRENT UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES UCA: UNITED Cf.IURCH OF CANADA, TORONTO, ONTARIO UTA: UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO ARCHIVES,TORONTO, ONTARIO Dm DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICAL AND HEALTH EDUCATION, UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO, BENSON BüILDING UT-RBC: UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO, RARE BOOKS COLLECTION VUA: VICTORIA UNIVERSITY ARCHIVES INTRODUCTION The woman who is receiving her education today is fortunate. for she is living in a period when the old order of things is passing away and a new era is at hand. Today is the day when the idea of public service reigns in the hearts of thinking people. and when men and women will tolerate and follow only those whom they know are tme to the best interests and ideals of the nation. There are great opportunities for work in the world today. It is your privilege to serve.1 Refemng to a sense of new opportunity. which the post- suffrage era was presumed to inaugurate for Canadian women. George S. Nasmith reminded the 1918 graduating class of the Margaret Eaton School of Literature and Expression that they were a privilegrd group of young women who were well prepared to serve the needs of the nation. Nasmith. the second husband of the school's principal. Emma Scott Raff Nasmith. echoed the popular view that women were on the verge of a new social era. Trained to have high ideals. well-trained minds. value work and to recognize "the best and beautiful"' in life. these students in Dramatic Art and Physical Education were graduates of a female academy beanng the name of one of Toronto's most prominent upper class families. The early graduates of the