At the beginning of the 19th century, women’s education in Canada was viewed as a means to prepare women to be good wives and mothers. Women were largely excluded from opportunities to study or work outside the home. A woman’s role was confined to domestic duties, caring for children, and maintaining the household.
However, by the mid-19th century, the societal perception of women’s roles began to change. Women gained access to education and employment opportunities. The development of women’s education in Alberta, its evolution, and its impact are explored in this article. More on edmonton1.one.
Early Education
In the early 19th century, women were discouraged from pursuing education due to the belief that it could harm their familial attachment and was contrary to their nature. It was also thought that excessive knowledge could negatively affect a woman’s fertility. Church leaders opposed women’s education, arguing that it conflicted with biblical teachings.
Before 1850, girls were not permitted to attend schools. Families from the middle class often hired governesses or tutors to teach their daughters subjects like English, mathematics, music, social etiquette, and manners.
When the first girls’ schools began appearing in Alberta, they were often inaccessible to most girls as they charged fees that only wealthy families could afford. The curriculum in these schools was tailored to teach arts, reading, writing, arithmetic, and needlework, and these institutions were often managed by working-class women.
In 1853, public schools started to emerge. Churches and charitable organizations established schools for girls. In Edmonton, some women founded their own schools. For instance, Ann Langton ran a small school alongside her brother, teaching 10 girls herself.
In 1840, the reform of women’s education began when it was recognized that mothers raising children needed education themselves. By 1860, the Taunton Commission in Canada conducted studies demonstrating that men and women had equal intellectual capabilities.
Development of Education in Alberta
In 1871, Alberta established the National Union for the Improvement of Women’s Education. By 1900, teaching positions in elementary schools were predominantly held by women, and Alberta had about 20 girls’ boarding schools. In 1918, an education law required girls to complete school by the age of 14.
By the late 19th century, higher colleges and universities began admitting female students. Girton College in Cambridge became the first women’s college offering residential education. Alberta’s universities followed by offering courses tailored to women, enabling them to earn degrees and pursue careers.
Teaching was the most common profession for women in the 19th century, particularly because many pedagogical colleges opened in Alberta and across Canada.
While teaching created opportunities for women, it also highlighted their subordinate status in society. Female teachers were paid significantly less than their male counterparts and held lower-ranking positions under male administrators’ supervision. Moreover, women lost their teaching positions permanently if they became pregnant or married.
The Alberta Women Teachers’ National Union advocated against these injustices, campaigning for equal pay, better working conditions, and gender equity in the teaching profession.
The First World War caused reductions in teachers’ salaries and widespread layoffs. Many schools in Alberta were dissolved or closed. It was only after the war that reforms and new laws aimed at reviving education were introduced.