Emily Howard Jennings Stowe

Emily is my hero because she was determined and courageous. Emily Stowe was a teacher at age 15! She worked in a small school and she even became the principal. After years living with her husband John Stowe and their three children, John developed tuberculosis. As the only source for money, Emily wanted to go back to school for a better job. She wanted to go to medical school, but they didn’t accept her because she was a woman.  

Emilly Stowe (http://www.bing.com/images/search ?q=dr.emily+stowe&FORM=BIFD#)

Emily was born in 1831. Her hometown was Norwich, Oxford. She had six other siblings and they were all girls. Emily was the eldest. Emily went to school until she was 15 and she went to teach at a local school. She went to go win her first teacher's certificate in Brantford Public school. Emily got married to John in 1856, and several years later gave birth to 3 children. For financial reasons Emily went back to school because she was now the only supporter in the family, her husband had developed tuberculosis. During that time Emily decided to become a doctor and she tried to get into Canadian schools, but she was not accepted because she was a woman. So she was forced to look elsewhere. Emily came across a school in the United States for girls in New York.

When Emily arrived in Toronto in 1867 she established a medical practice. She was hoping that in such a large city people would come and get treated by women. Even though she had a medical degree she was denied a license from the School for Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario. No school would accept women, so Emily did not meet the requirements. Eventually Emily and another woman doctor, Jenny Trout, were admitted in a Toronto school of medicine in the 1870s. Emily finally got her requirements for Ontario in the 1880s.

Emily Stowe is a hero to me because she played a big part in women’s history. She was not accepted in her nearby schools but she didn’t quit on what she wanted to be. So she continued to find a school that would. She inspired me not to quit at something, even though you don’t know how to get there.