“If ever we have a little money, I should like the old furniture in Camden Street to be turned to account in a still lower school—at a shilling a week. We might work out this plan and have two schools—not reckoning an evening one—in a room thus used.
“Then I want to (perhaps) turn No. 202, Camden Road, into a Day Training College for Teachers. When we have left the house, we might give up the large room behind, and so diminish the rent.
“Of this Training or Normal College Miss Chessar could be superintendent, without giving up her whole time. The house would enable us to train at least a hundred students at a time, and they must pay for their training; as much, certainly, as the school fees would amount to.
“Our Training College should not receive ignorant girls. None should join who could not pass our examination at entrance.
“Our students should learn the history of great teachers, their methods, etc., should learn how to teach and what to teach; how to develop the mental, moral, and physical capacities of their pupils (by moral I mean also spiritual). We would affiliate to our College the National Schools, the School Boards of the neighbourhood, and our own girls’ schools, so that every student in training should have the opportunity of seeing actual schools in work.
“I have not mentioned this last to any one but Mr. Payne, for several reasons, one being that I am ambitious for the cause of education and especially for the mixture of sexes; if the College of Preceptors would take up the idea, it might be better left to them. Our board might then rent to them our present house. If the Preceptors won’t do it, then I would urge our board to try the question.
“Our chairman thinks this professional aspect of teaching ridiculous. I remained silent while he was speaking, as I am gradually growing into the idea that teaching is one of the noblest professions, not second even to medicine—one does with the body, the other with the immortal soul!
“But one point will be to carry first the half-time lower school; no doubt the Brewers will warm to this, if I can persuade them. This school might positively be built on their estate, near Camden Street. The Danish model, I mean!”
[10]. Mrs. Fraser died within a year or so of her marriage in 1873, and Miss Buss writes: “One sad cloud has overshadowed us—the death of my dear old pupil and recent fellow-worker, Emma Maclean (Mrs. Fraser).... As I write, my eyes fill with tears at the thought of that fair young life thus early cut down.... You know how she stood at my side in all the recent musical changes, but you cannot know what a wonderful teacher she was. She inspired her pupils, and her power was so great that no difficulty in managing them ever occurred. I have now to find a successor to her; replace her I cannot.” A Musical Scholarship was founded in memory of Mrs. Fraser.
The following letter, written by Miss Buss, appeared in the autumn of 1872:—