‘There! enough! I wish it might be Comus, or The Princess or Alcestis would not cost so much trouble as something new,—but better nothing than something not really high.
‘There, I don’t want to dictate or to say you shall not do what you wish, but I hope you won’t wish this Griselda.... I do think we should like Comus, and we might have such good music.’
In the early part of 1895 Miss Beale was more than usually active and well. In the Easter holidays she paid a long-promised visit to Miss Mason’s House of Education at Ambleside. Here she gave a lecture to the students on Geometry. The visit was a great pleasure, she was in full sympathy with Miss Mason’s work, and she enjoyed meeting Miss Arnold at Fox Howe, and many friends and pupils. In June she was present at a performance of the Alcestis at Bradfield College; she also went again to the Royal Society conversazione.
The active enjoyment of this summer received a check at the term-holiday, when, while walking on Leckhampton Hill, Miss Beale slipped and broke her leg. The period of forced inaction which followed was generally held to be good for her, and she was well enough to be carried into the College for the addresses of the Quiet Days at the end of the term. She was unable, however, to be present at the Oxford summer meeting in August. The paper she had written for this on the Professional Education of Teachers was read by Mr. Worsley.
A school which has neither prize-giving nor speech-day does not easily obtain very highly distinguished visitors. It was not till 1897 that the College was honoured by the presence of Royalty. In that year the Empress Frederick of Germany proposed a visit. Her interest in education led her to wish to see the classes at work in their usual conditions. She therefore went with Miss Beale from one room to another while the actual teaching was going on. A few days after her visit Miss Beale received the following letter from Major-General Russell, who was at that time member for Cheltenham:—
Frankfort, Germany, August 13, 1897.
‘Dear Miss Beale,—Yesterday I had the honour of lunching with the Empress Frederick at Cronberg. As soon as I arrived there she called me on one side, and begged that I would convey to you the pleasure and satisfaction that she had derived from her visit to the Ladies’ College at Cheltenham. She begged me to tell you that she was much gratified by what she saw of the arrangements, and what she learned of the system of education pursued there. She was much impressed by the happiness and contentment which appeared to be universal among the pupils, and also with the strict and excellent discipline which she hears and remarked you maintain both among the instructors and the students themselves.
‘She added that she fully appreciates the great work that you have accomplished in the interest of education, as well as the personal sacrifice and self-devotion which you have consecrated to the task.
‘I need not say how much pleasure it has afforded me to be the medium of conveying to you Her Imperial Majesty’s gracious message, and, I remain, yours sincerely,
Frank S. Russell.’