Emily Stowe was descended from one of the original founders of her Ontario town of Norwich. She was born on May 1st in 1831 into a family that may have been considered large today but was perfectly normal back then. She was Hannah and Solomon Jennings third daughter of five. With her great-grandfather, Peter Lossing, being a town founder as well as having one of the towns first schools in his own home, she had a lot to live up to.

However due to the fact she was female and at the time all a girl could do was dream. They would dream all they wanted about getting an education and becoming something great but most ended up disapointed at the fact it was a man's world. Emily did not let that stop her. She had been raised as a Quaker and believed strongly in equality. At the age of 15 she got a teachng job in a small town not far from her family in a place called Summerville. Like all old fashioned classrooms there was only one room and all grades were taught at the same time. This started a passion with teaching and she then went to school in Toronto.

The cource back then to become a teacher was only 6 month's long. After she graduated she became the first female principal in canada at Brantford Public School.

FACT: In this time period women teachers made between $170 and $400 but a men could make $520 to $700 per year!