Ward, the descendant of an old colonial family, was a member of
a leading banking firm of New York. Her mother, Julia Cutter Ward, was
a most charming and accomplished woman. She died very young, however,
while her little daughter Julia was still a child. Mr. Ward was a man
of advanced ideas, and was determined that his daughters should have,
as far as possible, the same educational advantages as his sons.

Of course, in those early days there were no separate colleges for
women, and they would not be admitted to men's colleges. It was
impossible for Mr. Ward to overcome these difficulties wholly, but he
did the next best thing he could for his girls. He engaged as their
tutor the learned Dr. Joseph Green Cogswell, and instructed him to put
them through the full curriculum of Harvard College.

On her entrance into society the "little Miss Ward," as Julia had been
called from her childhood, at once became a leader of the cultured and
fashionable circle in which she moved. In her father's home she met the
most distinguished American men of letters of that time. The liberal
education which she had received made the young girl feel perfectly at
her ease in such society. In addition to other accomplishments, she was
mistress of several ancient and modern languages, and a musical amateur
of great promise.

In 1843 Miss Ward was married to Dr. Samuel G. Howe, director of the
Institute for the Blind in South Boston, Massachusetts. Immediately
after their marriage Dr. and Mrs. Howe went to Europe, where they
traveled for some time. The home which they established in Boston on
their return became a center for the refined and literary society of
Boston and its environment. Mrs. Howe's grace, learning, and
accomplishments made her a charming hostess and fit mistress of such a
home.

Her literary talent was developed at a very early age. One of her
friends has humorously said that "Mrs. Howe wrote leading articles from
her cradle." However this may be, it is undoubtedly true that at
seventeen she contributed valuable articles to a leading New York
magazine. In 1854 she published her first volume of poems, "Passion
Flowers." Other volumes, including collections of her later poems,
books of travel, and a biography of Margaret Fuller, were afterward
published. For more than half a century she has been a constant
contributor to the leading magazines of the country.

Since 1869 Mrs. Howe has been a leader in the movement for woman'