The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship of feminization and professionalization of teaching in the nineteenth century through a case study of the teacher preparation program at Hartford Female Seminary founded by Catherine Esther Beecher (1800-1878) in 1823. The paper consists of four chapters: 1) a brief description of the life and educational work of Catherine Beecher; 2) Her professional ideal of teaching; 3) An analysis of the teacher preparation program of the Seminary; 4) A consideration of its historical significance.

  I revealed the following four points. Firstly, many studies in Japan as well as in the USA have indicated that until the advent of the state normal schools in 1839, no concrete sense of teacher training existed. However, Beecher defined teaching as a profession, and pioneered the program for professional teacher preparation in 1820s. Secondly, Hartford Female Seminary had already interrelated the liberal arts and professional education systematically for female teachers in 1820s, although the preceding researches have determined that John Dewey's thoughts on teacher preparation in 1910's was one of the first ones. Thirdly, I examined the process of feminization and professionalization of teaching in the era. Though Horace Mann and the male administrators seemed to hire a number of female teachers being agreed with Beecher, their main purpose was the cheap workforce of women. In addition, the female teachers were hired with the male supervisors, which meant the restriction of their professional autonomy. Fourthly, Beecher insisted that liberal arts education at college level was essential as well as maternal love in the professional preparation while the first state normal school was founded at secondary education level.