school, the isadore newman manual training school where the cutting edge curriculum emphasized home economics and woodworking as well as rigorous academics. the home built this unique school to educate its wards first, but was open regardless of religion to other children, albeit then only white children whose parents paid tuition. newman quickly became what it remains today, one of the south's finest college prep schools. bessie excelled in every subject. she graduated from newman in 1925 as a 16-year-old leader who was comfortable in a co-ed setting, competing, succeeding, and winning respect. besides leading the debate club and the girl's student council, bessie was valedictorian and won a coveted scholarship to a college which was then tulane's coordinate college for women. she spent two years there, ranking among the top ten in her class, but the audacious bessie wanted more. she decided to attend law school, something no other girl from the orphanage had done. as tulane law school's only woman at the time, bessie felt isolated and self-conscious. when a professor lectured

school, the isadore newman manual training school where the cutting edge curriculum emphasized home economics and woodworking as well as rigorous academics. the home built this unique school to educate its wards first, but was open regardless of religion to other children, albeit then only white children whose parents paid tuition. newman quickly became what it remains today, one of the south's finest college prep schools. bessie excelled in every subject. she graduated from newman in 1925 as a 16-year-old leader who was comfortable in a co-ed setting, competing, succeeding, and winning respect. besides leading the debate club and the girl's student council, bessie was valedictorian and won a coveted scholarship to a college which was then tulane's coordinate college for women. she spent two years there, ranking among the top ten in her class, but the audacious bessie wanted more. she decided to attend law school, something no other girl from the orphanage had done. as tulane law school's only woman at the time, bessie felt isolated and self-conscious. when a professor lectured