Elizabeth Weston Timlow

Born in Rhinebeck, New York, Elizabeth Weston Timlow was an American educator and author who also published under the spelling Elizabeth Westyn Timlow. She studied at Wellesley College and Cornell University, and her background in education shaped much of her writing.

Timlow served as principal of Cloverside, a girls’ boarding school that operated first in New Jersey and later in Washington, D.C. Alongside her school work, she wrote several books for younger readers, including Dorothy Dot, A Nest of Girls; or, Boarding-School Days, and Cricket at the Seashore.

Her books often reflect the interests of a teacher who wanted learning to feel lively and personal, whether she was writing about school life, outdoor settings, or travel. She also wrote The Opportunity of the Teacher, a short work that makes her educational commitments especially clear.