Mona Lisa Smile, How are the two schools different?

Katherine Watson, art teacher, Wellsley College, fall 1953, teach to make a difference, "I don't think I can go a year without a hot plate", first day of school has begun, all women in class (all women's school), teaching history of art, Juila Stiles=Joan, most of the girls are smart and know their art, went through all her slides and the girls knew most of it, all read text and prepared for class, first day did not go well, finds a place with two other women, Katherine gets advice from Amanda about not letting the students scare her, comes to school with new art, 'what is art?', William Holden= Joan's boyfriend, they have a specific bedtime, birth control is illegal, Amanda Armstrong school nurse distributing contraception, Betty Warner, do not promote sexual promiscuity, letting school nurse go, 'sole responsibility is taking care of your husband and kids', nurse moving out, 'pompous', they are very excited about the idea of getting married, Betty gets married, Gizelle, they look very....fake when taking pictures, Katherine gets questioned about her teaching methods,'they are unorthodox', seems like Betty's marriage is not going well, Betty is not supportive of Joan getting into law school, Katherine gets a surprise visit, he proposes but she may like Bill, teaching about Van Gogh, Betty shows up 'most of the faculty turn their heads when students get married', Betty 'if you fail me there will be consequences', Katherine expects Betty to attend class regardless if she is married or not, Katherine gets invited to the AR party, Katherine is not married because she is not, she was engaged to Patrick 18 years old, first person she ever danced/smoked/got drunk with, Gizelle's parents got divorced, Bill Dunbar, Betty is a strong advocate for women being married and staying home to cook for husband and kids, "Could you get a job as a Housewife?..", Katherine wants more for the girls than letting them think that they are just there to provide for their husband and being a housewife, Katherine gets upset what the President and others expect her to do and not teach her students to be excellent and excel, President Carr, Bill gives Katherine a gift, Katherine wants Bill to not sleep with students, Bill teaches Spanish, Spring Fling 1954, Betty wants to sleep at home because Spencer is gone to a 'meeting in New York' but her mother will not let her, Giselle sees Spencer spending time with another girl, Betty knows that her husband is spending time with another woman, Katherine finds out that Bill is not honest, Betty's mother does not want her airing her dirty laundry, 'not everything is as it seems', Katherine gets invited back to teach but only under certain conditions, Betty filed for a divorce, Katherine wanted to make a difference at Wellsley College, 'not all who wander are aimless'

The two schools were like night and day. Mr. Escalante ended up teaching students who had no idea what they wanted to do in life and just went to school to cause trouble. Students at Garfield high school did not apply themselves prior to Mr. Escalante. I think he pushed them to go above and beyond because he knew they all had the potential of becoming more than just what society thought of them. In Mona Lisa Smile, Wellsley College was a very conservative women's college and the women that attended knew that they would go through this school to eventually find someone that will marry them and make them a housewife. These women were smart, intelligent, and witty and they all had one goal in mind; to be a housewife. Ms. Watson came to Wellsley College to challenge their ideas and to let them know that there is more to life than just being a housewife. You can go to college and be married, you don't need to sacrifice one or the other. Wellsley College had high expectations vs. Garfield high school.