Google remembers in doodles Isabelle Gatti de Gamond, who established the first secular secondary school for females in Brussels.

Today, Google celebrates the 189th birthday of Isabelle Gatti de Gamond, a Belgian educator and feminist who founded the first secular secondary school for girls in Brussels. The doodle depicts Gatti de Gamond teaching a class of young women, surrounded by books and symbols of science and culture.

Gatti de Gamond was born on July 28, 1839, in Paris, to a family of Italian intellectuals and political exiles. Her father, Carlo Gatti, was a journalist and philosopher who influenced her progressive views on education and social reform. Her mother, Marie de Gamond, was a writer and translator who encouraged her daughter's literary talents.

Gatti de Gamond grew up in Brussels, where she received a private education from her parents and tutors. She developed a passion for literature, languages, history, and philosophy and a strong sense of justice and equality. She began writing poems, essays, and novels at an early age, and published her first book, a collection of poems titled Les Fleurs du Mal (The Flowers of Evil), in 1857.

In 1862, Gatti de Gamond became involved in the Belgian women's movement, which advocated for the rights and education of women. She was inspired by the example of Marie Pape-Carpantier, a French educator who founded free primary schools for girls in France. Gatti de Gamond decided to create a similar education model for girls in Belgium, where the only options were religious schools or expensive private academies.

She opened her first school in 1864, with the support of her father and some liberal politicians. The school offered a comprehensive curriculum that included languages, mathematics, science, history, geography, music, and physical education. It also promoted critical thinking, civic engagement, and personal development. The school was secular and coeducational, which was revolutionary at the time.

The school was a success and attracted many students from different social backgrounds. Gatti de Gamond expanded her network of schools throughout Belgium and trained hundreds of teachers to follow her pedagogical methods. She also wrote textbooks and manuals for her schools, as well as articles and books on education and feminism. She advocated for the recognition of women's rights to vote, work, own property, and divorce.

Gatti de Gamond died in 1905, leaving a legacy of educational innovation and social change. She is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of modern education for girls in Belgium and beyond. Her schools are still active today, and bear her name as a tribute to her vision and achievements.