Dow - In 1906, on the return passage from a furlough in America, Hurlburt approached a new AIM missionary, Miss Josephine Hope, with a strange request. Knowing that she had had extensive experience teaching in Montessori schools, Hurlburt asked if she would be willing to teach the children of their missionaries. Although Miss Hope had intended to use her experience in African education, she accepted the request and began to prepare for the task of starting a new school. …… Miss Hope left in 1910 to secure better educational resources for RVA in America …… The adult who was in charge of most of the discipline in the early years was, of course, Miss Hope; and while most agreed that she was strict, the majority believed her discipline was of the loving kind ………

A young woman at Columbia Bible College commenting on Miss Hope's character stated, "Whatever mistakes she might have made, the scholars accepted that she meant it for their good." In many ways 1914 exemplified some of the powerful outside forces that were at play in the daily life of the school. To begin with, the less than robust health of Mrs Westervelt took a significant turn for the worse late in the year. Doctors in Kenya believed she had a heart condition intimately connected to the high elevation of Kijabe. At least one doctor was convinced that Mrs Westervelt had no more than 2 years to live and recommended an immediate return to the United States. When the Westervelts reluctantly left Kijabe the impact on the stability and quality of education at RVA was palpable. The departure of one of the school's founders and first teacher conincided with the outbreak of WW1.

Drumkey 1909 - African Inland Mission, 1906 - Miss Josephine Hope at Kijabe

North - as Josephine B. Hope

EAHB 1907 - AIM Kijabe Red Book 1912 - Africa Inland Mission - Miss Josephine B. Hope