The Children's Hour

The Children's Hour Summary | Act 1 Summary

The Children's Hour is a three-act play set in the Wright-Dobie School for girls in the 1930's in a small town in Massachusetts. The school was founded by two single women, Martha Dobie and Karen Wright. The play was considered very controversial for its time because of its obvious theme of lesbianism.

The first act opens during an afternoon in April in the study-room of the converted farmhouse that houses the school. Several girls aged twelve to fourteen are busy sewing or studying or working on various projects. The room in monitored by Mrs. Lily Mortar, a woman of forty-five who is dressed more glamorously than the situation warrants. Mrs. Mortar, who is Martha Dobie's aunt, sits in a large chair with her head leaning back and her eyes closed as she listens to Peggy, one of the girls, recite a Shakespeare lesson.

As a few of the other girls are working on their Latin declensions, Mrs. Mortar chides Peggy to put more conviction into her recitation. Suddenly one of the other girls, Mary Tilford, enters the room and Mrs. Mortar chastises the girl for her tardiness. Mary presents Mrs. Mortar with a bouquet of wilted wildflowers in the hopes of lessening the older woman's wrath. Her plan has worked, as Mrs. Mortar seems amused and pleased to have received the flowers.

Mary's ploy does not work on Karen Wright, however, who has entered the room shortly after Mary's arrival. Karen reveals that the flowers had been seen in a nearby trashcan that morning, so Mary had not picked them for Mrs. Mortar but retrieved them opportunistically to present to the woman to ease any possible wrath.

Karen dismisses the other girls and reveals Mary's punishment, which is confinement to the school grounds for two weeks. Mary laments her fate and the injustice that is perpetually inflicted on her and falls to the floor claiming a heart attack. Karen carries Mary to another room to rest and sends Mrs. Mortar to find Martha and Dr. Joe Cardin, who is Martha's fiancé and also Mary's uncle.

Martha arrives as the scene and she and Karen discuss Mary's disruptive behavior, which has been apparent ever since the girl arrived at the school. Karen also broaches the subject of Mrs. Mortar and Martha agrees that the old woman needs to leave the school. She too has become a disruptive force by always preaching to the girls and recalling her glory days as an actress.

Karen shares with Martha that Joe has asked her to marry him, a fact that visibly upsets Martha. Karen tries to calm her saying that her commitment to the school will not change. In addition, the school has made enough money so that it can afford to send Mrs. Mortar back to London to live among her friends and old colleagues. Joe arrives and visits with Mary to determine the source of her latest illness.

Karen leaves the room and Mrs. Mortar, who has been keeping Mary company in the other room, emerges at the request of Dr. Cardin. The old woman's irritation extends to her niece and the two women argue until Martha explains that the school is prepared to send Mrs. Mortar to London. Startled and hurt, Mrs. Mortar retaliates and accuses Martha of having inappropriate feelings toward Karen. Unbeknownst to the two women, their argument is heard by a few of the girls who are listening outside the door. Martha vows to address the issue later, but Mrs. Mortar is not content with this temporary resolution and leaves the room in an agitated state.

Joe emerges from the side room and announces that Mary has not had a heart attack and is in perfectly fine health. Apparently Mary has a history of exaggeration in order to garner attention and this is just another episode. Martha asks Dr. Cardin to speak to Mary's grandmother, Mrs. Tilford, about the girl's behavior. Dr. Cardin resists and Martha is visibly upset. The doctor embraces Martha in an attempt to comfort her.

Karen returns and she and Martha agree to separate Mary and her cohorts, who had been caught listening at the door. Mary launches into a crying fit and Dr. Cardin reprimands her, warning her to stop causing such turmoil at the school with such emotional outbursts. Karen and Dr. Cardin leave the room and Mary throws a pillow at the door, kicking a table, which causes a glass ornament to fall and break. The other girls are frightened, but Mary vows to leave the school in spite of her punishment. Mary is low on funds for her little expedition, so she coerces and physically threatens Peggy to part with her small amount of savings.