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...