The Girl Who Tested the Waters: Ellen Swallow, Environmental Scientist. Written by Patricia Daniele and illustrated by Junyi Wu. mit Kids Press, Candlewick Press. Penguin Random House. 2025. $24.99 ages 7 and up

 

"Every student at MIT was male. Ellen didn't care. 
She applied anyway and got in - with a full scholarship! 
The year was 1871. At twenty-eight years old, Ellen 
Henrietta Swallow was about to become the first female
student to step through the doors of MIT.

But not everybody liked change."

Tiny at birth and in need of 'fresh air and exercise', Ellen was encouraged by her careful mother to find joy in nature. She developed a strong body and mind from her love of being outdoors in all kinds of weather. An only child, Ellen worked hard to help with farm chores and did not back down from hard work. There was nothing about the outside world that she didn't love. 

Afraid that school attendance would make their daughter sick, her parents (both teachers) decided on homeshooling. At 16, still wanting to learn more and more, her parents chose to sell their farm, buy a general store in a village where Ellen could attend school at Westford Academy. It took her no time to learn all the academy had to offer. 

College for women was only a dream at the time. A chance discovery about a new school for women called Vassar led to Ellen working for two full years at anything that offered pay. Finally, at 26, she had earned enough for one year's tuition. There, she discovered applied chemistry and recognized its importance in solving life's problems. The best part was the chance to be outside in nature once again. 

The decision to explore chemistry at MIT, where every other student was male, was met with consternation. She studied on her own for a full year before professors invited her to take part in their classes. Through hard work, she won their trust and admiration and was soon offered a chance to do a water survey in Boston. Accepting the challenge offered a way to put all of her learning to the test. Ellen's success was quite remarkable. For the rest of her life, she worked tirelessly to improve all life by caring for the environment and encouraging good health for families. 

Her story ends with one of Ellen's quotes: 

"The quality of life depends on the ability of society to teach its members how to live in harmony with their environment - defined first as the family, then with the community, then with the world and its resources." 

A time line follows, as does an author's note, a list of source notes, and a selected bibliography.