Family
Her "Father [was] a lawyer, a musician and a scholar" and her "mother an accomplished painter" (Payne-Gaposchkin). Because of her parents' intellect and creativity, Payne was raised in an environment that cultivated these traits.
"Her [Cecilia's] mother made sure her children were well-educated" (Haramundanis)
Edward John Payne (left) and Emma Leonara Helena Payne (right) [Image Credits Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin: an Autobiography and Other Recollections]
Early Education and Experiments
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Girls Working On Art In "The Studio" [Image Courtesy Britannica]
"Cecilia received a very good primary and secondary education...she was first able to study mathematics and science in a thorough way," cultivating her love of the subjects and encouraging her to think logically and scientifically (Oakes).
"Isolated from the world, we grew up in an atmosphere of literature and art"
~ Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin
Young Cecilia, a clever child, "resolved on a practical test" of prayer. She "divided [her] examinations into two groups" she "prayed for success in the one and not in the other... The result: [she] obtained better marks in the group for which she had not asked for divine help" (Payne-Gaposchkin).
" I drew on my own conclusions from my experiment with Prayer. The only legitimate request to God is for courage."
~ Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin
Cecilia Payne as a Child [Image Courtesy Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin: an Autobiography and Other Recollections]
"At the age of five Cecilia saw a meteor, and thereupon decided to be an Astronomer. She remarked that she must begin quickly, in case there should be no research left when she grew up." (Payne-Gaposchkin)
~ Betty Grierson Leaf
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