Catharine Beecher evolved a moral philosophy during her career as educator, author and social reformer. She developed an invaluable source for analysis of the role of women in our society. Catherine Beecher believed that women should be trained for their duties just as men were trained for their occupations. An Essay on Slavery and Abolitionism: With reference to the duty of American females was written in 1837. This essay was originally meant to be a personal letter to a friend who was going to visit the North advocating that women join abolition societies. Miss Beecher wrote giving reasons why women should not join such societies.