In that year, her failure in health demanded immediate and complete rest, and the trustees gave her leave of absence, but finding herself unable to resume her duties, she resigned in 1882.

Her subsequent life was passed in rest and travel, as her continued ill-health called for frequent change of climate.

[6] In Illinois, she worked for Knox College as the principal of the Woman's Department and a faculty member, teaching Moral Philosophy, Rhetoric, and Literary Criticism.

[9] She, and two other professors, Louise A. Sanderson and Mary J. Farnham, resigned in 1868[7] after Curtis grabbed her during an argument about the next year's course catalog.

[10] On Monday, when students assembled near the college chapel in the morning, they refused to enter until Curtis resigned.

A historian at Knox College reports that six students went to services, but otherwise corroborates Park's description of the strike.

[11] During Tuesday, students repeated this technique which Parks later began to call the first ‘sit-down strike’ which he knew of.

The president of the Knox board of trustees, Illinois Supreme Court Chief Justice Lawrence, then informed the students that Curtis had resigned.

The students went to the chapel for the recitation, “yelling ‘Hurrah for Knox College!’ or words to that effect.”[10] Other sources provide additional details to the historical event.

After an unfruitful attempt to halt the noises, Curtis made his way to the Seminary and inquired for Howard to offer an apology, to which she refused.

[15] Before Western College, Howard returned to Mount Holyoke as a professor and then taught at Oxford Female Institute.

Dr. William F. Warren of Boston University, a senior member of Wellesley's board of trustees, and Reverend Mr. Ollphant of Methuen Mass, pastor of the church Ada Howard attended, led the services.

At the end of the service, students led the funeral procession to the Wellesley Cemetery where Ada Howard was laid to rest.