Who is Miss Lafayette and Miss Lattimore from Francie and what is their importance?

Miss Lafayette is Francie's teacher with whom she is close friends. Miss Lafayette lives in Miss Beach's boarding house, where Francie and her mother are employed to do laundry. Miss Lafayette may be ill; she has been in Louisiana for two weeks on some kind of "mysterious business," and seems as though she doesn't feel well when she returns. She brings Francie a new Nancy Drew book, and has brought her books in the past. She encourages Francie and appreciates Francie's hunger for learning. She is probably responsible for the academic achievement award given to Francie at the end of the school year.