Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1829-06-15
MIS- GNNIAMYa
-NUNNEKY IN THE UNIFIED STATES.
.Cnarnetn,rn ID e Mnrch Ii. 1929.

GSOFEPtOHHt ~. u. iHhItt i'' Ac~o'
| called to day at the NunDery or" Monastery
Of Visitation" in Georgetown. expressed n
wish to the Nun who received me, to view such
parts OF the interior AS strangers are ever al
lowed TO visit, The Nun smiled assent
The site Of this Monastery Is the northwest
t,art OF the town. IL stands upon the borders
Of the 4" heights, and overlooks the body of
the town below IL commands pleasant view
ofthe Potomac as il rolls its still waters away 1,
the Southeast, and also the cultivated fields and
lawns on its Western bank. The enclosure
embraces about one acre. On the North side
is the Academy conducted by the Nuns, con-
sisting of long range OF buildings, three stories
high Ia the middle of the front or Eastern
side stands the chapel. On the left ofthe chap
81 i, the room of the Father Confessor, and al
so the private apartments of the Nuns, into
which no unhallowed tread of tue worldly and
profaue 10 ever admitted.
had not waited long, when the Lady Abbess,
and Nun oftbe newly initiated to the mystic
ries of the black veil, about lS or 90 years of
age, whose countenance seemed the abode of
an unusual degree of intelligence, thought and
meaning, came into The hall | was inirodu.
ced TO the Lady Abbess aud the young and
beautiful attendant. 81 We will be your Con
duciresses," said the Lady Abbess, at the same
time leading the way and inviting me 10 fol.
tow.
The Academy or High School for Ladies, is
the most interesting appendage OF the convent
1t contains Boarding School of upwards of
one hundred pupils--and a Free or Charity
School of a much larger number o. day scho
lars.-What strikes the vis'titer with most plea
sure, is the perfect syslsm and order, with
which every thing is done, All is perea clock
work. The young Misses who compose the
school are regularly and rigidly trained TO do
every thing on plan and method.
We first entered a long passage. Here were
fixtures prepared for the cloaks, bonnets, &c.
Of the pupils, each numbered from TO $50 ;
and each pupil has her particular number The
next room we visited was another long pas
sage, adjoining the dormtoiies. In this was
an extended range of wash Sands, reaching
through its length. Here the pupils commence
their morning toilette. Each stand IS furnished
with bowl. pitcher, napkin, soap, combs. brush
es Sc. and each numbered. The same is
true of the beds or coucbes 10 the dormitories
of the departments or divisions OF their com
mon wardrobes-of their seats in the dining
and study halls, and even the repositories of
their shoes Each pupil has the same number
throughout the establishment.
The Seminary is divided into four classes
The hall of the first class cont aims an extensive
cabinet of minerals, TO which many rare and
valuable specimens have been presented by the
officers of our Navy, aud by Catholics OF the
Eastern world. 1t has also many rich spec-
mems of art-ihe contribution OF wealthy and
powerful patrons of the church. The sword.
sheath and belt OF Iiurbide, the hero Of South
Amerca-two Of whose daughters are now in
this COW ent-were recently presented 10 the
cabinet by Commodore Rodgers.
After visiting the other rooms, my conduct
fesses led me to the domestic spsStments, where
are performed, This is kept with great care;
every thing was seat, bright and clean; and
but for the implements ofhousewltery, carefully
arranged about the room, one might have mis-
taken II for drawing room.
One feature in the training OF these young la
sdjes was wonderfully pleased with. II IS this
TWO of them are taken every week by rotation
and placed ia this parler kitchen, where under
the instruction Of one Of the sisterhood they
perform all the operations of housewlfery Tor
;he week. They make the bread and bake il,
The buildings. arls, pies, cakes, &c, They
roast the beef and fowls, aud, in short, perform
the whole Ia Dor Of house keeping, except the
drudgery. At the end OF the week they return
10 their study, and two others take their places.
This is as it should be. Domestic education is
Utmost wholly overlooked with us. Young
ladies are trained up, as If TO charm and please,
and grace the drawing room, were to be the
sole business oftheir lives. They are taught
% sing, dance, (this is indispensable } TO play
zoe piano and guitar, TO read bad French, and
write worse English, to triae gracefully, Gall
o'which acknowledge like very well, il
backed oy good attainment?) and nov and
men one, 10 think profoundly but moi one in
ea' no arriving a,lhe proper age for taking
Iraarge ota family, knows how 10 make pud
u'ns or pie that would be eatable, unI<s she
were ere to make it" by book
ihe number of Nuns in tins Convent, al pre-
seni. rs about 80. Among them are dessrh
. Ta's OF several rich and powerful families.
ineir employments consists in confessions, vi
s"s' renances. reading, mud religious exercises,
W eaching, in domestic concerns, and in ma.
Sng tne needle work for sa,s.--The Charity