Democratic standard. [volume] (Georgetown, Brown County, Ohio) 1837-1850, 1843-04-18

lnecteu IN my nina win mucn tnat Wai
gloomy and repulsive. The outside o.
the building, to be sure, had quiet, eve.
ry day sort of look, not at all in keeping
with these ideas. And when / went in
and was received by Mrs Mary Benedict
with a kindness and affection that en-
tirely won my heart. and by the Superior
who, with more dignity, had warmth
and Symparhy Of manner equally attract
i've, my whole castle Of doubts and fears
fell at once to the ground and I felt that
in the nuns Of Mount Benedict, / should
find, not teachers only, but friends. The
young ladies' Of the junior class who were
10 be my companions, were nearly all ab'
sent passing the day with their friends,
and during the day, | felt rather lonely
and home. sick. But at night they came
Aocking in, gathering around their teach
ers, each with her tale of the days ad
ventures to relate; all listened TO and
commented upon by her in the kindliest
interest. When each had exhausted her
little budget Of news, some singing was
proposed, and one Of the young ladies
sang sever al little songs in voice Of
great melody. Spite Of the home.sickS
ness, which on this first night Of separa-
lion from my friends, could not entne.
ly banish,I could not help sympathizing
in the happiness which surrounded me-
felt that it was not the bond of teacher
and scholar merely, which united
them.
These we're my first impressions of the
Convent, and though constant familiarity
soon wore away the novelty and romance
never found it other than happy home,
nor ever experienced any other treatment
than the kindness and sympathy which
greeted my first entrance there.
A few days suficed 10 initiate me into
the regulations Of the school. In thil
Institution every thing was canductet
with the most perfect regularity. Th'
school was divided into two classes
Senior and Junior, each occupying sepa
rate apartments and having for the mos
part different set of Teachers. Ex
cept on general recreation days, or by spe
cial permission, there was very little IN.
tercOurse between the two classes. The
hour of rising was six in winter, and in
summer FIVE o'clock. Haitian hour was
allowed for the duties Of the toilet, we
then descended TO the school room where
the morning prayer was read by the young
lady whose turn it was. After praying,
there was an hour of silence, that is, we
were not allowAd TO run about and talk
but studied the lesson for the day. Then
came breakfast, after that, half an hours
recreation, usually passed out of doors
in. the garden, or walking in front Of the
establishment. When we returned to
the house we entered upon the regular
school exercise for the day. Each les
son had its appointed hour for recitation
The music lessons and hours, for practis
ing being SO arranged as not to interfere
with other Iessons-elevep O'Clock wa'
the dinner hour. Then followed an hours
recreation, sometimes as an indulgence
heightened into two, then school again un
Ill Eve, when we went to tea. After tea
recreation again for an hour or so; tbeu
evening prayers. At seven in the wIntel
and dusk in the summer, we went 10 bed
Wednesday and Saturday afternoons were
gwen us for recreation. In summer tint
we often took our work and sat under the
trees, while one Of the young ladies' reaC
to US, sometimes the Nuns would inven
stories for our amusement. On Sabbath
days we attended service in the morning
The Protestant pupils were required t
take their own Bibles and Prayer books
into the Chapel, and 10 read them du
ring the service. In the afternoon VI
attended Vespers, the evening service re
cited BY the nuns, with the same require
ment 10 take our Bibles or some Othe
religious book for our own reading. Du
ring the day we had much the same hour
Of silence as on on other days, TO be pas
sed in reading ofa moral or religion
nature. We were also required, to com
NIT TO memory and rscite chapter Q
part Of chapter from the New Tesla
ment. The Catholic pupils bad lesson
or instructions apart from US with whic
we had nothing to do.
Once in month, the Superior Assem-
/ bIed all our Teachers in the school rOol
. to hear from them an account Of the var
Gus merits and dement's Of the pupils
| The most deserving were promoted to
, higher rank in the class, while the .leal
so took lower stations. OCCASIONAL
. small premiums were distributed. Pul
! isbments Of any sort were very rare
When the ordinary dicipline ofthe scho
! room was insufficient to insure order ar
obedience, the unruly one was taken
the Superior to rec eiVe a private repl
) maRd from her. If this failed, the deli
quent was placed in the pyramid, sm'
{ fight Of steps, where she sat in front
all the class until sufficiently repentan
i to return to her duty.
: We had quarterly reviews or examin
i tions OF which the bishop was sometim
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