The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1875-08-19
A Girls School in Egypt.

Miss WHATELY, an English educator
and writer, has forwarded the following
interesting description of genuine Egyp-
tian girls school: 81 had recently an
opportunity of visiting the school for
Egyptian girls, chiefly of the poorer
classes, which, about two years ago, was
founded by one of the wives Of His High
ness, the Khedive. The house, which
was built for the purpose, Is admirably
suited to the necessities of school life, for
200 scholars are boarders, 100 being out
siders. 1t is plain and simple in frlrni-
| turc, but in size, loftiness and solidity is
like a palace The marble bathrooms in
| suite, according to Eastern fashion, arc
such as Pachas family might envy, and
in every part of the building air and space
are abundant The Inspector of Public
| Schools, NJ. Dor, a gentleman from Swift
zerland. was kind enough to show me all
the details of the work, and introduced
me to Slit Rosa, the talented and diligcnt
| Superintendent, who is Syrian lady.
| The first set of scholars we saw were in a
room set apart for needlework and en-
broidcry of every kind practiced in
Europe, the teacher being a clever
Frcnchwoman, who can instruct in
all, from the finest lace-work, wool
| crochet, etc, down to the useful
stocking-knitting in which one row of
little girls were diligently engaged. These
children were all dressed in a uniform of
plain gray cotton gowns in the Egyptian
shape, girt round with a leathern belt;
their hair plated behind, bright yellow
ribbon tied, snood fashion, over the head
| All had shoes and stockings, which at
| first had been, | was told, very disagree
| able luxury to the little feet used to
| liberty. In another room Turkish
teacher was instructing about thirty girls
in the exquisite embroidery Of the East.
far lovelier, l own, than any European
work, but they are to learn every kind,
| and the classes are duly changed. At
| halfpast seven O'Clock they work for an
hour, and then again in the forenoon, each
class taking its turn. The progress Of the
little, nimble fingers was quite amazing
and the specimens of work were delicately
clean and beautifully executed. In a
| larger room Moslem Sheik was teaching
| reading. Each child had tin, like
| slate, before her on the desk, on
which she wrote sentences at dictation
and read them out in half chant,
according to Mohammedan custom.
The lady superintendent asked if we
| would like to hear an arithmetic lesson
| (she herself teaches this branch), and the
| rapidity and correctness of the ten-year-
old Fatmeh who was called out, and who
did long sum on the black board, was a
satisfactory proof that they are well taught.
| Adjoining this classroom was another,
where writing lessons were going on.
Here the pupils were younger, averaging
| from seven to nine, perhaps. Their
| writing struck me as better than usual
| with much older children, so far as for
| eigner could Judge Of Arabic writing.
| Their perfect neatness of appearance con-
| trasted wonderfully with the dirty, sloven-
" looks of the poorer children in Egypt,
and their quiet, good mannersw were no less
a pleasing change. In the dining halls
the long tables were spread with snowy
cloths, and forks for each guestyinstead of
fingers. In the laundry Frenchwoman
superintended, but several girls in turn as
sisted in washing and ironing. The
toughest housework is done by cman-
cipated negress slaves, who receive, in the
afternoons, instruction in reading and sew
ing. The kitchen was, like all the rest,
beautifully clean s ~ -s