Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-08-12
A BOarding-SehOOI i'm 1870.

4
visiting a boarding-school or academy Of
! the olden time.
In the days of good Queen Bess schools
We're few and far between, as angels visits
are said to be, but in the town of Norwich,
| England, there existed a celebrated train
ing-school" for the youth of both sexes.
An old abbey furnished the requisite
room, and high-born maidens slept in the
| cells where nuns had once repeated their
ace MGrids, and were gathered by day in
a school-room which had formerly been
used as a refectory or dining-hall Sepa-
rated from this building by crumbling
stone wall Of great height was the ancient
| monastery, which was now transformed
into an academy for the boys of Albion.
Both buildings were well-nigh covered
with beautiful clambering ivy
The children Of that day, in dress and
appearance, were exact miniature copies
of grown-up people.
Queen Elizabeth numbered 5000 robes
in her wardrobe, and the daughters of no.
blemen carried with them to school from
thirty to 800 dresses, according to the
| wealth and station of their parents.
Young misses of six and ten years of
age wore trains on important occasions,
and, at all times, appeared in long, point
ed waists, with deep ruffles around the
neck. Silk robes were embroidered with
serpents, and birds and ostriches in bright
colors. Handkerchiefs were trimmed
with gold lace and sometimes ornamented
with dozen solid gold or silver buttons,
which must have been particularly nice
for young noses. Sleeves were worn sep
arate from their dresses, and often of diff
ferent material. Ladies' and children's
boots were made with heels two inches
high, which were called pantofes, and
both boots and slippers were frequently
trimmed with artificial flowers.
Young lads, also, wore sleeves of large
size and gay colors. Wigs had not, in
1870, become fashionable for children, but
their hair was often dyed, Carriers were
worn conspicuously by men and boys,
and were test Of rank and fashion. 1t is
on record that these articles, for state oc-
casiOns, sometimes cost q four score
pound pair" equal to some $3.50 of our
money.
The tops of boots were of embroidered
linen, and shirts were often embroidered
in gold thread. In such apparel as this
the school-boys of that day played leap
frog and hunt the slipper, and other an
clent games. -------
The beds were the only comfortable arti-
Giles of furniture then known and were
frequently of such size as to accommodate
from twelve to twenty persons. Thus, a
teacher could sleep with all his pupils
around him. How would you like that.
boys? One specimen of these bedsteads,
the great bed of Ware-of which Shake
speare makes mentiOn-is still preserved
in England as curiosity, and was, at one
time, the property of the late Charles
Dickens.
flashes and stews formed the principal
| food set before the schOOlchildren whose
! mode of life we are depicting, and, as
forks were not brought from Italy till
1880, and did not come into general use
for fifty years, they ate their stews and
hashes with the aid of pewter spoons and
their fingers.
Iable-linen was unknown, but on feast
days a narrow strip of Turkey carpeting
extended the length of the dining-table,
this being the only purpose for which car
peting was used wher first brought to En-
gland. Rushes were scattered upon the
floor, and the remnants of each meal were
thrown down to the dogs upon these rush
es, which were renewed, as history tells
us, three or tour times gear!
And now, perhaps, you will inquire
what were the studies pursued by the pu-
pills of Norwich Academy in the year
1870.
Education was esteemed of much less
importance than dress and amusements.
and therefore, we mention this topic last
Of all in our account of the "good old
tines
The boys were taught "Latin, Greek,
and figures" but we are told that the
young ladies could scarcely read. EN-
broidery and working tapestry was the
principal occupation of the fair sex, and
the Schoolgirls were taught to prepare
physic and make pastry; to dry herbs and
bind up wounds; 70 make banners and
scarfs, and to be obedient to their fathers,
brothers and lords.''
Early marriages were frequent and
many Of these Norwich schoolgirls were
welded wives, whose education must be
completed before they were taken home
to keep the keys and cut the bread and
rule a retinue OF servants-duties which
would be required of them in the castles
Of their husbands
Knitting became customary about this
time, and on the occasion of the visit of
Queen Elizabeth TO Norwich. in 1870,
eight young girls walked in the process
sion that welcomed her, knitting yarn
nose, which were then great curiosity.
Having thus ransacked the annals of the
past to bring before you this picture of
the school-children of the olden times, we
humbly submit to your consideration,
young readers of the st. N5cb0Jas, the
question whether our republican boys
and girls are NOT more highly favored,