The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1878-08-15
A Dothegirls Hall in England.

During the last week public attention
has suddenly been drawn to DOthe-
girls Hall (almost as disgraceful place
as the famous old Dotheboys, of which
Dickens wrote so wonderful descrip-
tion), situated at no great distance from
London, and whence five and forty VIC
Tins have been rescued; not from the
rod and from an actual birthstone and
treacle diet, but from something not
very much less inhuman. In the
Christian World and othey papers had
appeared, soon after Christmas, most
attractive advertisement of u Ladies
College," near Sunbury-on-Thames. In
this Scholastic earthly paradise, CON-
sisting, in print, at least, of large
house {" delightfully."- situated" of
course), seven acres Of ground, hot an d
cold baths. a pony to ride on, home
made bread, plentiful milk, diet I'M
limited, six resident goycrnesses, an
efficient staff of masters, and numerous
other advantages, pupils might be re-
ceived, boarded, lodged and educated
for the moderate sum of thirty or forty
guineas per annum. The programme
was so tempting that the school opened
early in February in great force. 1t is
true that some of the girls, fresh from
comfortable homes, and sundry OF their
escorts, were rather staggered at the
barren aspect of things both within and
without the mansion; but excuses as to
the tenancy being new, and the place
therefore yet a little unfinished, were
profered and unsuspectingly accepted.
The term fees had all been paid in adj
vance; nevertheless the "lady princi-
pal'' very speedily began to borrow
from her pupils sums of money, large
or small, whichever she could get. That
looked queer, but what looked consid-
erably queerer was the fact that when
meal-time came the ''diet unlimited
was conspicuous only by its all but total
absence. Sometimes dinner was at two,
sometimes four, five, six or seven
O'Clock, sometimes not till next day.
When it did come it was never anything
better than bone-scrapings and potato
squash.
Breakfast and supper consisted Of an
almost colorless fluid called-but only
by courtesy-tea, and a piece OF bread,
quite innocent of contact with butter.
The "six resident g0vernesses and the
efficient staff of masters were repre-
sented by one diminutive maid-Of-all-
work, whose abode was the kitchen,
and whose duties were entirely mental.
Instruction, indeed, there was none,
save when the poor, neglected children
voluntarily resolved themselves into a
mutual education society. The starv-
ing girls meanwhile were growing lean
as rakes; to faint away became daily
practice, one victim swOOning four
times during the twenty-four hours,
and being unable to rise the next morn
ing from her bed. Another went de-
lirious through incessant hunger. Their
letters of despairing complaint to their
distant relatives and friends remained
unanswered for obvious reasons-they
never got beyond the Principals
clutches. One pupil tried to telegraph
home. The telegram, though written
out, was never dispatched. This same
girl at last, in desperation, crawied-
she was actually too weak 10 Wa,k-to
the nearest Postoffice or pillar letter.
box, and lodged in it q smuggled mis-
sive to her mother. This reached IL
destination, and the indignant parent
hurried to the rescue. She found forty
five ghostly looking girls clamoring
family, because 50 weakly, at 4:3O p.
M, for dinner which was not forth
coming. The mother bore off her
daughter, leaving behind the four-and-
forty other victims weeping envious
tears over their escaping companions