The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-01-23
SHE WOULD BE A GovERNEss.
An Amateur Application for Post in
the Ranks of Private Teachers.
tCont,ri1bfed 1888


ing this week for situate us governess.
To teach the push-cloaked and beaverton
neted darings Of the avenue ought to be
pleasant task, and in a country which puts,
theoretically, an unprecedented value on
education, the position of the woman to
whom the training of the most favored lit
tie people of big city is intrusted should be
an enviabe one. In spite OF some doubts as
to the exact degree Of correspondence be-
tween ought and is, l was resolved upon the
experiment.
My first call was made at an uptown
agency which supplies teachers to private
families Here was interviewed by bust
ness-like but kindly elderly man, who looked
doubtful when gave him an address in the
wlds of Brooklyn, hardened his heart
against me when | confessed that
| had no references, wavered when
assured him could get
some, smiled benignantly when professed
some slight acquaintance with several Ian
guages, frowned when | pleaded guilty to
being no musician. relented when | talked
largely of diplomas, shook his head dubious
" when | acknowledged with many mis-
givings that | was not English nor even
Canadian, but plain Yankee, and ended by
putting me on his books of registry-for
notwithstanding me some excellent adj
vice and supplying me with the address of
two or three possible employers, recon-
mending the most favorable hours at which
to apply.
| made a number of uninterestinC visits
and one, at least, worthy of somewhat de-
tailed description. The house was half a
block off the avenue. A resident governe,s
was wanted for four children under S years
old and the salary specified was $50 month.
The teacher was required to be under ~,
lady, and good conversationalist."
| did not feel at all sure of fulfilling the
last requisite as | slowly climbed the steps
and gave the bell hesitating pull. Like
the wretch whose toothache leaves him with
his hand on the dentists door my desire to
know something of the life OF a governesS
hadfed before the prospects of its realization.
NY knees trembled under me and my voice
stuck in my throat.
| tried to throw off these amateurish ter
rors while waiting with my feet curled up
on the rung of the great oak settle in the
open-timbered hall, up whose winding stair
case the lackey disappeared, carrying my
card on silver salver. For purposes of
governessing only, / was-well, say, Alice
Dustin and Alice did her best to assume an
interested but not too anxious professional
aspect when she heard the steps of the lady
coming down.
After some preliminary questions, "You
are well grounded in Englishl' she asked.
Alice modeStly hoped that she was.
you speak FrenchN
Alice proposed to read French TO her, and
hoped that a serene confidence might cast
its protecting aegis over a rusty accent.
"You know Germanp
Alice sustained the German examination
as best she might.
''You can teach Latin"
Alice assented.
care you Greek scholarp
Alice murmured that she understood the
oldest child was only 7
YES but the children are to be thorough
" educated and must be in hands more than
ordinarily competent from the start. To
lay proper basis for further teaching, a
governess should know much more than she
is required to use every day.
Nothing daunted, Alice agreed to be re-
sponsible for any amount of Greek desired,
but was obliged to say no when asked If she
could sing. Further inquiries explored the
shadows of her accomplishments in en-
brOidery, and painting and dancing. The
lady believed in all-arOund education, and
wanted her children instructed in natural
history and the elements of geology. She
wanted the history of Alices family for a
generation or two back, and she was inter-
ested in learning if Alice was skilled in
needlework and could keep the children's
wardrobe in order.
Alice learned that she would be expected
to sleep in the nursery, and that heavy
sleeping was a bar to favor, since the chill
dren might want something in the night.
She would preside at the children's meals,
and would be confined necessarily herself to
light fare suitable for them. She would dress
and undress the little ones, be with them
constantly, take tkem for their walks, give
the youngest kindergarten training, be re-
sponsibie for every detail Of their welfare,
except giving them their batha duty be-
longing to the nurse-and, TO recuperate
from the strain of such constant attendance
upon children, would be allowed Sunday
afternoon off once in two weeks
Alice decided that's was not an intel
lectual prodigy, a social paragon and mar
vel Of patience and physical strength; and
that, if she were, her market value ought to
be more than half the probable wages of the
establishments cook. The lady of the
house was a pleasant seeming person, kind
and without intention to be hard taskmis-
tress.
With rosy views Of a governess' life some
what dashed by this experiment, / have
since made several other applications with
the wish to learn how far my first expert
ence was typical, and how far it was exag
gerated by an individuals whim. | have
not, on my subsequent attempt, been asked
10 IbdCn OTcbk Vi tNtH lJdLlI. L1iS
been commonly required French nearly al
ways, and there have been inquiries-in a
family Of older children--for Italian. /
struck one household where the governess did
all the family sewing, sitting up sometimes
till the small hours 10 finish 1t. / heard of
several families where the children's teacher
was the mothers maid and hair dressing
among her required accomplishments. |
made acquaintance with governess just
installed in position from which her pred
ecessor had been elected for not being suf-
flciently mindful Of caste lines. She had
put on child's rubbers 1t was her bus-
ness TO adjust hats and cloaks when her
charges went to walk, but it was servants
place to put on the overshoes If she could
not be mindful of her exact position in the
family, neither rising above It nor falling
below it, she must go. | learned that one
governess in the city receives 500 a month
wages, that few get $50, but that the av-
erage for kindergarten teachers is not above
SIS, with board, and for teachers of older
children not over 500, though respectable
number receive S25 and $50. Some give
their services for a home" | found that
govelness must be young and, preferably,
pretty. She must be able to help in enter
tanning company, If desired, but she must
be an upper servant, sometimes eating with
the other servants. often clashing with them
and subject to unpleasantness because of
her equivocal position between kitchen and
parlor, and less well paid than the kitchen.
/ heard many qoverneSses speak well of