Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-05-11
Written for TIE EVENING STAR
RICH CHILDREN'S ROOMS.
Princely Apartments for Sons and
Daughters OF Millionaires.

Princely Apartments for Sons and
Daughters Of Millionaires.
HOW IT IS IN ENGLAND-rHE oovERNEss-LrfE OF
CHILDREN IN THE scHooLRoox-rHE NURSERY
OF MRs.w. K.vANDEHBILr's HoUsE-cHILDREN's
scHooLRooN-rHE AMERICAN aovERSEss.
The number Of young husbands and fathers
in the possession of vast wealth is as much a
mark of the times the vast wealth. In the
last generation men expected to work patiently
for their fortunes in order to enjoy them in
their old age The present caprice of fortune,
the lady on the wheel. is to catch up the youth
behind her before they have struck blow for
| themselves.
1t is for the most part the young men who
have built the fine houses of to-day. In these
fine houses provision is necessarily made for
the young children of the family. This, in it's
| approved form, is modelled after the children's
establishments in the great houses of England
Perhaps the most creditable influence of Anglo
mania Is seen in the lodgment and training of
children. The difficulty is, as with all other
customs, that We cannot transport the atmos-
| phere in which these thrive.
IN ENGLAND
the children's apartment is not only separate
in location but has its own staff of servants. is
| governed by its own laws, and in all things is
| independent of the routine of the main estab-
! lishnent in which move the father mother
and elders of the family. The wet nurse is as
| elsewhere, a law unto herself. Except the
car of Russia. or some eastern potentate, she
| has no rival i'll her absolUtism. But her reign
! is inevitably curtailed by the sprouting of the
infant teeth. When child leaves the nurses
| arms, it enters into world of law and disci-
| pine. The social duties of a woman of posi-
| ton in England are obligatory and absorbing
Her maternal duties are necessarily transferred
| to another This is part of the established
constitution of things which finds no parallel
with us. Accordingly substitute is provided
1t Is the nursery governess. She is a woman of
gentle manners, if with limited education
| This is her profession. She has passed from
family to family. All her antecedents are
known. She has professional pedigree which
is open to inspection, SO carefully is chosen
the woman who is to be governess of this
mimic realm.
DUTIES OF THE NURSERY aovERNEss.
She has no mental Offices to perform, the
nursery maids do these under her supervision.
She regulates the lives of her little charges.
establishes her own system of rewards and
punlshments, looks after the health. supervises
the walks hears the first lessons. and begins
the cultivation of those manners which social
| standards for centuries expect Buglsh children
to possess. If child needs the sea coast or
| delicate lungs demand the south of France,
is person competent to discharge the most
delicate duties of mother, and such are in
trusted to her. This position she keeps until
| the education is sufficiently advanced to trans
fer them to the governess.
IN THE scHooL-RooM
The life and education of the children in
the school-room is as separate from the family
life as that of the younger children. To the
governess is entrusted their education man
| and morals She car
and oversees the work of the masters. The
school-room is attended by school-room
maid and the governess presides at the daily
meals. Tho appointments simple but
requisite. and under the care of special serv-
ants. For the governess there is no humilia-
ton in the position. Her duties have been
prescribed by unwritten laws, her position is
one OF authority, and within the lines she is
supreme. Education is a much more serious
| thing in an English family than it is here
even in the best of schools, for nothing is per-
mtted to interfere with it. Theaters and chill
dren's parties are interdcted. Tho gayety
of the house does not penetrate the school
room. Children live more simply. dress more
simply, eat palmer food, and spend less money
| 1t Is doubtful whether an American child
put up with the restrictions that an English
child accepts without comment-so influential
| is the American child in the household.
| know of young girl who changed her school
five times because another girl went to another
school, because she didn't like a teacher be-
| cause the lessons were easier, one caprice be-
ing as good as another, and only at the fifth
change did her masculine parent discover that
she might not be the best Judge OF schools
This same girl had larger allowance than 1
| am sure the daughters of the Duke OF West
minister did at her age.
| THE AMERICAN SYSTEM.
separate establishment for children in the
English sense is impossible here, for children
in this country live with their parents-not
only share their roof and meals, but their di-
versions, and are in way their companions
There may be many arguments doubtless to
show that the American system of early edu-
cation is by far the best. Nevertheless, English
| ideas have been followed, at least, in form, if
the education Is wanting. In the new houses
certain portion is made over to the children
| The apartments consist of nursery, bedrooms
for the older children, sitting-room and school
room. These are fitted up with degree of
luxury that finds no parallel in English homes
IN MRS. W. K vANDzRBILT's
house the nursery is separated from her own
apartments by her bathroom. The nursery is
in the first empire styles. The wood is ma
hogany, and, with the exception of few
| classic lines, Is without ornament. The walls
are in pink and tinted into harmony with the
| wood The furniture is mahogany mounted in
brass, and was made abroad in keeping with
the style of the room. Connecting with the
nursery is the childrens morning and break
fast room. This is in pine, painted gray-green,
and reflects old English styles, with lockers in
the window seats. dumb-waiter connects
with the buffers pantry and kitchen. Here
the children are supreme. They may
set their own table, wash their own
dishes, and play at housekeeping in
a truly serviceable way. window in this
room overlooks the Francis room below which
was the scene of the great ball few years ago.
This room is intended for gala purposes, and
from their perch above. the small people can
look down on the gay doings below. The
school-room contains all the most approved
appliances for making the royal road
smooth. Ofthese the ceiling is most original
Here, in fresco, is painted the heavens and the
planetary system, and lesson in astronomy is
always in order, as it continually stimulates
and prompts inquiry from the growing young
| minds.
| FINE PRIVATE sCHooL-RooM.
One of the best equipped Of these private
school-rooms was that in Mrs. William E. Hoyts
house on Twin Island in the Sound. Mrs. Hoyt
will be better remembered as Janet Chase the
youngest daughter Of the Chief Justice. whose
life is now largely spent devoted to her chill
dren's education. Mrs. Hoyt's artistic tastes
have carried her into the industrial arts; a
skillful worker herself, she has been the means
Of enlisting a number of other people, and par
ticularly in the training of young boys whom
the laws of apprenticeship have excluded from
trades. Her children are taught to share in