The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-10-26

A girl who was educated In European con-
vents gives the following as her usual daily
program "We slept in long dormitory. Each
cot was curtained al around and narrow aisles
were left between them. At either end of the
room were rows of wash-basins. At 6 in Win
ter, $50 in Summer. the Sister awoke Us, rap
ping on our beds and commanding us to rise
In Gods Name We had 20 minutes, and fre-
quently very cold room, to dress in, then were
hurried off to chapel for morning prayers. We
were kept kneeling for 20 minutes, and, al
though ought to have become used to it after
several years, my knees were always stiff and
aching when / arose. For 20 minutes more a
sister read to US from religious volume to color
our thoughts for the day with piety. After
this we celebrated mass, which service lasted 30
minutes, and if there were communion quar-
ter of an hour moro. Then we broke our fast
with coffee and bread. This took up eight or
10 minutes, and our next duty, making up our
beds, consumed about the same amount of time.
In some of the richest converts there are lay
sisters to do these duties. but most frequently
the student does them for herself From to 10
there were classes, and at 10 Sister came in to
us with a basket Of bread, which she gave out
to Us in small portions; sometimes we had
apples with it. Another hour for classes, then
one for study or handiwork, and at IL din
ner was served. We had soup, meat and vege-
tables, and dessert The meat was soup meat.
Lots of us hated it. but we had to eat every
thing served on our plates or be scolded for
slothful waste Perfect silence enforced
during the meal, though one signal was allowed
us-if we did not desire much food we placed
a small piece of bread on our plates. and the
Sister in serving understood, and gave us
smaller portions; otherwise our wishes were not
consulted. / used to hand my meat, under the
table, to girl who rather liked soup meat, and
she disposed Of it for me- In return she made
me write all of her essays and letters.
"After dinner, until halfpast one, was our
recreation hour We promenaded around
the garden walks, singly or in groups of three
or more. No two were allowed to separate
from the rest aud walk together, because the
Sisters were afraid we would have secrets.
would complain of things at the convent, and
grow discontented, so all promising friendships
were discouraged and interfered with, although
in crowds we might be as jolly and friendly as
we pleased. After our walk in the garden We
had classes until A. then q Sister doled out
small quantities Of food to u.s. gouter' we
called it, from the French word for "a taste
Until 6 o'clock the time was given up to study,
extra classes, or bandiwork. While we were
sewing or embroidering we rected prayers
the 'Rosenkranz,' rosary, in honor of the
Blessed Virgin. This was to keep our thoughts
on spiritual things while our fingers were busy
with the needle, but the Ave Marias and Pater
thoughtlessly and monotonously repeated them,
and could not have supplied much spiritual
nonrishment.
sour evening meal was very simple, soup and
bread, with either some stewed vegetable or
fruit After it we had a half-hour for games in
the big hall. lind-man's buff and ring games
had to content us except on the carnival days;
then we were allowed to dance the short half
hour away. A study hour, half an hour for even
ing prayer, and at half past eight we had to be
in bed, with Sister patrolling he aisles to see
that we did not break this rule. We wore
uniform, black for every day and for wear on
the street. blue for Sundays and violet for
feast days. Whenever we changed our classes
we began anew with prayer and with religious
observances, and our class days were well
taken up" This routine is probably not
widely different from that in all converts, and,
not unlike other schoolgirls, the convent
maiden chafes under discipline, but in her case
it seems unusually, and, one might say, un-
necessarily, severe.
In the United States there are 2, 500 women
physicians. 275 women preach the gospel, more
than 5000 are in charge of postoftices, and
100000 are earning independent incomes.
4*x
g.