The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-06-20

] where considerable sums of money were
! spent and where young ladies were badly
! trained.
| THE employment and the distribution
Of the employment of time should form
! the principal objects of your attention.
| What will be taught to the young ladies
who will be educated at Ecouen? You
must first begin with religion in all its
| severity. Admit Of no modification on
! this point. Religion is an important af-
/ fair in a public institution for young
| girls. Whatever may be said to the con-
| trary, it remains the surest guarantee
for mothers and for husbands. Teach
| the girls to believe and not TO reason.
''The weakness of the brains of women,
| the mobility of their ideas, their destiny
| in the social order. the necessity of a
| constant and perpetual resignation, and
| Of a sort of indulgent and easily moved
charity can only be reached through a
religion charitable and gentle. 1 have at
tached only rather small Importance
to the religious institutions of Fontaine-
bleau and 1 have only prescribed what
was absolutely necessary for the pupils.
But it is just the reverse in the case of
the institution at Ecouen. Almost all
be that of the bible. 1t is my desire
! that there should come out of this estab-
lishment not very accomplished women,
| but very virtuous women. 1 want their
| attractions to be in their conduct and
| In their goodness. and not in brilliancy
| or amusement. Consequently there must
| be at Ecouen a director, a man of in
| telhgence, Of ripe years. and good morals.
| Each day the pupils should say their
l M n M
| receive lessons in their cateChiSm. This
! should be the most important portion of
| their education. In addition. they should
| be taught TO cipher and to write; and
they should learn the principles of their
| language, so that they can know some
| thing Of photography. They should be
taught a little geography and history,
| but no Greek or Latin or any foreign
language. little botany might be
! taught to the older pupils with a light
| course In natural philosophy. In physics
| they should be confined TO just what is
| strictly necessary 10 prevent gross ignor-
ance or stupid superstition, and they
! should be kept to facts, without argu-
ments, which point directly or indirectly
| to first causes.
Whether those who shall have arrived
| at a certain point of advancement should
| receive a stock for their clothing Is a
| question for future consideration. They
| should be made TO accuston themselves
| to economy and TO calculate the value Of
| things. But, in general, they should all
be occupied during three-quarters of the
| day with needlework They should know
! how TO make stockings, undertaking
and work embroidery. In a word, they
| should learn all the work that belongs
| 10 a woman.
"One should look upon these young
! girls as If they belonged TO families
| which in our provinces have from 1,500
| 10 1900 liVres income, and If they could
m N4.-rHs
| dowry of about 200 and 1,5O0 francs and
| treat them accordingly. In this light 1t
| Will be seen that the household labor
| cannot be Indifferent.
| L don't know that it would be posi-
| bic TO teach them a little medicine and
| pharmacy-at least as much of medicine
| as constitutes the knowledge of a nurse
| IT would certainly be well for them TO
learn a little Of that portion Of cookery
| which is called l'office. A young woman
| in coming out of Ecouen TO take her
! place at the head of a little household
| should know how TO make her dresses
| mend the clothes Of her husband make
| the baby linen of her children, procure
dainties for her little family by means
| Of the pantry portion of her household
duties, care for her husband and children
| whenever they are sick, and know how
to do 1t like a trained nurse. All that
| is so simple and so trivial that Ii does
| not require much reflection.
AS for clothing. that ought to be uni
| form. It viii be necessary to select COM
mon materials and give them symmetrl-
| cal forms. Upon this point l imagine
| that the present dress of women leaves
nothing to be desired. OF course the
arms should be covered, and modifica-
lions looking toward health and mOdesty
should be adopted.
LAS for diet. It cannot be too simple;
soup, boiled beef, a little entree, and
nothing more.
IT shall not. as at Fontainebleau pre-
| scribe cookery for the pupils: / would
have too many people against me; but
they might be taught TO prepare their
| dessert and whatever may be given 10
them for their repasts, or on their DAYS
| Of recreation. / will dispense with
cookery. but not with the making Of their
own bread. The advantage of all this Is
| that they will be trained in everything
that they will be called upon In after
years TO do. and be able to employ their
time usefully and well.
Their apartments should be furnished
with the work OF their own hands. They
should make their own Undertaking,
their stockings. their dresses and their
coiffures All that is "a great affair in
my opinion. / want TO make these
young girls useful women because l am
certain that in this way / shall make
them charming. They will know huv TO
dress themselves when they make their
own clothes, and consequently they will
dress themselves with taste
Dancing Is necessary for the health of
the pupils. but the dance should be lively
and not a danse d'opera. / grant music
also. but vocal music only
IF the objection Is made that the es-
adjustment will not be much I'm vogue,
my answer Is that that Is precisely what
| L want because. In my opinion, of all
educations the best is that OF mothers,
and my principal intention Is 10 come 10
the rescue of those young girls who have
lost their mothers whose parents are
poor. And IL the members OF the Legion
of Honor refuse TO send their daughters
| to this establishment. while the poor
want theirs TO be sent TO II, and the
young girls, after returning 10 their
provinces, gain the reputation OF good
women, I shall have completely attained
the aim / have now I'm view. and / am
certain that the establishment will gain
the highest and most solid reputation.
81 have no intention to train up I'm this
institution fashionable dressmakers
chRmbermaids. charwomen or women
destined for the modest homes OF the
poor. The mother In a poor home is the
charwoman.
Men. with the single exception OF the
director, should be excluded from this es-
tabishment. No man should cross It's
threshold under any pretext whatsoever
Even the work In the gardens should be
performed by women. My intention Is
that In this matter the establishment OF
Ecouen shall be placed under rule as
rigorous as that OF the converts OF nuns
Even the directress must not see any
| mo In Ia nd In