Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1897-12-02
MARRIAGE SCHOOLS"

Finishing schools in England are of
doubtful utility. In South Germany,
however, writes a London Chronicle
correspondent, the institution has been
developed on very practical lines. Be-
fore admission the girls are supposed
to have been thoroughly well educated.
They must know the rudiments of
arithmetic, must have a fair acquain-
lance with English and German gram
mar, and must be able to write and
speak their own language properly.
They come to the school mainly to
learn housekeeping.
The schools generally number from
ten to twenty boarders, each Of whom
has separate bedroom. Every morn
ing after breakfast the girl has to
make her own bed and dust the room.
Once or twice q month she Is obliged
to alter the position of the furniture,
so that she may know how to arrange
things. Every week she is called upon
to take her dresses from the cup
boards, where they hang, and pack
them in box, with everything else she
may require for a long visit. This
done, the mistress inspects it and
points out the many ways in which she
may save space.
In school in Baden visited, only
sixteen pupils are admitted, and two
housemaids and one cook are kept. At
the commencement of the term the
girls are informed by the mistress that
four of them are required every week
to take absolute charge of the house.
They have to rise early in the morn
ing, and see to the preparation Of
breakfast. When this is finished they
make their beds and tidy their rooms,
and afterward go around the house to
see that the servants have done their
work. Then they are told by the mis-
tress what the midday dinner will con-
sist Of and this they will have to pre-
pare, though the cook will supervise
what they do in the kitchen, giving
hints and preventing waste.
One of the four girls will have to sit
at the head of the table and serve the
soup, carve the poultry or joint, and
help the sweets. This meal over, those
on duty have, after short rest, to ar
range afternoon tea, which they lay in
the drawing-room, and at which they
have to wait upon their companions
and any visitors who may happen to
call. In the evening there is frequent
ly some music or light recreation,
where the four girls have to act as
hostesses. They finish up their day.
work by arranging supper, but are not
allowed to retire for the night until
they have left the kitchen in perfect
order, and have seen that the doors
and windows all over the house are
properly secured.
The value of such training as this
cannot be overestimated. The girl
| leaves the school quite competent to
undertake the management of a house;
they are good cooks, and are able to
undertake anything without being
dependent on the servants.
The other girls who have not been
SO actively engaged in the house are
taught sewing and the making and re-
pairing of their own garments. In the
morning they have studies and in the
afternoon generally go for walks. The
mistress of the school visited is well
connected, and has many visitors. In
| the winter evenings dances are ar
ranged, and these are entirely managed
by the girls on duty. They see to the
preparation of the rooms, engage the
musicians, draw up the programmes,
etc. This lady told me that thirty-two
of her girls had met their husbands at
these dances.
I'VE mistresses," she added, ARE
said in Germany to be the proprietors
of marriage schools. 1t is true, and
/ the term is not quite inappropriate. y