The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-29
THE GorERSksss LOT BRIGHTER.
Now She Works on New and for Her.
Much Wore Agreeable Plnn.

IHE "oF hhNEoS f''h ""f"fh '-f'
Now She Works on New and for Her.
Much More Agreeable Plan.
Things have altered favorably for the gov
erncss of late. Her standing is on the up grade,
with promise Of further thriving. Time was, not
SO long ago, when the profession fell away almost
to the verge Of nun-cxistrncc. The little private
teacher could only get work in regions not sufi-
GENTLY populous TO support schools, where she
had to live us dependent, i'll paid, and not over
much considered. Women possessed of talent for
teaching sought places in schools or turned 10
some other mode Of making living. Now the
govcrncss liouriShcs best and most under the very
shadow OF towering schoolhouscs and in the
heart OF rich and fashionable city districts, where
all manner Of superior advantages can be had.
The visiting go,crress is distinctly a latc.day
institutiOn-One promotivc Of much convenience
both to the parties in want Of her services and to
the guvcrness herself AS compared with the
resident governess, she has much the better Of
the situation. Instead OF forming part Of the
family reunue. living on suIcrnnCc it were
between the nursery and the housekeepers table,
and with no well defined status in the household
the govcrncss now has AN independent home
place Of her and sells her services by the hour
or so many mornings or afternoons each week 10
regular patrons There are many persons (and
their numb Der is increasing daily who believe in
the ad vantagcs Of individual instruction and who
as they can afford TO indulge their theories
in this respect do SO. They hold that schools,
matter how well planned and iudiciously con-
Quoted. have a tendency To turn the pupils out
too much alike and to discourage individual de-
velopmcnt. In the households of these theorists
the governcss finds ample field, and also in fam
lilies where there arc nervous, delicate or backward
children.
There are score of visiting governesSrs gaining
good living in New York to day. where five
years ago there one You sec them with
their pupils giving them practical expc-
ricncc in the everyday use of some foreign
language You hear of them al the matnees,
| and out driving or walking with such Of their
pupils as require extra individual attention. and
not nfrrlucnty an apprcciativr parent is heard
! culog2ing the merits Of Miss \ or Miss Is
who has brought on the children in French and
literature So wonderfully or who contfiveS to make
| them take such an interest in their studies. The
visiting goTerncss is met now almost as often
| associated with her duties OF apart from them,
she shows out very capable and pleasing young
seemingly moe resources nf interest in her life
than falls to the Shar Of many working women
II love to teach and make SO many friends
instructors Georgia girl Of superior quafca-
tons. II was always fond Of books and study
! and nothing pleaScs me better than 10 get good
hold on my scholars interest and see them waking
up to the true meaning If any matter But |
!
about the regular class formulas and in the cut
and dried pent in school atmosphere, that takes
school position, bu, prefer giving private lessons
! All my time is filled. | go 10 the best houses
and TN. going about gives me fresh air and exer-
| else The general run Of people are in better
| circumstances than they used 70 be, and the rich
are getting, more and more able to indulge their
! fancies They go abroad more, imbibe the old
world ideas and have greater desire for thorough
ness in their chiIdrcns education; The special
| private EOvcrneSScS are secured at no greater
| expense than the tuition and etCeteras of the
| first grade private schools amount 70, and the
teaching Then there are people who are unable
! to afford the best private schools for there ac
other things that cost beside, the school rates,
f"C TIA" children 10 be maintained, etc " no employ
. good. all round govcIncs4 in lieu Of sending
| their children to the public schools.
Several Of my pupils have two visiting govern
cssrS besides mic. i can teach Latin nd Grrel;
| education, hut although know French and Ger,
ma! and can read and speak these Languages
don't pretend 10 teach esther unless asked 10 do
au \ French govrrness must teach the French,
| German the German, OF course art and muse
are also separate courses, but the g3,"rness par,
tally NerScd N these can, after Little experience
with her pupils, tell readily whether or no they
have innate taste sniIic ent 10 warrant further
outlay Of time and energy in these pursuits. When
one frs, begins getting up clientele, she has Of
course to take such pupils as are offered no matter
il their work give satisfaction she can arrange to
have her morning or afternoon schcdul" Of visits
To be made all in one locality My work for instance
is all centred in the nc.ghborhood Of the West
Seventy streets so that dc NOT have to waste time
| in going long distances over the CIty. There are
| other gOverneSscS able To regulate their work IN
| the same way
Onr del. ghtful course Of lessons that give is
prepare ton for foreign travel, and in this often
have pupils long since through with school, some
tunes III classes, sometimes ssngiy. have emily
been abroad once and then only stayed half as
long as wanted To, but there il plenty Of material
To draw from IN such course, plenty OF apt and
feeling description, both IN prose and poetry re-
lltWc Ia interesting places. The pupils could
get II for themselves II they wanted to, hut they
besides, often IN the hurried llfc that most city
women 1--we now, they have no time Again they
don't know Just where to look in the Libraries for
these sketches and excerpts or where 10 go Tor
photographs and institutions
one busy young visiting gOvcrnesS teaches
practical accounting to a half score OF pupils.
She teaches others usual branches Rlso but has
had great success in quafyingfhcI pupils for
managing, household and personal accounts,
for properly understanding banking terms and
applying Practically the mathematics they learned
IN school TO business md common sense matters.
Many girls just vcrging on wGmnnhoUd have
taken these lessons also girls hn have left school
and Oitcnt mes the mothers and nuniS Of the pupils
come in for n course Of instruction. The visiting
governcSs sometimes has classes and single
scholars in current topics lessons helping hoI
| pupils To keep abreast with the world movements
and national events Of importance" She herself
keeps M with the new methods in teaching and
does for her pupils all that the teacher in amy
thorough school would do for them only with The
difference that they get her influence INST hand
and instructions suited TO their Individual Cnpatly
and not modified to fit the average claSSlull Ih'
Eoverncss has longer hours than ihc ordinary
school teacher and more responsibility, but few
goycrncsscs remain in the field long who arc no
generally in love with their work.
INFANTS SHOET