Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-11-30
The Training Of Girls Throughout
the Past Century.
PRECISE EDUCATION OF EARLY DAYS
Sentiment Was Replaced by Prac-
teal Ideas.
WOMEN IN Blu 81 E S S

Written for The Evening Star by Julia Ward Howe
of the girlhood Of seventy years ago
am able to speak from experience. AS
was city-bred. and that in New York L
cannot say how hardy may have been the
discipline of country Iasses Of that remote
period. but of the governing traits and
ideas of the time | still retain vivid Ie-
membrane.
In the household training of girls the pre-
scripts were rather negative than positive.
young lady even of six or seven must
not do this, and should not do that. These
commands, when Obeyed, usually led to the
acquisition of careful and somewhat formal
manners The absence of spontaneity thus
cultivated may have had some share in
forming the romance of the period, which
was one of weakness rather than strength
Its heroineS We're usually characterized by
morbid sentiment. enhanced by infirm
health The delicate creatures who tainted
away on every occasion which called for
courage and endurance, the Iovelorn maid
ems who, failing of the wished-for CORES
pondence of affection, at once fell into
pid decline-these were prominent fea-
lures in the fiction, poetry and prose of
sixty years ago The changes in this re-
speCt which now observe appear to me
wonderful indeed. Truly, Wisdom has Ter
miracles, seen in the progress of human
are ideals of health, of strength, or self
reliance.
The disturbances of French society in the
earlier decades of the last century had
caused number of persons of that nation
ality to seek employment in New York.
Among these was a lady who bore the his
toric name of Fabre l must have had my
first French lessons from her before | was
we'll at home with the alphabet. as | Ie-
member being called upon to speak French
before / was able to read. A tutor of the
same nationality gave me my first lessons
in Latin. l recollect he insisted that the
Almighty in prayer should always be d.
dressed as YOU the pronoun thou i'm
plying understandable assumption of
familiarity
The Home Governcss.
My early education was conducted by
governess, whose strong points were
taste for elocutiOn, and the cultivation of
memory by a process which was then
called mnemonics. At the age of nine years
L was sent to a private school just started
by a lady who had once been prominent in
New York society. The school drill of that
day consisted largely in the recitation of
lessons committed to memory from text
books The first one given to me under
this dispensation was "Paleys Moral Phil
OsOphy. which 1 managed to recite in par
rot fashion. | was glad. when, having
come to the end of this treatise, we passed
on to Mrs B. Conversations on Chem
ever. of the details of experiments which
were never shown us. Passing to another
school. began the study of geometry, and
also enjoyed course of lectures on world
history. given by Mr.. Bostwick. whose
excellent chart antedated that of General
Benz. so much admired in later years.
The writing of compositions was one OF
the fortunes inflicted upon the pupils of
that time To descant upon fame. courage
poetry history was difficult for children UNI
accustomed to the consideration of such
topics. / sometimes handed in a copy of
verses. which once caused our principal to
remark: Julia is quite dabster at rhym-
ing
Spelling and English grammar were dill
gently studied. Our lessons in parsing
were sometimes taken from Cowper's
Task" oftener from Millions Paradise
Lost OF the various text books then in
use j recall with pleasure BIair's rhetoric.
Hedges logic. and work of Abercrombies
on The Intellectual Faculties" To these
/ must add Political Glass Book" writ
ten by William Sullivan of Boston in which
was given very clear account of the prin-
cipies and working of our government.
Writing and Languages.
The formation of handwriting received
considerable attention. New York offered
many facilities for the study of foreign Ian
guages. OF these Italian and German most
attracted me. 1 left school at the age OF
sixteen with a mental determination to add
strenuous pursuit of studies at home In
this | was fortunate to have the assistance
of very competent tutor.
In the days of my youth, young ladies
usually went into society at the age OF
eighteen. Balls Were given in private
houses, the strictly fashionable circle of
that time being small enough to make this
possible For these occasions the parlor
carpets Were usually removed the floor
smooth planed and sometimes adorned with
designs in colOred chalk. The rooms were
lit with wax candles. and the number of
these was much considered in the estima-
tlon OF the entertainment given. | remem-
Der bachelor who was wont to peryade
the pail rooms of my youth wearing very
serious expression of countenance One
might have supposed him to be occupied
with reflections upon the vanity of the
scene before him. 1t was presently ascer-
tained that he busted himself with count
Ing the number OF the lights. as he woIIla
address himself to one or other of the