The Savannah morning news., 1903-04-19

/ versity of subjects, but they study
| thoroughly In the Stiff great pains
are taken with the English and French
languages. To further the study of
these languages, English and French
| plays, in the original, are frequently
given by the girls, and the chances
are that many of them know more
Shakespeare than do the girls speak
ing the immortal poets own tongue.
The school year at Stiff does not
mean seven or eight months out of the
twelve, with frequent runs of thou
sand miles to spend Christmas, New
Years, Faster and so forth under the
parental roof. 1t means the entire
year, with the permission of a Christ
mas vacation.
Dressed in Uniforms.
The tuition of $3.50 a year not only
pays for education, but clothes as
we'll. These aristocratic maidens
bring the principal part of the years
apparel, but the Stiff supplies shoes
and uniforms-neat, plain little dresses,
which could not but subdue the most
frivolous beauty even while it made
her look all the prettier. Extrava-
gance in no way enterts into the plan
of the school, simply by being one of
the fundamental points of the educa-
ton and life. There is no obvious dis
tinction between the daughter of the
wealthy count and the daughter of the
officers widow.
Among the accommodations for nine
ty girls are many free scholarships,
but there is a rule that from one years
end to another not one of the girls
may know which of her companions
are benefiting by them.
At the head of the Stiff is Fraulein
Won Grunwald, who gave up her own
private school at Baden-Baden to ac-
cept this position. Under her are six
governesses-tw English, two French,
and two German.
When the Empress Visits the School
The greatest diversity and pleasure
afforded the pupils is the interest
taken in them by the empress, and the
most cherished memories they carry
away with them as "reminiscences of
her visits and invitations. Then, if
they are afterward entitled to promi-
ment positions at court, the Stiff
badge gives them a particular place
in her regard. The badge-of solid
gold, round, like military button, with
two crossbars-and a bible in which
is the empress signature, are given
by the empress to each girl upon the
occasion of her graduation.
Some of these are guarded in the
quiet German homes of the poorer
girls who cannot afford the heavy ex-
pense of a formal presentation, and
others of the badges are worn proud
ly to the German court. When the
empress sees the badge she recognizes
the wearer as from her school, and
shows the debutante the attention of
speaking with her before she passes
on.
Sometimes the empress invites the
ninety girls to the palace. But these
entertainments are really stupid af-
fairs, and, Will they are considered
a great honor by the dutiful young
subjects, they cannot afford them
much genuine pleasure.
They usually take the form of lunch
cons. At one given not long ago the
had manners of one of the young
princes and his mothers reproofs fur
nished the principal entertainment.
After the luncheon comes the dane
ing. The girls stand at one side of
the room while the crown prince
stands on the other side and surveys
them until he has made up his mind
1t is usually a dark girl, for he dis
likes blondes. Then he beckons to
her-really a courtly performance
and the honored madchen takes her
futtering heart and goes tripping
deferentially over to him. Then the
other boys come forward to do their
share of politeness, and the girls are
jerked and pulled around until it is
time for them to return to the school,
An AnecOdOte of the Empress.
Probably more enjoyable, if less cere-
monious and exciting, are the EN-
press visits to the school. 1t was here
that the little Japanese princess be-
came one of her favorites. True to
her own training, the Empress is at
the school at 1880, ready to hear the
first lesson when it comes, and on these