Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-12-19
MISS JANE M'KENSIE
HERAlDED PIONEERS
Sister of Edgar Allan Poe
Taught Penmanship When
Good Hand Was Valuable.
ny VERA PALMER.

Girls and their mothers led retiring
lives then and one never heard OF
them except in social way and III
church work. but it docs not require
very much investigation to learn
that they really were most carefully
educated, even IL the curricula diff.
fered widely from what is taught
now.
Pictures OF those little girls and
the school inn'ams appear prim in
deed to our eyes. but notwithstap1-
ing the rather meek countcnances OF
the former. there is no reason for
believing that they were no; through
~ equal to almost any prank. and In
the tragic days of lS6l-65 i; WAS well
nigh impossible TO keep the older
pupils At their desks when the boys
in gray marched by. and nobody has
said that tho interest WAS solely
patriotic. School life from the dawn
OF the nineteenth century un;.l a few
years ago must have been taken a.!
together as matter OF course. for
there are practically no records CT
where the institutions We're located
or by whom taught. So. in order TO
gain any information i; is necessary
TO search out the older women OF the
community and learn OF their per.
sonal experiences AMI those re-
counted to them by their mothers.
Favor Teaching Profession.
Bishop Meade. in \ pastoral letter
10 his clergy written several years
before the War Between the states
comments with interest on the grow
ing popularity OF teaching as vo
cation for women. 1t appears from
his account that prior TO the Revolu
tionary War most of the teachers
came from Europe and many OF them
were of very doubtful character.
often being men OF wide culture and
excellent breeding, but, unfor;unaie-
~, fugi;ivcs from justice in me Old
World.
Later. young men and women were
supplied by the Northern States 10
teach the young virginians, man. OF
them being OF limited means aId N
search OF sufficient funds TO complet"
their own educat.ons in the colleges
and universities OF THAI sec'ion.
Most OF these were delightful per
sons and their instruction ras ca
pab!e and thorough. but II was no,
like the daughters o: the Old Do
nirion being trained by their own
kid. and therefore, in the mind OF
the bishop 10 be regretted.
But with the early ffties Virginia
men ceased 20 look down on teach
ing as = profession for themselves
Ard fathers and mothers, who. In
the pride and folly Q. the!r hearts
oace thought q. degradation ID
;helr daughters 20 engage in "a. &C.
cvpa:ion. now rejo!ce - The oppor.
tunity Of plating ;heHl II some re.
spectacle family, there 70 earn ~
honest support, instead OF leading
Idle and dependent lives The
worthy prelate did 20; .cp-oa N
these idle daughters or their parents,
su: ne certainly Recommended The
changing vogue
Miss Mckenzie Pioneer.
one OF the oldest' schools in E.cA-
mond. according t." the memories %!
women now living. was tina, laugh;
by Mss Jane McKensie. a Scotch wo-
man who. apparently. devoted her
life TO education in that We find her
located in various parts Of the city
over a period of many years In
her earlier days I; is said tina; shc
conducted very fashionable school
in the Old house al Eleventh and
Broad Streets, which was the subjec,
OF "a sketch in these columns q few
weeks ago, but the fact Of TIE
school has ocen ascerta!nea since
Although mainly for day
scholars. there were 4 fen ooarderS
AS vas customary for the greater
part OF the las. century as so many
OF the girls lived in the country
where, in those days. there were no
good schools. This must have been
between 1920 and 1885. and i, is de-
ciaFed that practically the entire
area west of The house. with "A few
exceptions, was all open field ana
the students used to take nice long
country walks, sometimes going as
Tar as what is now Adams or even
Belvidcre Streets.
Next that we hear OF Miss McEcr-
sic she was conducting school AT
FNth and Main Streets, on the pres
eni site OF the Noting house. and
Miss Rosaiie Poe, sister Of Edgar Al.
Ian Poe, whose hone was !rnnediatc-
~ across Fitth street at the south
cas-; corner OF Main. taught pcnman-
ship. That was "a day when writing
was counted not only essential. but as
fnc art. as the letters Of our grand
mothers a,tcst. blu: IL is said tina.
Miss Poe was not otherwise pariicu.
Iarly gifted. which makes her one
OF the earliest known Specialists
in Richmond. Miss Jane had adopt. !
kcsaiie Poe AS the A!lAns had
adopted her brilliant. but rather way
ward brother.
Another scotch Woman
Then there was Miss Jessie Cor.
don. whose mother had ernigrateG
from Scotland in 1912. and the daugh
ter like Miss McKensic. CAV. hol
life TO teaching Miss Gorloi
started In small way. having onl,
one room in the home Of the famtl,
of Thomas Erockenbroug AT Fourti
and Clay Streets, and she took sole!,
the tiny tote. being very young her,
sslf. AS III. gchool nourisntd IN,
young teacher and her mother move.
into several rooms on Fith Street
.Ebeyond Leigh. 81 what Is known a.
l, traits Cottage There All the futur.
bellies OF Richmond learned how Il
read those charming poems wh!c,
H. was the habit Of the swans q
that day TO dedicate to tnoir raI
ones, and 10 write in return the deli
cately graceful notes for which the:
were famed
lnncs Randolph. q widely know
n La ,,,hr