This isn’t referred to directly much in my book, but one still had
to think about what education young people received.
Of course, the poor
were deemed not requiring too high an education. There were no free state-run
schools. Think of poor Oliver Twist and you’ll get the vague idea, despite him
being Dickension (later).
But the rich valued a good education.
Did you know Eton
college was established in 1491? 😧 Lady Anne’s papa went there in my book.
Harrow
was its chief rival. And there were other learning academies and schools.
Their lessons centred chiefly around “a classic education” (Latin, Greek, literature and the philosophies of the likes of
Socrates) and would’ve included some science. But these were for the smelly old
boys!
Young ladies were not supposed to be intelligent, unless you
wanted them classed as a dreaded bluestocking
(*shock, gasp, grabs smelling salts*). One would never bag a rich husband
then!!
No, no, gently bred young ladies were to be “accomplished”.
Girls’ schools were a bit rubbish. Think of Jane Eyre’s Victorian institution.
So, most girls were home-schooled. Tutors would be brought in for some subjects
and/or a governess.
Basically, as much as you could afford. The more accomplished the young lady,
the more desirable a marriage partner she would make, so long as she was sure
to “hide her brains”.
A few were sent to what we’d call finishing schools, but
this wasn’t common.
Arithmetic actually was important, as it fell to the lady of
the house to run the household, including the accounts.
Girls Subjects
v
Reading
v
Writing
v
Arithmetic
v
Languages
v
Music
v
Painting & Crafts
v
Botany
Plus, a conversational knowledge of history, geography,
literature, philosophy, science and politics
One lovely author has managed to find which text books would have been used.
Miss Bingley, Pride and Prejudice ~ "no one can really be esteemed accomplished who does not greatly surpass knowledge of music, singing, drawing, dancing, and the modern languages, to deserve the word; and besides all this, she must possess a certain something in her air and manner of walking, the tone of her voice, her address and expressions, or the word will be but half deserved."
Farewell until next time,
my friends.
Always in love and
light,
TL
(what? I might not have told you about my book. Better to be safe than sorry!)
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