I can’t believe it’s September already! September is exciting for many people because it marks the beginning of autumn and cooler weather. Because I worked in education for so long and I’ve still got kids in school, September feels like a new start—a chance to get back to normal.
September For Me Means…
My kids are back at school this week. Well, one is returning to high school, and the other is moving on to college (not university). Now they’re older and entertain themselves over the summer, I’m not desperate to kick them out of the house so I can get on with my work.
No doubt, I’ll have a lot of arguing to do over the next few days when they have to get back to the old routine rather than lazing in bed all morning. Neither of my boys like going to school. They go because they must, but they enjoy the subjects they’re interested in, which—to my shame—doesn’t seem to be English or history.
I used to love going to school. I loved learning. My mum never had to drag me out of bed or moan at me to do my homework. I just got on with it and I was sad to leave education and start working. Yeah, I know I’m weird, but that’s just me. I’m so happy I received a decent education, unlike many women in the past. Which leads nicely into a bit of history. (Sorry, I can’t help being a history nerd.)
A Georgian Girl’s Education
In my current work in progress, Miss Emily Reed wants to create a school that gives girls the same education as boys. She is an advocate for improving female education. Unfortunately, she faces stiff opposition.
Some quick facts:
- In the Georgian era, the level of education received by a girl depended on their social class. (What’s new?)
- Working-class girls barely got anything other than that provided by their mothers. They may have been taught to read and count money. More likely, mothers passed down practical skills like sewing, knitting, and laundry so their daughters could also bring money into the house.
- Middle-class girls would have been educated, possibly at a boarding school. They could learn various subjects, such as music, French, writing, drawing, history, dancing, needlework, household management, and basic arithmetic. The curriculum did not include science, philosophy, or advanced mathematics. Anything that made a girl think was not deemed suitable.
- Daughters of the gentry and nobility would have been educated at home by a governess or tutor in the same subjects as above. They might have been sent to a finishing school to “add a bit of polish” to their social skills before they came out into society.
- An advertisement for a girl’s school in Kent in 1755 charged £20 per annum for board, and lessons in English, French, and needlework. If you wanted your daughter to learn music, writing, dancing, and drawing, it cost an extra £1 per quarter for each subject.
Anyway, I’m glad I didn’t have to moan about the poor state of my education, but then I wouldn’t have had the choice. I would have likely become a servant.
Thankfully, my September is going to be spent finishing re-writing the story of Miss Emily Reed and her attempts to provide a better education for girls. What are your plans for the month?
