Why school anyway?
Posted by Caroline on March 03, 1998 at 09:49:26:
In response to Schools, written by Cheryl on March 02, 1998 at 22:47:20
] Just how widespread were these boarding school horrors of which Tomalin speaks, and why did parents allow their children to be treated in such a way that their physical and emotional health was in peril?
What I have often wondered is why children were sent away to school. I mean, The Abbey school charged 35 pounds per annum, the same as Mr Austen charged, so there was no economy involved by farming out the girls and taking in boys. The only reason I can think of is "connexions", the reason for the public schools like Eton and Rugby. They were there so that children of a certain class could live and learn alongside their peers, so that when they got to be movers and shakers in government and society, they already knew and were friends with the other movers and shakers.The girls got sent to school for the same reason - to get to know the sisters and cousins of the future movers and shakers!Jane and Cassandra'suitors included former pupils of Mr Austen and their familes....
One thing that is "odd" about many Austen heroines is that they didn't go to school.Were they then at a social disadvantage?
Posting followups to old messages is disabled; instead go to the main index and post a new message which mentions this one.
