The end of school
Posted by Helen on January 29, 1998 at 11:41:19:
In response to Diplomas?, written by Marie Bernadette on January 28, 1998 at 11:21:25
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] I also have another question about young women's education: would a young lady have received a diploma or certificate? Also, is a boarding school the same as a finishing school? Oh, and what age did a young lady graduate? Did it vary? Sorry, that was more than one question (you did not really think I could stop at just one did you?)
If you want a graphic picture of finishing one's education, look at the first chapters of Vanity Fair, by Thackeray: though he's an early Victorian, this part is set a few years before Waterloo. In Miss Pinkerton's seminary, the girls got on leaving a fireside chat with the principal, and a copy of Johnson's Dictionary... nicely boxed, suitable for throwing purposes, as Dorothy Parker said of some other work entirely ;-)
Another rather jolly picture of a Regency school is found in the 1940's film The Man in Grey, which also has James Mason swaggering around in dark Byronic fashion, a heroine more saintly than Jane Bennet, and a villainess more evil than Cruella De Vil...
Helen
Helen
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