Feb. 23, 2008 - Becoming a Southern Belle
1861 Girls' School in Columbia Teaches 19-Century Social Skils
Walk onto the grounds of the historic Athenaeum Rectory on Columbia during the annual 1861Girls' School, and you might forget you're living in the 21st century. For one week in July, the Athenaeum returns to the year 1861, as it provides the backdrop for teenage girls to learn the skills a young lady would have needed in the 19th century. Girls ages 14 through 18 travel from all over the country and beyond to attend the school. In 2006, girls attended from Germany and Canada.
" They learn things like ballroom dancing, etiquette, penmanship, needlework, Latin, hairstyling and mourning customs," says Becky Logue, a volunteer at the Athenaeum Rectory. " Most the faculty are re-enacters and educators who take a week out of their summer to participate. This is the 18th year of the Girls' School, and they've really developed it and honed their skills. Much of the staff has stayed the same since the beginning."
Throughout the week, the girls stay with area host families and behave as if they were living in 1861, curtseying to elders and practicing other social graces. They dress in traditional 19th century costumes that they bring with them from home. " There are some very beautiful gowns," Logue says. " A lot of the girls make their own costumes with their mothers or grandmothers. They also order them off the internet and arrange to rent them."
Visitors to the Athenaeum during the 1861 Girls' School might find girls in lavish hoopskirts practicing penmanship on the wraparound porch or playing parlor games inside the rectory, depending on the day's schedule. Highlights of the week include a garden tea on the Athenaeum's front lawn on thursday afternoon and commencement ceremonies and a grand ball on Friday evening. The girls are escorted at the ball by members of the Jackson Cadets, a fraternal service organization for high school boys.
" The Jackson Cadets take dance lessons with the girls all week, and they preform a grand march together at the ball," Logue says. " It's really something to see. There's a huge line of ball gowns."
In 2007, 21 girls attended the 1861 Girls' School, traveling from as far as New Hampshire and New Jersey. " I chose to attend because I love history and costuming, and I thought it would be interesting to step back in time for a week," says Sarah Lally of Fond du Lac, Wis. " I wanted to get a sense of what ladies had to go through back then and walk in their shoes."
Katherine Marie Housley of Winchester, Tenn., heard about the girls' school when she was little and looked forward to attending for several years. " Nowadays we don't slow down to do things with effort, and I wanted to know how to really act like a lady, " Housley says. " When someone comes to my house, I want to know how to present things to them properly. We learned things you'd need to know to host a dinner party or evening gathering."
Now a longstanding Columbia tradition, the 1861 Girls' School was founded by Mark Orman, who serves as its dance master. " I was a summer tour guide at the Athenaeum 19 years ago, and I thought it would be neat to go back in time and see what life was like," Orman says. " We get a lot girls who come with little or no self confidence. A week of being toldwhat to do and how to do it and mingling with other girls does them a lot of good."
Some may say argue that skills such as ballroom dancing and needlework aren't necessary for women in the 21st century. But Angie McClanahan, a longtime faculty member at the 1861 Girls' School, would beg to disagree. " I don't being graceful and ladylike is ever out of style. It's something that's sorely missing in today's society," McClanahan says. " It's a privlege to act as our ancestors did and learn how they lived their lives. This is such a unique opportunity for the girls - it's once in a lifetime."
Contact
The next 1861 Girls' School is slated for July 12 -18, 2008. Tuition is $700. A condensed version of the school will be hel May 2 - 3, 2008 for ladies ages 19 and older. For information, call (931) 381-4822 or visit www.athenaeumrectory.com
I found this in a Tennessee Home & Farm magazine. Once I heard I knew I had to go. My parents(Mom)said the only way I could go was if I bought the items I would need. So most likely I won't be going this year. My parents said maybe next year. I'm thrilled either way. Just the prospect I might be able to go is good enough for me. Any girl who loves trying new things(like me)would want to do this. There are pictures that go with this, but I can't put them on yet. I'll post them later.
~ rosethorn
Comments
Feb. 25, 2008 - 1861 girls school
Posted by Anonymous
awsome I really REALLY want to go too! I am working hard to afford the things I will need. (it's almost as hard trying to find the dresses!) It's cool that someone likes alot of the same things as me
^_^
Mar. 10, 2008 - neat!
Posted by skmarlow
OK, I got sidetracked from looking at your lesson 1 and HAD to read about this girls' school. Oh how I wish it were closer to the Pacific NW! I would LOVE to talk in person to these folks. As you have probably guessed, I am an author of kids' books--Circle C Adventures (set in 1880), and book 4 is coming out in the fall. My main character, Andi, gets sent to a fancy girls' school for the rest of the winter school term and I've had a dickens of a time trying to find enough info to be accurate on what subjects were taught, the activities, the schedule, etc. I've found a few things, but not enough to suit my research "tastes."
Luckily, I haven't received the manuscript back from my editor for editing, so there is still time to correct anything that might be wrong. If you know of ANY links that might be helpful for my research, please PM me! You can PM at this blog or at my Suzy Scribbles blog:
www.homeschoolblogger.com/SuzyScribbles/
or my circle C ranch blog:
www.homeschoolblogger.com/CircleCRanch/
Thanks for any help!
-s-
Edited by skmarlow on Mar. 10, 2008 at 12:04 PM
