THE "JEUNE FILLE" IN RUSSIA.

Evening Star, Issue 12764, 17 March 1906, Page 8

THE " JEUNE FILLE" IN RUSSIA.

HER 1 EDUCATION AND ACCoiffPLISff.

The woman whose finer -scxtsihUitieß «x» noi irrevocably blunted; by false-insular, pridt usually retains from, a winterV sojourn in thV Prance. Italy, or Switzerland with; a profound contempt for her own accomplish/ menta. Among the women of other nationalities—strangers also in a istrange whom sh> encounters in the "coarse of'the season Bmssmki women fill the traveller it once with an Admiration for their high culture and mental attainments, and astotrish those who make iheir, acquaintance at table d hote by their wonderful proficiency in languages. :- . ;,«, , ■., , •

. A. really remarkable memory, a good ear, and a natural quickneas are usually given as the chief, reasons fox Russian feminine so-* pononfcy in these matters, while the remark is always' made that any person whose mother tongue presents such insuperable difficulties must perforce know how to make herself understood in half a dozen others mors intelligible if she purposes to leave her n*tm land and indulge in foreign travel. —~;"' A girl's education is, however, so comprekenHve and thorough that it is little wonder that.by the time the is grown up she has attwhed such a high degree of culture, littie expense or trouble being spared by the Buv sian upper classes in the effort to make tiaeir daughters fit to hold their owh in society. In families of a distinct social status the foreign "bonne'' is'.a sine qua ron, either English or German nurses being put in control of lie children from their earliest youth, and, where msaus will allow, the polyglot nursery becomes a reality, two or three under-nunee —each of different nationalities—being provided. , The same system is continued when the small daughters are promoted to the schoolroom, which is in charge of two or more „ governesses, one being usually French and the other English or German. To these ladies is relegated the task of perfecting their pupils in the languages they have already, partially acquired and preparing them for the " Gymnasium " —the Kussian high school education—which, in, the case of girls of social standing, is put off until they approach the " finishing age." They are always thoroughly prepared beforehand. for what is almost the equivalent of our higher education by a qualified tutor, so that they seldom eater these colleges inferior to those pupils of lower social rank who have commenced their academic education several years before. At these institutions the daughters of parents in all ranks of Bocdciy are taught side by side. The pupils usually wear a uniform dress—dark brown, green, or grey, as the case may be—with black aprons, no extra adornments, such as bright hair ribbons, jewels, etc., being allowed. This Spartan treatment has an excellent effect on the young pupils who have come from luxurious homes, where the " hothouse" atmosphere, both literally and metaphorically speaking, has none too good an influence on growing girls.

Nearly all girls leave the " Gymnasiums" with a degree. The teaching differs in no respects from that given to boys except as regards the classics, which, strangely enough, are seldom mastered by a Russian girl unless she intends to matriculate at the university. Th-i full course at these colleges takes rrino years, the first standard—a preparatory one —being followed in succession up to the seventh; while those pupils who successfully pass the eighth or teacher's standard are qualified to instruct younger pupils up to ihe third and fourth classes or to enter the university without passing any examination othei than the classical one.

.Russian daughters are not exempt from tho spirit of tho age, and show as much ambition to escape from heme and take up independent careers as does the average girl in England. It is a common thing for a young debutante in society to tire of a round of balls and parties after her first season, and depart —without any definite aim—for a term or two at the university, regarding her studies more in tie nature of an amusement " pour passer le temps" than as a serious undertaking.