Lenore
04-01-2010, 6:58 AM
Hello folks,
I'm doing a bit of history on some local girls' schools down my way (Melbourne, Australia) which were fairly ephemeral and left little in the way of records behind. I have to rely on newspaper advertisements and prize night reports to find out what they taught, who they taught and what their qualifications were.
In this case I'm working on a Miss Johns who ran the Ascotvale Ladies' School. First name not known, but I do have one reference with an M as an initial. I'm not too worried about that at the moment, more her qualifications. I "think" I have found her teaching at someone else's school in 1881, where she is described as "Resident Governess: Miss Johns (Alderly House, High School, Manchester.)"
In 1884 at her own school, after a few years as plain old "Principal, Miss Johns", she describes herself as "Principal Miss Johns, Cambridge University" and in 1885 she has become!-- @page { margin: 2cm } P { margin-bottom: 0.21cm } --> "Principal Miss JOHNS Cambridge Honours".
I haven't yet worked out what "Alderly House" is (small private ladies' school?) but I thought High School, Manchester was probably the Girls High School Manchester. Looking at their website, which has an unwieldy search engine, I did see in their magazine in Oct 1885:
School News
The following were successful in the Cambridge Local Exams [details given]: [various names]
Caroline Coignou was the only candidate in England to achieve First Class in Natural Science.
Is it possible that Miss Johns could have sat some music exams (I'd be guessing) externally in Melbourne? She taught music, French and 'higher branches of English'.
I've looked at the Wikipedia Cambridge webpage, and see that women were accepted for study, but not awarded degrees, in this period. She wasn't claiming a degree, I suppose, except for the claim of Honours. (Maybe she was there buying a tie.)
I'd be very grateful for any thoughts on what all this means. (And if you've heard of Alderly House, plizz.)
Oh, and in 1888 she sold off her two pianos and other household goods and departed for England. I'm very hopeful of finding her in a census when I can find out what her first name is, but that will take a bit more time.
Best wishes,
Lenore
I'm doing a bit of history on some local girls' schools down my way (Melbourne, Australia) which were fairly ephemeral and left little in the way of records behind. I have to rely on newspaper advertisements and prize night reports to find out what they taught, who they taught and what their qualifications were.
In this case I'm working on a Miss Johns who ran the Ascotvale Ladies' School. First name not known, but I do have one reference with an M as an initial. I'm not too worried about that at the moment, more her qualifications. I "think" I have found her teaching at someone else's school in 1881, where she is described as "Resident Governess: Miss Johns (Alderly House, High School, Manchester.)"
In 1884 at her own school, after a few years as plain old "Principal, Miss Johns", she describes herself as "Principal Miss Johns, Cambridge University" and in 1885 she has become!-- @page { margin: 2cm } P { margin-bottom: 0.21cm } --> "Principal Miss JOHNS Cambridge Honours".
I haven't yet worked out what "Alderly House" is (small private ladies' school?) but I thought High School, Manchester was probably the Girls High School Manchester. Looking at their website, which has an unwieldy search engine, I did see in their magazine in Oct 1885:
School News
The following were successful in the Cambridge Local Exams [details given]: [various names]
Caroline Coignou was the only candidate in England to achieve First Class in Natural Science.
Is it possible that Miss Johns could have sat some music exams (I'd be guessing) externally in Melbourne? She taught music, French and 'higher branches of English'.
I've looked at the Wikipedia Cambridge webpage, and see that women were accepted for study, but not awarded degrees, in this period. She wasn't claiming a degree, I suppose, except for the claim of Honours. (Maybe she was there buying a tie.)
I'd be very grateful for any thoughts on what all this means. (And if you've heard of Alderly House, plizz.)
Oh, and in 1888 she sold off her two pianos and other household goods and departed for England. I'm very hopeful of finding her in a census when I can find out what her first name is, but that will take a bit more time.
Best wishes,
Lenore