A Girl's Life in Virginia before the WarBurwell, Letitia M.
History
A Girl's Life in Virginia before the War
Burwell, Letitia M.
Slavery -- United States; Virginia -- Social life and customs
Determining that my sister and myself should have proper educational
advantages, he engaged, while we were young children, a most
extraordinary woman to teach us--a Danish lady, better versed in many
other languages than in our own. Her name was Henriquez, and her
masculine appearance, mind, and manners were such as to strike terror
into the hearts of youthful pupils. Having attended lectures at a
college in Copenhagen with several female friends alike ambitious to
receive a scientific education, Mme. Henriquez scorned feminine
acquirements and acquaintances, never possessing, to my knowledge, a
needle or thimble. Her conversation was largely confined to scientific
subjects, and was with men whenever possible, rarely descending to
anything in common with her own sex. Sometimes in school our
recitations would be interrupted by recollections of her early days in
Copenhagen, and, instead of pursuing a lesson in geography or grammar,
we would be entertained with some marvelous story about her father's
palace, the marble stable for his cows, etc. In the midst of
correcting a French or German exercise she would sometimes order a
waiter of refreshments to be brought into the schoolroom and placed
before her on a small table which had a history, being made, as she
often related, from a tree in her father's palace grounds, around
which the serfs danced on the day of their emancipation. She had a
favorite dog named Odin which was allowed the privilege of the
schoolroom, and any girl guilty of disrespect to Odin was in serious
disgrace.
This Danish lady was succeeded by one of a wholly different type, all
grace and accomplishments, a Virginian, and the widow of Major Lomax of
the United States Army.
Mrs. Lomax had several accomplished daughters who assisted in her
school, and the harp, piano, and guitar were household instruments.
The eldest daughter contributed stories and verses, which were greatly
admired, to periodicals of that day. One of these stories, published
in a Northern journal, won for her a prize of one hundred dollars, and
the school-girls were thrilled to hear that she spent it all for a
royal purple velvet gown to wear to Miss Preston's wedding in
Montgomery County.
In this school Mrs. Lomax introduced a charming corps of teachers from
Boston, most cultivated and refined women, whom it will always be a
pleasure to remember. Among these were Mrs. Dana, with her
accomplished daughter, Miss Matilda Dana, well known in the literary
world then as a writer of finished verses.
We had also a bright, sweet-natured little Frenchwoman, Mlle. Roget,
who taught her native language.
Besides these teachers we had a German gentleman, a finished pianist
and linguist; and the recollections of those days are like the delicious
music that floated around us then from those master-musicians.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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