A little history of the Smolny Institute.
Empress Catherine the Great was a fan of the progressive ideas of Montaigne, Locke and Fenelon, so she wanted to create an educational institution in Russia, like the Saint-Cyr Institute near Paris.
According to the charter,girls had to enter the institute from the age of six, and study for twelve years. At the same time, the girls ' parents were notified that they would not be able to take their daughters from the educational institution under any pretext.
Ekaterina believed that girls should be taken away from a disadvantaged environment as soon as possible, and return an already developed, ennobled girl to society. Catherine hoped to soften the mores of the people in this way, to create a "new breed of people".
Thus, on May 5, 1764, the first women's educational institution in Russia was established, which marked the beginning of women's education in the country.
Training of young pupils.
The Smolny Institute was similar in many respects to the modern schools we are familiar with. The first few years, the training was really at the highest level. The institute taught such sciences as arithmetic, geography, architecture, physics, history, foreign languages. But then, the training was reduced in a big way to the" decorative " of the girls. More time was devoted to dancing, drawing, literature and singing. The main subjects were taught poorly, and sometimes it was completely nullified. Apparently, society was not ready, at that time, to accept intelligent women who could outshine the great male minds.
The students spent more time observing the rules of decency than grades. The girls were not allowed to defend their own opinion, to enter into discussions with teachers, to ask questions. The libraries had a very meager supply of books. But nevertheless, graduation certificates were issued to everyone, this was done for the reason of avoiding conflicts with parents, because education was not cheap.
Another interesting feature is that there were no physical punishments for disobedience and misconduct, but constant humiliation and insults were present. For example, for a stray lock of hair, girls pinned a torn stocking on their clothes, and they had to walk like this for several days. Or, because the student dared to argue with the teacher, she was forbidden to talk to anyone at all. And for a poorly made bed, they could deprive her of food, but they did not deprive her openly, they simply did not allow her to eat sitting down, the girl had to stand. But everyone present knew that only fallen women can eat standing up, so the girls stood hungry, without even touching the food.
Also, in practice, it was customary to divide students into bad and good. The" bad "girls got into for disobedience and rebellion, they were called moveshki (from the French word mauvaise - "bad"). "Good", those who were always polite and submissive, they were called parfaites (parfaite - "sovershenny").
The quality of life of students.
The girls were not allowed to go home, all meetings with relatives were only within the walls of the institution. Correspondence was also not particularly welcome, but it was allowed, while letters were checked by employees of the institute. Even missing home and relatives was forbidden, the new ones were ridiculed by older students and teachers.
Outside the walls of the institute, students were sometimes discussed in society, they were considered sissies. But in fact, this was not the case at all. The temperature in the classrooms and bedrooms was in the range of 12-16 degrees, it was impossible for the girls to warm up under a thin blanket. An early rise, washing with ice water, prayer and a modest cold breakfast, so every morning of the students began.
The pupils were allowed to walk only on the territory of the institute, and only at the strictly allotted time.
"Adoration" as the meaning of life.
Only unmarried ladies were accepted to work as pre-employers, and men, on the other hand, had to be married, and preferably elderly, and even better with any defects. This was done in order not to tempt young girls.
But the girls, locked away from the outside world, did not experience bright emotions,and there was a need for them, so the girls constantly "adored"someone. The subject could be an older student, a teacher, even a priest. The adored one had to be a little older in the school hierarchy. They prayed for his health, gave him gifts, did small services.
But what kind of teenagers without suffering - "suffering for their love" girls could eat soap, scratch the initials of the object on their hand. And the love was high, platonic - if the teacher announced, for example, his marriage, then his bride was "adored" too, in absentia.
And when high-ranking officials or the emperor himself came to the institute, the hysteria reached the limit. Pieces from the tsar's table were preserved, and if it was possible to get his handkerchief, then it was cut into small pieces for everyone and carefully stored on his chest.
Unfit for further life.
They were in a real panic. Many of them did not shine with health - there was little physical exercise, and the diet was extremely limited.
Over the years of training, the connection with relatives was thinning, everyone around seemed to be enemies, and after all, it was necessary to do the most banal things - go to the store, navigate the city, pay the servants.
It remained only to make infantileness its highlight, innocently clap your eyes and speak in a touching childish voice. Fans of saving the "innocent child"were".
