Prospectus; Receipt of Payment.
Prospectus for a Connecticut Girls School
[Education]. School for Young Ladies, New Haven, Conn. under the Care of Miss Mary Dutton, [ca. 1850].
8vo.; one leaf; recto printed only; creased.
Printed prospectus for Mary Dutton’s girls’ school in New Haven, CT. The school promised to teach girls “studies and accomplishments as suit their ages and attainments, and meet the wishes of their friends.” Instruction was offered in Religion, English, Geography and History, Mathematics, Science, Philosophy, Latin and Greek, Drawing and Painting, Vocal and Instrumental Music; in addition, they note, “particular attention is paid to the manners, health, exercise, and the social and domestic habits of the pupils…which characterize a well ordered Christian family.” Transcription below:
In this School young Ladies can attend to such of the following studies and accomplishments as suit their ages and attainments, and meet the wishes of their friends.
Religious and moral instruction – including the study of the Bible, the Evidences of Christianity, Natural Theology, and Moral Philosophy. There is in the School a daily recitation in the Bible, and instruction is given in those subjects which explain and illustrate it.
The English Language, including Spelling, Reading, Grammar, Composition, and the formation of a correct style. A course of instruction is given to the more advanced scholars in the history of English Literature, and in some of the standard authors in the language.
The formation of a neat, easy, and legible handwriting.
Geography and History.
Mathematics, including Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, and Trigonometry.
Physical sciences, including Botany, Chemistry, Natural Philosophy, Astronomy, Minerology, Geology, and Physiology.
Mental Philosophy.
The Latin and Greek Languages, and some of the more important modern languages, as the French, German, Italian, and Spanish.
Drawing and Painting in Water Colors.
Vocal and Instrumental Music. Competent teachers are employed to give lessons on the Piano Forte, and, when it is desired, on the Guitar. The School is taught in Vocal Music, daily, according to the system practised [sic] in Germany, which secures to the scholar by easy and gradual advances, an accurate knowledge of the principles of music, and gives facility to the acquirement of instrumental music.
Particular attention is paid to the manners, health, exercise, and the social and domestic habits of the pupils. It is the wish of the teachers that the children committed to their care, should with them constitute one family, and that strict parental government and influence should be exerted over them, which characterize a well ordered Christian family.
A twelve-week quarter cost sixty dollars, with an extra charge for French instruction; other additional charges included drawing supplies ($8), musical instruction ($12) and use of an instrument ($4), washing ($.50), and board during vacation periods ($3). School was in session for forty-two weeks of the year, and students got two lengthy vacation periods.
Dutton (1807-1887) was part of a New Haven-area clergy family, who supported the abolition of slavery and the temperance movement. Dutton lived with her husband Samuel in Cincinnati for many years, but moved back to New Haven at her family’s encouragement. Upon her return home, Mary headed the School for Young Ladies, which, according to a Librarian Report from Yale in 1904-1905, had been “a well-known school in New Haven.” Samuel was educated at Yale and preached at the Yale College Chapel. The Duttons associated with other prominent Connecticut families, like Charles, Catherine and Harriet Beecher.
The section beneath the heading titled, “Teachers” is left blank.
At the bottom of the broadsheet there is a section called, “References.” These are listed as “Pres. Day, Prof. Silliman, Prof. Olmstead, Prof. Kinglsey, Yale College; Rev. Leonard Bacon, New Haven.” This quintet of
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