Bethlehem Female Seminary facts for kids
The Bethlehem Female Seminary was a very important school for girls. It started in 1742 in Germantown, Philadelphia. This school was the first Protestant boarding school for girls in what is now the United States. A boarding school is where students live at the school. Later, it changed its name to the Moravian Female Seminary. In 1863, it became a college called Moravian College.
History of the School
The Bethlehem Female Seminary was founded by Countess Benigna Zinzendorf. She started the school in 1742. In 1745, the school moved to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
When it first opened, the seminary taught young girls. They started school around five or six years old. In 1785, more and more girls wanted to attend. So, the school became a secondary school. This means it taught older students. It was then called the Moravian Female Seminary. At this time, the school also welcomed girls from all different Christian groups.
The school admitted girls between eight and fifteen years old after 1785. Girls came from many places to study here. They came from New England, Maryland, and South Carolina. Some even came from Nova Scotia and the West Indies. By the 1800s, over seven thousand students had attended the school.
In the late 1700s, tuition cost about £20 per year. This fee covered basic subjects like reading, writing, and math. It also included geometry and sewing. Extra subjects like music or drawing cost more. Things like books and clothes were charged separately. Room and board cost twenty shillings each year.
The Bethlehem Female Seminary was started by the Moravian Church. The school focused on teaching faith and developing students' minds.
What Girls Learned
The Bethlehem Female Seminary wanted girls to learn many useful skills. Since it began, the school believed in a special idea. They thought that "when you educate a woman, you educate an entire family." This was a very modern way of thinking about girls' education. Their lessons included both academic and home skills.
Early lessons at the seminary included reading, writing, and math. Girls also learned grammar, geography, and history. Music, German, and English were also part of the studies. The school also taught important household skills. These included sewing and needlework.
When the school became the Moravian Female Seminary in 1785, it changed its lessons. The curriculum was divided into five main areas. These were spiritual and moral guidance, and intellectual and cultural studies. They also had vocational training, social skills, and physical exercise.
Other Connections
The Bethlehem Female Seminary was very important. It helped start other schools based on the Moravian Church's ideas. The seminary also had a connection with a Moravian boys' boarding school. This school was located at Nazareth Hall.
See also
- Female seminary
- Women's education in the United States
- List of coordinate colleges
