What to read. "Nymphs of Smolny" by V. Gusakova

They only wore dresses in four colors. They studied a lot of things from architecture to heraldry. They were supposed to make a "new breed" of exemplary women. By marrying them, one could gain freedom during the time of serfdom. Who are they?

A pretty book "Nymphs of Smolny" is about graduates of the Smolny Institute of Noble Maidens. It is sold on well-known marketplaces and looks like a chocolate bar. Like with chocolate, only much more useful, you can spend time with her over a large cup of tea and find out how women's education began and what it was like in Russia in ancient times. Victoria Gusakova, the author of the book, dispels the myths that even noblewomen in pre-revolutionary times were not distinguished by education.

Yes, the "women's issue" and women's education began to bother the famous reformer Peter the Great. Did you know that he "by a special decree ordered illiterate noble girls who cannot sign at least their last name not to marry"? It was funny to read about it at the beginning of the book.

Reading further, you will learn how it turned out to create a unique educational and educational institution, whose graduates became a model for many generations and made a significant contribution to the history of the country. So, in 1763, Catherine the Second decided that girls should be given an alternative home education, to raise a "new breed" of educated, well-behaved girls. But "there is no way to fulfill this great intention at all" if you take children over 5-6 years old to study. This is necessary to educate them without the "evil influence of civilization." This is what her personal secretary and adviser on education, I. I. Betsky, wrote in a report to Ekaterina.

And now the institute has been established. Very young girls of different classes are taken into it, but parents are in no hurry to part with their children. Then the Empress takes the institute under her personal care. It was interesting to find out how much the Empress immersed herself in the affairs of the institute, how she took care of the students, and how much attention she paid to them. The book undoubtedly reveals Catherine from a previously unknown side. And he adds small, but important touches to the portrait, which, it would seem, has been known to all of us for a long time.
The pupils of the Smolny Institute studied for three years in each of the 4 courses, studying a lot of things from sewing to architecture, from heraldry and physics to the Law of God.
In 1859-192, the great teacher K. worked at the Smolny Institute. Ushinsky, having introduced new methods, significantly improved the education of "nymphs".

But education is education, and appearance is also something to think about. Therefore, the pupils were entitled not only to clothes and shoes, but even powder and jewelry. By the way, the dresses in each course were different. The book contains an excerpt from a letter from Catherine herself, where she talks about "little brown ones", "little blue ones", "gray sisters" and "white pilgrims". White was worn by the senior year students. Ekaterina calls them pilgrims, probably because they will soon graduate and go on a journey through life.

The book also tells about how different these trips of graduates were, including the daughter of commander A. Suvorov N. Suvorov-Zubova, and the holy martyr Kira (Obolenskaya), and Daria von Lieven, the first female diplomat in the history of Russia.