“Give a girl an education and introduce her properly into the world, and ten to one but she has the means of settling well, without further expense to anybody.”
Mansfield Park (1814) Jane Austen
Class schedule and itinerary will be made available in Spring 2022
Ridiculous Etiquette Rules from Victorian Times or are they?
1. THE LENGTH OF CONVERSATION MUST DEPEND ON THE PLACE WHERE YOU MEET: In the streets, conversations were required to be short—wouldn't want to hold up traffic!—but when taking a longer “promenade” through the garden, discussions were granted more time.
2. As a lady enters a drawing-room...
HER FACE SHOULD WEAR A SMILE; SHE SHOULD NOT RUSH IN HEAD-FOREMOST; A GRACEFUL BEARING, A LIGHT STEP, AN ELEGANT BEND TO COMMON ACQUAINTANCE (...) ARE ALL REQUISITE TO A LADY: As if women didn't already have enough to deal with during the 19th century. All the above is included in addition to "not shaking, of the hand extended to her," but rather, accepting it with "cordial pressure."
3. AFTER MID-DAY IT IS ILLEGAL TO CELEBRATE A MARRIAGE:
Fortunately, things loosened up near the end of the century, and weddings could be held as late as *gasp* 3 p.m.
4. WHEN A BRIDE IS YOUNG, THE BRIDESMAIDS SHOULD BE YOUNG.
The handbook also mentions that it was acceptable for a young married lady to be a bridesmaid, but it would be “absurd” if the woman in question were single and aged. We wouldn’t want to throw off the aesthetic, I suppose.
5. THE WORST PART OF A COUNTRY VISIT IS THE NECESSITY OF GIVING GRATUITIES TO THE SERVANTS:
What an imposition! Paying the help is the most loathsome burden.
6. GLOVES MUST BE WHITE, NOT YELLOW: Because lemon-colored gloves would have been the obvious choice otherwise.
7. THE DANCES [AT A BALL] SHOULD BE ARRANGED BEFOREHAND, AND, FOR LARGE BALLS, YOU SHOULD HAVE PRINTED A NUMBER OF DOUBLE CARDS, CONTAINING ON THE ONE SIDE A LIST OF THE DANCES; ON THE OTHER, BLANK SPACES TO BE FILLED UP BY THE NAMES OF PARTNERS. A SMALL PENCIL SHOULD BE ATTACHED TO EACH CARD: Apparently parties were a little more regulated back then. The handbook follows with the assortment of dances that one should expect at a ball (such as a quadrille, a waltz, a polka) as well as the number of times they are to be played.
8. A LADY SHOULD NEVER HAVE MORE THAN ONE GLASS OF CHAMPAGNE: Oh dear. If the handbook's obsessive rules are too overwhelming for you, feel
free to fall back on this overarching mandate:
11. ANYTHING THAT DETRACTS FROM THE PLEASURE OF SOCIETY IS IN BAD TASTE: At least one rule has aged quite nicely.
Upcoming Events: To ensure the safety of our ladies, specific location information is provided via email/text to attendees during sign-up.
Dearest Mother and Father,
I am alive and well. One can only surmise the news of
Ms. Frathingham’s school demise by the raging war has reached home. I have no words to express how we felt all clung to on another watching our beloved school burn to the ground.
In a flood of tears and hopelessness tis by the grace of God that
the 1st North Carolina Cavalry road in to our rescue.
We are now under their protection and will be for some time as each girl makes their
way back home.
We have gone from learning social graces to tending wounds and writing letters for the soldier who are unlearned in the are of reading and writing.
I often wondered why such determined fighting men would stop to help us at their own peril, then I came across a soldiers letter home missing the safe comfort of his wife, sister and mother:
"Tis hard to see the mighty prancing war horse, trampling the dying and dead beneath their merciless feet. No dear wife, near to speak a word of comfort. No living sister or Mother to administer relief in that hour the most sad in the history of humanity. O the humanity. O the horrors of war. Truly it may be considered the most cruel and awful scourge which can befall a nation. Heaven grant there may be an end soon." Samuel D. Lougheed letter to his wife Jane "Jennie" Lougheed, October 7, 1862
Civil War Re-Enactment
at Historic Jensen-Alvarado Ranch & Museum
4307 Briggs Street, Jurupa Valley, CA 92509
11th Annual Civil War Days
at Strathearn Park
Highlights include:
• President Lincoln delivers his Gettysburg Address
• General Ulysses S. Grant & General Robert E. Lee reenact the Surrender at Appomattox
• Kids wanted as recruits – come early & enlist, plus interview a soldier
• Food for sale from local food vendors
• Experience Authentic Artillery & Infantry Demonstrations
• Enjoy a 1860s Women’s Clothing Demonstration (Saturday Only)
• Tour historic Simi houses & buildings beginning at 12pm each day
• Historical Demonstrations: Civilian Encampment, School Room, Newspapers, Apothecary & more
• Meet Harriet Tubman and listen as she shares her experiences on the Underground Railroad
• Music daily performed by Orange Town Revival, Mountain Fife and Drums and Camp Carleton Band
• Shop Civil War Era Items at Simi Store & Kansas Mercantile
29th annual Civil War Days
Living History Event in
Huntington Beach Central Park
September 2nd & 3rd 2023
HB Central Park (Behind the Library)
On Gothard between
Slater and Talbert
Camps open to the Public on
Saturday and Sunday
Battle Times:
Sat: 1:30 and 4 PM Always Free to the Public!
Summer Program
The program objectives are achieved through a summer curriculum consisting of educational workshops, activities, community service outings and rehearsals.
The culminating event of the program is the Victorian Debutante Cotillion Ball, to be held at the end of the summer in which the debutantes are formally presented in Victorian Society and their local communities.
This event also includes an award ceremony in which individuals will be presented with scholarships to the following years program.
Our Victorian Etiquette Program supports Young Women in today's society
by promoting:
Our Victorian Etiquette Program supports Young Women in today's society by promoting:
The enhancement of personal, civic and leadership development through structured educational workshops.
Develop servant leadership through volunteerism and community service.
Develop high ethical standards, character development, good citizenship and social graces during the formative years.
Develop camaraderie and positive relationships with other young women.
Develop artistic expression and health through dance and movement
Donations
Donations help offset the cost of tuition, educational tools and materials for each attendee. This program is possible by donations from individuals like yourself.
Each Donation over $50.00 will come with a 15% annual discount on all Tea In Time Afternoon Tea Fundraisers. *
* 15% discount applies to the initial purchase per event (regardless if you are buying (1) seat or (20) seats at a time). All subsequent purchases for the same event will be at the regular price.
Donations receipts automatically provided for donations over $100.00.
