THE WOMEN AROUND JOHN WESLEY AT HOME ... - Kristoffersen

Cambridge University was not part of 1972´ s open doorsfor women students.WOMEN´ S COLLEGE IN THE PARSONAGEWe will return to the girls in the parsonage inEpworth where the Priests home was a Women Collegewith seven females and two three male students and withSusanna Wesley as Principal, and her husband the Vicar astutor in classical literature and language. The girls weretaught to read and write as well as mathematics. There werealso practical subjects in the big household. They had alsogymnastics and games, they were taught ballet as well.Both boys and girls were well educated and trained inintellectual disciplines, so that they could earn their ownliving as governesses and teachers at girls boardingSchools. One of the daughters opened a School that wassuccessful.What would become of these girls who had got aneducation, an independent way of thinking and a politicaland economical training which was more fitting for amore emancipated age than their own. The only future thata woman had at that time was to be married to a rich manand through this act get a secure social position for herselfand her children. For the Wesley-girls with their educationit was a meagre market in the Epworth district where therewere a lot of uneducated and ill-mannered men who werelooking for women objects.12