THE MARIENBURG SCHOOL FOR LADY GARDENERS
Station: Leutesdorf
Pier: Andernach (with ferry connection to Leutesdorf)
Course for Educated Women in Horticulture and Forcing
Marienburg lies close to the Rhine, in Leutesdorf. The larger agricultural property, with ornamental park, fruit and vegetable garden, greenhouses, hot-beds belonging to Neuwied, a neighbouring country residence, serve as the practical field of work for the school. All the labour needed is done by the students. The school is in two buildings, with single-and double-bedded rooms for the reception of twenty ladies. Hot and cold water is laid on, with bath-rooms and central heating. Comfortably furnished sitting-rooms give the opportunity for social intercourse during off-time. This school gives educated girls and women the chance to acquire the requisite practice and knowledge to work a garden correctly and independently.
Practical and theoretical instruction are both given, but the greater value is placed on thoroughly comprehensive practical knowledge.
I.—TWO YEARS’ COURSE
For those ladies who wish to fit themselves for a gardener’s calling, and later take posts as gardeners on estates, in villa gardens, sanatoria, house-keeping schools, educational institutions, etc. (2,000 have taken situations with salary, six without).
A.—PRACTICAL INSTRUCTION
Pomology: Hybridisation, care, forcing, sale. Vegetable culture: Open-air and forcing, sale. Floriculture: Hardy and hot-house flowers, balcony and room decoration, arranging, making wreaths. Commercial gardening: Sale and despatch, with practical book-keeping. Landscape gardening: Designing, laying out and care of gardens. Basket weaving, joinery, glazing.
B.—THEORETICAL INSTRUCTION
Pomology: Breeding, pruning, forcing, knowledge of species. Vegetable culture and forcing. Flower propagation and hot-houses, forcing. Forestry: Description and crossing of the most important trees for landscape gardening. Landscape gardening. Legal knowledge. Book-keeping and correspondence. Botany: Morphology, anatomy, physiology, systems, geography of plants, plant diseases. Zoology: Animals useful and hurtful to horticulture. Chemistry: Soils and manures. Geometry and surveying.
Theoretical instruction is given by a head-gardener, a highly-educated scientific master, and by the principal herself. The head-gardener instructs in the practical department with the help of a basket-maker and joiner for those branches. Admission to the course is in the beginning of April and October.
As a means of judging the proficiency of our scholars a small exhibition of garden products, and sketches and designs of gardens, is held yearly in the institution, about the end of September or beginning of October. An inspection of the exhibition, and also of the garden, is willingly permitted to anyone interested.
At the close of the second year the scholars receive a certificate after examination.
CONDITIONS OF ADMISSION
Scholars must have passed through the first class in a secondary girls’ school, and have a healthy, robust constitution. Age not over thirty. A medical certificate and a short autobiography must be added to the report.
A special dress is required for practical work. This, as well as garden shears and saws, is provided at the student’s cost; all other implements belong to the school, and are used without payment. From 1st to 15th every quarter there is no theoretical instruction. Extra leave, if wanted, should be asked for then. Classes are stopped for four weeks at Christmas, and scholars can only remain in the institution at this time by special permission.
FEES
For board and lodging, exclusive of heating and laundry, in double-bedded room, £4 10s.; single-bedded room, £5 monthly. For instruction £1 monthly is charged. Fees are to be paid quarterly in advance (from £16 10s. to £18.) In the two winter quarters 15s. extra for heating are charged. Arrears are not allowed. Anyone wishing to leave before the end of the course must give three months’ notice, or pay a quarter’s fees; such notice will only be received at the beginning of each quarter.
The following articles are to be brought:—Table silver and cutlery, fruit-knife, serviette-ring (all plainly marked), serviettes, towels, pillows, sheets, and soiled linen-bag. Bedstead and mattress are supplied.
II.—ONE YEAR’S COURSE
For those ladies who wish to work their own gardens, and for young girls who, after the strain of school life, seek re-invigoration in healthy, refreshing activity for body and mind. These receive the same instruction as for the first year of the regular course, but no certificate. In other respects the conditions of the full course hold good. Ladies who already have elementary knowledge, and only wish to take the second year’s course, must undergo a preliminary examination.
III.—SPECIAL STUDENTS
Can enter for a shorter time, to try if the calling of gardener suits them, so that later they can take a course of one or two years. This class, as well as those who want to improve their health by occupation in the open air, only take part in practical instruction. They will find near the Leutesdorf school a good boarding-house, where the charge is 30s. monthly. Entry on the 1st or 15th of every month.
Scholars under eighteen years of age are in the special charge of the principal, and without her permission may not leave the institution. Practical instruction is divided into four hours in the morning and two in the afternoon. Theoretical instruction is given from one to two hours daily in the afternoon. Scholars are free on Saturday afternoon and Sunday. From time to time excursions with the students are undertaken to inspect the surrounding country, gardens and pleasure-grounds, and nurseries.
Punctuality and order are required of every student. The rules of the school and house must be rigidly observed.
Marie C. Vorwerk, Elsbeth von Zibzewik (Owners and Principals)
Rules for the House
1. Scholars must appear punctually at meals; exceptions are to be notified to the housekeeper. In case of illness only will meals be served in the bedroom. Dress must be changed for dinner and supper.
2. Before first breakfast scholars must put away anything lying about their rooms, make beds, and open the windows.
3. Paper, flowers, hair, or other insoluble articles may not be put in the basin.
4. The scholars must clean clothes and shoes, except their working boots.
5. Servants and assistants are not to be asked for any extra service tips and presents are forbidden; at Christmas and on leaving every scholar puts something into a money-box for the servants.
6. Rooms and passages may not be entered with garden boots.
7. Boxes and soiled linen are to be kept on the ground floor.
8. After dinner till 2 o’clock and after 10 p.m. perfect quiet must prevail. Lamps in the school-and business-rooms, as well as in the corridor, are put out at 10 p.m.
9. Nails may not be knocked in the walls of the rooms without permission; it is also forbidden to fasten articles on the walls with ordinary or drawing-pins.
10. Any damage to the house or furniture must be pointed out at once to the principals, and made good.
11. All complaints are to be made to the principals.
School Regulations
1. The scholars must attend theoretical and practical instruction regularly; leave of absence only from the principals. Whoever misses more than six weeks’ instruction in one session cannot be admitted to the examination.
2. Practical work occupies six hours, theoretical from one to two hours daily. Work begins in summer at 7 o’clock, in winter at 8 o’clock in the morning. Saturday afternoon and Sunday are holidays.
3. Scholars whose week it is to be in management, or at work in the hot-houses, must remain in the establishment, even in their free time, and look after their departments.
4. Only half of the scholars at most can get leave in the first fortnight of a quarter. Permission should therefore be sought in good time. Those employed in the hot-houses or as overseers can obtain leave in case of urgency only, and must put in a substitute during their absence.
5. Permission for a week’s leave is to be obtained at latest eight days in advance, for one or several days the day before. Only urgent cases permit an exception.
To be provided:—1 reform winter dress with bloomers; 2 reform summer dresses with 2 bloomers; 2 blue linen aprons; 1 cap, and 2 linen hats; 1 pair strong boots and gaiters; some books, drawing materials, grafting-saw, tree-shears, garden-knife, grafting and fertilising knives, yard-stick, materials for basket-making.
Anyone maliciously violating the regulations of the house or school is dismissed.