With the concurrence of the Jewish authorities in Jerusalem, Sir Moses and Lady Montefiore succeeded in founding a girls' school in that city, in which, in addition to other subjects necessary to be taught to the daughters of Israel, instruction in dressmaking, embroidery, and domestic occupations forms a prominent feature of the plan of education. Sir Moses was fortunately enabled to secure for this establishment one of the best houses in the Jewish quarter. The fitting up of the school was entrusted to thirty-five Jewish mechanics, who completed their several contracts in the most satisfactory manner.
They also succeeded in finding adequate instructors for the school among the ladies of the community, and they had the gratification to find that, on the very next day after the establishment of the school had become known in the city, 144 girls attended, and the names of 400 girls, many of them belonging to the best and most pious families, were registered in the school books.
Miss Mary Eliza Roger, in her "Domestic Life in Palestine," gives a full description of that school, from which I here subjoin some portions, to give the reader an idea of its efficient working at the time.
"On Thursday, May 28, 1856," that lady writes, "I was invited to visit the new schools for young Jewesses, established by Sir Moses Montefiore....
"While we waited for admittance, I looked up at the windows. Two were square, unsheltered openings. A third jutted far out from the wall, and through its quaint and fanciful wooden lattice we could see bright and rare flowers. The fourth was a large square oriel window, supported by a stone bracket, and protected by an iron balcony. A crowd of happy-looking children were peeping from it. One dark eyed little creature had a red-cloth tarbush on the back of her head, and a rose in her black hair. The others wore soft muslin kerchiefs of various colours tied tastefully on their heads.
"We entered the door, crossed a small court, and were led up an open staircase on to a terrace, the low, broad walls of which were converted into a garden....
"We were politely received in this court by a Spanish Jewess, who conducted us into a light, cheerful room, containing animated groups of girls, varying in age from seven to fourteen, perhaps. I counted thirty-one children, but the full number usually assembled there was thirty-five.
"Eight forms and a double row of desks gave quite a European character to the room, and the raised pulpit-like seat of the teacher indicated order and authority.
"The girls were nearly all engaged at needlework, and our guide exhibited to us, with evident pride and pleasure, a considerable stock of wearing apparel, the result of one week's work in that room. The simple garments were very nicely made, considering that most of the little workers did not know how to sew six or seven months before. The mistress could not tell us what was done with the work when finished, as it passed from her hands at the end of each week. The children looked busy and bright. Some of them were singularly beautiful. One tall and stately girl, of about fourteen, was acting the part of monitor, and she answered our questions in Arabic with the utmost modesty and self-possession, and glided among her little pupils with native grace and dignity. All these children were natives of Palestine; they spoke Arabic, and wore the Arab costume....