Needlework Class

“Sarah! Where have you been?” my friend Catherine calls.  I glance into the classroom and in the direction of her voice, and spot her sitting with our other good friend Susan.  I walk into the classroom, past girls doing each other’s hair and whispering.  I take a deep breath and I can still smell the fluffy warm biscuits and eggs that we had for breakfast.  My name is Sarah.  I am 14 years old and I lived in a big wooden house in Jamestown with my mother, father, brother, and sister.  I just started finishing school, a boarding school for upper class English girls like me, in Williamsburg, Virginia.  We learn many skills such as French, Latin, dance, music, and needlework.  It is supposed to “finish” off my education and prepare me to marry  and run an upper class home.  

The school building is impressive, with a separate area for our dormitory.  All of the girls get their own rooms with a bed, dresser, and desk, and we all share the washroom at the end of the hall.  All of the classrooms are on the other side of the building.  There is a music room, dance room, French room, writing room, and many more rooms in the school.  I am still adjusting to this new life, and occasionally I feel homesick.  My sister Jane, who is tutored at home, misses our hours together exploring the woods and watching the many types of birds there.  My brother is at boarding school so that he can be prepared to go to the College of William and Mary here in Williamsburg in a couple of years.  He gets to learn navigation and astronomy, which I love.  I visit my family a few times a year, but I get to see all of my friends, including my best friend Catherine, every day.     

In the classroom, I run my hand over the cold hard surface of the stone walls as I continue to walk over to Catherine.  I pass the wooden desks and chairs.  In the front there’s the fireplace, where a fire has already been started and the smell of burning oak fills the room. The bright orange, yellow, and red flames are dancing, and I can feel the radiating warmth on my body.  There are two windows in the classroom, one facing the front and one the back.  Outside you can see the luscious green grass and colorful black-eyed susans. The floor beneath is hard and uneven.  The room smells clean and fresh.  I reach Catherine and take a seat next to her, ready to show her my design.  The chair sinks with a crinkle, and I can hear faint mumbling from the other students.  The first class of the day is needlework, where we learn how to sew and embroider.  Everyone in the room hears the crack of the door, and we quickly settle down.  

“Good morning class,” Mrs. Smith says.  “Good morning Mrs. Smith,” we reply.  “Everyone get out your needlework square and start practicing the stitches and some designs.  Once you are ready you can start your real project.” There’s a rush of people as everyone pushes their way to the front and gets their needlework square.  I take my seat again and start to thread by needle.  “Your needlework looks so good!” I compliment Catherine.  She smiles, “Thanks, yours is really good too.  I love your pink roses.” “Thank you.  What class do we have next? Fre–” I start to say.  “Excuse me, Miss Sarah, but we do not talk while we work.”  I quickly quiet down and sink lower in my chair, embarrassed at being chastised in front of everyone.  After practicing a few stitches, I decide to start my real project which I am making for my mother.  I embroider beautiful flowers and birds on the fabric because I know these are her favorite things.  I can’t wait to see my mother again in a few weeks because I miss her so much.  I miss my dad, brother, and sister too, and how cozy our house is.  I think about how much finishing school has changed my life, because it has helped me to be more independent.  However, there are many things here that remind me of home: the warm, cackling fireplaces everywhere, the wonderful smells of delicious food, and my friends that have become as close as family.

My role is important to the community because I am always willing to be helpful and kind.  My family has many hopes and dreams for me.  They hope that I will succeed in finishing school and marry a wealthy gentleman.  I try to be a good friend to all of the girls at finishing school.  I have decided that after  finishing school I want to help make education better for girls.  I want to make girls’ learning experience be just as strong as boys and for girls to learn the same skills as boys.  I want to change this for girls because to make the colonies better, it’s good to have women who are highly educated.  I would also like a better learning experience so that I can get as many opportunities as my brother will.  Girls should be able to go to college and become ministers or lawyers if they want.  I hope that one day in the future I will be able to make a real difference in girls’ education.