Education of women

A Plan for the Conduct of Female Education in Boarding Schools
 
Creator(s):
Darwin, Erasmus
Title:
A Plan for the Conduct of Female Education in Boarding Schools
Publication/Origin:
Derby: Printed by J. Drewry, for J. Johnson, 1797
Description:
English physician and natural philosopher Erasmus Darwin wrote this work at the urging of his two daughters, born from his relationship with Mary Parker and out of wedlock. They had sought his counsel on establishing a boarding school in 1794. Darwin argued that young women should be educated in schools, rather than at home, and he advocated for them to study the sciences, learn to handle money, and take vigorous exercise, among other advices. His approach, directed at middle-class women, amplified the contemporary view that men and women should have separate and complementary spheres.
Citation:
Darwin, Erasmus, A Plan for the Conduct of Female Education in Boarding Schools, Derby: Printed by J. Drewry, for J. Johnson, 1797, Lisa Unger Baskin Collection, Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University. Accessed October 10, 2024, https://exhibits.library.duke.edu/exhibits/show/baskin/item/4069