“o’er wayward childhood would’st thou hold firm rule
and sun thee in the light of happy faces,
love, hope, and patience, these must be thy graces,
and in thine own heart let them first keep school.”
coleridge.
of miss buss as a girl we have a very telling little sketch in her own words, showing how this happy childhood merged only too quickly into a girlhood early fitting her for the strenuous life-work towards which she was moving on through long silent years of training.
“i may as well take this opportunity of saying that within a month after i had reached my fourteenth birthday i began to teach, and that never since, with the exception of holidays and two occasions of serious illness, have i spent my days out of a schoolroom. i was in sole charge of a large school for a week at a time when i was sixteen. when i was twenty-three i was mistress of a large private school, containing nearly a hundred pupils; that hundred was turned into two hundred by the time i was twenty-five.
“i mention these facts just to show you how intensely active my life has been, for it is always to be borne in mind that in addition to spending my days in the schoolroom, i had to gain the whole of my education, such as it is, in the evening or in the holidays, and that for some years in my early life there was a great burden of money anxieties.
“you will see that i have never, therefore, known leisure. of 42late years, since the work has developed so much, i have done less teaching, but until the last four or five years, and for some years after the opening of the cambridge examinations, i was the sole mistress of the highest class, teaching every subject in it—english, french, german, and some latin.
“after the cambridge examinations began it was necessary to be free one hour in the morning, in order to see what was going on in other classes.
“as a matter of fact, i have had to teach almost everything at different times. for some years i assisted in the teaching of model and freehand drawing.
“circumstances never seemed favourable for my having time to do anything, so to speak, but live inside the schoolroom, and there carry into practice such theories as crossed my mind. i think it would have been much better for me if i had been able to have had a greater knowledge of the theory of the profession by private study, but hard practice has taught me something.”
in one of this girl’s early sayings—“why are women so little thought of? i would have girls trained to match their brothers!”—we have the key-note of her harmonious life. it was experience transmuted into sympathy. in the stress of her own girlish efforts she gained her life-long feeling for the half-educated, on whom is too early laid the burden of money getting. then, when occasion demanded, she was ready to give up her own ease, and to undertake the heavy work which has secured to thousands of wage-earning girls the practical training of a thorough education.
not less plainly, also, do we see, in her desire to fit herself for her own work, the first impetus to secure for all teachers the training needed for their special calling; an object ever close to her heart, and one in which her success will be her strongest claim to the gratitude of future generations.
the claim of an increasing family was no doubt in this, as in so many cases, the reason why the mother and daughter opened the first school in clarence road. 43and then, like so many other sisters, this girl would watch her brothers going off to school or college for the studies in which she—being a girl—could have no share. but, like many a good sister before and since, she would contentedly put aside her own dreams or desires, doing her best to help her brothers. such sacrifice was taken simply as the highest duty, and thus turned to deepest delight; but we can see how this loving obedience was in reality a storing up of energy for the great revolution of which she had caught the earliest intimations.
it is a pleasant thought to take in passing that this good sister—happier than many—had brothers equally good. if she was all that a sister could be she found in them good brothers, who were friends and fellow-workers, helping her in all the great aims of her life. her eldest brother, the rev. alfred j. buss, as clerk to the governing body of the schools, quite relieved her mind from all anxiety concerning business arrangements; whilst the religious instruction given by the rev. septimus buss carried on the early tradition of the school. there was a wide gap between the eldest of the family and number seven, so that her relation with this brother, after the mother’s death, was half maternal as well as half sisterly. when he early became engaged to her pupil, cousin, and friend, and thus gave her the truest and most tender of sisters, the bond was doubled, and the children of this beloved pair—her namesake francis, especially—became as her very own. her letters are full of allusion to “my boy,” who was her joy from his peculiarly engaging babyhood till he fulfilled her heart’s desire by taking holy orders. his next brother followed in this example, first set by the son of the rev. a. j. buss, now minor canon of lincoln.
this clerical bent was very strong in the family. 44as a boy, alfred joseph buss shared his sister’s enthusiasm for teaching, and for any hope of head-mastership holy orders were essential. before he was out of his teens he became the first assistant-master in the then newly opened north london collegiate school for boys. he was also english tutor at one time to the young orleans princes. but later in life he found himself drawn most strongly to the work of the parish priest. septimus buss inherited so much of his father’s genius, that he seemed destined for art, having a picture in the royal academy whilst only nineteen years of age. but, though in obedience to his father he worked hard at painting, he still had his own intentions, and worked harder at greek and latin. knowing, however, that there was at that time an extra strain upon the family finances, he bravely kept his own wishes to himself till he had earned the means of carrying them out. the story of these two brothers is among the helpful and instructive tales that ought some day to be written, to show what can be done by high aims and resolute will. of both it may be said that they are all the stronger as fighters in their splendid battle against east end misery, because, in their own boyhood, they knew how “to endure hardness as good soldiers.”
this attraction to the clerical profession was a natural sequence to early associations. the most powerful influence of miss buss’ girlish life was undoubtedly that of her revered friend of whom mrs. septimus buss writes, when alluding to—
“the earnest spiritual influence of the rev. david laing, who built the church and schools of holy trinity, kentish town, giving his whole fortune and his life to found the parish. his teaching by precept and practice was self-sacrifice, and the large-hearted charity that beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth 45all things, coupled with the wide culture that welcomed new thought, and proved all things. his hospitable home was constantly open to his parishioners, where he received them among his cultured circle of literary, scientific, and artistic friends. he at once took his stand by the north london collegiate school, while others waited till its success was sure. we, oldest of old pupils, still thrill with somewhat of the past enthusiasm when we recall his inspiring teaching. the band of devoted workers he gathered round him in his parish—which was then almost unique for the number of works of charity carried on in it, and for the weekly lectures by mr. s. c. hall and others—testified to his personal influence, the motive power of which was not what he saw, but what he was.”
in memory of her lamented friend, miss buss, after his death, established six “laing scholarships,” by which so many girls who needed this help received a free education in her school. thus for ten years mr. laing’s memory was kept in mind. with the changes of 1870 these scholarships ceased, but miss buss’ devotion to mrs. laing knew no intermission till her old friend’s death in 1876; and miss fawcett has an interesting little comment on this unfailing thoughtfulness—
“all associated with our dear friend must have been struck with her loyalty and faithfulness to her old friends. i am thinking especially of her treatment of mrs. laing, for so many years. sunday by sunday she went to see her after morning service as regularly as the day came round; flowers were sent to her very frequently, also nice books to read. on her birthday miss buss never failed to see her before the school-work began.”
among the school records there is a letter which is of interest as showing the close relations which existed between mr. and mrs. laing and the school. it is addressed to the chairman presiding at the first prize-day after the double loss which made so sad a change for the young head-mistress—the death within a year of her mother and of mr. laing—
46“rev. and dear sir,
“may i beg you to express my great regret at the impossibility of my being at your meeting to-day? i do not say that it would not have been very painful to attend, when two so loved and honoured are missing since we last assembled for the same purpose; but it is still more painful to stay away. i wished to show my true interest in the cause mr. laing had so much at heart; my warm regard for the friends he so much valued; my deep sense of the respect and affection shown to his memory in the establishment of the laing scholarships.
“many to-day will remember how in much pain and weakness he filled his place last year, but a few days before he took to the bed whence he was to rise no more. it was the last evidence he was permitted to give of his feeling with regard to the work carried on here; and i feel i can do nothing better than adopt that which in various ways he has so often said to me, ‘miss buss is doing a great and good work. hundreds will rise up and call her blessed.’
“i am, yours faithfully,
“mary e. laing.”
to the influence of mr. laing, and of his no less admirable wife, miss buss owed much of the mental and moral breadth for which she was afterwards so distinguished. in their home she was always welcome, finding a never-failing sympathy and encouragement. often in our quiet talks she delighted to refer to these early memories, speaking of the advantage such a friendship had been to her in her young life; and to this grateful memory it is probable that many of her own young assistants, especially those least fortunate in their social surroundings, may have owed much of the thoughtful kindness so valuable to girls beginning their career as teachers.
with the knowledge of the satisfaction she would have felt in fuller recognition of mr. laing’s services to education in general, as well as in particular to her own school, it will not be out of place here to give 47some notes supplied by the rev. a. j. buss, with his own comment on them—
“there is much that i would say about the connection with mr. laing—about himself as a great leader (almost unacknowledged) in the educational movement of the latter half of this century. to me the question is an interesting one, for i loved mr. laing as a young man, and cherish his memory as most precious now that i am advanced in life. it is at least remarkable that he who, as honorary secretary and a member of the board of management of the governesses’ benevolent institution, took some part in the foundation of queen’s, should have been a prime mover in the foundation of that school which has become the north london collegiate school for girls, and has rendered possible, and given such impetus to, the higher education of girls and women.”
the story of the rise of queen’s college is of interest from many points of view, beyond that concerning our present purpose of showing the influences that inspired frances mary buss with her special zeal for education. in knowing mr. laing she came into direct touch with the newest educational effort, and must have heard the whole question discussed from all sides.
mr. laing, in 1843, rescued the governesses’ benevolent institution from decay, remaining its active honorary secretary till his death in 1860. this society was formed—
“with the idea of benefiting governesses in every possible way; to help in temporary difficulty; to provide annuities for aged governesses; to help the younger to help themselves; to provide a home for governesses during engagements, and an asylum for the aged; also a system of registration, free of expense, to those seeking engagements.”
the whole of these objects were contemplated in 1843, and, in 1844, were a matter of negotiation with the national society, with the committee of council, and with the heads of the church.
in giving an account of the early work—as a reply 48to an article in fraser’s magazine (july, 1849), commenting unfavourably on the efforts that were then made—mr. laing shows that with the foundation of the governesses’ benevolent institution the first principles of all future movements were really incorporated. he says—
“in undertaking an institution for the benefit of governesses, it was felt to be absurd and short-sighted to remedy existing evils without an attempt at their removal.... to do this the character of the whole class must be raised, and there was the bright thought that to raise the character of governesses as a class was to raise the whole tone of christian society throughout the country.”
but it was easier to plan such a college than to carry out these plans, and several years passed without practical results. reference is made, year by year, on the subject, in the annual reports of the governesses’ benevolent institution.
in that for 1845, we find that “difficulties which the committee had not anticipated, have arisen with the several authorities, from whom boards of examiners, with power to grant a diploma of qualification, might originate.”
in the report for 1846, “an act of incorporation and arrangements for a diploma” are still “subjects of consideration, upon which the committee are prepared to enter into communication with all parties friendly to the cause. unexpected difficulties still intervene.”
it was in 1848 that the governesses’ benevolent institution received a royal charter of incorporation, thus worded—
“we have been graciously pleased to permit the name of queen’s college, in which certificates of qualification are granted to governesses, and in which arrangements have been made with professors of high talent and standing in society to open classes in all branches of female education.”
49queen’s college was governed by a council of gentlemen, and its first principal, professor maurice, was followed by professor plumptre. a committee of lady-visitors was formed, but the duties of these ladies was merely to be present while the teaching was done by men. among them we find the familiar names of mrs. s. c. hall, mrs. marcet, miss maurice, mrs. kay shuttleworth, and mrs. hensleigh wedgwood.
it would appear, from the report of 1849, that while the governesses’ benevolent institution was thus working for better education for women and girls, other schemes had been proposed, first by miss murray, one of her majesty’s ladies in waiting, and then by the professors of king’s college. eventually, the formation of a committee of education, of which mr. laing and professors maurice and nicolay were active members, brought things to a practical point, as professor nicolay states[4] that the “committee of education,” thus formed, did its work in connection with, if not actually for, the governesses’ benevolent institution.
4. in the english education journal, 1849.
in his inaugural lecture at hanover square, in 1848, professor maurice shows how this institution, beginning with a provision for distress among governesses, came to associate distress with incompetency, and hence to provide better instruction. in like manner, beginning as examiners, the professors soon found that before they could examine they must first teach, and for this purpose organized the classes that grew into queen’s college.
in fraser’s magazine, early in the fifties, are to be found several papers concerning the foundation of queen’s college, thus finally summed up by the editor—
50“with reference to the article on queen’s college in our last number, mr. laing, as hon. sec. to the governesses’ benevolent institution, desires us to state that the society was in communication with the government and other parties respecting the establishment of the college as early as 1844, whilst there was no communication with the present professors until 1847; and that her majesty granted to the society the permission to use the royal name for the college before any connection was formed with the present professors.
“whilst, therefore, the success of the college is wholly attributable to the character and talents of its teachers, the college would have existed under any circumstances.”
in the same year, six months later, bedford college was founded, mainly by mrs. reid and miss bostock, and among the ladies interested we find many names afterwards prominent in the movement for opening the universities to women, as those of lady romilly, lady belcher, mrs. (afterwards lady) crompton, mrs. (afterwards lady) goldsmid, mrs. jameson, mrs. bryan walter procter, lady pollock, miss julia smith, mrs. strutt (afterwards lady belper), miss emily davies, miss anna swanwick, and mrs. hensleigh wedgwood.
one distinct difference between queen’s college and bedford college is that the first was managed by men, with a man as the principal and women only as lady-visitors. bedford college had from the first a mixed committee, and the visitor who represented the head might be of either sex. latterly miss anna swanwick has held this post. results seem to indicate the advantage of giving women an equal share in the education of girls.
it was by mr. laing’s introduction that miss buss became one of the first pupils of the evening classes at queen’s college. the queen’s college of that day (1848) bore little resemblance to the colleges of a 51quarter of a century later, but there was an enormous stride onwards in the curriculum offered to its first pupils.
in her “history of cheltenham college,” miss beale gives us a glimpse of these classes—
“queen’s college offered to grant certificates to governesses.... my sisters and i were amongst some of the first to offer ourselves for examination. for holy scripture the examiner was the rev. e. h. plumptre, afterwards dean of wells, so well known for his biblical commentaries, his great learning, and his translations of the greek dramatists and dante. he also examined in classics. in modern history and literature we had the pleasure of being examined by professor maurice. the viva voce was a delightful conversation; he led us on by his sympathetic manner and kindly appreciation so that we hardly remembered he was an examiner. for french and german our examiners were professors brasseur and bernays; for mathematics, professor hall and mr. cock; for music, sterndale bennett; and for pedagogy, the head of the battersea training college.”
the names of the rev. charles kingsley, for english literature and composition; of professor nicolay, for history and geography; and of professor hullah, for vocal music, also appear on the list.
it was of classes like these that, as a girl of twenty-one, frances mary buss became a happy pupil. her father’s interest in art and science had prepared her to enter into the spirit of such teaching, and to profit by the influence of the great men who threw their whole souls into their work. what this meant to the girls thus privileged is shown in lives like those of miss buss, miss beale, miss frances martin, or miss julia wedgwood, and many more perhaps less known to fame.
a memory comes back to me of an evening in 1881, spent at myra lodge, where the difference between the old and the new order of things was emphasized in a 52marked degree. standing out from the far past, as precursors of the new era, were miss buss herself, miss beale, and miss frances martin; midway, as a schools inquiry commissioner, was mr. j. g. fitch; while the moderns bloomed out in dr. sophie bryant, one of the earliest cambridge local candidates, and the very first woman-doctor of science; miss rose aitkin, b.a., stood for the arts; and, i think, miss sara a. burstall (since b.a.) as the first girl who had, like her brothers, educated herself by her brains, passing, largely by scholarships, up from the camden school, through the upper school, and on to girton.
it was a thing to remember to hear how the three elder women spoke of the old and new days, and then to see what had been done for the girls through their efforts. miss buss told us many things of her girlhood, and her difficulties in fitting herself for her work; and especially of the stimulus and delight of the new world of thought and feeling opened by those first lectures. miss beale and miss martin, coming later, had enjoyed all the advantages of queen’s college, but they did not the less appreciate those first lectures. as they spoke in glowing terms of professor maurice, one could not but wish that he might have been there to see the three grand women who have done so much for womanhood—pupils worthy of even such a master.
the picture fixed itself in my mind of frances mary buss, in the first ardour of this new intellectual awakening. she was teaching all day in her own school, so that she could take only the evening classes. there were at that time no omnibuses, and night after night, her day’s work done, the enthusiastic girl walked from camden town to queen’s college and back. night after night she sat up into the small hours, entranced by her new studies, preparing thus not only for the 53papers which won for her the desired certificates, but for that greater future of which she did not then even dream.
in her autobiography, miss cobbe gives a very telling summary of the education of the earlier part of this century, in her account of the particular school in which her own education had been, as it was called, “finished,” at a cost, for two years, of ￡1000. how she began it for herself afterwards she also tells, but of this finished portion she thus writes—
“nobody dreamed that any one of us could, in later life, be more or less than an ornament to society. that a pupil in that school should become an artist or authoress would have been regarded as a deplorable dereliction. not that which was good or useful to the community, or even that which would be delightful to ourselves, but that which would make us admired in society was the raison d’être of such requirement.
“the education of women was probably at its lowest ebb about half a century ago. it was at that period more pretentious than it had ever been before, and infinitely more costly; and it was likewise more shallow and senseless than can easily be believed. to inspire young women with due gratitude for their present privileges, won for them by my contemporaries, i can think of nothing better than to acquaint them with some of the features of school-life in england in the days of their mothers. i say advisedly in those of their mothers, for in those of their grandmothers things were by no means equally bad. there was much less pretence, and more genuine instruction, so far as it extended.”
we are justified in the conclusion that mrs. wyand’s school, in which frances mary buss received her training, as pupil and then as assistant, was one of the survivals from this olden time. from one of the pupils, who was there as a child while miss buss was assistant-mistress, we have a sketch of mrs. wyand as a slight, erect little lady, with very dark eyes, and with black hair, in the ringlets of that era, confined on each side by tortoiseshell side-combs. she always 54wore long rustling silk gowns, and altogether was an impressive personage, before whom the most volatile schoolgirl at once grew staid and sober. mention of miss buss herself seems limited to a certain satisfaction in having carried provocation to so great an extent as to make the young teacher cry. but we may easily imagine that before the end of that encounter the tables were turned, and that then may have begun the treatment of “naughty girls” so successful in later life.
thanks to the good training received under mrs. wyand, miss buss was able, at the age of eighteen, to take an active part in the school opened by mrs. buss in clarence road. before she was twenty-three she had gained the queen’s college diploma, and she then became the head of the new school in camden street, which was the outcome of this first venture.
the course of instruction included most of the subjects now taught, and miss eleanor begbie—who claims to have been the first pupil in camden street, and who has been superintendent of the sandall road school, familiar, therefore, with all new methods—affirms confidently that the science and art classes taken by mr. buss were “as good, and quite as interesting, as anything given now.”
this is confirmed by mrs. pierson, who says of these very happy school-days—
“her dear father greatly added to the enjoyment of school life by giving us courses of lectures illustrated by diagrams on geology, astronomy, botany, zoology, and chemistry, quite equal to those given by highly paid professors of the present day, and he gave them for love, and nothing extra was put down in the bills, although each course was an education by itself, given in his lucid and most interesting way.”
these lectures, as mrs. s. buss says in her reminiscences—
55“awakened in many a pupil the thirst for reading and study. his artistic talent, and the pleasant excursions for sketching from nature, were novel inspirations in the days when the ordinary girlish specimens of copied drawings resembled nothing in nature. a good elocutionist himself, he taught us to read and recite with expression.”
his daughter had the same gift, inherited or acquired, and her school has always been specially distinguished in all examinations for the excellence of the reading.
mrs. s. buss mentions, in addition to mrs. laing, as also specially interested in the school—
“the rev. canon dale, vicar of st. pancras, and his two sons, pelham and lawford dale; the rev. cornelius hart, vicar of old st. pancras; the rev. r. p. clemenger, vicar of st. thomas’, agar town; the revs. e. spooner and charles lee, the immediate successors of mr. laing; the countess of hardwicke, one of the earliest and most faithful friends of the school, whose daughter, lady elizabeth biddulph, still continues the yearly prize for good conduct, and whose warm letter of sympathy, in january, was one of the many we received. we all remember, too, judge payne, and his witty impromptu verses at so many prize-givings.”
when we listen to these memories of the earlier school-days, we cannot dispute the position that—
“the foundation of the north london collegiate school for ladies was not merely the commencement of one special school, but was an era in education. if we very old pupils can carry our mind back to the time when the ‘guide to knowledge’ and ‘mangnall’s questions’ were the chief standard school-books for most of the scientific and historical instruction that girls received; when the mildest form of gymnastics (such as jumping over a stick held a few inches above the ground) was deemed so unladylike that some girls were withdrawn from the earliest classes formed; when the study of the most rudimentary physiology horrified the mrs. grundies of the period, who would not permit their daughters to continue the course after the first lesson (like the mother of later times at the primary school, who wrote to the teacher, ‘mrs. s—— asks that my mary jane do not go again to those lessons 56where they talk about their bodies: first, which it is nasty; and second, which it is rude!’); the time when we learnt pages of dictionary, with meanings, in the first class, and rules of dry-as-dust grammar, without any meaning to us for years afterwards; the time when it was asserted and believed, that a girl’s mind was incapable of grasping any mathematical knowledge beyond the first four rules of arithmetic;—we can, remembering those good old times, see what a wonderful stride was taken in girls’ education by the north london collegiate school, even in its infancy. can we not recall those long tramps, to and fro, when the present north london railway ran only between chalk farm and fenchurch street, and when there was no service of omnibuses between the various districts? fares, even when a conveyance could be had, were fares, sixpence or a shilling. do we not remember the overskirts insisted on by miss buss as a protection from the wet, at a time when waterproof clothing was unknown? what dressing and undressing went on round the stove, where miss reneau sat with the default list, to put down the name of any too riotous girl! what a delight the giant strides and see-saws were to the athletic young damsels of the period, while the more staid elders waited anxiously for the chance of a turn with the dear head-mistress, who gave up her hour of leisure to talk and walk with us on the playground, and give us a word of sympathy, counsel, or encouragement, or tell some funny story, or teach some new game, sharing her brimming cup of life with us all—ever regardless of her own need of rest!”
from letters at this period we have a glimpse of this young head-mistress at work and at play, both of which she did very thoroughly. the work must have been rather overdone, and we may admire the self-control which is remembered as so marked a characteristic, when we see that it came from real self-conquest. in 1859 she writes to her brother septimus, speaking of herself and her cousin maria (mrs. septimus buss)—
“as usual at this period—and, for that matter, at most periods—of the year, we are over-worked. at times i am so irritable i feel inclined to throw things at people, and twice this week i have allowed myself to be provoked into a fit of temper. it is so grievous afterwards to reflect upon. why was i made so 57gunpowdery? i do think, however, the provocation was very great, though that, of course, is no excuse.”
the next letter is to her father in holiday-time:—
“dinan, 1860.
“everything has combined to make this holiday delightful, and i am so well and happy, that i feel as if i was only twenty years of age, instead of a hundred, as i do in camden street. i find myself talking slang to the boys, and actually shouting fag-ends of absurd choruses from mere lightheartedness.
“i am very sorry to say that i do not feel any more industrious, though doubtless i shall have to recover from that complaint in london. also i regret to say that i have to-day incurred the severe displeasure of our wee blue-eyed laddie!”
