“the old order changes, giving place to new.”
my first remembrance of miss buss—dating from october, 1870—is one that will come up very vividly to all who remember her tuesdays’ “at home,” at myra lodge, and who will recall her gracious way of advancing, with outstretched hand and welcoming smile, to meet her friends.
there was a touch of ceremoniousness in her reception of strangers that made this smile seem all the sweeter, dispelling a certain awe excited by the presence and dignity, the sense of power and purpose, which were there as the natural outcome of the habit of rule from her childhood upwards. she was rather below than above middle height, but she always gave an impression of being taller than she was in reality.
no one could be with her in any close relation without speedily knowing how really kind she was, and, after a very short acquaintance, it was quite easy to believe the story that as miss buss made the announcement of one of the first passes with honours, the delighted student, in the exuberance of the joy at this success, seized the dignified head-mistress, and whirled her round in an impromptu waltz, ending without doubt in one of those loving embraces which gave so much warmth 88to school-life; a warmth that carried her so happily through so many long years of incessant strain.
the heavy responsibilities and many cares of her arduous life always made miss buss look older than her years, even before she adopted the distinctive style of dress which, though never out of the fashion, had still a speciality of its own, which always made it seem appropriate. she acted up to her theory that each person should take pains to discover the style most suitable, and then, having found it, should keep as near to it as possible. this she herself did, contriving at the same time to keep in touch with prevailing fashions. her gowns were always well made—for school and for mornings of some strong serviceable black material, with a simple collar and cap. for receptions, prize-days, and evenings, she wore rich silk or satin, with cap and fichu to match of real lace—her one cherished “vanity.” she had a weakness for good lace, not forgotten by her friends on anniversaries, so that she acquired a good store of this valued possession. for ornaments she did not care enough to buy them for herself, though as gifts she appreciated them sufficiently. it was a matter of principle with her that it is no less the pleasure than the duty of every woman to make the very best of her appearance; a duty especially incumbent in those days on all who held any views which could be called “advanced.” as mrs. marks says of her, “there was about her an entire absence of peculiarity. never any one seemed less eccentric, and it was impossible for the most rabid opponent of woman’s rights to say that she was ‘unsexed.’”
and just as she had a woman’s regard for her appearance, she also cared about her house. the drawing-room of 1870 was not yet what it was later—one of the first finished specimens of decorative 89household art. that came years afterwards, with her full success. but even before that era, though it might be simple and old-fashioned, it was certain to be tasteful, and as artistic as was then possible.
in my very first talk with miss buss we touched at once at the point on which she felt most deeply. i had been interested in the question of employment for women, having written some papers for the art journal on the “art-work open to women,” in which i had come to the conclusion that here, as everywhere, the chief obstacle to success lay in the want of education and of training. a paper read by dr. w. b. hodgson at the social science congress, held in newcastle-on-tyne, in 1870, followed by an able discussion, had proved the connecting link between the question of employment and that of higher education, and i then recalled all i had heard from my friend miss jones about miss buss’ schools and their new developments.
after the newcastle meeting i received the following note from miss buss, which shows how things stood at that date:—
“12, camden street, oct. 18, 1870.
“dear madam,
“at miss l. a. jones’ request, i forward you four proofs of our appeal. what we now want is funds.
“as you will see, our list of subscriptions is very small. the paper is as yet only a proof, because we cannot circulate largely any statement, until the lease of the new house is actually signed.
“when you return to town, i hope to have the pleasure of seeing you. agnes has often spoken of you to me, and i am glad to know you are interested in our plans.
“if we can get one school for girls well started, the ice will be broken, and many others will be set up in imitation.
“if you wish for further information, or for more copies of the proof, i shall be glad to give you either.
“believe me,
“very truly yours,
“frances m. buss.”
90pleased as i was with this first communication from one whom i had already learned to admire, i could have no inkling of all it would mean for me in the future, as the beginning of a friendship which steadily deepened through the four and twenty years that followed; a friendship which can only go on deepening after we cease to count by days or years, since it is of the kind not begun for any ending.
as i left her that day the feeling of her life went with me in my impression of the grief it had been to her, just as her pupils began really to profit by her teaching, to be compelled to give so many of them up. social reasons, family reasons, financial reasons, no reason at all—anything, in those days, was sufficient excuse for ending a girl’s education. but, nevertheless, year by year, these same girls came back, under the pressure of some unforeseen need, or even in the ordinary course of things, as their fathers death broke up the family, to ask their teacher’s advice how they might gain a livelihood, and to rack her tender heart with the hopelessness of their lot. half-educated, wholly untrained, what could they do? they could do nothing. what she could do for them as individuals was utterly inadequate, though she never failed to do whatever might lie in her power. but each separate case that came before her made her the more resolute to help them, as a whole, by giving them the greatest good of all—a thorough education.
it is quite in keeping that the crowning work of her life should be the outcome of the passion of helpfulness, in which this full mother-heart poured itself out. she was a born educationalist, a teacher with the whole bent of her nature, and she must in any case have devoted herself to the task of making education a science. but her great schools were the work not of 91her head, but of her heart, having their rise in her feeling for the half-taught girls who were compelled to teach for a livelihood. with her head she gave them the instruction and training that would best help to this end. then with her heart she made the gift doubly precious, since she gave them not merely the means of living, but also a life worth living; they were fitted for work, but, in the inspiration of her own life, she made it work worth the doing; work that enriched the world as well as the worker. it was her aim that teaching should cease to be a mere trade—so many hours grudgingly given for so much pay—and that it should take its true place as foremost among the “learned professions,” in which excellence of work, and not work’s reward, is the object of ambition.
from the time of her interview with the commissioners in 1865, the idea of making a public school for girls had been growing in her thoughts, and, five years later, several of her own personal friends who shared her feeling agreed to form a trust to ensure the permanence of the system worked out with so much care.
the trust-deed was signed on july 26, 1870, by the rev. charles lee, who had succeeded the rev. david laing, at holy trinity, and by dr. m. a. garvey and mr. w. timbrell elliott. the rev. a. j. buss, who acted as honorary secretary, and the rev. s. buss were also members of the trust.
during the ensuing week the number was increased by the addition of mrs. wm. burbury, mr. t. harries, and dr. storrar, a member of the schools inquiry commission. during the next six months the board was increased by the election of dr. thorold, mr. w. danson, mrs. offord, miss ewart, miss vincent thompson, and myself.
translated into plain fact, this trust-deed represents 92the transfer by miss buss to the public of the results of twenty years’ labour. the school was her own property, being merely under friendly supervision from the st. pancras’ clergy. the income was at her own disposal, and out of school she was free to cultivate all the refined tastes with which she was so richly endowed.
until 1866 miss buss had remained with her father in camden street, making no change in her life since her girlhood, and not even having a banking account of her own. it had not occurred to any one that in making the money she had any special right to it.
in this year it became desirable for her health that she should live away from the school, and as mr. buss could not be induced to remove from camden street, he remained there, in the care of a relative, while miss buss went for a time to mr. and mrs. septimus buss, in maitland park. but in 1868 it seemed necessary to prepare for the coming changes, and she then took myra lodge, to which she removed the boarders who had been under her supervision, though in the charge of miss mary buss and miss fawcett, at 15, camden street. she had to be prepared with some alternative in case of failure; for on all sides she was warned against a venture so rash as to be almost hopeless. who was likely to send girls to a “public school”? to make the experiment meant that the old school—the work of so many years, and now a splendid success—must go. what, then, would be left?
success would mean the realization of the desire of her life—that success which came at last after nine years of effort—success beyond all hope. but in 1870 the experiment was more than doubtful, and the chance of failure had to be boldly faced. she did not hesitate, and gave herself to the labour of the new organization, with its anxiety, struggles, and all the chances of failure. 93after having been all her life her own mistress, she put herself under rule, and in addition to the loss of personal freedom, she risked a present certainty, and the prospect of future affluence, to accept for the next three years a greatly diminished income with doubled or trebled work; giving up at the same time assured honour and widespread reputation for misunderstanding, suffering, and disappointment.
a letter written at the close of 1871, after a year of struggle, shows how keenly she could feel these things—
“i am beginning to feel very hard and bitter. were it not for that anchor to which alone one can cling, i should sometimes lose all hope and faith. one gentleman, who can well afford ￡5, who is largely mixed up with education, responds, in answer to an appeal for that small sum, ‘let miss buss do it; she has been making heaps of money for years’! this is the general view, and is one reason why i told you my name did no good, but rather the reverse. at any time within the last ten years, having even then a large connection and some reputation, i could have ‘made money;’ but how? by taking a grand house, a small number of ‘select’ pupils, offering fashionable accomplishments, and asking high terms. in that case there would have been little work and plenty of money! even now, if i cut myself off from the public schools, and lived in myra lodge, devoting myself to twenty pupils, i could ‘make’ a good income, and live the life of an independent lady!
“but as i have grown older the terrible sufferings of the women of my own class, for want of good elementary training, have more than ever intensified my earnest desire to lighten, ever so little, the misery of women, brought up ‘to be married and taken care of,’ and left alone in the world destitute. it is impossible for words to express my fixed determination of alleviating this evil—even to the small extent of one neighbourhood only—were it only possible. if i could do without salary i would; but it is literally true—although this is of course to you only—that i have to earn about ￡350 or ￡400 per annum before there is anything for my own expenditure. this house has been a great burden, but i hope it will pay in time; i could not have surrendered the other place if i had not had this, and that is why i undertook it.
94“you see i, too, am growing very confidential!
“what work can do i have honestly tried to do. money i have never had to give, and if i had earned money as mentioned, i should never have had the experience of numbers and consequent sympathy.
“pray destroy this note, and bury its contents in silence. you can never know how much hope you have given me, as well as practical help.”
expecting that i should in the future write the story of this work, i thought myself justified in not obeying this request, as now in breaking the silence of four and twenty years.
miss buss began to work at eighteen, and worked till she was sixty-eight, and she was one of the most successful women of her time; but surprise is expressed that she could leave behind her the sum of ￡18,000. considering that her personal wants were very few, and that for nearly twenty years she had ￡1300 a year from the school (￡100 a year and capitation fees) and from myra lodge not less than ￡2500, the wonder rather is that she did not leave a great deal more. it is evident that she must have spent largely, and it is certain that this expenditure was not on herself.
as a point of principle—that good work should receive good pay—the salaries in the upper school are higher than in most schools.[5] as a matter of principle 95also miss buss thought it right to make provision for old age, as she did not mean to accept the pension which would have been offered. and considering what she had been having, as well as the accumulated claims of her generous life, this provision can surely not be called extravagant.
5. “some time ago i had occasion, on behalf of a joint committee of head-mistresses and assistants of which i was a member, to make a careful inquiry into the salaries of assistants, in the girls’ public day schools, both endowed and proprietary. in the course of this inquiry it came out that the north london collegiate school is able to afford, and does pay a higher average salary than any other of those from which we obtained statistics.... the camden school also held its own, with salaries well above the means of those obtaining in schools of its type.
“i agree in desiring the average salary to be much higher than it is for assistant-mistresses and assistant-masters too. but i claim for the great leader who has passed from amongst us, that in this matter she has given the true lead.”—letter from mrs. bryant, educational times, march, 1895.
but in 1870 she had not begun to save on any large scale. and for the next three years her gifts to the new movement were out of all proportion to her receipts, while she was credited with the possession of means that were non-existent, as well as with a salary which she declined to take, knowing that the money was needed for working expenses.
myra lodge, though at first an anxiety, was before long not merely a success, but also a help to the school. in a note written at the end of 1873 miss buss remarks—
“it seems that i have paid from myra, in fees (paid by her for her boarders), just about ￡850 in these three years: ￡200, ￡232, and ￡410, and i have received in all (from the school) ￡1600. so your head-mistress has not been a costly article!”
counting the value of furniture, as well as the balance of salary not accepted, miss buss gave during this period not less than ￡1000, besides paying the ￡850 in fees from myra. after the removal of the upper school from 202, camden road, as the lease was still in her possession, she supervised a preparatory school, the profits of which—￡1500 in all—she handed over to the governing body, thus supplying funds for the gymnasium. nor was this all; she made in addition to these gifts several very helpful loans, without which the work must have come to a standstill. early in 1873 an entry on the minutes records the thanks of the governors—
“the board wish to record their strong sense of the generosity 96and public spirit shown by miss buss, when she last year pressed the board to take on mortgage the ground and building in sandall road, for the enlargement of the north london collegiate school, and when, in march last, she proposed that a considerable sum should be laid out in enlarging the building in sandall road; miss buss in both cases sacrificing the additional income which would have been hers, and undertaking at the same time still greater responsibility and harder work.”
under the new scheme miss buss’ own school remained as the upper school, but was removed to 202, camden road, leaving the former premises in camden street, with most of the furniture and “school plant,” for the new lower school, of which the fees were fixed at ￡4 4s. per annum, for a thorough education up to the age of sixteen years.
all the provisions of the scheme were in accordance with those proposed by the endowed schools commission, and it was intended that the fees should meet only the working expenses, the buildings being supplied by some endowment. for the lower, or camden school, the sum of ￡5000 was considered sufficient, and it was not unnaturally imagined that this moderate amount might be supplied by the same generous public which had given ￡60,000 for a similar school for boys. for the upper school only ￡1000 was asked to supply the furniture left behind in camden street, for the use of the lower school.
in september, 1871, miss buss says of the camden school—
“no furniture has been paid for at all; the school is poorly supplied, and the teachers are badly paid. instead of being rent free, we pay ￡115 per annum, and rates, amounting at least to ￡20 more.
“it is clear to me that all such schools need—first, to be rent free; second, to have an endowment, largish or small, to keep the buildings in repair and to offer scholarships; third, to have all the school furniture and fittings given. then, but not 97till then, can the teachers be fairly paid, and the trustees free from anxiety. for such a purpose, i imagine five or six thousand pounds are wanted—say, ￡4000 for building, ￡1000 for furniture, apparatus, and the rest for repairs, etc.
“for the higher school the same kind of thing is wanted, only on a more extensive scale, as furniture and fittings must be more expensive. the higher fees would still be required to meet the demand for higher teaching. according to my notions, gymnasiums are needed for every school, and large places for swimming.”
but at the first start how natural it seemed to expect the small amount of help which should do so much! “what we now want is funds!” and those very modest sums then formed the total of this requirement. she asked no more for the fulfilment of that early dream, “i want girls educated to match their brothers.” everything was there except the funds. the educational system had been tested by experience and stamped by success; the teacher, fitted at all points, was ready for work. friends were ready with time and thought to help in carrying out the work. having thus all the important essentials, who could doubt that the rest must follow?
in our own enthusiasm for miss buss and her work it seemed to miss jones and to me that all that was needed was to make the case known. we were both accustomed to the use of our pens, and placed ourselves at miss buss’ service, beginning first by an appeal to our own personal friends, with enough of success at the outset to justify our going on. but we soon discovered that beyond this range things were of a different order.
i had seen so much of the kindness shown by mr. and mrs. s. c. hall to all sorts of philanthropic effort that i fully counted on their help. in addition to the art journal, mr. hall was editor of social notes, and mrs. hall had not given up the st. james’ magazine; so that we saw here our way to a wider public.
98the reply to my appeal seems worth giving in extenso, as a measure of the public opinion of that day. if a woman who had made her own mark on the world in ways out of the beaten track, could so write, what must have been the feeling of the average woman, to say nothing of the narrowminded and ignorant? mrs. hall was, besides, amongst the foremost who showed interest in higher education in being one of the earliest of the lady-visitors at queen’s college.
here is the letter—
“15, ashley place, oct. 31, 1870.
“my dear annie,
“i dare say you learned a good deal at the social science meetings. but women have no business on platforms. they have enough, and more than they can accomplish, in performing the duties which god and nature have assigned them....
“i too am most anxious to find employment for women, and would give every female, rich or poor, a trade—call it a profession if you like—so that she could help herself. but this is not to be done by sending her to college examinations.
“there are not a greater set of ‘muffs’ and extravagant fellows in life than our college lads. it is not by them that the business of life is carried on. do you want to educate girls in the ‘arts’ as practised in the universities?
“i have no fault to find with the arrangements of the lower school, except its incompetence to provide the means which will enable women to exist. they should be taught trades—painting on glass and china; hair-weaving; certain branches of watchmaking (as abroad); confectionery; cooking—each half-dozen going into training for this at least once a week; clear-starching;—trades, in fact. when i was a girl i went down once a week into the housekeeper’s room to see how jellies and blanc-mange, soups, and pastry were made; to learn the quantities and help to do all she did.
“this did not prevent my accomplishments going on; or my riding and enjoying all the amusements a country girl could have.
“if a revolution came i know i could have found pupils to teach french and music to. i could have made a good nurse, or housekeeper, or clear-starcher.
99“i would also have every boy and girl learn the latin grammar first, or at the same time as the english. in law-copying, for instance, which young women should be trained in later, knowledge of latin is invaluable.
“no; dear mrs. laing never told me of miss buss’ new plans. she is really so good and right-thinking a woman that i wonder how she would give the sanction of her practical name to any plan embracing ‘college examinations,’ by way of making women useful or bread-earning members of society. better, more useful education in what can be more practically useful, without being unsexed, is what they want, but are not likely to get while such women as emily faithfull lead the van.
“i saw some time ago you were restless and uncertain on the question of woman’s rights, which might almost be defined as man’s wrongs. your head would work you up at one of the cambridge examinations, and now and then work up a clever woman, but what good was to arise from that if a revolution came i cannot understand!
“i should, indeed, be astonished if your father ‘went in’ for college examinations for girls!
“i hope you will not endeavour to enlist x——’s sympathies in college examinations for women. dear darling! any strong-minded notions would be a source of trial to her admirable husband, and do her no good.
“i am sorry you have taken up this matter.
“yours sincerely,
“a. m. hall.
“i shall have a great deal more to say on this matter hereafter, if i live.”
this letter was as discouraging as it was unexpected. but i bided my time. happily, miss jones had succeeded better. she not only received a donation of ￡30 from miss caroline haddon, but mrs. offord, miss haddon’s sister, became a member of the board, and by her practical knowledge gave a sympathy most helpful to miss buss. hearty adherence had also been secured from mr. e. c. robins, a successful architect, who made schools his spécialité. both mr. and mrs. robins proved valuable friends to miss buss’ work, as 100they have since done to the hampstead high school, to the new technical schools, and the hampstead branch of the parents’ union, started by themselves.
mr. robins first of all demanded a personal statement of her needs from miss buss, as he said—
“we are interested in her; in her experience; in her aspirations;—we want to know her ultimate aims. we want a sketch contrasting what is provided for middle-class boys with what is provided for middle-class girls; also how this particular scheme is likely to effect the desired result.”
this paper was accordingly drawn up, with miss buss, mrs. robins, miss jones, and myself as honorary secretaries, and we confidently expected to get the ￡1000 which was then the modest limit of our hopes.
soon after this all the friends of the movement were gathered together at a drawing-room meeting at myra lodge, that they might see miss buss, and hear from herself of her plans. her notes at this time are in curious contrast with those written nine years after in the height of her fame—
“nov. 20, 1870.
“my dear miss ridley,
“many thanks for your note; you have worked hard and successfully. i have invited several people, but as yet the number of acceptances only amount to fourteen.
“mrs. de morgan is interesting people in one plan.
“i hardly think we ought to ask miss garrett just now; she is almost worn out with meetings, having been obliged to attend two and even three a day, since the election excitement began.
“my notion is to get a mixed meeting, in camden street, the week after next, and then we can have speeches from the gentlemen.
“i am hopeful about next wednesday’s meeting; the thing is to interest women, and to convince some of them of the necessity of schools for girls. then to answer as far as possible any objections so that they may be armed to meet them.
101“i have to go to a council meeting in queen’s square, so am rather hurried.
“yours sincerely,
“frances m. buss.”
“myra lodge, dec. 1, 1870.
“dear agnes,
“will you and miss ridley make up a list of the names and addresses of the ladies present at our meeting yesterday? your lists and mine will probably complete the number.
“were you content? i thought it a great success to have so many ladies. including everyone, there must have been forty-two or forty-three.
“there had been a meeting of trustees yesterday, when it was decided that we should hold a parents’ meeting at camden street next week, and a public meeting in the vestry hall the week after. that is why i could not announce a meeting for next week.
“with love and best thanks,
“i am, yours affectionately,
“frances m. buss.”
certainly the thing then needed was “to interest women” generally in the subject. there were, of course, a certain number of women deeply interested in everything relating to the status of women, educational or political. but at that special time these two groups were fully occupied, the one with miss davies’ new venture at hitchin, and the other with miss garrett’s election on the school board. these two ladies themselves took full interest in miss buss’ plans, as she did in theirs. but they all needed funds from the outside public, and demand and supply were far from being equal.
public opinion in 1870 was very much what it had been in 1849, and to most persons the stir about improved education for women seemed very unnecessary. most women were quite satisfied with their own girls, and did not trouble about the rest; and till women 102cared about the subject, it could scarcely be expected that men would rouse themselves. thus, out of london’s millions those really concerned in this question might be counted by hundreds, and persons who for objects that really interested them would give hundreds, or even thousands, thought themselves very generous if they gave units or tens to the new movement.
nothing could show more clearly the indifference of the public to higher education than the insignificance of the details of the work of the next two years. they may, however, be worth noting, on the principle on which the mother treasures the baby-shoes once belonging to the strong man, who, since those first uncertain efforts, has left deep “footprints in the sands of time.”
the year 1870 ended with what was then a very great and important event—one of the very first public meetings concerning the education of girls—held at the st. pancras vestry hall, under the presidency of lord lyttelton. very considerable interest seemed to be excited in the larger world outside the immediate circle of friends, and hopes rose. one important practical issue came immediately in the addition to the governing body of the rev. a. w. thorold, vicar of st. pancras (afterwards bishop of rochester and of winchester). both in his official capacity, and as having been a member of the schools inquiry commission, dr. thorold was a most valuable supporter of the work.
