International studio (36.1908/1909(1909))

EMBROIDERED CUSHION DESIGNED AND !EXECUTED RY
The Royal Female School of Art has an in-
teresting history, for it is directly descended from
the original Schoot of Design at Somerset House,
which was the forerunner of ail the Government
Schoois of Art that exist now in every part of the
kingdom. When Queen Victoria ascended the
throne art schoois for women were practically non-
existent, although Mr. Sass (the first teacher of
Miliais) received a few girl pupils at his house in
Chariotte Street. The foundation of a ciass for
women at the School of Design was there-
fore the beginning of a new epoch. It was,
however, absurdiy opposed by a section
of the pubiic in the interests of propriety,
because members of both sexes would
work in the same buiiding and might
perhaps meet on the stairs! The ciass
for women survived the opposition of the
uitra-virtuous, oniy to meet with and to
overcome other and more serious dangers.

strance and an appeai to Par-
liament from Mrs. M'lan, the
mistress of the ciass. New
quarters were at iength found
at 37 Gower Street, where
the women's ciasses were es-
tabiished, and, as the Femaie
Schooi of Art, existed for
several years undisturbed.
In the autumn of 1859 Miss
Louisa Gann was appointed
head mistress, and two
months iater the Lords of
the Committee of Councii
on Education announced
that they wouid no longer
pay the rent and the iocai
expenses of the schooi.
Here was a crisis indeed:
but Miss Gann, whose con-
nection with the Royai Female Schooi of Art
was maintained untii a year or two ago, proved
herself equai to the emergency. She appeaied
to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, to Mem-
bers of Parliament, to the Press, and to the
City Companies, and obtained morai or hnancial
support from aii of them. A iiberai subscription
was given by the Royai Academy, whose schools
had not at that time been thrown open to women
students; and a bazaar heid at the South Kensing-

EHSABETH HENTSCHKE

So iong as Wiiliam Dyce, R.A., con-
troiied the Schooi of Design the women
students were fairly treated, but after he
ieft they were hustled out of their con-
venient apartments in Somerset House,
and banished to rooms above a soap-
maker's on the opposite side of the
Strand. The oniy entrance was through
the soapmaker's shop, and neariy ali the
class-rooms had a south iight, which
made working from casts and modeis
a matter of extreme difHcuity. These
troubies caiied forth vehement remon-
78

EMBROIDERED CUSHION DESIGNED AND EXECUTED BY
OTTILIE HAAS