What is a Finishing School?

I often see the words “Finishing School” labeling what in reality is just an etiquette program.  I suppose the consultants doing this believe that if their training has a lofty name associated with it, their business will be perceived as illustrious and their clients will have certain bragging rights.

I equate this to moms who now call what used to be a baby-sitter (or domestic help) their nanny.  Or the ladies who pretentiously announce that they are attending a High Tea, when in fact, it is a Low Tea or Afternoon Tea that they are going celebrate.

Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary defines a finishing school as: “A private school for girls that emphasizes cultural studies and prepares students especially for social activities.”

Since the point of writing this article is to clarify the difference between an etiquette workshop and a finishing school, it is important to note that a finishing school is a boarding school and, as the dictionary points out, it is strictly for girls (although the better boarding schools for boys do offer some sort of short etiquette workshop, there simply aren’t finishing schools for boys…worldwide!).

When you read the following paragraphs, you will see why it is that finishing schools have their students as boarders. It would be impossible to learn all one has to in a regular day school! Please be advised that the next two paragraphs may put anyone not interested in the specifics of this topic, in a very deep sleep.  If you belong in this category, skip all the way to the paragraph with the asterisk.

A finishing school can be composed of Elementary through High School grades. The curriculum, in addition to the subjects required at grade level, will have a clear component of etiquette, languages, fine arts, music and certain sports (ladies who attended my school, a couple of generations prior to mine, would lament the “decline” of our school because they were adept in English-style horseback riding and two foreign languages as opposed to our single foreign language requirement).

If a finishing school is attended post-High School graduation (for one to two years, the way some European women do), its curriculum will offer subjects such as languages, art appreciation, business, international and social etiquette, public relations, entertaining, home management, personal presentation, cooking, floral art, and depending on the age of the students oenology.

* Therefore, a true finishing school is a year around boarding school for girls.  The subjects studied, in addition to a basic curriculum, is preparation toward social and business protocol as well as an overall finessing of the individual primarily through appreciation of the arts.

As a bonus, I would like to point out that even though the word “nanny” may sound better than baby-sitter, if the person caring for a child is not specifically trained for this sort of employment and/or does not have employment on a contractual basis with a predetermined schedule (and for the most part boarding in the employer’s home), this person is a baby-sitter not a nanny.  Conversely, a person who does domestic chores, even though she may be left to watch children in a household, she is domestic help and again, not a nanny.

Lastly, and I promise to step of off my “platform” after this, a High Tea is a working man’s meal replete with all of the trimmings of a Sunday dinner.  An afternoon tea (particularly in the US) is a light, delicate affair enjoyed primarily by women celebrating a social event.

Comments

[Mary Ann]

Your post was a real eye opener for me. I had no idea what a real finishing school set out to accomplish.

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What a wealth of information - very much needed and aptly put; I look forward to learning more!

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