Höhere Mädchenschule or Höhere Töchterschule were names of historic schools for the

higher education Higher education is tertiary education leading to award of an academic degree. Higher education, also called post-secondary education, third-level or tertiary education, is an optional final stage of formal learning that occurs after compl ...

of girls in German-speaking countries between the beginning of the 19th century and 1908. The names may mean higher education, but also education of girls (or daughters) of the upper classes. Some early institutions of higher education for girls were called

Lyceum The lyceum is a category of educational institution defined within the education system of many countries, mainly in Europe. The definition varies among countries; usually it is a type of secondary school. Generally in that type of school the ...

, while the term Gymnasium was first used only for boys' schools.

History

The term Höhere Mädchenschule was used for schools which promoted education of the mind ("geistige Bildung") beyond

Volksschule The German term ''Volksschule'' generally refers to compulsory education, denoting an educational institution every person (i.e. the people, ''Volk'') is required to attend. In Germany and Switzerland it is equivalent to a combined primary ...

(elementary school). They were sometimes reserved for (literally: "higher daughters"), girls from the wealthy bourgeoisie. The Mariengymnasium in

Papenburg Papenburg (; East Frisian Low Saxon: ''Papenbörg'') is a city in the district of Emsland, Lower Saxony, Germany, situated at the river Ems. It is known for its large shipyard, the Meyer-Werft, which specializes in building cruise liners. Geo ...

, for example, was founded around 1835 for the female youth from upper estates ("die weibliche Jugend höherer Stände"). The first schools providing higher education for girls were founded at the beginning of the 18th century. The Gymnaecum, founded in 1709 by

August Hermann Francke August Hermann Francke (; 22 March 1663 – 8 June 1727) was a German Lutheran clergyman, theologian, philanthropist, and Biblical scholar. Biography Born in Lübeck, Francke was educated at the Illustrious Gymnasium in Gotha before he studi ...

, is regarded as the first such institution. In 1717, Catholic "Englische Fräulein" of the Congregation of Jesus founded institutions for girls in

Bamberg Bamberg (, , ; East Franconian: ''Bambärch'') is a town in Upper Franconia, Germany, on the river Regnitz close to its confluence with the river Main. The town dates back to the 9th century, when its name was derived from the nearby ' castl ...

. In 1802, the first municipal school for girls was founded in

Hanover Hanover (; german: Hannover ; nds, Hannober) is the capital and largest city of the German state of Lower Saxony. Its 535,932 (2021) inhabitants make it the 13th-largest city in Germany as well as the fourth-largest city in Northern Germany ...

, the "Städtische höhere Töchterschule". One of its teachers, , founded in 1806 a private institution for girls in

Lübeck Lübeck (; Low German also ), officially the Hanseatic City of Lübeck (german: Hansestadt Lübeck), is a city in Northern Germany. With around 217,000 inhabitants, Lübeck is the second-largest city on the German Baltic coast and in the stat ...

, which existed until 1871. In 1808, "Madame Wippermann", the wife of a merchant and manufacturer in

Quedlinburg Quedlinburg () is a town situated just north of the Harz mountains, in the district of Harz in the west of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. As an influential and prosperous trading centre during the early Middle Ages, Quedlinburg became a center of in ...

, founded the first private Höhere Töchterschule for 40 students, which expanded to the Städtische Höhere Töchterschule in 1863 and to today's . Education at these schools aimed primarily to prepare the girls to become wives and mothers. For more scientific education, wealthy families sent their girls to a

finishing school A finishing school focuses on teaching young women social graces and upper-class cultural rites as a preparation for entry into society. The name reflects that it follows on from ordinary school and is intended to complete the education, wi ...

(''Mädchenpensionat''). Many girls from poor families left school as soon as compulsory education was served, to fulfil other duties. At the end of the 19th century,

Prussia Prussia, , Old Prussian: ''Prūsa'' or ''Prūsija'' was a German state on the southeast coast of the Baltic Sea. It formed the German Empire under Prussian rule when it united the German states in 1871. It was ''de facto'' dissolved by an ...

had 213 public höhere Mädchenschulen and 656 private ones. The höhere Mädchenschulen had no leading to the

Abitur ''Abitur'' (), often shortened colloquially to ''Abi'', is a qualification granted at the end of secondary education in Germany. It is conferred on students who pass their final exams at the end of ISCED 3, usually after twelve or thirteen yea ...

, a prerequisite for university studies. Girls, who usually left them aged 15 or 16, could only study at seminaries to be teachers (""). In the 1890s, the first high schools for girls () were founded, which enabled girls to study. Helene Lange achieved in 1908, in collaboration with the responsible Prussian cultural politician Friedrich Althoff and other reformers, that schools for girls were fundamentally restructured.

Literature

* Helene Lange: ''Die höhere Mädchenschule und ihre Bestimmung.'' 1887.

References

External links

* Sabine Doff
Weiblichkeit und Bildung. Ideengeschichtliche Grundlage für die Etablierung des höheren Mädchenschulwesens in Deutschland
goethezeitportal.de (in German) {{DEFAULTSORT:Hohere Madchenschule School types Defunct girls' schools Defunct secondary schools