While vocational training was one alternative to the traditional college degree, another (and one that was also open to women) was advanced training in the arts or music. Since a basic grounding in drawing, sketching or painting was considered part of a young lady's accomplishments, it's not surprising that many wished to carry this a bit further with formal training. The same applied to music; a young lady was generally expected to be able to read music, sing on key, and play at least one musical instrument. However, as such training was not likely to lead to a paying career, these were definitely choices for the upper class student!

Art Schools & Education

The Art Schools of Philadelphia (Scribners, 1879B)

The American Student at the Beaux-Artes (Century Magazine, 1882A)

Life of the American art student in the Latin Quarter of Paris.

A Morning at the Female School of Art (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1884)

St. George's Hall, Edinburgh: Art Correspondence Classes (Girl's Own Paper, 1885)

A London Art School, by Sophie Turney (Girl's Own Paper, 1889)

A student's account of her artistic training. "My specialty was horses, and it seemed such a physical relief to let one's pencil go with a good fling in a horse galloping, rearing, etc... The life in this paper may sound hard and irksome... But everyone seemed very happy, and in earnest."

A Ladies' Studio - Paris (Girl's Own Paper, 1891)

On training in a Parisian art studio.

A Few Words to [Art] Teachers (Ladies' Home Journal, 1892)

Some Advice to Art Students, by Maude Haywood (Ladies' Home Journal, 1892)

How to get past the inevitable phase of discouragement.

The Pratt Institute, by James R. Campbell (Century Magazine, 1893B)

A school for industrial and fine arts in Brooklyn.

Art-Student Life in the Forties (Girl's Own Paper, 1894)

A look back at student life 50 years earlier.

Among the London Art Students, by Frederick Dolman (Windsor Magazine, 1899B)

Art Students and Some Art Schools, by Florence Sophie Davson (Girl's Own Paper, 1900)

A School for Animal Painting, by Lenore Van der Veer (Strand, 1901B)

Music Schools & Education

How Music Is Taught Abroad, by J.W. Hinton (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1877)

The Tonic Sol-Fa College and Its Work, by J. Cuthbert Hadden (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1887)

The rise of a system of learning to sing (think "do-re-mi").

Two Musical Colleges, by J. Cuthbert Hadden (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1887)

Trinity College, London, and the Royal College of Music.

My Musical Training; or, What I Did with 100 Pounds, by Anna Williams (Girl's Own Paper, 1888)

A student's account of her musical training in Naples.

The Guildhall School of Music, by J. Cuthbert Hadden (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1889)

The Military School of Music, Kneller Hall, by J. Cuthbert Hadden (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1890)

Moments with Modern Musicians: The Guildhall School of Music, by F. Klickmann (Windsor Magazine, 1896B)

Musical Degrees for Our Girls, by Annie W. Patterson (Girl's Own Paper, 1898)

Music Students and Their Work, by Florence Sophie Davson (Girl's Own Paper, 1900)

Drama Schools

The Study of Acting in Paris, by Juliet M. Everts (Century Magazine, 1884B)