Quirm College for Young Ladies
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In Terry Pratchett's Discworld series, the Quirm College for Young Ladies is an educational institution located in the city of Quirm. In the books, Susan Sto Helit, Lady Sybil Ramkin and Miss Perspicacia Tick were educated there.
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The school's headmistress and founder is Miss Eulalie Butts. It is explained that, as few of the Discworld's higher-class schools (such as the Ankh-Morpork Assassins' Guild School), see fit to admit female students (although the Assassins have since changed this policy), Miss Butts founded the College "on the astonishing principle that, since gels had nothing much to do until someone married them, they might as well occupy the time with learning things." (Soul Music).
The school resembles a traditional English independent girls' school, with an academic curriculum and a heavy emphasis on respectable and decent behaviour. The school's strong emphasis on decency reportedly makes it rather difficult to teach certain areas of Biology. Students come out of that class "with the vague idea that they were supposed to marry a rabbit." (Soul Music)
Students at the school do not seem to be preparing for any particular profession. As the known universities on the Disc are solely for wizards (who must be male - see Unseen University), and most other higher education institutions on the Disc do not admit females, there is no clear lifelong aim for the school's alumni. Susan Sto Helit describes it as "an education in, well, education" (Hogfather). It appears that those students who do not marry upon leaving school generally go into the teaching profession themselves, or become governesses.
- Miss Butts - Headmistress
- Miss Delcross - Biology mistress
- "Iron Lily" - gym mistress
The students use derogatory names for the school food; curry, for instance, is described as "Bogey and Rice".
The school is mentioned in the following books:
- Soul Music (the most detailed description of the school)
- Hogfather (briefly)
- The Fifth Elephant (as the alma mater of Lady Sybil)
- Wee Free Men (as the alma mater of Miss Tick)