There are many tales about the Institutes of Noble Maidens. By the will of modern authors, college girls now and then find themselves at the epicenter of intrigue, they are kidnapped by hussars, because of them they fight in duels and commit suicide. The reality was completely different - but no less interesting. In this book, the floor is given to the “noble maidens” themselves: the most interesting memoirs are collected here—true stories of women’s institutions that existed in different cities of Russia for more than 250 years. Among their authors are both quite big names and completely unknown ones, about whom, in fact, we only know what they say about themselves. The female institutes describe in detail the life, activities and traditions of their “alma mater”. More than a hundred years have passed since the first publication of the vast majority of the memoirs included in the book. Since then, they have never been reprinted, much less collected under one cover. Compilation, preparation of the text and notes by G. G. Martynov