Some Fretwork and the Interminable Christmas Play at the Chalet School

I've recently read The Clergyman's Daughter by George Orwell (written in the 1930s) and part of it is based on his experience of teaching at a small private school aimed at the children of small local businessmen. In it the main character gets told off for trying to teach in a creative way. They only want the children to learn so much and no more - no point in wasting time on the creative side of learning. In the story there are several schools of a similar kind in the same street. The headteacher only cares about the school fees and sucking up to those parents who pay on time, and the previous teacher was sacked for being a drunk. The heroine, Dorothy, gets the job without having any teaching qualifications or real experience.

So, with schools as poor as this about I agree that it wasn't that ambitious of Madge to think that she could open a girl's school offering a good standard of education in spite of her own youth and lack of experience.

I like the old St Trinian's song:
"Remember our school motto:
Get your blow in first
She who picks her sword up last
Always comes off worst."

I'll step away from the seranade, being like Jessica Wayne and apparently droning away on two notes, mainly flat.

Thinking about the small private schools in Angela Brazils and EJO, it doesn't sound nearly so ambitious of Madge to think she could provide a similar level of education herself. It's basically being a governess with more organisation. And a foreign country.

Girls of the gin and orange sounds the best yet.

"The girls of the ivy green" sounds like something out of EJO!

Anyone feel like composing a companion ditty, the girls of the brown and flame/girls of the gentian blue? I think we're missing a trick here.

Am I late for dear Madame's birthday serenade? I had to go back for my clean hanky which I'd left on the Mongolian Steppe so it's taken me a while. Loo!

The BBC website quotation uses the term 'grammar schools' but I think they mean the high schools - like the one in Taverton, and the ones Winifred Darch writes about! I also think that the rise of a third to a half of free places means places at said schools, which is perhaps quite a bit more than the 2% of the working-class school population I thought it was, but still not high. It was definitely the norm for working class children to stay in elementary schools for the whole of their school lives. I wonder whether there was a group of children who attended private but cheap schools until the age of 11, at which point they secured scholarships at the high schools or left?

1944 (1945 in Scotland) was the beginning of secondary school for all, and I think the high schools had the choice to become fully maintained grammar schools where all places were free, or direct grant grammar schools with a mix of free and fee-paying places, and not controlled by LEAs in the way that maintained schools were.

According to this history of North London Collegiate School (the school that Molly Hughes goes to in 'A London Girl of the 1880s') the direct grant grammar schools operated from 1945 to 1976. After that I suppose they became fully independent or went comprehensive?

But still, not a lot of choices for the middle class but impoverished Bettanys in the 1920s. Perhaps similar to the choices faced by the Fossils/Wicharts in the 1930s.

Christmas carols????

Well I have had my cold bath and am now waiting outside our dear Madame s window ready to sing.....where are the rest of you????

Was thinking of the "grammar schools" of the day, as opposed to the board schools - BBC says: Children from poor families who did well at academic subjects could take an exam to win a 'scholarship'. This would pay for a place at a grammar school, where they could be taught to a higher standard. These schools also took pupils from families who could afford to pay for a place and a uniform. How the costs would have compared with girls' public schools, I don't know.

Apparently "The proportion of 'free places' at grammar schools in England and Wales increased from almost a third to almost half between 1913 and 1937. However, when poorer children were offered free places, parents often had to turn them down owing to the extra costs involved." - I don't know whether parliament.uk means up to half of children, or only half the places at said schools which might have covered only a small percentage of children?

My grandparents left school at 14 and learnt a lot of poetry, lovely handwriting, but little else. My uncle left school at the same age in 1950 and was at least introduced to various subjects. Dad got into the grammar - I know the cost of uniform was considered a burden and it was just as well he could walk there. I suppose the Butler Act of 1944 was the start of the end of the tiny little schools and private schooling becoming only for the rich.

they don't even consider a non-private school for Jo

Ah, but state schools at the time meant elementary schools up to the age of 14 which was school leaving age for the vast majority. My mum and dad went to elementary schools and always said it was rote learning random 'facts' plus being drilled in arithmetic, with some woodwork for the boys and needlework for the girls. Tiny numbers (I think around 2% but I'm not sure where I heard that or if it's right) would have passed scholarship exams at 11 or 12 to go to local high schools but in some cases were unable to take up their places because uniforms weren't subsidised. My mum used to talk about how envious she'd been of the 'high school girls in their lovely uniforms' when they walked past on their way to school. So I guess the middle-class Bettanys wouldn't have considered this option for their delicate sister.

Interesting, though, about international as well as historical exchange rates. I'd never thought about how quickly the Bettanys become wealthy - I suppose I've always thought that a lot of Madge's later wealth would be down to marrying Jem who presumably has inherited as well as earned income.

Just started re-reading School At and looked up what £240 a year is in today's money. Its about £13800 in 1924, which if you own a house and furniture wouldnt be too bad, though no NHS and they don't even consider a non-private school for Jo. Though again the potty little schools for girls that often had 20-60 teens weren't very expensive.

The interesting thing was clicking on other years and conversion rates. Turns out that 1922 to 1930 was a period of deflation, so a yield in sterling of £240 would actually become worth more over the next five years, with 14% deflation in one year!

Which might help explain why the Bettanys, paid in £ but living abroad, go from poor to wealthy so quickly, even without the inheritance from Great-Uncle William and marrying Jem.

Do we ever hear about the two married aunts with hordes of kids again?

My, EmilyAlice, you gave me a fright there. I thought we'd missed our beloved Madame's birthday until I checked my diary.

Did anyone find it a little strange that Lower V's bric-a-brac stall collection seems to be full of dainty coffee sets just like the ones we gave Madame last year and the year before and the year before that? Such a coincidence. I vote we go for something a bit more original this year. I wonder whether Tom's carpentry skills extend to sculpting these days, because if they do, I'm sure Madame would simply adore to have a life-sized sculpture of dear Joey in bronze on the lawn. Tom would be able to get it done by Tuesday if she starts now, we just have to keep Madame out of the way. I'll volunteer to have a life-threatening accident to keep her mind on other things.

I think on Tuesday so We have time to plan.

I think we should give her a picture of the chalet school for her birthday.
That makes all presents for anyone connected with the chalet for years to come. They'll cry with joy to find that they have the same picture as our dear Madame.

EmilyAlice.....that has made my day!!!

But girls, an event more important than the sale is looming...our dear Madame s birthday. How are we celebrating??

I have been crocheting crinoline lady wine bottle covers in the school colours. All the bottles are empty though.

At long last I've arrived after a very long journey. All at sea now though. Sitting in Miss Annersley's study (which appears to double as a wine cellar?) awaiting a sheep dog. Why do I need a sheep dog - are pets compusory at this school?

It's been a long time since I've been back for a Chalet School thread and I know it's a long shot, but does anyone know if the transcripts are still floating around?