To wonder whether you'd prefer to go to Malory Towers or the Chalet School

[Vintagejazz]

I just heard to girls about 11 years of age having an earnest discussion about this on the bus. I didn't think kids even read Chalet School books any more.
I think I'd opt for Malory Towers. They seemed to have more fun. I'd probably be expelled from the Chalet School for cursing, wearing lipstick and forgetting to speak German every Wednesday or whatever it was.

I'd choose the Chalet school.

I reckon they were probably wearing a liberty bodice, by the dates. A corset by any other name, and not vastly conducive to exercise.

From memory the bath is "lukewarm if you must, but not hot!" and I always thought it rather profligate that they all had an actual bath every day rather than a wash.

Whyteleafe?

Loved both sets and the idea of any bording school always appealed to me as a kid although not having a happy home may have contributed to that but I think I would opt for chalet school preferably in the tyrol days because it sounded like such a lovely place, would actually still like to visit it one day...

I would love to reread them all I actually have a couple of very old battered copies that my grandparents gave a few years ago although I'm not sure where I've put them but I never managed to read the full set as a kid because my library couldn't get hold of all them to order in, think I managed most of them though

Wow Petrova - as an identical twin you'd have had your own cs book! How's this...

You and your twin would are going to be separated because of your bad behaviour(?) but the dotty aunt who was meant to be getting your school things together/packing trunks etc (whilst your parents went off to India to do... errrr... something) would mislay letters/let you do your own shopping etc so secretly you could both go to the chalet school. You twins would also write to the other school, pretending to be your parents, saying you'd changed your mind and cancelling the place.

You'd then tell the aunt you'd make your own way to the train so she didn't have to get up early and she'd think you were being sweet so give you a large tip - which would pay for other twin's train ticket (your only worry was how to afford this, as parents bought you both train tickets to different schools before leaving). Once at the Chalet school you'd have had to take turns hiding (attic/boat house?) so no-one suspected there were secretly 2 of you and only wondered at your slightly odd personality changes and forgetfulness from 1 day to the next.

Sadly keeping each other informed of what you'd been up to would necessitate sleepless nights and Matey would notice you looking pale & heavy eyed and put you to sleep in the san with a 'dose' from Jack to sort you out.

Other twin would not know this & turn up to lessons next day - Matey would see other twin and march her to the san, only to find... ta-dah! twins.

Luckily Miss Annersley (after making you feel like very silly little girls for causing so much trouble) would secretly have disapproved of your being separated from your twin and (after a word with Miss Wilson) would petition your parents in India... probably your parents would meet up with Dick and Mollie Bettany so would hear how great the Chalet school is too & so you'd both be allowed to stay!

Of course the girls would be told never to speak of it to you, but would secretly think you were v cool. :)

Lol, can you tell I definitely wanted to be a cs girl - even though I was also rubbish at languages. :)

Well, neither.

But if I had to, I think I would choose Malory Towers.

I'm sure I'd be a social outcast at either, but at least at Malory Towers I wouldn't end up being Joey Bettany's special charity project.

I could be best friends with Mary Lou at MT and we could shrink into the background and be rubbish at lacrosse together. (Wasn't there a terrifyingly confident Mary Lou at the CS too? I wouldn't have been friends with her).

But actually, I think I will go to Cliff House School (sister school to Greyfriars of Billy Bunter fame)

Or if I was a boy, I'd go to Linbury Court School with Jennings. That always sounded much more fun than any girls boarding school in literature, and you could criticise the school/authority without making yourself into a pariah.

If forced at the point of a gun to choose between Malory Towers and the Chalet School - definitely the Chalet School. I love the Tirol books but also always adored the hedge in the Welsh stately home phase - it was actually two parallel hedges with a little passage between them which most people didn't know about so you could hide there. I feel Freud might have something to say about that, but I am pure of heart and just like hideyholes, OK?

However, if given a free choice I'd be a wonderfully talented dancer and train with the Fossil girls and Madame or (twenty years later) at Sadler's Wells with Veronica (Lorna Hill books).

I was a shy, softly spoken girly kind of child so would have been more suited to the sedate ladylike chalet school than the jolly hockey sticks Malory Towers. I also adored babies so would have been delighted to have Jo next door, arriving in every day swinging the triplets in a Moses basket.

Mallory Towers please!! I would have LOVED IT. I so wanted to go. Would have also been happy at St. Clare's where the twins went. Not sure heard (or perhaps forgot) about the Chalet school.
OH PLEASE MAKE ME 10 AGAIN!

I agree Allmimsy. I would love to have gone to Sadlers Wells with Veronica, Jane Foster and co. or that school Drina Adams went to. I told you I was a girly girl .

leeloo1 - are you channelling the spirit of EBD? That is brilliant!

That is fantastic, Leeloo. You should write it up as a tribute book.

Tom had to rescue someone from a tunnel or something in one book and stripped down to her liberty bodice for it.

Oh no CorusKate, I don't like the sound of that thanks!

Was there anyone to have a crush on? On whom to have a crush, I should say.

Leeloo1 , you're very talented. Write the book, pleeeease.

I never read either of these, but I'd love to see what land is at the top of the Faraway Tree :)

Chalet School for me and despite a doctor swearing undying love to me I would come back to the school to be a teacher. Loved the idea of that, no PGCE required and supervising a few girls seems fine. Miss Annersley would have been a lovely Head to work for with her keen blue eyes. And the staff seem good friends too. Biddie O'Ryan and I would chum up and reminisce about being a naughty Middle.

Oh godddd, I loved them both! It has to be the Chalet School. I would have been expelled from both for smoking, drinking and having sex and would have ended up at St Trinians

By the way old copies of CS sell for loads so dig any out of your attic.... Did you read the Reunion at the CS with the illustrated bookjacket?

Incidentally I would also be a friend of Petronella Stirling in the hols and join the Lone Piners for adventures... Also had crush on Simon, Marston Baines' nephew in series for older readers. Sigh....