To start a new term at the Chalet School?

[Vintagejazz]

Happy for this to be moved to Chat if posters agree but thought I'd start it here as this is where we've all been loitering without permission when we should be doing our housework homework.

So welcome to a new term everyone. Cases upstairs to the dormitories, form lists on the notice board. And you'll all be pleased to hear that even though we've moved to a different location, Joey has tracked us - -down moved in next door, so we'll still be seeing too much-- plenty of her

Am enjoying this trip down memory lane! Would love to have the transcripts. Did someone very kindly set up a dropbox or similar? How do I access it? Thank you very much.

I'm currently working my way through the FileSpace stories in the Sally Denny library. I'm chuckling on each page, its definitely one of the better ones.

Rue I remember nicking my sister's CS books at about 9 so an older 7 might manage. Give her an early one to try.

Think I started with Princess.

That's interesting, Nell. It certainly makes sense that EBD's emotional inclinations were towards women, whether she engaged in any bedroom shenanigans or not.

Rue dd2 was 8yo when she first read them. She did prefer the later ones generally as they're simpler to understand.

I've just realised I should have added a reference. I'm fairly sure I'm talking from Rosemary Auchmuty's shorter piece, in the Lesbian History collection (actually written mostly with reference to EJO), but I may also be talking about Ju Gosling's online stuff. Whichever it was, she referenced the McClelland bio for this info.

For me, it's a fairly important aspect of the books. I remember very clearly as a child (8ish?) being aware that these were the kind of relationships that interested me (Nell/Hilda, Nell/Con, Kathie/Nancy). And now, as an adult lesbian-with-spinsterish-tendencies, they're still the kinds of relationships that interest me, only now I'm aware that I'm consciously choosing to read them in a certain way whilst also completely understanding that other people have a perfectly legitimate, very different view of them. I am very curious about how EBD thought of these relationships, and how they relate to her own life.

It would also explain her inability (or lack of interest) in writing convincing hetero relationships. Solid lumps of comfort and all.

Thanks Nell! That all sounds fascinating, do you have any links? I don't know anything about EJO's personal life but I'm not surprised; anyone who thinks EBD's portrayal of men is weak hasn't read the Abbey Girls books...

I am something of a spinster myself so have always enjoyed the presentation of the mistresses as strong, self-reliant women with deep friendships and interesting lives who don't need a partner to be happy. I guess we are both choosing interpretations to fit our own lives!

DD has finished her first CS book today. And came downstairs for Mittagessen lunch with her hair plaited with a ribbon in it.

I seriously had a WTF moment. She's only piggin' 18!!

The CS has changed my DD at a distance. Matron's power knows no limits!
I'll get worried if she makes it into earphones though.

I must go and roast that veal for dinner.

She'll be engaged to a doctor before you know it. In fact, at 18 she's pushing on a bit. She should be 'busy' by now.

Vintage you're right. I shall make her go mountaineering or go on a cruise maybe; to snare a doctor. Does she need to start a school in the Tirol, do you think?

"Nothing is documented about Brent-Dyer's own sexuality, but she remained unmarried all her life, and her one known heterosexual "love affair" appears to have been largely fantasy (McClelland, 1981, p125). McClelland has also noted that Brent-Dyer had close female friendships that later ended for no apparent reason, including one with a woman whom she spent a holiday with in the Tyrol and to whom she dedicated The School at the Chalet (McClelland, 1981, p95). This pattern seems more characteristic of passionate relationships than of non-sexual friendships." (www.ju90.co.uk/sex.htm)

This is the Auchmuty piece I was thinking of, which is mainly wrt EJO who I've not yet got around to reading so can't comment on so much, but I found it interesting. www.bloomsburyacademic.com/view/TroubleAndStrifeReader_9781849662956/chapter-ba-9781849662956-chapter-0022.xml

I think the presentations of (especially some of) EBD's mistresses as strong, capable, independent and aspiration all women is a really important thing, still lacking from a lot of more modern books. I read them as a child (1990s) against my mother's political wishes, and I can see where she was coming from - they are understandably v 'unenlightened' in a number of ways - but there was something really important to me in those strong female characters, as a lesbian but also i think just as a woman of any orientation, and I still would strongly defend that position now.

No Joey It's super easy for Chalet girls to meet doctors. Just a quick Sunday afternoon adventure that leaves her a bit shivery and in need of a few days in bed and a sedative slightly stronger than Matey's milk. She'll emerge from her sick bed with a sparkler on her finger and a special glow to her complexion.

Thanks Nell, those pieces are very interesting. The Auchmuty one ties in well with Sheila Jeffreys' The Spinster and Her Enemies, which has a very similar argument about the change in attitudes to relationships between women in the inter-war period (and references Rosemary Auchmuty's PhD thesis in the notes).

You should read a few of the Abbey books if you have a chance... most of them are honestly pretty bad, but worth a glance for the intense focus on friendships between women and the values/problems involved.

A whole new perspective on the books as an adult! I am ashamed to say I went through a stage of adding Lou after my name to be like Mary-Lou aged 9ish as my middle name is Louise!

Still looking forward to meeting your brother vintagejazz when he finishes medical school. Got excited the other day when a doctor phoned me but she was female!! Really need a male doctor if I am going to have loads of kids and be busy without having to work. Only 3 weeks to the end of term so getting a bit desperate.

The snail thing! I remember a few years ago being ridiculously excited when I spotted a snail on the (glass) back door, and waiting eagerly for the 'terrifying' squealy sounds. Of which, fuck all. It's obviously about as 'true' as most of the medical advice in the books.

The thing about Highlanders with 'second sight' is something that was moderately popular among middle-class English writers at the time. I also have a weakness for proper 'cosy' detective stories, and the supernaturally-gifted Celtic peasant pops up in those fairly frequently.

Oh and, whoever read a Sally Denny story that mixes the Chalet School with Miss Silver - PLEEEAAASE give me a link!

Thanks Mooncup, I shall look up the Sheila Jeffreys. I do def plan to look into the Abbey books at some point but I am already spending far more time than I ought to be atm revisiting the Chalet School.

The only Abbey book I've read consists of old Abbey girls trying to reform someone's younger sister by persuading them to take up country dancing.

I think Joey would have fitted right in with them though. It was the point where the big sister, who presumably was in her 20s, was grimly making herself a gym slip so she could join in that really made me I could see Joey joining in with glee... eternal school girls the lot of them.

Dm said that gym slips looked fine until the chest started developping and then the pleats stuck out in a most unattractive way.

Question for the Library Pree and Deputy - I've turned the CS word docs into epubs/mobi files, would it be helpful if I uploaded those to the skydrive? Might save someone else's time...

and where might a shy lurker find this magic sky drive?

pontefractals I am neither the Library Pree nor the Deputy, just a mere new girl who vaguely dreams of one day becoming a true Chalet Girl, but I personally think that would be eternally helpful.

That would be great Ponte in reading my way through the ePub ones - thanks so much btw - but can't read word docs on my phone.

Really interesting re-reading them as an adult. I'd love to go to Austria now....

Tom haz the wise!

“Well, didn’t you hear what she said? She’s having you and Moira Fitzpatrick and Carol White to tea. She always has the new girls to tea at the beginning of term.”
“Why ever? It strikes me as a daft idea. What can your aunt want with the school? I s’pose she was here; but that isn’t any reason why she should go on[...]”

Have PM'd you Indith

Just finished the Highland twins (thanks again to Library pre and Deputy) Daisy catches a cold from getting wet from going out in the fog, BUT she is infectious!