AIBU To Think That The Chalet School Matron Would Be In Prison Nowadays

[TheShellBeach]

..........................for giving unprescribed sedatives to the girls so frequently.

(lighthearted) (in case a million people tell me that IABU)

The Chalet School Matron was forever doling out sedatives to the girls, without even asking Jack Maynard to prescribe them first.
Shocking stuff. Nowadays, she would be jailed and struck off the NMC Register.

I think I'd have succumbed to the lure of the carbs. Nodded 'yeah, yeah whatevs' as Joey renamed me Sid, all the while my eyes on those gorgeous cakes.

I'd soon have a reputation for being that glutinous girl who was unenthusiastic about prayers and sports but who always had time for a nice cream cake. I'd have been spotted winking at some strapping Tirolean hunk too, and that would have sealed my rep as a strumpet as well as a lost cause.

I always knew I’d be Gwendoline Mary, whichever school I was at. I’d make Hilda Jukes look like a whirlwind.

A fanfic writer called Eilidh did, & she wrote this. It’s brilliant. www.sallydennylibrary.co.uk/viewuser.php?action=seriesby&uid=32

Yes, and quite apart from perma-boarding in another country, EBD seized every possible opportunity to get the boys off elsewhere even in the holidays so she could focus on the triplets and whatever new girl they were currently reforming into 'daintiness' (Ruey, Melanie Lucas etc). I imagine the boys off at Ampleforth or wherever getting together for a fag behind the cricket pavilion and discussing the latest news from home in much the same way the Victorians discussed the letters from a relative in a distant colony.

And poor Mike gets sent off to live with the Emburys down by the lake and we're cheerfully told that once winter sets in, he doesn't even get to come home at weekends, which will let Joey get on with her latest bestseller, so that's all right, then.

And poor Mike gets sent off to live with the Emburys down by the lake and we're cheerfully told that once winter sets in, he doesn't even get to come home at weekends

I do wonder how Joey managed to talk the Emburys into that 😵‍💫

Ah yes - the Emburys.

Winnie Embury (nee Silksworth) had been at St. Scholastika's and became a member of the CS when Miss Browne sailed off into the blue yonder with her inheritance (AIBU to think my relations are cheating me out of what is rightfully mine).

Jo must have known Winnie for about six months. There is no interaction between them in the books until they meet accidentally on a boat.

Jo's first comment (to someone else) is her usual bitchy "Gosh - she's got fat" and then all of a sudden they're BFFs.

It's the same with Maisie Scott (nee Gomme) who knew Jo via St. Scholastika's for about a fortnight, and who then names her DD after Jo, and sends her to the CS when she and her DH are kidnapped by the Mau Mau - or some such nonsense.

Someone I know once said that Jo Scott was the dullest girl ever to grace the CS's portals. I disagree. Barbara Chester is, without doubt, the dullest, most boring girl. The entire book about her is tedious beyond belief.

OTOH I like Jane Carew. The bitchiness between her and Jack Lambert (the nastiest girl ever to be in the CS) is very well done and believable.

I think EBD had no idea what boys would be likely to do or say.

She must have known that the chances of every one of her characters only to give birth to girls was highly unlikely so some of them had to have boys.

Winnie Embury has seven boys, I think - so of course she's be delighted to have loads of Jo's boys to stay as well..........FFS. As if.

Barbara Chester is, without doubt, the dullest, most boring girl. The entire book about her is tedious beyond belief

Was Barbara the formerly delicate one who arrived at school to 'board' next door at Freudesheim because it was thought actual boarding would be too much for her, and is unable to brush her own hair because 'Mummy always did it for me'?

And leaves the bathroom in a mess because someone else cleaned up after her at home as well?

What Katy Did was one of my favourite books when I was a child.

I entirely bought into the "redemption through disability" narrative, until I was a teenager. At that point I realised that it was arrant nonsense, although I did still enjoy the books.

Naomi, Grizel, Eustacia - were there others who had terrible accidents foisted upon themselves due to their disobedience?

And as far as Grizel is concerned, it takes Deira throwing a rock at her to make Deira realise that she's a bitch. I mean, really?

Yes, that was Barbara.
However, a convenient infectious disease at Freudesheim stops Barbara from being able to live there, so she has to cope at school without having stayed at Joey's previously.

".......................and is unable to brush her own hair"

EBD had a thing about this. There were frequently girls at the CS who didn't brush their hair properly, according to her - Emerence, Ted Grantley, Barbara et al.

Ruey Richardson was told off by sanctimonious Len Maynard for not brushing her hair before getting into bed at night. Also for not saying her prayers.

Thank you!!

Was that 'Babs goes to the Chalet?'.
I read it last year and it was a total snooze.

Or Barbara 😅

Long hair can get terribly tangled if it’s not brushed, so it doesn’t seem too unreasonable for EBD to think the girls should be brushing their hair properly.

Although Len is always so conscientious about making sure everything is done correctly. It gets quite tiresome.
I’d like to think she had the chance to relax and have a bit of fun once she was off at university and away from the pressures of being the oldest Maynard (by what? Less than a day?).
But no. She’s saddled with an engagement to Reg before she’s left the Chalet School 🙄

"...............she’s saddled with an engagement to Reg before she’s left the Chalet School"

And Reg first met the triplets when they were three and he was fourteen.

Bleurgh.

(AIBU to think this is rampant paedophilia - BF fancied my DD when she was a toddler)

You would think that Reg might have met a woman his own age when he was a medical student.

Again I say - FFS.

.......................the pressures of being the oldest Maynard

My sister was the oldest of us and never let us forget it.

That's why I went NC with her three years ago

Mind you - my sister's collection of CS books introduced me to them - so I suppose she wasn't all bad..................

Yes, she was.

@EmpressaurusOfWitchesBackFromTheDead Ref Sally Denny Library, that looks a terrific website - do you have to be a member to read contributions? I couldn't work out how to open the actual piece she'd written.

I can see how that would be annoying.

With Len though, I was thinking of how Joey’s frequently reminding Len that she’s the oldest and encouraging her to take responsibility for her siblings. Despite Len being essentially the same age as Con and Margot.
I’ve always had the impression that Joey’s done her utmost to mould Len into the responsible older sibling role and that Len’s been trying to meet her mother’s expectations.

So she’s been thrust into the “oldest” role rather than actively seeking it out as a power play IYSWIM?

@EmpressaurusOfWitchesBackFromTheDead Oops, posted too soon - got the hang of it now. Thanks for the link.

Mary lou has an accident as well but that's to redeem emerence I think? But that's okay because she's basically a Saint and would probably have volunteered for it

And Mary Lou got curly hair after the accident as some sort of divine reward for redeeming Emerence 😇

Despite Len being essentially the same age as Con and Margot.

I think at times there is a push to make all 3 responsible. But whilst Con retreats into a dream world, and Margot behaves badly Len (especially younger Len) shows signs of anxiety which make her work harder to fit the 'responsible eldest child' mould

Steven seems reasonably well adjusted as far as I remember. Apparently sending him away from Joey is a good thing.

Halos balance better on curly hair (especially if glued on with silver paint)

Although given curly hair is curly because the follicles are oval rather than round, how the hell did they shave her head to mess her follicles up that much!