alcohol. So there is little hope of them disciplining her.’
‘So she is being set a bad example at home. Can’t we try and do better here at school?’
‘She is surrounded by girls who work hard and behave themselves. Many of them have horrendous stories to tell.’
Marguerite tried another tack.
‘She is very bright. I seriously think she could get a State Scholarship and go to university.’
‘Very difficult, without the support of the home. I fear there will be more trouble, Miss Carter.’
‘She was provoked this time. The secondary modern girls were goading her.’
‘That doesn’t surprise me. They’re rabble. We’ve had a lot of trouble from them.’
Miss Fryer’s fingers drummed on her desk.
‘Very well, Miss Carter. On your own head be it. I know you have a way with the girls. I’ll give her one more chance.’
‘Thank you so much.’
‘Miss Carter, regarding another matter. We are here to teach. That is our job. It stops at the school gate. I understand you went to an anti-bomb meeting with some of the girls—’
‘How did you—?
‘I promise you nothing escapes my notice. Our task is to train their minds, and equip them to earn a living and to be well-informed, good wives, but we allow them to have their own opinions about how the world is run, with no influence from us. That we leave to others. Understood?’
There seemed little point in arguing so Marguerite nodded.
‘And best to stick to the syllabus, Miss Carter. It is carefully thought out. The war poets are deemed too disturbing for sensitive girls.’
Marguerite inclined her head and bit her lip as she made for the door.
Miss Fryer stopped her with, ‘Miss Carter—’
‘Yes, Headmistress?’
‘You really care, don’t you? Not just about Elsie?’
‘Yes, Miss Fryer, I do.’
‘Well, believe it or not, even after all these years, so do I.’
As Marguerite opened the door Miss Fryer added, ‘Oh, by the way, I would be grateful if you would find time to go and speak to the head of the secondary modern – Miss Scott is her name. See if we can’t improve the situation between us.’
Elsie was sitting outside in the corridor.
‘All right, Elsie, you have a reprieve. Now you go in and apologise, don’t answer back, in fact only say yes and no and thank you. And come and see me later.’
When the relieved Elsie came and thanked Marguerite, a rare gesture from her, Marguerite told her she wanted a favour in return.
‘You know Irene Brown is very shy, and I suspect she is sometimes bullied. Not physically but by being laughed at, or left out. I’d like you to keep an eye on her for me. Help her to stand up for herself.’
Elsie looked astonished at being given this responsibility. Marguerite knew that empathy was not naturally in her emotional make-up. The girl looked warily at Marguerite.
‘I’ll try. And thank you, miss.’
‘Two thank yous. That’s record. Now run along.’
‘Oh, but I mustn’t run in the corridor, miss, must I?’
Marguerite took her grubby hand and gently pretended to slap it.
Over time Miss Farringdon nervously entrusted Marguerite with more freedom, acknowledging her talent for developing the girls’ imaginations in their written work. In her mission to improve their creativity Marguerite got permission from Miss Fryer to restart the school magazine that had lapsed during the war. She let it be known that, apart from the usual house and club reports, she wanted original pieces.
She was on playground duty, surrounded by the usual gaggle of chattering girls, when she saw Elsie fighting with Irene. Elsie was dragging the struggling girl towards her, elbowing others aside. ‘Out of the way, you. Push off.’
She hurled Irene forward. ‘Go on, Irene. Do as I told you.’
Marguerite was devastated that her clever plan to benefit both Irene and Elsie had gone so disastrously wrong.
‘What on earth are you doing, Elsie?’
She was forcing Irene’s hand up towards
‘So she is being set a bad example at home. Can’t we try and do better here at school?’
‘She is surrounded by girls who work hard and behave themselves. Many of them have horrendous stories to tell.’
Marguerite tried another tack.
‘She is very bright. I seriously think she could get a State Scholarship and go to university.’
‘Very difficult, without the support of the home. I fear there will be more trouble, Miss Carter.’
‘She was provoked this time. The secondary modern girls were goading her.’
‘That doesn’t surprise me. They’re rabble. We’ve had a lot of trouble from them.’
Miss Fryer’s fingers drummed on her desk.
‘Very well, Miss Carter. On your own head be it. I know you have a way with the girls. I’ll give her one more chance.’
‘Thank you so much.’
‘Miss Carter, regarding another matter. We are here to teach. That is our job. It stops at the school gate. I understand you went to an anti-bomb meeting with some of the girls—’
‘How did you—?
‘I promise you nothing escapes my notice. Our task is to train their minds, and equip them to earn a living and to be well-informed, good wives, but we allow them to have their own opinions about how the world is run, with no influence from us. That we leave to others. Understood?’
There seemed little point in arguing so Marguerite nodded.
‘And best to stick to the syllabus, Miss Carter. It is carefully thought out. The war poets are deemed too disturbing for sensitive girls.’
Marguerite inclined her head and bit her lip as she made for the door.
Miss Fryer stopped her with, ‘Miss Carter—’
‘Yes, Headmistress?’
‘You really care, don’t you? Not just about Elsie?’
‘Yes, Miss Fryer, I do.’
‘Well, believe it or not, even after all these years, so do I.’
As Marguerite opened the door Miss Fryer added, ‘Oh, by the way, I would be grateful if you would find time to go and speak to the head of the secondary modern – Miss Scott is her name. See if we can’t improve the situation between us.’
Elsie was sitting outside in the corridor.
‘All right, Elsie, you have a reprieve. Now you go in and apologise, don’t answer back, in fact only say yes and no and thank you. And come and see me later.’
When the relieved Elsie came and thanked Marguerite, a rare gesture from her, Marguerite told her she wanted a favour in return.
‘You know Irene Brown is very shy, and I suspect she is sometimes bullied. Not physically but by being laughed at, or left out. I’d like you to keep an eye on her for me. Help her to stand up for herself.’
Elsie looked astonished at being given this responsibility. Marguerite knew that empathy was not naturally in her emotional make-up. The girl looked warily at Marguerite.
‘I’ll try. And thank you, miss.’
‘Two thank yous. That’s record. Now run along.’
‘Oh, but I mustn’t run in the corridor, miss, must I?’
Marguerite took her grubby hand and gently pretended to slap it.
Over time Miss Farringdon nervously entrusted Marguerite with more freedom, acknowledging her talent for developing the girls’ imaginations in their written work. In her mission to improve their creativity Marguerite got permission from Miss Fryer to restart the school magazine that had lapsed during the war. She let it be known that, apart from the usual house and club reports, she wanted original pieces.
She was on playground duty, surrounded by the usual gaggle of chattering girls, when she saw Elsie fighting with Irene. Elsie was dragging the struggling girl towards her, elbowing others aside. ‘Out of the way, you. Push off.’
She hurled Irene forward. ‘Go on, Irene. Do as I told you.’
Marguerite was devastated that her clever plan to benefit both Irene and Elsie had gone so disastrously wrong.
‘What on earth are you doing, Elsie?’
She was forcing Irene’s hand up towards
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