MICHAELMAS TERM 1957
September
26: I am in VB now, and determined to work hard. We have a new girl from Trinidad called Ann something, and two from the form below. There is a loud-speaker in every classroom and we had the wireless on through it. Hockey at 2.15 and I left my specs there.
27: We had PT and did exercises and crouch-jumps. I asked Susan Bristow to look in the Pavilion for my specs when she went to hockey this afternoon, but they were not there. I am sitting with Jill on my left and the wall on my right. Susan Dolton and Huddle are in front, and Harry and Wendy behind, but Harry is in Holland now.
30: This afternoon we had Mrs Field for the first time and she did amoeba with us.
October
1: In Geography we learnt about how the time changes as you go round the world. We are doing the past tense in French. Mr Bland went on about burns in the lab.
14: Miss Adamson called me over the loud-speaker and I got back my spectacles. We did spirogyra in biology.
15: Elizabeth Harrison says she can't come to my party, so I have asked Carol Greenham instead. I lost my hockey boot and Miss Godwin told me to go back and look for it but I did prep instead!
21: I still haven't found my hockey boot! My first Confirmation class at 6.00.
24: Today, unlike yesterday, passed slowly. We had a dull French lesson, geometry test, endless double-period after Break with Miss Maggs. In ballet this afternoon Miss K made us work very hard.
30: In Art we drew Judith (see illustration opposite). In Singing, Miss Carrados made me read and sing the descant with S. Bristow, Stoney, Carol, Rammy and Gatty!!!
31 (Hallowe'en): The guests: Sally, S. Bristow, S. Dolton, Joy, E. Hudleston, Carol and Jane, arrived at 6.30. We had supper about 7.30 and afterwards played with the luminous ghosts, fireworks and swede-head. Tonight I intend to look into a mirror by candle-light!
November
1: I found my hockey boot today, at least Susan found it and lost hers!
4: Joy has had her hair permed slightly and it looks better than it did. Pary saw a piece of thread on Miss Rudman's sleeve and said it was a '9' but I said it was a minim!
5: The storm has made cracks in the ceiling of our form-room. there is a wet patch above Rachel and water trickles down from another crack. The walls move when the wind blows.
18: The apparatus in the lab wouldn't work so of course the smell was horrible and the walls were black! I took my microscope to school and it was quite popular.
26: This morning Susan Dolton received a letter from a so-called ITV camera-man. All very fishy, and pink note-paper.
27: Mademoiselle has asked us to write a diary every night in French!
28: We all went to the Drill Hall to be X-rayed. I was done after Bricko amd before Ann Melville with whom I walked. Ballet was very tiring and dull. At 6.00 I went to school for Mr Freeman's talk and slides on 'Missions to Seamen'.
29: Mrs Whiteside was very cross with the Scripture results.
December
2: When I got to school this afternoon, the others had been called to Mr Hasson's lounge because he had to say that Judith and Jill had been seen meeting some boys. So now Pary is our form captain. Ann P gave me the chewing gum she owed me.
3: The ceiling above Elizabeth Harrison is cracking badly.
9: After Confirmation class we went to the form-room to see the decorations. Jane has made a space-ship post-box.
12: Miranda was away today. In ballet this afternoon we did pos‚ turns around the room (or rather across it and into the walls!) We gave the biscuits to Miss Goddard and sang carols round the piano.
13: We had Pirates in Gym. Ann Melville grazed her shin. The idea for the play at the moment is loud-speakers butting in on the lessons, but it's pretty wet.
16: We opened the post-box this morning. Joy gave me a washing set, Susan Bristow a blue scarf and sweets, Mary and Belfield blue poppets, S. Dolton and Elizabeth an Indian horse, Wendy and Harry a calendar.
17: We practised the play. I played the opening chorus - 'Cast away your worries' and the Christmas song which I made up. After lunch I put on Attie's old brown and white dress, a wig with tiara and feather and blue sash. The play went off quite well. Linda played her bagpipes while Sarah and Doreen danced.
SPRING TERM 1958
January
16: I am going to be a Czardas dancer in the pantomime. Miss Kennedy has lost her voice.
20: Mr Hasson read us Thomas Hardy's poems, starting with 'The Oxen'.
21: Joy told me a joke about peanuts to keep elephants away.
22. The snow was about a foot deep. On our way to Theory (Music), we pushed a car out of a drift, and on the way back did the same to a lorry. I lent Jill my socks as hers were wet. I had to conduct again in the singing lesson.
23: In ballet Susan fell over and Claire did a plie‚ in the middle of a grande battement!
24: In Science we went over a lift pump and did the force pump briefly. A new prefect called Margaret took us for prep and Doctor Stuart showed us how to do praec‚ (sic = precis!)
28: I suddenly had a little picture story book thrown at me. I think it was Diana's so I read it. It was about a girl who became a trapeze artist in a circus. We played netball and I was marking Harry. Ann had a photo of Jim Dale and Judith wanted it. I played the piano to Sally after Drama.
29: In Art we drew Elizabeth Harrison (see illustration overleaf). We did 'Where the bee sucks' in singing.
30: Yesterday I heard that Mrs Field is a cousin to Sally, and Mrs Topham is her aunt! I met Susan Stag and Sally in their classroom and we walked to Frogmore for tea and then to the Central to see 'The Shiralee'. We sat near Joy and Mrs Heanley and I came back in the bus with them.
31: In Science we did bicycle pump. Jane got hers and a valve to show us.
February
3: We finished the Thomas Hardy poems and Mr Hasson told us about 'The Rover'. I drew two germ pictures for the loos in the Lodge!
7: My wisdom teeth are coming through, which is probably the reason for my jaw locking the other night. We tried to hypnotise each other this afternoon; Dr Stuart was 'indisposed' (I think she fell off her bicycle).
10: In reading 'The Rover' we got up to where Peyrol is staying at the farm. We talked about commandments in Confirmation.
11: Mr Hasson came to dinner this evening. We talked about the theatre before supper, my career (physio-therapy) during, and Shakespeare after.
12: In Art we drew Judith Ireland (see illustration on previous page). She is taking more notice of me these days; she has become much nicer since taken down from post of form-captain.
13: Ann Parsons has been away as she thinks she has appendicitis.
14: Susan Bristow got a valentine card and she thinks it was from Brian Carte. In 'The Rover' Peyrol has met the lieutenant and has seen the English ship. Mr Hasson talked to us about what science subjects we need for various careers.
17: Ann Parsons came back today so she hasn't got appendicitis.
19: I lent Joy my film book to show Carol so I showed it to Judith who gave me 3/- for some film star photos.
20: Ballet was rather fun and Claire was wearing a bright green leotard again.
21: Mr Hasson told us this morning that we are being rude to prefects and staff and so more rules are being made. Mrs Whiteside also gave us a talk about it.
26: At 4.00 we had a czardas rehearsal and at 4.30 the first final‚ one. I am in about the 4th row and come on after the chefs and kitchen-maids.
March
4: Miss Maggs was grumbling about people not wanting to learn when on holiday.
5: In Art we drew Jill who sat on a low stool, leaning against a table.
11: In Science we told Mr Bland our names and I said mine was Lydia, and Ann's was Sybil!
12: We went to the sick-room and had Sunday dresses tried on us for Confirmation. We learnt about intestines in Biology.
14: In History we learnt about the People's Charter, and we did cotton in the monsoon lands in Geography. In Science we did electrolysis.
25: We walked to Trinity Church for my first Communion. Breakfast at school afterwards.
27: We learnt about the slave trade, during which Anne Melville did some crochet on my shawl.
28: We all took up our places in Shorncliffe Road at 11.30 and I photographed our house with the decorations. The Royal car went past at about 12.20. I was so excited that I forgot to take a photo of them, but I saw the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh!
SUMMER TERM 1958
May
1: In History we learnt about the Canadian rebellions. Jill has left. There was a rumour about Susan Barber trying to go back to Paris.
5: We heard that Wendy had a pain yesterday while waiting for a bus and had to go to hospital.
6: We learnt future and conditional perfect in French. Mademoiselle is hurrying us on so fast that we cannot learn the tenses thoroughly.
8: In Latin we were asked to translate story 32, but we had done it before so we simply copied it again.
9: We played rounders and I was last to be out. I had to keep running and got very puffed.
12: Miss Cronin said if we did not want to do our sums we had better go out and play, so I said "Anyone for tennis?"
20: In Geography we learnt about the Tundra. Jane Merrow took us for drama and we did poets.
22: The other day I pretended I was not on speaking terms with Joy and I am keeping her in suspense over what it was about! In History we had an argument with Miss Maggs about make-up. S. Bristow wanted to give up history but Miss Maggs would not let her.
23: I enjoyed the cricket. Ann Melville, who has never played before, hit one ball and ended the game.
26: There was to have been a surprise match this afternoon but as it rained they cancelled it and we told each other jokes in the classroom instead. Mrs Field showed us a skull. I played tennis with Miranda, Claire and A. Melville. My service is improving since Miss Godwin helped me last Thursday.
June
2: In maths we had to do logs and I had completely forgotten how to do them. I asked Miss Cronin to show us. It thundered in the afternoon while Harry tested me on biology.
4: Mrs Field talked to us about the spine and how we descended from the monkeys. Miss Carrodos said I was a leader in the singing class.
5: In history we learnt about Louis Pasteur and the Crimean War. I was late for GCE Music as I had to be a ball-boy.
9: Mrs Field showed us a vertebral column in the biology lesson. Judith says I have changed; that I am much more human now. I fielded 'middle leg' (if there is such a place). Sarah and Anne Martin both caught catches.
10: I played tennis with Doreen, Scraggy and Carole and we lost two balls so I had to look for them. I found they had rolled under the netting but my feet were soaked so I took my socks off.
11: It was warm swimming. I did the length twice and my back-stroke is improving. I can also float like Mum does. In Art we drew a book, bottle of ink and spectacles, and Wendy brought the blue bathing-suit which she is going to sell me. I tried it on at bed-time. I wrote out a descant for Miss Carrados of "Praise, my soul, the King of Heaven".
13: We had rounders near the white board and I fielded for first post. I gave Carole a little bunch of wild flowers. Monica says she has a 'crush' on me!! Mr Hasson says the trip to the Old Vic on Monday is right off now.
16: In biology we saw leg and arm bones.
17: I drew Miss Maggs in Geography and it went round to Modern V! Mademoiselle found it in Ann's desk! We layed the skeleton out in the dining-room after lunch. Deidre took drama.
18: We drew Harry standing up today. She had heart trouble yesterday. I meant to show Mummy the picture of Miss Maggs but I forgot to take it home.
19: I drew pictures on the blackboard and also did a dachshund which began left of the board and its tail was near the fire-place. All along it were "Press on!...Nearly there..." etc. They loved it!
20: We had fun in the gym. I fenced with Rachel and we marched up and down. I drew Mrs Whiteside. We sang songs in Prep. after lunch and Miss Cronin came up. We looked over the new assembly hall.
23: Mrs Field told us about leverage, e.g. a see-saw and a wheel-barrow.
24: At the boarders' breakfast Diane would not eat her scrambled egg and she had to sit there until she did. Judith and that lot were talking about me last night. In biology we associated leverage with the body, e.g. straightening the arm. Jane took us for drama and we all laughed a lot. We learnt about characterization in acting.
26: In History we learned about the Lawrence brothers and the trouble with Afghanistan.
July
1: I took Caroline Dearing's mac home by accident. Mr Hasson told us about 'Pygmalion'.
2: In the pool today I pretended I was a monster and Monica was Andromeda! We went over to Art but Captain wasn't there so Pary and I wrote a poem:
"We waited and waited, but all in vain,
So we went back to the form again.
It's such a shame that we had to miss
Our favourite lesson; it would have been bliss."
4: I have decided to learn both German and Spanish next term.
7: We had an arithmetic test and I got told off for telling Melville what a prime number was. Jane's German friend Karen came today. I wrote her a letter in German and spoke to her. She came to GCE Music.
8: I took a cigarette to school this afternoon and smoked it in Barney's lesson. Miss Maggs saw me pretending to smoke and I had to stand in the corner, but I learnt my French while I was there.
9: The pool was very warm today. Karen came too. I sat with Wendy, Harry and Judith in the garden after break. They were planning to go somewhere but did not know where.
10: Carole went to the Maidstone Agricultural Show. Jane says I am winning the music cup.
11: Ann Croft presented Mr Boynes with a silver butter-dish. We talked about hanging in prep. lesson. I batted but Carole bowled me out so Wendy and I played in the net.
14: Pary, Susan and I had our photos taken in the assembly room. Ann came back from Switzerland today.
15: We watched tennis all afternoon. Joy beat Sarah easily but the match against Croftie was very exciting. I don't yet know who's won.
16: Susan and I waited in the senior lounge all morning. I went in to the Grade VI piano exam just after 12.00. I messed up my scales and pieces.
17: We did graphs for the first time in Maths.
18: Mr Hasson talked to us about 'The Tempest' and 'The Merry wives of Windsor'. Miss Maggs told us about the First World War.
21: This afternoon was a school service at the church but as I had no blazer I was not allowed to go. Linda and Miranda did the same and we did prep in the form-room.
22: Our idea for an end-of-term play is a Royal Command Performance. We had a biology test and I got the skin's layers mixed up.
23: The photos were taken this morning. I am on the right looking at us, standing on chairs, behind Joy Woodland. Mademoiselle's little sister Babette was milling around.
24: Miss Cronin was in a bad temper today. At 2.30 we put our tea in Miss Maggs' car and walked to the station to catch the 2.45 train to Dover. We walked to the castle and a guide showed us round. We had tea on a jetty. then Armina, C. Carter and I walked for an hour.
25: Lady Wheeler gave away the prizes. Her speech was about digging for tombs. I won the O'Sullivan music cup which we showed to Maureen. We sat with the Clarkes, S. Barber and G. Bellamy for tea. I saw 'As you like it' after I made up.
28: This morning we all thought of an end-of-term play and I suggested 'Mother Goose'. I am to take the title role and also produce it. I brought my make-up things and false nose and chin. A man from Finland came and taught us a few words. We watched the Leavers v. the Stayers match - very dull.
29: We tidied our form-room and then rehearsed in the senior lounge. Bristow was the witch, Rachel the prince, S. Dolton the goose, Diane the princess. Then we did it on the stage. I brought my sylph dress for Claire as the fairy but we left the wood scene out so she never came on!
MICHAELMAS TERM 1958
September
25: We are all in VA. I could not find my books but eventually discovered them in Old VB. I saw Monica and Sally Peters. We have a new girl called Firouzeh. The new Hall is smashing but it took a long time to get us all settled.
26: I drew Mr Furlong, the new Irish science master who went to Dublin University.
29: In science we saw a condenser - a double tube, the gas in one and cold water in another. It can be used to separate alcohol from water.
30: I have lost my Indian box and pen. Ann Melville plucked my eyebrows today.
October
1: I found my Indian box. Susan Belfield had it. Judith, Diana, Harry and I talked about dentists.
3: Anne Lovell lost her shoes and found them in the cupboard outside VA which we call "the fridge". For literature we have to write an essay on whether Malvolio is badly treated or not. Carol Greenham came to tea and I taught her to read music as we are to be in the Festival Choir.
6: In the lab. Mr Furlong told us when to come to the lab. and when not to, but I still don't know. He had a spider on his cheek.
7: I did a picture of Tossa in Pary's autograph book.
8: Diane called for us to go to Prayers in French! Susan Collett asked me to do something in her album. She has signatures of Cliff, Sir Lawrence, Jack Hawkins, D. Valentine, Eddie Calvert etc.
9: I did Susan Collett's book with a bowl of flowers, and Diane asked me to do one for her too, so I did a golf course picture. In science we made iodine and balanced a rule with weights. Mr Furlong was in a bad temper but he apologized.
12: Joy came with a picture of the Swiss Alps in which there is supposed to be the face of Christ.
13: I saw the face. We tried to make Mrs Whiteside see it but she could not.
14: Mrs Whiteside still has the picture with the face hidden in it. They say that when Jackie Trelfer saw it, she ran away crying!
15: Miss Cronin helped me with the places in Logs in the maths lesson. In choir practice we began "Around my Hat" for the Festival.
16: Judith was extremely pleased with my Spanish picture in her autograph book. Susan Barber has asked me to do a little one in hers, but I have lost it. Miss Maggs is making a fuss about the School gate being shut. In Art we drew Joy again. She wanted me to go to the cinema, but Ann Parsons sent instead.
17: Susan Barber had taken her autograph book last night, so I needn't have worried.
20: I forgot to do my Harmony prep and Miss Rudman was cross. Miss Goddard gave us an apple each. In Drama I heard the others do their Festival pieces for the firt time. Susan is doing St Joan.
22: Susan Collett told me and Dolton that we were wanted in the office and we did not believe her, but it was true. Miss Beasley was very cross.
24: In Scripture Miss Maggs crept in with some books and Mrs Whiteside did not know what we were laughing at.
27: I took my picture of a Flamenco dancer for the class room and the girls loved it. Mrs Whiteside is ill, so I read from Corinthians.
28: We teased Joy by putting paper clips in her hair and reinforcements on her back. She is having her hair cut this evening.
29: Miss Maggs was very smelly and spitty today. I have her four times on Wednesdays - history, geography, English and German - awful! Miss Cronin told us not to say one unkind word all today.
November
3: In Drama, Sonia did her Titus Andronicus.
4: Judith hung the keys on my Spanish picture, which spoil it rather, but it does not matter very much. In Art we drew Lesley Dearing (having started off with the kettle as she was late). [See illustration opposite.]
5: Judith told me a joke: "A cock says 'cock-a-doodle-do' and a prostitute says 'any cock'll do!'" !!! Joy told me that Jimmy Edwards got married today.
6: Ann Lovell was crying today because Susan Barber was beastly to her.
11: We were looking at "Men's World" full of pictures of muscular men. Dr Stuart says we must not use clich‚s in our essays.
12: Mr Hasson says we must not change music lessons without consulting Miss Rudman first.
13: At 2.0, Susan Dolton, Anne Martin, Sonia Hughes and I sat for our Grade VIII exam, written. It was a very good paper and I wrote about six and a quarter sides. Mr Hasson brought us each a little box of chocolates. We finished at about 5.0.
14: Joy and I have changed places so I am now by the radiator. I don't know why she wanted to.
17: These days I am wearing two vests and two pettiecoats. We had a choir practice at 11.0 in the senior lounge and Mr Hasson said our singing was too husky.
19: Miss Maggs says my work is not good and I must attend in class. Jan has asked me to draw a picture of Nell Gwynn for her sister Theo in the choreography competition next Wednesday.
21: This morning while waiting for Prayers we watched some trees being brought in to plant outside the New hall.
24: A suggestion for an end-of-term play is a skit on "Reach for the Sky". In German, Stoney kept hitting my shoulder.
25: We broke up at 12.30 for lunch. At 2.0 I had a music lesson and went straight to the New Hall for the official opening by the Mayor. The parents had tea in the senior house and we were waitresses.
27: I put a note in Harry's glove written in Dutch style and signed "R---" ! She says she has never laughed so much. Bill the Boxer is going to be put to sleep because he has a pain.
December
1: I wrote an end-of-term play - a few skits taken from jokes in "The table in a roar".
2: We are getting on with the play and I have now cast it. Nearly everyone is in it, though some do not want to be.
3: I have now written the play out in full and added another scene - the one about chloroform. Anne Stone called us to a rehearsal at 5.30 but it was only the skiffle group that was required. The boarders are going to suggest that I play in the skiffle group with a guitar!
8: Apparently they are going to have a midnight feast on Monday. We made a post-box by covering a laundry basket. The decorations were up, with a big cracker on the door.
9: Dr Stuart left early so that we could rehearse the play. I have written an opening introduction, with Martin interrupting and making jokes.
10: Mr Skinner came to rehearse the carols with us. He is a good teacher and has a beautiful voice (about Baritone, Anne Martin thinks).
11: We have now decided to cancel the series of sketches and do a skit on "Tonight" in which I am to be Cliff Mistletoe!
12: Our play is going to be a travel agency with skits from countries - me at the piano and guitar.
15: We have now decided to have the sketches after all. Miss Cronin says the geometry was good but the other maths. papers were bad, so I must try harder next term. We gave out the presents in her lesson, with me as postman! Then we had a rehearsal and played records.
16: After break Jennifer inspected the form-room. At 2.0 we went to the Hall and did our sketches, but they were too subtle for most except Mr Hasson.
SPRING TERM 1959
January
15: I am in the second row from the back, with Joy on my right and Jan on my left.
16: We had netball - Pary, Susan Dolton, Gatty and I were in the same team against some of the sixth-formers. I am Assistant Stage Manager as well as a huntsman in the panto "Mother Goose". Great honour!
19: The first rehearsal of the panto was at 4.30 today. We sing "Hullo, here comes tomorrow" while we four huntsmen walk across talking to each other and go and stand at the back.
20: In Art we drew Doreen. We joked with Captain about Brigitte Bardot and various other 'sexy' subjects. He was in quite a good mood, luckily! In gym we did dancing exercises, jumping and balancing and quick-squat over the horse. In French we had to take our shoes off to keep Mademoiselle's floor clean.
21: Judith gave me some pictures of "Expresso Bongo". There is a lovely one of Paul Schofield's profile.
23: Juliet Lovell is going to announce her engagement tomorrow.
26: Joy had "Room at the top" at school today - a very sexy book! There is a 'Valentine' floating around with Hardy Kruger in it. The 'flu epidemic has begun. Martin and Collett have it.
27: During Art, although Captain Fluke was not there, we drew Judith who has twisted her foot and was wearing a bandage and slipper [See illustration opposite]. Joy says her friend at the harbour is going to Paris to ask Dirk Bogarde if he minds meeting some fans at Dover - us!
28: I was very much behind in the geometry prep and Miss Cronin suggested I gave up maths if I did not have time to do it, but I would rather give up history and geography. In German we learnt the past tense. Jane has water on the knee.
February
3: Bristow said she felt ill and we persuaded her to go home. It was very cold playing netball this morning. In Art we drew Carol Greenham with her legs up. I think I shall give up science since I have to miss so many lessons.
4: I had to take prep round to Joy and Susan Bristow as they are both in bed.
5: I asked Judith to give my excuse if Mr F. missed me from science and she went and announced to him that I wanted to give it up. So he took umbrage and I went and explained it all. Joy and Ann Parsons came to see Bobby Charlton on ITV.
6: This morning I had an awful fight because Anne Martin told me her scripture note-book was lost - Bricko gave it to me to give her, and there it was on her desk all the time!
9: Latest popular tune is "Tonight" from "West Side Story". Stoney taught me the words of "This old man" which they sing in "Inn of the Sixth Happiness". "The little drummer boy" is another favourite.
12: Susan Dolton, Susan Ramshaw, Anne Martin, Diane Gillegin and Jackie Trelfer went with Mr Hasson to London to choose the pantomime costumes. I think Susan Dolton looked the nicest. I have bought a Valentine card which I intend sending to Rachel and make her wonder who it is from!
13: I saw "Batchelor of Hearts" at the Odeon with Joy and Mrs Heanley. Hardy Kruger is now my favourite filmstar!.
16: Rachel is not back yet so we don't know what she thought of our Valentine card. Jan got one from Graham, her latest, and Stoney got one from some boy in Guernsey. Susan Dolton was goalie this afternoon.
17: In Spanish Judith hit a spider and I built a little grave over it entitled "Shrine on the 2nd floor".
19: From now on if Janet or Margaret cannot go to a rehearsal I, as Assistant Stage Manager, must go instead. Next year I shall probably be the S.M. Heaven help the panto!
24: I did some prep today. There was geometry about cyclic quadrilaterals but I think she gave it to us wrong.
26: We heard that Linda Bartlett has got engaged. There is a rumour that Mrs Longley is expecting a baby. Ann Parsons gave me a cutting of Hardy Kruger in "Liane - Jungle Goddess", a film on in London with "Nudist Paradise".
March
3: In gym we played indoor rounders and Rachel fell down making a catch and grazed her knee.
5: Mr Hasson has invited me to the dinner at the Metropole on the Saturday after the panto at 8 o'clock. Rammy says we wear school uniform but no cardigans.
6: Mrs Russell is ill so I played the piano for the rehearsal of the Musical Comedy at 5 o'clock. Pary had been asked to but she did not want to.
9: There was a quick rehearsal of songs and dances, for the first time with the band. A new man from Art Gregory has joined it.
10: Susan Dolton had a black tongue and thinks it is Minadex.
12: We got Stoney to sit for us in Art. She was reading a book, her knees crossed and arms folded.
16: Dress Rehearsal. I tried on my costume - white trousers, boots, red coat and black hat. One of the band had an old dog who did not like the tap-dancing and tambourines.
17: After break Joy and I cleared out the games cupboard. The stage rehearsal began at 2.15 and I helped Margaret behind the scenes.
18: Anne Stone asked me to have a last minute rehearsal with Sally Nicholas and I played the piano for them. Then I fetched the guitar for Sonia and went shopping with Jennifer Sutcliffe.
23: I had my polio injection. Although we were all very nervous it did not hurt in the least.
24: The cat was sick in our class-room this afternoon and Linda helped me wipe it up.
SUMMER TERM 1959
April
30: I had originally sat next to Doreen and Huddle, then Joy got hot and cooled down, Linda and Shorty both wanted to change with me, so we all three changed and now I am next to Judith.
May
5: In Art we drew some pansies which Ann Parsons had brought. Jan got a letter from Graham. Judith and I have been going crazy over that picture of Hardy Kruger.
8: Miss Rudman wants me to go and hear some music at Canterbury Cathedral, conducted by Sir Adrian Boult, but it is on the same day as the MoliŠre play which I want to see very much.
12: I forgot my blouse so wore one of Susan Belfield's for rounders. I played tennis with Ann Parsons, Melville and Lovell - three Anns! Judith was caught eating an apple in Dr Stuart's lesson.
14: I spoke to Miss Rudman and she has let me off going to Canterbury, so now I can see the MoliŠre play. Susan must find someone else to keep her company, possibly Huddle.
15: Susan has got out of going to Canterbury too, now. She now says she wants to see the French Youth Club doing MoliŠre on the 30th.
20: Harry has a lump on her nose. She brought a John Bull cover of sailing boats and stuck it on the board.
22: In rounders this afternoon I was last in and got a rounder just in time. I was so surprised I could hardly believe it.
25: The others say I ought to have a new hair-style.
27: Kerfuffle with Miss Maggs in the English lesson. We talked too much while she was walking around the room, and she went off and complained. Sutty went and soothed her down so she came back and we behaved like angels. Later, at 5.30, Mr Hasson got us into the lounge and ticked us off.
June
1: Mr Hasson is thinking of taking "Twelfth Night" to Boulogne in return for "Georges Dandins". I may go as make-up artist. I do hope so.
5: I spent the whole afternoon lying in the garden and talking to Gatty. We were reluctant to play cricket this afternoon, but actually we all enjoyed it, except Martin who was very rude and upsetting.
10: Judith showed me the pictures of me and Harry both with a French roll, and of me lighting an imitation cigarette. German was terribly boring. An idea for an end-of-term play - a modern version of "Twelfth Night".
11: Judith and I went upstairs and I played West Side Story until Janet Morris stopped us, and then we went down to watch the tennis match against Simon Langton.
15: In drama Mr Hasson told us about choral speaking.
23: I drew A-rab in Toni's book, and since that there has been an avalanche of requests for pictures in autograph books. I lost my watch but Firouzeh found it on the grass.
24: There was a cricket match atainst the WRAF, which we won, of course.
July
8: Parsons and I went for a bathe after school and we saw an enormous jellyfish which some people dragged up and one of the tentacles stung my left foot.
20: I took the cine-camera today and took a few shots. I walked down to the beach with Pary and Firouzeh. Huddle and Doreen joined us on the way, and we met Belfield, Jan, Carol Marsh and Lovell.
22: Rachel and I cycled to the top of Earl's Avenue where we left our bikes and then walked down and strolled about Harrison's Amusements and along the promenade. It was a lovely day and there were many tourists and visitors around.
23: Ann Melville, Huddle, Doreen and I walked down to the beach and sunbathed. I saw Judith's crowd with her French boyfriend Jean further along, but they did not recognise me although they waved.
24: Mummy and I walked up to the New Hall to make up for "Twelfth Night" which started at 7.30. We slipped in when we had finished. Jackie Trelfer as Sir Toby Belch was very good. There were some Froggies there.
27: Sarah, Bristow, Judith and I tried to work up a play based on either "Twelfth Night" or "Robinson Crusoe", but in vain. Mum had an idea about a skit on a Channel swimmer. We shopped this afternoon, looking for shoes for Judith and having drinks in Ann's, and cakes and iced coffee in Bobby's where we told Pat the waitress that we had not enough money,
28: We rehearsed the play which is a night club, where Diane sings, Greenham plays the violin and some people dance or do acrobatics. Pary plays Carousel and I play for the rest. Then we shopped again. Judith dropped a bottle of scent and nail varnish on the pavement and they both broke.
MICHAELMAS TERM 1959
September
24: I walked to school with Joy at about 10 to 9 and we went up to our new classroom, VI form, at the top of the Lodge. I spent half the morning reading newspapers in Bobby's with Joy and Carter, and the rest in the Reference Library with an Enid Blyton "Famous Five" book!
29: Scraggie and I have a habit of singing "I'm in the mood for love, simply because you're near me" to each other! Barmy nuts!
October
2: We watched the eclipse which lasted about two hours. We were in the reference library when it began, and when I got home I saw it through some negatives. Ruke Schulz, Doreen Brown's German pen-friend, came to school again and helped me with my pronounciation.
12: In English we are doing "The Clerk's Tale" by Chaucer, and we shall do Scott's "The Antiquary" next, with Miss Maggs. With Mr Hasson we are doing "Hamlet". In French we are on "La Princesse de Cleves". We have a lot of questions to answer, which entails looking things up in the Public Library.
13: In German we are doing "Deutsches Leben II" but it is getting rather hard so Miss Maggs is going to give us sentences out of her head in future. The Spanish is merely revision, the translations being either amusing stories or historical or literary events. Ann Lovell hopes to take it this term.
14: Granny Hasson is ill. I think it is an inflamed gall-bladder but she is too old to risk an operation.
20: Miss Maggs is reading "The Antiquary" to us, but it is terribly hard to follow as she reads so quickly and it is quite an effort to pay any attention. I went to the study when a prefect was called for and Miss Adamson asked me to find someone to do Junior Room teas, so I got Carter.
21: I am using my new fountain-pen, a grey one with gold bits, 2/6d. from Woolworth. I bought it while shopping one day with Carol Carter.
23: Harry did not come today. I suppose she is preparing for the invasion of Stoney, Shorter and Judith tonight.
26: I must be psychic. I was walking along the road from the Junior House and something told me that Judith would look out of her Granny's window and she did! Then she came up to the form- room and had a chat.
29: We now have a fire in our cold little Sixth form.
30: In my music lesson Miss Rudman asked me if I would go to the Music Club Concert at the Majestic on Sunday to turn over pages for her. She is accompanying a 'cello player. So I agreed.
November
2: A miserable day today. We did not want to play hockey but had to. I was a left back with Sally Nicholas, and then with Cynthia Talbot.
5: I went shopping with Firouzeh Cohen. Lovell had Spanish oral after our usual lesson so I stayed to that. then she had to change because she was going to the theatre with her mother.
6: The Festival is only a week ahead! How it has sprung up unseen this year.
11: The stove in the reference library has been left on again, so we are not allowed to use it any more. Actually we think it is the younger ones who use it in the evenings, but Mr Hasson won't hear of that. I went shopping with Parsons and Huddle and put œ3 in the P.O.
12: This evening I went to the Leas Cliff Hall for a concert by Gerald Moore on piano accompaniement. Miss Rudman had two free seats in return for selling tickets for the concert. It was very amusing and interesting and Mr Moore plays beautifully. The Hudlestons were there.
19: In our English lesson Mr Hasson told us a dirty joke about a man who tells his son he is really his mother, and the butler says he is the father. He was going to put that into the Nonnington show.
25: There was no literature today so I spent the morning in the dormitory. I played a game with a nail-file on a piece of string, swinging it around the dormy on their washing line.
December
2: The second-year Sixth have asked if we can all get together one day to do an end-of-term play.
11: After break this morning we all got together in Dormy 17 to discuss the play, and we have decided upon "Robinson Crusoe". I wrote out some of the words in rhyme during lunch, and read it out to them afterwards.
15: Greenham and Sonia Hughes turned up to watch the end-of-term plays.
SPRING TERM 1960
January
14: I had Spanish with Margaret Stephens. Rachel came to tea on her way home.
15: I talked to Ann Croft about travelling, school and Pierre etc.
18: I had a sore throat this morning, so as I have no lessons on Monday I spent the morning in bed and listened to a French lesson on the radio. I went to school after lunch and heard the LP of "West Side Story" in the dormitory. Then I did some work with Sarah in the form-room and talked to Croftie.
19: We have begun "Northanger Abbey" in Miss Maggs' lesson. After lunch I collected some Latin prep for Lower IVA from Miss Adamson and I read "La Princesse de ClŠves" in the form-room while they did it. Jean Bristow kept turning round and doing the work with the ones behind her.
21: The boarders are being very unsociable. They don't seem to want the day-girls in their dormy any more. But we have nowhere else to go when we cannot use the form-room.
28: I asked Doreen if I could borrow her "Nine French Poets" book and she sent it to me by Theo Schofield. We read the first poem, "Le toit s'‚gaie et rit" by Victor Hugo. Sarah had to go home and look after her sister so Margaret Stephens and I had our Spanish lesson without her. Miss Maggs has a foul cold. Ugh!
29: I went to the first speaking part rehearsal of the panto - first scene. The wicked mayor has accused Robinson Crusoe of stealing his wallet and has sent him on a ship which he is paying the Captain to sink with all hands.
Feb
10: In Mr Hasson's lesson we began to talk about Wordsworth. He finds his poetry boring and laboured.
11: Joy told Sarah, Huddle and me about "Libel" with Dirk Bogarde which is now at the Odeon. I bought a Valentine card which I must post tomorrow for Rachel. After Spanish Miss Maggs and I wrote Russian words on the blackboard.
15: Rachel brought the Valentine card to school, not knowing it was from me! I have told Huddle and Sarah, and of course Joy.
17: We read "Michael" (Wordsworth) with Mr Hasson. He thought we would find it boring but I liked it quite a lot. At lunchtime Joy came home with me and I gave her 11/6d for a ticket for the Cancer Research Ball. She has asked me to do three more posters for it.
19: Whilst we were having French in the Junior House kitchen, Mr Hasson announced over the loudspeaker that the Queen has had a baby - a son! It arrived at 3.15.
29: Miss Godwyn made us go to hockey at 2 because so many were late on Friday. I talked to Jane. She mentions going to Germany on a student's allowance.
March
1: In "Paradise Lost" Satan is crawling nearer to Adam and Eve, disguised as various animals. I listed to Hardy Kruger's record "I'm a lonely man". They had it on faint; Bristow thought it was a Chipmunk record.
2: Miss Adamson has announced that there is to be a lecture on commercial art on Friday, but Miss Maggs refused firmly to let us go. Miss A said that Mr Hasson is going to ask her to excuse us. There was a full rehearsal of the panto today. I made friends with Phoebe, one of the bandsmen's dogs. Janet came, with Judy the little poodle, who has a sore neck.
4: The commercial art lecture was very dull.
8: There was a clothes inspection, so we could not get much of the Milton done.
11: We have almost reached the passage in Milton which Miss Maggs wants to leave out because, in her own words "It is too carnal for one to enjoy reading it aloud"!
14: I took the cine camera this afternoon and took Miss Maggs all dressed up, Martin, Rammy, Marsh, Joy, Rachel etc. I sat between Margaret and Janet Rigby at the dress rehearsal in the gym. I am in charge of all the props. The costumes are not from Fox's this year.
15: The stage rehearsal went quite well. I got very tired standing behind scenes, holding the curtain back and dishing out props, so after supper I went to bed - at 8 o'clock. Oh, I do hope nothing awful goes wrong tomorrow!
16: I helped Mum do the makeup in dormy 3. Mr H was cross because his people came to us to be made up or have their faces changed! The show went off well. I saw the fire ballet from the front.
17: From 9.30 - 11.00 Huddle, Bricko and I played paper games in the Science VI form-room. Bristow's acid marks on her face are a little better, but the one on her leg has pus.
18: The audience was rotten today, probably because the school was not there. Martin was nervous - her mother was coming and also Miss Squire was to be there. I filmed Martin in the garden and again at the theatre in the St Trinian's costume.
22: Collett is leaving tomorrow and they are having a party at Charles as a farewell to her. I cannot go because of the folk-dancing.
23: I had coffee with Huddle, Harry, Rammy, Scraggy, Joy and Marsh in Frogmore.
28: Joy says Mandy is asking her brother if he will go to the Ball with us.
29: We talked in the form-room about Holland and Harry taught us a little Dutch.
SUMMER TERM 1960
April
29: I missed Miss Maggs' lesson because of music, but apparently she just gossiped so I did not miss anything.
May
4: I walked down town with Joy and met the others in the Tatler Tearooms at 10.30. Rammy and Gatty joined us for coffee.
5: Martin has mumps - at least, so everyone says, and Mr Hasson won't call the doctor because he might say she must stay in bed.
12: We read some more Coleridge, and Mr H explained to us about Fascism and Communism. I played tennis with Doreen Stone and Rachel.
13: Mummy had bought me a little camera thing with a film strip of Princess Margaret's wedding. I showed it to Crumpy, Huddle and Doreen after lunch.
16: I told them the joke about the man who had to give a very short lecture on Sex, so he said "Ladies and Gentlemen, it gives me great pleasure..." and sat down!
17: I went down town with Huddle and Firouzeh, bought some Signal toothpaste, and came back with Joy and Sarah.
19: Joy and I had a poem-writing competition. I wrote one called "Ode to a fallen lilac-tree" and a sonnet to a Sunset.
24: I played tennis with Gatty and Virginia.
26: I did some work in the garden with Joy while Mr Marsden mowed the lawn.
30: In English, Miss Maggs talked about how the middle school's standard is bad compared to Remove.
June
1: At 2.15 we had our A-level French oral. The examiner was Doctor West, who was a very sweet, motherly old lady.
2: I sat out in the garden most of the morning with Huddle and Joy (and Sarah later), but we talked so much that I did not get any work done. We are doing Byron in English but I don't understand it very well.
7: I read a book which Mrs Field lent to Rachel on the Facts of Life.
13: I could not do any work at school because Joy and Rachel were talking about cricket, so after break I went home and read a lot of poetry into the tape-recorder.
17: We played Folkestone Technical School and I umpired on Court 5.
29: I did German all morning, partly in the library, and when Miss Kennedy had a babies' dancing class I went up to the form-room. We had a clothes inspection and I did Modern V.
30: I did a lot of German today out of Michelle Ambrose's book, which is very helpful. I walked to tennis with Elizabeth and had a most enjoyable game: 4-3 to her. I walked back with Huddle and Joy and we talked about homos.
July
1: Mr Leech came to talk to us this morning as Mr Lug has left. He is so boring and heavy. In German Ozzy had a London exam paper and we translated from it.
4: I played the piano to them: South Pacific, Oklahoma etc.
6: Sarah was away all day - at a wedding, I believe, and Joy is in Bristol. Juliet Lovell's _Wicker's) baby is called Sarah.
8: After lunch there was the tennis tournament and I was linesman. Joy beat Bricko, and Crump beat Susan Koettlitz, and then Joy and Crump had to postpone their match because of the rain. Lyn somebody beat Caroline Hardy in the Junior Finals.
Saturday 16: Sarah, Huddle, Martin and I trained to Cannon Street. Mrs Martin drove us to Parliament Square and we went to the West End and got our œ1 tickets at the Palace. Then we shopped and had coffee, had lunch in the Salad Bowl, tubed to Hyde Park, back to see "Flower Drum Song", back to the Park, and back again to Lyons Corner House for a wimpy and orange juice before catching the 7.10 train home.
18: We went to the School service at Church this afternoon. As prefects we had to hand out the papers and show the people to their seats. Dolton was there, and also Anne Lovell.
19: The School photos were taken today. There do not seem to be as many as usual, just the two big ones, the tennis and cricket teams and the second year prefects with Bristow.
22: We had Miss Maggs who said we were "noble" to be prepared for a lesson, as some people imagined work was over for the term.
25: We went to Canterbury this morning at 11.30 with Duds, Janet, Granny and Adamson. We went with a guide round the Cathedral and with another round the outside, to the ruins and along the Roman wall. We had tea in the Coffee House, and how our feet were aching. It was quite fun, but boring in parts.
26: I had my last music lesson with Miss Rudman and gave her the green lacy scarf. Then I helped with books in the dining room. I went down town and joined up with Judith and Harry. J had Jenon, her second black poodle. We had soppy films after lunch. I went to a prefects' meeting at 6.15 and then went to see Judith again.
MICHAELMAS TERM 1960
September
22: Back to school as Deputy Head.
23: I asked Danny to break the lock in the music room cupboard as the key won't fit. We had a meeting with Miss Godwyn who says no-one may get out of gym. Then we had English with Duds and talked about Hamlet.
27: Sarah and I waited for Miss Maggs to give us our Italian lesson but she never turned up. It turned out she was in a muddle about where she was giving lessons. I did Junior Teas with Sally Topham. It was sphaghetti and doughnuts but we gave ours up as there was not enough to go round.
28: I took the Upper III for a reading lesson and we did "The Water Babies".
30: I overslept today so got up at 10 to 9 and was at school by 9.10. We did gym in which we played volleyball and did rhythmic exercises.
October
5: Sister talked to all the seniors about hygiene and Christine was called upon to undertake rather an embarrassing task!
7: We had gym and were allowed to use the apparatus however we liked. We played hockey for the first time this year and got ever so puffed.
11: I had a fine fight with Maggs about having my German lesson instead of Italian, but I got my way in the end.
12: Susan Griffin and Valerie were learning French poetry with their feet up on the wall. We have some apples and pears in the dormy, which brings hundreds of wasps in. The best one at killing them is Bricko.
13: I did no work today at all. I played request tunes in the senior lounge, much to the amusement of Miss Valentine and the chars.
14: Janet's baby arrived today at 11.30! It is called Sally. After netball we bought a pink pram cover and a pretty white dress and took them to the hospital.
17: I tried hard to work in the dormy, and managed to copy out a couple of English essays, but what with local gossip, boyfriends, requests for my designing monograms, and wasp troubles, it was not easy. In netball I played Centre for the first time and did quite well, I thought!
18: I walked down to Cheriton and watched the hockey match against the WRAF who were choosing their team. I talked to Margaret Harrison whose dog Sammy was playing with two other dogs.
19: Miss Maggs says if I miss too many lessons I shan't pass the German exam, but I intend to do a lot in the holidays.
21: In gym we did stretching wide and keeping close exercises. I went back at 8 for German; Miss Maggs took her shoe off and....ugh!
25: After lunch Crumpy, Heming, Griffin and I walked to Marshall's, bought a melon and took it to Janet Hasson in the Royal Victoria Hospital. We sat and chatted for 21-30 minutes - she did most of the talking!
31: There is still no tuck yet. Poor kids. Poor prefects!
November
2: I did teas with Griffin as Crumpy wanted to get home because of her bad finger which she bashed in netball.
3: Sarah and I sat on the sofa with our legs curled up, during "Middlemarch" in which Mr Casaubon has at last died.
4: I had a double music lesson, 9.30 - 10.30 in which Mrs Johnson gave me absolutely piles of pieces to learn. Mr Hasson read us out some notes on John Milton.
8: There was a slight mixup over the blower for Prayers. Fuz thought I was not coming and did it, and then I did it too. However no-one seems to have heard Fuz so all was OK.
10: Poor old Susan Griffin was suddenly told she had to go to hospital for an operation on the veins in her legs, and she was so stunned with shock she could hardly think straight! In choir Mrs Johnson chose the people to sing at Malcolm's wedding, and I am one, lucky me!
11: I missed gym again because of a music lesson, and I had forgotten to excuse myself to Miss Godwyn, who was not very pleased.
14: Bricko is just finishing her pale-blue bell-shaped dress which she is making. It is a very pretty one. I enjoyed netball and played a defence against Penny Smith. Miss Maggs was very sleepy during German.
17: Mr Hasson saw a duster hanging out of Lower IVA, pulled it and over went a large bottle of ink, so Sarah, two smaller ones and I wiped it up, and Mr Palmer got it off the walls.
18: The choir is very much better in Ave Maria, but their timing is not perfect yet. In music Mrs Johnson gave me some sight-reading - all the sharps, and jungles full of double sharps and naturals!
22: Susan Griffin came back from hospital and showed us her bruises and the cuts where they took an artery right out of her leg. Sarah was having her exam for entrance into Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford. We sang the wedding pieces in the junior assembly room and our voices sounded much better there.
24: I have been doing very little work lately. Next term I must not allow the others in the dormy to distract me.
25: At 6.10 Miss Liddiard and Malcolm picked us up and drove us to the RC Church at Hythe where we practised our singing.
28: My "Deutsches Leben III" was due back at the library on Saturday, so Susan Bristow very kindly took it in for me and got it out for the end of the year. I got a letter from Jane Fulcher in Germany. We rehearsed our wedding songs in front of the juniors and they were very bad.
29: At 12.15 Col Lambert and a taxi took us choir to the RC Church at Hythe were we sang "Ave Maria" and "Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring" at Miss Liddiard's and Malcolm Thompson's wedding.
December
2: Janet and I and four others helped cart scenery and props over to the hall, and at 10.30 the Stirling Players performed two French plays. One actor looked like a mixture of Peter Sellers and Anthony Newley.
6: We rehearsed our end-of-term play for the first time and it really is rather amusing. In it I play three tunes (piglets, chorus and Living Doll) and also do a Strand cigarette advert.
7: Dudley talked about George Eliot. At 7.00 Heming came and saw him on T.V. on the "Beat your Neighbour" quiz show which was such a lot of bother to put on.
8: We had a long rehearsal and the play is now taking shape. I began to make a big spider for Bristow's Cadum advert.
9: Mum made some theatrical œ5 notes for Nonnington, and Griffin bought some caps for my toy revolver for Mandy to use. Everything went well at Nonnington. Janet Rigby and I stage-managed. There were lots of props but I did not forget anything. We sang carols by candlelight. They gave me some toffees.
12: We had our Xmas presents in the dormy. Sarah gave me some blue panties, Heming a Christmas pudding, Bricko and Sharp a drawing book and two sugar snowmen, Griffin some nylons and Sharp alone a pencil and hanky. The others gave me lots of cards. My presents were much appreciated.
13: I went to town with Sarah, Heming and Griffin, and we had elevenses in Bobby's snack bar. Our play was very successful. Mr Hasson seemed quite impressed and kept referring to it in his speech.
SPRING TERM 1961
January
12: Back to school, work, responsibilites, duties - J Rigby and N Benson have been made prefects to replace those who left.
13: In gym we did vaulting, which of course was not quite my cup of tea. Dudley read us part of The Clerk's Tale.
16: I finished a Middlemarch essay about the dramatic scene of Bulstrode's dismissal from public positions. We played netball. Mr Hasson had arranged for us to go to Dover to get tuck but he had parents so we could not go.
18: At 3.15 I took Upper III for general knowledge around the form. I did German instead of English as Sarah and Heming had hockey.
19: In the dormy I tried out judo learned from my brother - very popular!
20: In gym I at last managed to get my feet up on the full box! After lunch all the prefects were invited to the Junior House Fancy Dress Parade. Anne Bristow was a fairy but did not win a prize. Gail was the funniest Beatnik I've ever seen!
23: Crumpy had a letter from Susan Barber who is now in the Japanese Embassy in Paris! Miss Maggs went to see Dora in Oxford over the weekend and she spent all our lesson chatting about the journey and Dora's boyfriend. She lost her bag with all her timetables and mark-books and was moaning all through my German class.
24: The first speaking panto rehearsal went off surprisingly well.
25: Dudley talked about Wordsworth - we've heard it all thousands of times. I think he's taught us all he knows and is short of something to say! The Upper III were messing about and all wanting to "go to the Charles" and Mrs Dobson came in, having caught three of them mucking around outside.
26: I was on good terms with everybody today. My jokes were laughed at in the dormy, Hemming back-combed my hair and the debate in Lower IVB was very interesting, except that the noise increased gradually.
27: In German, while I translated a passage in which the spirits send Faust to sleep by hypnotic chants, Miss Maggs went almost to sleep herself!
28: I made a blunder when I barged into a staff meeting to get the balls for netball, and got chucked out by Addie and Mrs Guppy!
February
1: The tuck has run out - it lasted ten days! Upper III was unbelievably good when I took them for general knowledge. Apparently they have been given order marks - a great idea.
2: I was moaning to Susan Griffin about having to go to German instead of the Tennis Club Dance, and she suggested I changed lessons with her, so I did. Sarah Atkinson, Gloria and Anthony Wallis came for drinks. The party was really heavenly.
3: Miss Adamson read a letter from Mr H out to us in Prayers, saying the panto has had to be cancelled because of his illness. Miss Maggs is going to try and do as many of his lessons as possible.
8: They say Mr Hasson has heart trouble. Bricko wrote to him. I shall do it tomorrow.
9: I let Lower IVB do prep instead of having a discussion, which was a mistake as most of them played games or read comics.
15: I gave Upper III an art lesson - figure drawing and faces. I asked Griffin to go to her class with Miss Maggs this evening instead of me so that I can watch the song contest and the eclipse on TV.
16: I forgot tuck shop again. Poor Fuz! However, most people have given up sweets for Lent so there was only a handful of people. We discussed in the dormy running a 1920 dance after the Deal/Folkestone netball match in the hols.
17: We had skin tests done. I was first, and whereas everyone else's just left a few little dots, mine has a big red shape of the plunger on it.
20: I showed the skin test on my arm to Sister who did not seem unduly perturbed but told me to keep it dry and not to scratch if it itches. I enjoyed netball. We thought out a secret code (3421) for passing the ball from centre.
23: I had fun in the ll.15 lesson; I made them describe the face of one of their friends, which was very popular.
24: We had the TAB injections this morning. I was first again, but it did not hurt me at all. I hardly felt a thing, though Sharp says hers hurt her a good deal.
28: Miss Maggs was in a filthy temper this morning - said my essays were terrible. She went to see Mr H the other day and the nurse would not let her in.
March
2: I did tuck with Firouzeh again. She got there before me as I did not get up quite early enough.
6: Everyone seemed fed up at school, and I caught the disease in spite of the fine weather. Maggs was disheartening over our English. I went down to the PO with Sarah and we poured all our grumbles out upon one another.
7: Clothes inspection this morning. At ll.30 a WRAC came to give us a talk and a film. No-one knew anything about her coming as Dudley forgot to tell anybody.
8: Sarah, Heming and I worked in the reference library and I got a lot of German done. Sharp was very amused by the card I gave her yesterday, and the envelope. In the Upper III they painted their weekend pictures and we laughed a lot.
9: I went to another concert at the Grammar School - the 'cellist looked rather like James Mason.
13: There is a 6th form opinion magazine being begun, and Heming and I have decided to do a combined article for it. Miss Maggs went over my essay on "Oh that this too, too solid flesh..."
14: Elizabeth Grant gave me a 1d as a bet that I win the painting competition. Heming came to tea and we wrote words to my latest song, although we had intended to discuss Christianity as an article for the VI Form Opinion, but we did not feel in the mood.
15: Bristow has bought a very pretty new dress - pale green brocade.
17: St Patrick's Day, and Miss Cronin wore a sprig of shamrock in her buttonhole.
18. Susan Botsford showed Sister a dummy spider which put her into a state of hysteria.
24: The boarders were packing today so there was chaos in the dormy.
28: We had a choir rehearsal of the descant for the end of term hymn. After break Crumpy and I went to Bobby's and had iced coffee.
SUMMER TERM 1961
May
4: It's really awful to be back, to face responsibilities, to lose ones freedom and to have to work! I arranged the tuck shop and ordered a new lot.
8: I am very glad to see that my desire for study has returned. Last week I felt as if I could burst with despondency!
9: Miss Adamson gave out the Brooke Bond Competition results and I have won first prize with my painting! I took a form down to tennis and brought one back, and then played with Penny, Mary and Janet Rigby.
12: How Christine & Co. interrupt the English lessons! Not only do they seize every possible lesson, but when they get it they chat and play about!
16: In the playing field was a mobile vet's caravan and Heming and I went down at 12 to be shown round it.
19: In prayers Addie walked down and Sharp was behind her. I said "Hey! You taking the mickey?" and she shouted "No!" The French oral exams were today and Crumpy was quite cheerful about hers.
25: We had polio injections after lunch and it hurt a good deal. I had a nice game of tennis with Janet and Barbara and Gillian. Mrs Johnson was very pleased with what the choir had learnt. I have taught them the first verse of "Give ear to me".
26: I forgot to go to Miss Maggs until I heard Jenny and Janet being called. I had been with Griffin and Cynny and we had been making funny noises and being mad.
30: Lower IVB were trying to find the sum of numbers, and I showed them how to use the formula.
31: Mr Hasson has asked me to paint a back-cloth for "The Merchant of Venice"! I also did a picture today for Lydia Dunn and Liz Grant of a miller and two peasants.
June 1: Duds gave us an interesting lecture on Milton's poetry. I did an essay on Milton's sublimity after doing teas.
2: The new lot of tuck came today, but four tins of crisps and some flying saucers have not been found.
6: I really enjoyed by German Oral this afternoon. I had not been nervous at all except for just before I went in, but once in, everything was alright. We talked about my German books, trips to Austria, languages, the Foreign Office etc.
7: My Penguin "Merchant of Venice" has come, and tomorrow I must copy in the cuts from Val's copy. I took Upper III for the whole afternoon as Heming is doing it on Wednesday. We did knots and drawing and then I read them a story about Professor Branestawm.
8: Dudley's lesson was about poetry. Sarah and I had heard it all before! He says he's expecting us to get very high marks. I played tennis with Susan Goatman, P. Townsend and Gillian. A ball went over the wall into the Grammar School but someone found it.
9: In our scholarship lesson, Mr Hasson gave us a talk about what he calls Pathetic Fallacy, but which is really personification. I told him Maggs thought differently and he said he thought he was right but would make certain. In the dictionary it defines it as Maggs does.
13: Lower IV were very good today. They seem to be holding a "bring and buy" and Sherian kept trying to make me buy dolls and bracelets and such-like.
14: I did Chaucer the whole morning, picking out the words I did not know. There was a rehearsal after lunch and then I took Upper III. One of them wanted me to draw Jocelyn Worts, and then I had to do Angela Brookes and Elizabeth Grant.
21: Dudley called me to the study to show me the caskets Danny made for "The Merchant of Venice".
27: Bristow had two exams today and says the second one was foul. Instead of choir practice I just played tunes on the piano. I then read "The Old Curiosity Shop" in dormy 12 as Sharp was sleeping upstairs.
29: Everyone seems so nice today, for some reason. Fuz and I did not quarrel, Heming was in a good mood, Bristow and Sharp were very friendly. Poor Sarah has a bad ear-ache but she got throught the scholarship exam OK. I thought it was quite a decent paper.
30: Another scorcher! It's awful having to sit indoors the whole time. Heming has a great blister on her foot so she sits out in the garden with her leg up on a pillow and has gone very red.
July
6: I was rather bored all day, having no exams to work for. I took some people down to tennis and I played with Sharpy, Gillian and Caroline Hardy. Penny Cook beat Lyn, and Bricko has beaten Heming.
7: I spent today drawing the Venice back-cloth while Danny bashed hooks in all over the place and Mrs Steers sewed curtain rings on. It really promises to look quite good.
10: I showed my canvas to Dudley at the rehearsal and he was very pleased. I must finish it off with poster paints some time this week. We sang "Give ear" in Prayers. Everyone came straight in and sat down, as an experiment to speed up Prayers. Sarah beat Bristow in the tennis finals and Sanam beat Jacky Kelly.
11: After taking Lower IV I went with Christine to the Hall and did the next stage on my canvas - shadows with poster paints. Now I have only the finishing touches to do.
12: I finished the back-cloth this morning, and as it was pouring with rain, Cynny, Griffin and I stayed in the hall playing around with the curtains while Mrs Johnson gave music lessons.
14. Poor Griffin's thumb is septic where she cut herself on the cymbals. I sat in dormy 12 more than 1; it's more fun down there. We tried on the "Merchant" costumes in the sick-room.
17: The school service was this afternoon. The organist wasn't much help. First he played queer harmonies while we struggled with the descant, and then he didn't help the juniors in with their entry, so I offered a weak "Alleluja" and they were OK. The Canon and Mr Leech came to tea, for which Bristow and I served. Sally Hasson was very sweet.
18: This morning I went shopping with Sarah. We went to the library and I also bought presents for Mummy and Miss Maggs. After lunch we had the dress rehearsal of the Merchant. It went very well indeed on the whole. Then I went to look at the make-up in the pantomime store, and I played the Bach two-part invention until supper time. Griffin was in a silly mood, and so was I, all today.
19: I find it very boring in dormy 1, they are so serious up there. In 12 it is much more fun, so I sit there most of the time.
21: At 6 I began makeup for the "Merchant" but I had to finish during the performance. Then we had photos of the play and I was whacked afterwards!
Sun 23: We drove in the Bristows' new car to "Welcombe" for the Old Girls' coffee party. I joined up and got a badge.
24: I spent the morning taking props from the New Hall over to the panto store. I had a good snoop at the Museum up there, in a dreadful state of neglect. A giant pea-pod fascinated me the most. After break Mrs Whiteside and Miss Kay showed us films of the Middle East.
25: My last day at school. I was too busy all morning to feel sad. I got some Lower IVs to take the scenery to the gym and then I did the books in the dining room. After lunch we had some extremely dull films.
