The CBB :: View topic - Prizes in Kenya

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#1: Prizes in Kenya Author: Joyce, Location: Hong Kong

Posted: Sat Mar 17, 2007 4:21 am
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Can anyone explain just WHY the school needed so many prizes for the gymkhana?

The san and the staff were in charge of the prizes for the flower show so they only needed to provide prizes for the races.

There are eight races with five classes in each race. 8x5 is 40. Then they probably need to give first, second and third prizes so that's 120 prizes.

Then apparently EVERYONE in the school gave a prize (and I wonder what would happen if you got your own prize back?) and some gave two. Now even assuming there are only 100 at the school if 20 people gave two then they would have the 120.

How could they possibly still need to buy 20-odd prizes?

Joey of course comes to the rescue with a BASKET full of old stuff - does this woman throw nothing out? And how could she possibly remember all that junk?

Can you imagine the letter she wrote - one blue china jug (NOT the pink one!) , one necklace of beads (blue), one small vase with little red flowers etc etc. It would go on forever.

Cheers,
Joyce

#2: Author: JayB, Location: SE England

Posted: Sat Mar 17, 2007 11:07 am
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Quote:

Joey of course comes to the rescue with a BASKET full of old stuff - does this woman throw nothing out?

Considering the number of times she's moved, and that for most of her married life until she moved to Switzerland there was rationing and shortages, it's amazing that she's accumulated so much stuff. At one point she finds enough pieces of fabric/old clothes - can't recall which - to make fancy dress for everyone at a half term party.

#3: Author: Mrs Redboots, Location: London, UK

Posted: Sat Mar 17, 2007 3:54 pm
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Yes, but don't forget that Joey's culture was nothing like the throwaway culture of today. All her married life was during the War and immediate post-War years when you simply didn't throw anything away, as you never knew when you could replace it. Clothes and stockings had to be mended and re-mended and re-re-mended, as you could rarely get new ones - and if you could, you tended to get them for your kids who outgrew things.

So Joey would have hung on to things because that's what women did in those days! Possibly not in Switzerland so much - after all, they hadn't been involved in the War - but EBD didn't actually live there, and the Gornetz Platz is really just Armishire with mountains.

#4: Author: JayB, Location: SE England

Posted: Sat Mar 17, 2007 4:39 pm
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Agreed - and Joey does talk about the number of little girls' frocks she's got put away. But where did all the nick-nacks come from? Joey hadn't had time to accumulate a houseful of oddments before the war. Maybe they just brought everything from Pretty Maids, whether they needed it or not.

#5: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Sat Mar 17, 2007 7:17 pm
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JayB wrote:

Maybe they just brought everything from Pretty Maids, whether they needed it or not.

My friend's parents brought practically every ornament/knick-knack/bit of crap from both their childhood homes to their own house when their respective parents passed away. They are lovely people but I've never seen a house with so much junk in it!

It does seem odd that Joey would've had so much stuff when she'd moved house (and moved countries at that) so often, though Confused

. Or maybe she just stocked up on stuff because there never seemed to be any shops on the Gornetz Platz!

#6: Author: Squirrel, Location: St-Andrews or Dunfermline

Posted: Sat Mar 17, 2007 7:53 pm
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Several years worth of school sale stuff?

I know I was constantly amazed at the number (and quality!) of items produced each year. What's the betting that Jo got a fair percentage of it from sales as the years went by. Prize winners probably wouldn't realise that was where it came from!

#7: Author: Ruth B, Location: Oxford, UK

Posted: Sat Mar 17, 2007 10:48 pm
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Personally, I wish we could go back to the days when one person could provide enough prizes for a school sports day from things they had stored around the house. Seems preferable to me to the Anthea Turner, Perfect Housewife mentality of "Let's throw everything in a skip to make the place look nice"

#8: Author: JustJen, Location: at a baseball game

Posted: Sun Mar 18, 2007 5:21 am
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I've always wondered why the students had to provide the prizes instead of the school (ie Board of Govenors) itself. II know the school gave cups and awards but I did think it was unfair to make the Prefects provide prizes.

#9: Author: Joyce, Location: Hong Kong

Posted: Sun Mar 18, 2007 6:55 am
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JustJen wrote:

I did think it was unfair to make the Prefects provide prizes.

I can understand that when it was 'their' night then fair enough, they provide the prizes.

And there is a comment somewhere that they are not allowed to go beyond a certain price when putting on a night - so that leaves them with either making simple prizes or ransacking their own stuff.

But you're right - for a school event it does seem unfair that they need to provide prizes as well.

Cheers,
Joyce

#10: Author: joyclark,

Posted: Sun Mar 18, 2007 8:04 am
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Joyce wrote:

JustJen wrote:

I did think it was unfair to make the Prefects provide prizes.

for a school event it does seem unfair that they need to provide prizes as well.

Cheers,
Joyce

What surpises me is that they know it's coming up and yet they always seem to scrabbling around for prizes. Why not all brng three little low price whatevers back with them after the holiday so they're all prepared in advance?

#11: Author: Joyce, Location: Hong Kong

Posted: Sun Mar 18, 2007 1:16 pm
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[quote="joyclark"]What surpises me is that they know it's coming up and yet they always seem to scrabbling around for prizes. Why not all brng three little low price whatevers back with them after the holiday so they're all prepared in advance?[/quote]

you'd think! they always seem to think of ideas at the last second as well! I guess it's a way to show off their ingenuity Very Happy

Cheers,
Joyce

#12: Author: Mel, Location: UP NORTH

Posted: Sun Mar 18, 2007 2:56 pm
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If it's supposed to be for economy it doesn't work as they are always sending home for stuff which must have cost a fortune in postage. Think of all those parents having to wrap and post lacrosse sticks in 'Ruey'! Also the value of those 'trifles' they give vary in value. In one book a child gets a pad of school blotting paper (rainbow hues) while another gets a signed Josephine M. Bettany!

#13: Author: Clare, Location: Liverpool

Posted: Sun Mar 18, 2007 6:08 pm
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joyclark wrote:

They do the same with the sale! Just reading 'Bride' and they're discussing the theme - as the sale is only three weeks away!

#14: Author: Loryat,

Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 5:57 pm
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Mel wrote:

If it's supposed to be for economy it doesn't work as they are always sending home for stuff which must have cost a fortune in postage. Think of all those parents having to wrap and post lacrosse sticks in 'Ruey'! Also the value of those 'trifles' they give vary in value. In one book a child gets a pad of school blotting paper (rainbow hues) while another gets a signed Josephine M. Bettany!

The maddest thing IMO is when Kathie Ferrars gets her aunt to post an old frock out to her just for the prefects evening.

Though when you consider that the frock was unwearable but hadn't been chucked out, that does suggest a thrifty econoical practise. I think in CS land people economise on goods not cash - they're pretty well off so they don't have to be scraping the pennies together, but mass production was nowhere near the levels it is today.

ETA Maybe some of the prizes (those donated by middles for eg) weren't very good so had to be supplemented? Or maybe they wanted some properly 'nice' ones for the best prizes?

#15: Author: Róisín, Location: Gaillimh

Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 6:05 pm
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I love that bit when Kathy gets the dress sent out! It's so quaint. Also, the fact that she is 22 or 23 and still wears her school blazer as every day wear. So very thrifty. I miss my school blazer, it was warm.

#16: Author: JayB, Location: SE England

Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 6:05 pm
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Quote:

I think in CS land people economise on goods not cash - they're pretty well off so they don't have to be scraping the pennies together, but mass production was nowhere near the levels it is today.

Again it goes back to wartime and postwar conditions, when everything was either rationed or completely unavailable.

People might have money, but there was nothing to spend it on. Some things were still rationed in the UK when the School moved to Switzerland. Rationing didn't finally end until 1954.

Kathie's frock might have been unwearable as a frock, but enough of the fabric might have been salvageable to make something else.

#17: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 6:06 pm
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IIRC, Kathie'd had a nosebleed all down the frock in question (ugh!) and then the colours'd run in the wash, and it wasn't fit to wear - so I can't think why on earth they'd've kept it! If it was that bad and you were being thrifty, surely you'd cut it up to make dusters or something.

#18: Author: Róisín, Location: Gaillimh

Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 6:09 pm
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Yes, there are a good few examples of Joey cutting up old dresses for dusters. Also the time she cuts up her old school uniform to make twin dresses for the Highland girls - she kept her uniform in the attic all that time.

#19: Author: Tiffany, Location: Is this a duck I see behind me?

Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 6:16 pm
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Alison H wrote:

IIRC, Kathie'd had a nosebleed all down the frock in question (ugh!) and then the colours'd run in the wash, and it wasn't fit to wear - so I can't think why on earth they'd've kept it! If it was that bad and you were being thrifty, surely you'd cut it up to make dusters or something.

Or dye it navy/dark red/ black and go on wearing it?

#20: Author: Loryat,

Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 6:24 pm
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JayB wrote:

People might have money, but there was nothing to spend it on.

That is what I was trying to say in a very long winded way! You've expressed it perfectly.

#21: Author: Clare, Location: Liverpool

Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 7:02 pm
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Róisín wrote:

she kept her uniform in the attic all that time.

I initially wondered how she managed to have her school uniform still, what with fleeing the country and all. But I suppose Madge brought it with her, or maybe shipped it with the school's belongings.

#22: Author: Róisín, Location: Gaillimh

Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 8:30 pm
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What is weird is that normally, before moving country, one would have a clear-out so as to carry *less* luggage, no? But then different times etc. It's just strange to be lugging around a uniform when you have stopped using it five years ago. But then maybe she did plan to throw it on again sometime, a la Kathy F.

#23: Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US

Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 8:37 pm
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Perhaps I shouldn't say that my school blazer (c. 1968) has just turned up in a closet at my parents'?

#24: Author: Ray, Location: Bristol, England

Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 8:43 pm
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Clare wrote:

Róisín wrote:

she kept her uniform in the attic all that time.

It may well have been that Madge retained it (initially) thinking that it would be of later use to, for example, Biddy or Robin or perhaps Daisy, Primula, Peggy, Bride, Sybil... particularly if any of it had been brand new during Joey's last terms because of how much growing she'd done (and irrc, there's some comment made about exactly that in HT!). It was probably then just automatically packed in with Joey's things when they left Austria and handed over and, until HT, she hadn't seen any reason to dig through the trunk.

Given the reasons they ultimately left Austria, I can well understand why Joey would have been reluctant to open it up unless she absolutely had to.

Ray *who never thought it was that weird**but who is well aware that she descends from a very, very long line of professional packrats*

#25: Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US

Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 9:09 pm
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We wore pieces of uniform, and kept passing them down the line, long after leaving the school for which they were intended. Admittedly this could (and did) leave one open for ridicule by some of the nastier classmates, but the idea of retiring perfectly good clothing would have been anathema to the average parent.

#26: Author: Dreaming Marianne, Location: Second star to the right

Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 9:32 pm
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Indeed, cf "the Marlow privelege to wear navy" (Autumn Term, AF).

I haven't spelt privilege correctly have I? Hmmm, still doesn't look right.

#27: Author: Lesley, Location: Allhallows, Kent

Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 10:57 pm
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Dreaming Marianne wrote:

Indeed, cf "the Marlow privelege to wear navy" (Autumn Term, AF).

I haven't spelt privilege correctly have I? Hmmm, still doesn't look right.

You were correct the second time - but I did have to check in a dictionary!

#28: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 11:29 pm
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To go vaguely OT, why on earth did they change the uniform when they moved to Switzerland? And then change it again about 6 years later? At least with the second change you could keep on wearing the old stuff, but first time round everyone had to have a whole new set of clothes - including sports kit, velveteen dresses, etc - and the old stuff couldn't even be put away for younger sisters/cousins!

Very wasteful Wink

!

Although obviously they kept all their old uniforms because OOAO and the other prefects wore them for their Evening in New Mistress!

#29: Author: JayB, Location: SE England

Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2007 11:45 pm
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I suppose one could say they were updating the uniform to take advantage of the end of clothes rationing and the new fabrics that were becoming available, and have a more modern style - but it was a bit much for parents of the girls who'd been at the English branch, having to buy everything new.

#30: Author: Cath V-P, Location: Newcastle NSW

Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2007 2:03 am
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I suspect the unspoken assumption might be, "You can afford our fees, you can afford the extra cost of travel, therefore you can afford our new uniform." But I agree about the wastefulness. And perhaps EBD was sick of brown and wanted a change? Very Happy

#31: Author: joyclark,

Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2007 9:33 am
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Kathy_S wrote:

Perhaps I shouldn't say that my school blazer (c. 1968) has just turned up in a closet at my parents'?

I've got both my 'children's' school blazers upstairs, plus their school ties and school scarves. I'm a sentimental old fool, I know!! Laughing

#32: Author: JayB, Location: SE England

Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2007 10:19 am
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Cath V-P wrote:

I suspect the unspoken assumption might be, "You can afford our fees, you can afford the extra cost of travel, therefore you can afford our new uniform." But I agree about the wastefulness. And perhaps EBD was sick of brown and wanted a change? Very Happy

This has made me think of a new topic for discussion - I'm going to start a new thread.

But yes, I suspect that it was just that EBD wanted to make the Swiss adventure all the more attractive to English schoolgirls, who were used to navy gymslips and drab postwar clothes.

#33: Author: Chelsea, Location: Your Imagination

Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2007 6:01 pm
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Róisín wrote:

Yes, there are a good few examples of Joey cutting up old dresses for dusters. Also the time she cuts up her old school uniform to make twin dresses for the Highland girls - she kept her uniform in the attic all that time.

One thing that always makes me laugh in the scence. Joey says something to the effect of "it's a good think the frocks are short sleeved or we wouldn't have enough material". But, if the frocks were long-sleeved, then her's would have been too - and it would have had the extra material needed.

#34: Author: Dawn, Location: Leeds, West Yorks

Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2007 1:11 am
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Chelsea wrote:

Róisín wrote:

I always assumed that it meant that it was a good job the school still had short sleeved dresses and hadn't changed that aspect of the style (after all Joey's had had very wide, flared skirts and presumambly these now didn't - possibly due to changing fashions and possibly due to the start of being careful with clothing)

#35: Author: JayB, Location: SE England

Posted: Thu Mar 22, 2007 3:59 pm
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Under the wartime regulations for Utility clothing, girls' & women's dresses and skirts weren't permitted to have any unnecessary tucks, pleats or gathers - hence the typical 1940s style of the fairly short, straight or A-line skirt fitting smoothly over the hips, rather than being gathered at the waist. The CS would have had to adopt that style for their uniform dresses, willy-nilly.

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