The CBB :: View topic - Writers in the CS

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#1: Writers in the CS Author: Loryat,

Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 5:07 pm
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Hey this is my first topic! Hope new girls aren't meant to be piano as they are in the CS!

I've been reading some of the Wales books just now, where Gwensi Howell and Rosalie both want to be writers. I was just wondering if it's ever confirmed that they succeed?

#2: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 5:29 pm
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I don't think it ever is. There are lots of successful musical people, but never any mention of Gwensi or Rosalie - or Amy Stevens, who wanted to write poetry - ever having any of their work published. Maybe only Joey was allowed to be successful in that field!

#3: Author: Michelle, Location: Near London

Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 10:56 pm
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I wonder whether EBD would have let Con be successful in writing. All we're really sure of is that she could do an entertaining re-write of Daniel in the Lion's Den. I know she thinks about stories a lot, but does she ever actually write them down? I can't remember.

#4: Author: Changnoi, Location: Milwaukee, USA

Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 11:14 pm
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I think that in New Beginnings, Con has just published a volume of poetry, but I always thought that EBD would have had Con mending socks for her SLOC instead of writing. Or going into advertising. Or something. My impression is just that EBD never seems to take Con's writing seriously. We are told in depth about Con's silly story about Lady Alyx during the Daniel in the lion's den, which--why is it so funny??--and Joey always refers to Con writing this epic poetry that makes her neither good for man nor beast. Even as a senior, she's given to mooning to the extent that Miss A has to warn her not to moon when she appoints her as editor of the Chaletian. So I don't feel that EBD took her seriously enough to make her a writer.

My other thought is that EBD wanted only one writer and that was Joey. EBD was Joey--the parts of her that weren't OOAOML--so it'd be as difficult for her to give someone else serious writing ability as it would be for her to give someone else triplets. Although she tells us that Amy Stevens and Gwensi (I don't remember Rosalie) want to write, they're never allowed to. I have no idea what Gwensi does, as a matter of fact...

Chang

#5: Author: Michelle, Location: Near London

Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 11:22 pm
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Thank you. I kind of had that impression about Con too, but I couldn't think where it had come from.

Rosalie is writing something during Island. I can't find my copy to check the details, but I think her gang draw straws to see who's going to stay inside and do something - possibly something to do with Annis? - and Rosalie doesn't mind when it's her, as it gives her the chance to get on with her story. I think Tom describes it as "not too dusty" or something like that, and they talk about reading it, but it's never heard of again.

I wonder whether Jo takes these young writers aside and discourages them?

#6: Author: Lisa, Location: South Coast of England

Posted: Mon May 22, 2006 11:48 pm
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Ooh, I smell a drabble, my pretties ...

Bagsy not me! (Or should that be 'I'?) Wink

#7: Author: Kirsty, Location: Melbourne, Australia

Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 9:28 am
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And in Lavender (well, the non-abridged version anyway Confused

) Lavender writes a story or something when she's recovering from being pushed into the snowdrift. She wanted to be a writer as well - or at least at that point she did!

#8: Author: Elle, Location: Peterborough

Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 9:53 am
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Michelle wrote:

I wonder whether Jo takes these young writers aside and discourages them?

Or maybe offers to read their work, the publishes it as her own? Not sure how they wouldn't notice though...

*kicks bunny*

#9: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 12:49 pm
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There's a mention in one of the books - could be Joey & Co in Tirol - of kids sending Joey their work and asking what she thinks, and she seems to scoff at it all! I only remember because the kid she specifically refers to was from Rochdale and EBD very rarely mentions anyone from Lancashire! Maybe she wanted to put all aspiring writers off?

#10: Author: Caroline, Location: Manchester

Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 1:39 pm
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Changnoi wrote:

I think that in New Beginnings, Con has just published a volume of poetry, but I always thought that EBD would have had Con mending socks for her SLOC instead of writing. Or going into advertising. Or something. My impression is just that EBD never seems to take Con's writing seriously. We are told in depth about Con's silly story about Lady Alyx during the Daniel in the lion's den, which--why is it so funny??--and Joey always refers to Con writing this epic poetry that makes her neither good for man nor beast. Even as a senior, she's given to mooning to the extent that Miss A has to warn her not to moon when she appoints her as editor of the Chaletian. So I don't feel that EBD took her seriously enough to make her a writer.
Chang

Thing is, EBD portrays similar things when Joey is a teenager - Jo writing epic historical sagas about knights and their ladies etc. I can remember one example of Jo and Madge debating around the breakfast table at Die Rosen about whether Jo's heroine should get to marry the hero or go into a convent. Doesn't Jem make some comment about her not making it a tragedy becuase only geniuses can write tragedy? Is it in Exploits? I really can't remember....

I admit, EBD doesn't poke fun at Jo's early efforts in the same way as she does at Con's (or make Jo distracted by her writing at school), but she certainly portrays Jo indulging in some very early, rather tripey attempts at writing in various genres before she finds her niche. I rather think she sees writing such stuff as a right of passage (no pun intended!) for a budding author.

Caroline.

#11: Author: Caroline, Location: Manchester

Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 1:46 pm
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Sorry for spreeing, but I just found the passage I was referring to above - it's in Head Girl - chapter 14, when Jo and Grizel are at Die Rosen for half term.

Quote:

"I say, Jem, I’ve nearly finished my story! The only thing I can’t decided is what to do about marrying them.”
“Aren’t you going to marry them?” asked Madge, wh had been privledged to read the first part of this tale. “Oh, I think I should, Joey. What else do you want to do with them?”
“I could kill ‘Raymonde’ off,” said Jo. “Then ‘Adelaide’ could – could-”
“Well? Could – what?” demanded Jem
“Go into a convent?” suggested Grizel.
“Of course not, idiot! She’s not a Catholic!”
“Marry them, of course,” said Madge. “Don’t make them unhappy, Jo! Even if it’s only a story, let them end up all right.”
“Lots of stories don’t,” argued Jo as well as she could for a mouthful of cake. “Look at A Tale of Two Cities, and The Old Curiousity Shop, and The Mill on the Floss.”
“It required genius to write a tragedy, Jo,” said her brother-in-law. “I grant you that Dickens and George Eliot got away with it; but nothing is worse than the mawkish rot that some people write.”
“Well, there’s Comin’ through the Rye, an’ Trilby.”
“I’ve never read the first, but Du Maurier was as much a genius as Dickens,” said Jem.

Caroline.

#12: Author: Róisín,

Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 2:53 pm
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*EBD* didn't allow the other writergirls to become successful, but other people did. In Peace, KB had Gwensi publish her first book while still at school, and in New Beginnings, Heather Paisley has Con with a published volume of poetry.

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

Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 3:13 pm
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Not true.

EBD *DID* let one other CS writer become successful in her field: Dr Eustacia Benson. Just because it's accademic, it's still writing!

Ray *pedant*

#14: Author: Róisín,

Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 3:26 pm
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She did, but she pointed out all the time that Joey's books were more valuable. There is one scene where Daisy says something like 'psh, how many people have read her books compared to the numbers that have read yours'. In fact, the pinnacle of Eustacia's writing career seems to have been when she was asked to begin on the history of the school *g*

#15: Author: Mia, Location: London

Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 3:35 pm
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Oh yes, no other author could be as wonderful as Jo! Look at Lavender Leigh's aunt, and Yseult's mother, both are quickly squashed as being equal to if not inferior! And presumably by Lavender Sylvia Leigh had been writing for years and years and Jo had only relatively just started.

Poor Eustacia, she should have tried her hand at some schoolgirl fiction!

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

Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 3:44 pm
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Thing is, though, it's JOEY who mentions Stacie for the writing of the school's history. It's those around her who get snotty.

Mrs Pertwee's somewhat knocked for being either a crank (see the comments about brochures and King Arthur when she visits in New Mistress) or a rather racy, adult author (see Rosalie's comments to Kathie earlier in New Mistress). Whichever way you take her, she's not exactly a good CS girl and it's certainly NOT something you'd want a school girl reading (emphatically not at the time!).

As for Sylvia Leigh, is she derided? I didn't think she was, or if she was, it was being done by Bride in the midst of an argument with Lavender, both of whom are going to be biased.

Ray *hasn't read Lavender in a while since her copy is rather fragile!*

#17: Author: Mia, Location: London

Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 3:46 pm
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I was being a bit tongue-in-cheek...

#18: Author: Clare, Location: Liverpool

Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 4:45 pm
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Ray wrote:

As for Sylvia Leigh, is she derided? I didn't think she was, or if she was, it was being done by Bride in the midst of an argument with Lavender, both of whom are going to be biased.

Ray *hasn't read Lavender in a while since her copy is rather fragile!*

Lavender puts Joey down with a comment about how widelyAunt Sylvia's books are known, and Bride and chums retort with "Aunty Joey gets letters from all over the world about her books."

#19: Author: Rob, Location: Derbyshire, England

Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 5:52 pm
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I think in a way, Con suffers from the same problem that Simone has in the early books. Her character isn't developed as much as others around her are, so a stereotype has to be constantly reitterated - with Simone this is jealousy/being overly emotional, with Con it is being dreamy when thinking about stories/poetry etc. Each also gets one scene about which we are constantly reminded; for Simone, when she chops off her plait; for Con, when she says that 'Daniel bit the Lions'. Simone does change after she leaves school though, so maybe there would have been hope for Con as a writer after all!

Sylvia Leigh is more privilidged than Mrs Pertwee as some of the Lavender Laughs books are in the school library; heresy of heresies, Josette even owns a couple! (She lends them to Mary-Lou in Three Go). As far as I can see however, even the Lavender books are, to a certain extent, made non-fictional and used as pseudo-textbooks although I always got the impression that they were stories (Mary-Lou for example asks for them when she can't have lesson books after cramming with Clem for her remove). I don't think they are mentioned after the school leaves England though, unlike Joey's books!

#20: Author: Mel, Location: UP NORTH

Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 6:56 pm
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I always imagined the Lavender books to be a bit like the 'We Go..' books. 'We go to Paris...' or 'We go to Belgium..' Written in the 50s/60s they were narrative in style with plenty of information on culture, Geography etc.

#21: Author: Kathy_S, Location: midwestern US

Posted: Tue May 23, 2006 11:36 pm
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Although it may be amusing to write "only Jo was allowed to be a writer" drabbles, I could only swallow that line of reasoning in an obvious spoof.

As Ray indicated, it's Joey who says, "My good girl, I'm not the only writer this school has turned out. What about Eustacia Benson, for instance?" (Jane). Daisy naturally gives a polite response, a supportive response, about the readability of Joey's books. It is also, of course, a perfectly valid defense of popular literature. However, it should not be taken as an indictment of other forms of writing by EBD. For example, we hear that

Quote:

The arrival of the famous Dr Benson at the school had caused quite a sensation among the girls. Everyone knew that her book on Aeschylus had been hailed as likely to become the standard work on that famous dramatist. The Seniors were thrilled by the thought of coming into contact with her. -Challenge.

Nor is there any indication that Con will NOT grow up to be a writer. After all, we're all the way to Challenge before she's old enough even to be editor! And as for her mother's not taking her seriously, as early as Richenda, Joey, in addition to 'treasuring' some of Con's epics in a locked drawer, as any mother might, also looks at Con's work from the perspective of a writer.

Quote:

Most of her efforts, up to date, were mainly what any child with an ear for rhythm and rhyme might have done. Here and there, however, were lines that had made Joey regard her second girl thoughtfully.

I agree that epics and such were considered a normal phase in a writer's development. It's not just EBD. Look at the trajectories of Lucy Maud Montgomery's heroines, for example.

My feeling is that most of the potential writers we never hear from again, simply fell victim to EBD's tendency to forget about characters. And part of that may be less her desire than the demands of the trade. We may want to hear all the news about every old girl who ever was, but editors didn't. They still don't. Even GGBP balked at 'too many old girls coming out of the woodwork,' as I recall.

#22: Author: Loryat,

Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 3:36 pm
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Eustacia recieves very high praise in one of the books where a new girl is all 'you mean Dr E Benson is a girl? I assumed it was a man! My father says she's the first authority on [insert something Greek here].' So Stacie gets a lot of respect from EBD, clearly, and is also more impressive then Joey from a feminist persepctive.

I've only read one book where Gwensi features prominantly and she's only thirteen in that. But she does want to be a writer.

In both Rosalie and Island I'm sure it's mentioned that Rosalie wants to be a writer, if not also in Peggy. And I'm sure at one point someone says they wouldn't be too surprised if the school didn't soon get its second author.

Amy Stevens wants to be a poet as a very young child, but in one of the war books she says she's planning on being a teacher. It could be that by seventeen Amy has quite realistically changed her mind. Perhaps Gwensi did the same?

I always got the impression that Con was bound to be a writer of some kind (perhaps even better than Joey), but then again I haven't read many of the later books.

Here is another question though: Does Sybil ever get to go to the Art Needlework School?

Maybe we could change the name of the thread to something about 'careers of CS old girls'.

#23: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 3:42 pm
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I think Sybil abandoned her plans to go to art needlework school when she met her future husband in Australia. She wouldn't have had much time between leaving St Mildred's and going to Australia, and when hear that she's getting married the implication is that she's not going to pursue any sort of career.

I think Con wanted to get into journalism because she accepted that she'd have to support herself - unlike Joey who had no serious career plans when she left school and seemed to expect Jem to support her Evil or Very Mad

#24: Author: JayB, Location: SE England

Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 4:30 pm
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In Prefects Con talks about wanting to write a historical novel. (So why isn't she specialising in history, I ask.)

Quote:

Joey had no serious career plans when she left school and seemed to expect Jem to support her.

I wonder what Joey would have done if Madge hadn't married? I suppose like it or not she'd have had to earn her keep by teaching at the School. Or go to Belsornia as was originally planned.

Jay B.

#25: Author: Róisín,

Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 4:53 pm
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I'm pretty sure this was discussed elsewhere already, but Joey wasn't supported by Jem. She had an allowance. It's unspecified where this came from in the books, but I see no reason why it wasn't from Madge (school money) and Dick (forestry money). Also, it was in one of the FOCS magazines that she could have been living off the profits from having her inheritance invested in the school when she was 12.

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

Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 5:14 pm
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But that would have been from Jem then - once Madge married she would have relinquished all to Jem.

#27: Author: Mel, Location: UP NORTH

Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 6:27 pm
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Surely Madge wouldn't do that - she was in partnership with Mdle. I'm sure she would have kept control over the finances until the school formed a company later.

#28: Author: Róisín,

Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 7:37 pm
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Lesley wrote:

But that would have been from Jem then - once Madge married she would have relinquished all to Jem.

Really?!

#29: Author: Carolyn P, Location: Lancaster, England

Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 7:43 pm
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Róisín wrote:

Lesley wrote:

But that would have been from Jem then - once Madge married she would have relinquished all to Jem.

Really?!

I don't think she would have had to legally, but time and culture would say that she would have relinquished everything to at least joint control with Jem having final say so.

Can't remember the date of the married women's property act but have a feeling it was Victorian.

#30: Author: KathrynW, Location: London

Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 7:51 pm
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Carolyn P wrote:

Can't remember the date of the married women's property act but have a feeling it was Victorian.

I *think* it was about 1882 but I could be making that up completely...It was definitely Victorian though.

Kathryn

#31: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 8:05 pm
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The Married Women's Property Act was in 1870. I think there was a 2nd one ... possibly 1882 but I may be imagining that. I can't imagine Jem letting Madge have much control over the family finances though Rolling Eyes

#32: Author: JayB, Location: SE England

Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 8:05 pm
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KathrynW wrote:

Carolyn P wrote:

Can't remember the date of the married women's property act but have a feeling it was Victorian.

I *think* it was about 1882 but I could be making that up completely...It was definitely Victorian though.

Kathryn

There were two Acts - one in 1870 allowed women to keep control of property they acquired during the marriage, and the other, yes, in 1882 which allowed women to keep control of property they owned before the marriage.

I think Madge kept school affairs in her own hands until it was turned into a limited company. In Gay it's pretty clear that the decision to hire and fire Miss Bubb was Madge's alone. And thinking about it, didn't Madge make the business arrangements with Ernest Howell when the school moved from Guernsey?

Jay B.

#33: Author: Róisín,

Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 8:07 pm
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And she's always saying phrases like 'but it's my school, Jem, etc etc' and follows it up with why she cares about what's happening there at the time.

#34: Author: Kate, Location: Ireland

Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 8:38 pm
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JayB wrote:

Quote:

Joey had no serious career plans when she left school and seemed to expect Jem to support her.

I wonder what Joey would have done if Madge hadn't married?

*cough* DRABBLE! *cough*

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

Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 9:05 pm
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I appreciate that, legally, it was Madge's school - but it's pretty obvious that Madge is very subservient to Jem - and that he basically takes over - I always got the impression that the allowance was from Jem.

#36: Author: Róisín,

Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 9:11 pm
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I guess it's one of those things that we'll either never know, or else we'll answer with drabbles. Either way, it's good Very Happy

#37: Author: LizB, Location: Oxon, England

Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 11:27 pm
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JayB wrote:

And thinking about it, didn't Madge make the business arrangements with Ernest Howell when the school moved from Guernsey?

But it was Jem who sold the old school buildings to Mr Flower. And wasn't it Jem who bought the hotel the school moved to at the beginning of Exile? Not with the school in mind, initially, I think, so did the school buy it from the San, or were the two part of one whole big company (like RCS Industries Wink

#38: Author: Rob, Location: Derbyshire, England

Posted: Fri Jun 02, 2006 8:25 am
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LizB wrote:

JayB wrote:

And thinking about it, didn't Madge make the business arrangements with Ernest Howell when the school moved from Guernsey?

It all seems a bit complex.

Jem decided that the school would have to move to the Sonnalpe and sold the original premises. Jem provided the alternate premises after the move. Jem decides that his family, Margot's kids and Dick's kids were leaving Austria and moving to Guernsey. Madge suggests that the school should also move to Guernsey and Madge and Hilda recieve notification for the Nazi's that the school must close and that they are taking over the buildings etc. Jem decides that his family (and therefore the school) must move again, but Madge sorts out the business arrangements with Ernest Howell. When Commander Christie tries to serve notice to Hilda before the school moves to Switzerland, she says he should have written to the Russells, this is negated by Madge having written to him to give notice to quit. Madge then flies to Switzerland 'on business' and takes three chalets at the opposite end of the Platz to the san, for the school.

Off hand I can't think of anymore discussions about business (except about staffing) but those we have seem to be a pretty mixed bag. I'd agree with Lesley that, although Madge retained legal power over the school, but that, as a "man", Jem stepped in when he thought it was neccessary. Possibly the school and the san weren't financially seperate from Madge/Jem's own personal affairs?

Perhaps we're looking at it in too modern a light? I mean both the school and the san were private affairs and I can't imagine that at that time either Madge or Jem would have to prepare detailed accounts for auditing, so what would it matter if the school relocated into a building belonging to the sanatorium?

Much as I like the idea that the school and san were part of the same huge company, I think that it is unlikely. Hilda and Nell both talk about their shares in the school, but I never got the impression that they owned shares in the san too!

#39: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Fri Jun 02, 2006 8:52 am
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Once the school became a limited company - assuming that it was incorporated in "England and Wales" - it would have had to've had audited accounts. All limited companies did until 1985 (I'm being a sad accounts person now Laughing

). It was still a partnership in Tyrol days, though.

They never seem to have a bursar though, and there's never any
mention of anyone doing any bookkeeping or payroll calculations! & there are never any mentions of auditors!

Also, until some time in the mid-'80s a married woman's income was treated as her husband's income for tax purposes in the U.K.! I think it still is in the Isle of Man but may be wrong!

#40: Author: Fatima, Location: Sunny Qatar

Posted: Fri Jun 02, 2006 8:55 am
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Alison H wrote:

They never seem to have a bursar though, and there's never any mention of anyone doing any bookkeeping or payroll calculations! & there are never any mentions of auditors!

Without wishing to upset all the auditors and accountants amongst us, I have to say that it would be very dull hearing about that side of things, and I'd have said doubly so when I was just 9 or 10 years old! Laughing

#41: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Fri Jun 02, 2006 8:57 am
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It's even more dull doing accounts than hearing about them, believe me!

I'm sure the Russells should've been done for tax fraud, though - they never seem to do any accounts!

#42: Author: Eilidh, Location: North Lanarkshire

Posted: Fri Jun 02, 2006 8:59 am
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*feeds bunnies*

#43: Author: Rob, Location: Derbyshire, England

Posted: Fri Jun 02, 2006 9:14 am
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Alison H wrote:

They never seem to have a bursar though, and there's never any mention of anyone doing any bookkeeping or payroll calculations!

I suppose that all bursar-esque responsibilities fell onto Rosalie's capable shoulders! Would love to see her trying to sort out school fees; what with those on the many scholarships, those who paid reduced fees, and those who didn't pay any, it would have been a nightmare!

I was just wondering: when did Madge decide to turn the CS into a limited company? When is it first mentioned? I always got the impression that it was whilst the school was in England/Wales but if so, wouldn't the Lecoutier's (or whoever) have inherited Mlle Lepattre's half of the partnership when she died? Given that M et Mme Lecoutier were supposed to be so poor, I can't see Mlle Lepattre excluding them and leaving her half to Madge? Any suggestions?

#44: Author: JayB, Location: SE England

Posted: Fri Jun 02, 2006 9:29 am
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Rob wrote:

Wouldn't the Lecoutier's (or whoever) have inherited Mlle Lepattre's half of the partnership when she died? Given that M et Mme Lecoutier were supposed to be so poor, I can't see Mlle Lepattre excluding them and leaving her half to Madge? Any suggestions?

Mdlle Lepattre's share of the partnership is something of a mystery. Somewhere in School At it's said that Simone's education (and her own keep, presumably) was the only payment Mdlle wanted. But that was when the school was a small affair. When Mdlle became too ill to work again, it was said that Russells would look after her - but by that time Simone had left school, and the school was thriving. Even if the school was paying Simone's fees at the Sorbonne there should have been something left over for Mdlle, and later for the Lecoutiers.

Jay B.

#45: Author: Lyanne, Location: Ipswich, England

Posted: Sat Jun 03, 2006 8:36 am
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Fatima wrote

Quote:

Alison H wrote:
They never seem to have a bursar though, and there's never any mention of anyone doing any bookkeeping or payroll calculations! & there are never any mentions of auditors!

Without wishing to upset all the auditors and accountants amongst us, I have to say that it would be very dull hearing about that side of things, and I'd have said doubly so when I was just 9 or 10 years old!

But we see a fair bit of Rosalie Dene doing various paperwork - letters to prospective parents, ordering stuff, sorting timetables... There could have been odd comments about her or Gill Culver doing the accounts. T

#46: Author: Loryat,

Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2006 5:54 pm
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JayB wrote:

Even if the school was paying Simone's fees at the Sorbonne there should have been something left over for Mdlle, and later for the Lecoutiers.

Jay B.

In Exile I think it says that Mademoiselle pays for Simone's education and also pays for Renee to go to the Conservatoire.

Also don't Simone's parents end up emigrating or something? I know they're in Scotland at one point. Maybe they got proserous later on?

I think we're being a bit harsh on Joey btw. Lots of girls of her class in that period didn't get jobs. After all the only one of her friends that did was Simone and she was from a poor family. In Exile (again) I think Enid Sothern says her dad says that for girls who don't need to work to take jobs from girls who do, is wicked. And, as people have pointed out, she has an allowance from an unspecified source.

#47: Author: macyrose, Location: Great White North (Canada)

Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2006 6:39 pm
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Loryat wrote:

Quote:

Lots of girls of her class in that period didn't get jobs. After all the only one of her friends that did was Simone and she was from a poor family. In Exile (again) I think Enid Sothern says her dad says that for girls who don't need to work to take jobs from girls who do, is wicked.

That idea seems to be prevalent during that period. I've just finished reading Island to Abbey and the point was often made in Elsie Oxenham's books that it wasn't right for girls who could afford not to work to take jobs from those who needed them.

#48: Author: JayB, Location: SE England

Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2006 6:58 pm
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Quote:

I think we're being a bit harsh on Joey btw. Lots of girls of her class in that period didn't get jobs.

I think it's not so much that Joey didn't get a job but that she wasn't planning to do anything useful at all (while moaning about how boring life was going to be after school.) Well to do girls and women didn't get paid jobs, but they were expected to contribute to society in the form of charity work. I think I recall some of Dorita Fairlie Bruce's characters discussing this when they were talking about careers.

Jay B.

#49: Author: Alison H, Location: Manchester

Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2006 7:51 pm
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Ooh, that's just reminded me about something about Rosalie Way! It says somewhere that everyone was doing extra subjects in the Sixth Form in one particular year apart from one girl (forgotten name Embarassed

) who was going to help her clergyman father with his parish work, and Rosalie Way who was going to be "launched into Society" (or words to that effect). So I suppose she made her London debut, found a rich husband from a suitable family, and didn't become a writer after all Sad

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