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Stories & Imaginings >> Cookies & Drabbles >> A problem school girl 
(Message started by: Marianne on Jul 24^th, 2003, 8:54pm)

Title: A problem school girl
Post by Marianne on Jul 24^th, 2003, 8:54pm

'Oh, Hilda, hereis some more post fr you, i'm sure this one is from a prospective parent!' said te heads secratary, Roasalie dene, who had once been a new girl.
'Thankyou very much Ros, could you asksmeone to send me some coffee?'
'Of course.'
Hilda opened the letter that appeared to be from a parent, she read,
'Dear Miss Annersely

I live in Taverton and i heard of your school from old friends of the Bettanys, they tell me Margret is married, and Jo too!

I am writing to ask you whether you would accept my daughter, her name is Harrietta Ottily Lucas and she recently turned 13. The Chalet school was recomended to me as it is attatched to the Sanatorium and takes special care of the young ladies health. Harrietta is a very delicate child for she recently caught pneumonia, followed by whooping cough.

Harrietta was born profoundly deaf, she can sign, lip readand also speak coherant Engish. If teachers look at her hen they speak to her she can get on in lessons. I beg of you to accept her to your school for she needs the care and education the high school cannot provide.

I look forward to receiving your reply.
yours sincerley
Katherine M Lucas

'Well,whatever next!' breathed Hilda to herself.

(edit: i was planning to set it in Wales so she can be friends with daisy/beth and gwensi!)

Title: Re: A problem school girl
Post by Lisa Townsend on Jul 24^th, 2003, 9:47pm

I cant remember my login name!!

I had to reply to this as I had this idea myself- have written quite a lot of it too. I think the idea of a deaf student going to the CS would be fascinating. I'm deaf myself so this one really interests me....

Lisa.

Title: Re: A problem school girl
Post by Carolyn P on Jul 24^th, 2003, 9:56pm

"I wonder, would it be possible" she mused to herself. "How would she cope with the other girls, and how would they re-act to her?"
"Problem Hilda?" Queried a brisk voice.
"Possibly Nell, I don't know. We've been asked to take a new girl with physical problems unlike any we've dealt with before. The child in question is profoundly deaf, as well as being generally delicate.Her mother mentions that the High school cannot provide for her, but doesn't say what type of schooling she has had.I thought most children in her situation went to special schools, or had private tuition and I am at a loss to know what will be required of us." replied Miss Annersly
"Is that all. You know what we do now, we ask Joey for advice"
"Yes, but don't you think the child's mother may be in a better position to advise us?"
"No, this is the chalet school, we have to ask Joey." said Miss Wilson, the co - head adamently
"I'll get Rosalie to invite her for coffee this afternoon."

Title: Re: A problem school girl
Post by Kathryn on Jul 25^th, 2003, 2:57am

But as Hilda sat in her office later she wondered how well Joey could assist them. She had had little experience with children that were disabled or restricted in some way. She recruited Mary-Lou to assist with Naomi Elton, not doing it herself. And those people that Joey had successes with usual had character faults rather irrepairable physical problems. Hilda sighed. Maybe this was one student that they couldn't help.
Just as she was to ring for coffee in advance of Joey's arrival, Rosalie rang through saying that she had a visitor...

Title: Re: A problem school girl
Post by Rachael P on Jul 25^th, 2003, 9:50am

It was Madge Russell who had decided to pay an unplanned, fleeting visit to the school.
"Madame!" cried Hilda "The very person! I could do with discussing something with you - what providence that you should decide to drop by today"
Madge smiled at the warm greeting, dropped her scarf and gloves into the maid's willing hands and joined the Head in a cosy seat next to the fire.
"Whatever's the matter, Hilda? My visits don't usually solicit such enthusiasm!" she teased.
"Read this" urged Hilda, dropping Mrs Lucas' letter into Madge's hands.

Madge skimmed through the letter and settled back in the big armchair, gazing into the fire as she contemplated the problem.
"What do you think?" demanded Hilda.
"We'll take her, of course" replied Madge without hesitation. "It may require some adjustments on our part but if this girl" she glanced at the letter again, "Harrietta Ottily, is all her mother says and can lip read and speak coherently, then I don't see how we can refuse her"
"What adjustments did you have in mind?"
"Oh nothing drastic. We mustn't let the girl feel different in any way or draw attention to her disability. No, I think it's more a case of briefing the staff and the girls to be aware of their own action around Harrietta. Looking at her when they speak etc so she can watch their faces and read their lips. Being conscious about talking whilst facing the blackboard ... that kind of thing. I dare say there''ll be problems that we haven't thought of in advance but goodness, Hilda, this is the Chalet School and if any mainstream school can take her then I think it's us. I'll talk it over with Jem this evening and see what advice he can give us."

Hilda nodded, pleased that Madge had cut through the problem so quickly. Talk turned to other matters for the remainder of Madge's visit until she rose to leave as dusk was falling.
"Don't worry, Hilda. I'll discuss the Lucas problem with Jem tonight and then I suggest we get together with Joey and Nell Wilson to finalise arrangements for when she joins us next term. Harretta Ottily? Hmmm, I wonder what weird and wonderful short the girls will find for her, and as for Joey, she's going to be thrilled when she hears of such an unusual name!"

Title: Re: A problem school girl
Post by Marianne on Jul 25^th, 2003, 12:38pm

Madge was as good as her word and that evening she told Jem of the new solution. Jem agreed that harrietta must be accepted into the Chalet school and agreed to making out a regime for the delicate deaf pupil. So the next day Madge wrote a letter of acceptance, the girl was to come as soon as humanly possible.

Title: Re: A problem school girl
Post by Rachael P on Jul 25^th, 2003, 12:50pm

Meanwhile the meeting between the two Heads, Madge and Joey was adjourned until the following week when they congregated at Joey's house. Niceties over they were all comfortably seated and amply supplied with cups of coffee and Anna's famous cream cakes.

Joey opened the discussion
"So, Harrietta Ottilie eh? What price the girls calling her Harry before they even get to school?" she grinned.
"Joey - you're incorrigible!" replied Madge tartly. "But I have to say it's an obvious derivation. We'll probably find she's been called that for years. Heaven knows her whole title is a bit of a mouthful!"
Joey loked ready to respond with another quip but was interrupted by Nell Wilson calling the meeting to order.
"So what was Sir James' advice? You mentioned something about a regime? I presume that's because we don't want any further illnesses following her bout of pneumonia and whooping cough, rather than because she's deaf? I must say, I'm rather loath to have her treated any differently from the rest of her class unless we really have to - girls are very quick to feel different at that age and I'm sure she's keen to settle down as quickly as possible without any obvious displays of special treatment or fuss"
"I agree" said Hilda. "We need to handle this sensitively and find a balance between addressing the child's needs and smothering her."

Title: Re: A problem school girl
Post by Marianne on Jul 25^th, 2003, 1:31pm

Joey looked thoughtful, 'I expect she's probably used to coping and she sounds quite capable of communicating, i vote we get Daisy, Gwensi and Beth to sheppard her, they are a great trio!'
'Your right my Jo, i'm positive she will be fine, she arrives tomorrow so we shall soon find out! Jem seems to think that because of her recent illness she needs careful watching but i think we'll see how she goes with the regular school routine.'
'Righto Madge, i had better see to my trips they are wailing rather!' and with that a cheerful Joey hurried off to sooth her crying babies.

Title: Re: A problem school girl
Post by Rachael P on Jul 25^th, 2003, 1:56pm

(lol - let's just ignore any chronological inconsistencies!)

Madge too had another engagement and the two Heads returned to school to discuss the issue further in the privacy of Miss Annersley's study.
"We'll need to brief the staff at our beginning of term meeting" mused Hilda. "I'm sure there'll be no problems there ... in fact hasn't Dollie Edwards got a cousin who's deaf? I expect she's got a mountain of knowledge that will prove very useful to us"
"Better than that, my dear" interjected Nell. "How old did you say the kid was? Thirteen? Well then, Dollie will be her form mistress which is most convenient"
"Excellent, then I'm sure we can leave Harrietta in Dollie's very capable hands! What about the girls though? We can call in the famous Triumvirate and explain Harrietta's sitaution to them when we ask them to do sheepdog but what about the rest of her class?"
"Oh, just let Dollie talk to them when she gives them her beginning of term speech. They're a good bunch and once they know the score I'm sure they'll all be as helpful as possible. You know what the grapevine's like Hilda - it will be round the school in no time but that's all to the good. Better the devil you know as they say - most of the girls would prefer to know as quickly as possible and would be mortified if they made a faux pas with Harrietta jsut because no one had told them she's deaf ... and if I know my Daisy, Beth and Gwensi then they'll sit good and hard on anyone who makes trouble for the girl."
With which highly reprehensible turn of phrase, Nell made ready to depart, leaving her colleague gasping.

Title: Re: A problem school girl
Post by Carolyn P on Jul 25^th, 2003, 3:30pm

Harrietta Ottily stood in front of her mirror and suveyed her new uniform. She liked the flame tie, but when all said and done uniform was uniform, and this was neither better or worse than any other she had worn. She picked up her coat and night case and proceeded to the front hall were she met her mother.

Title: Re: A problem school girl
Post by Marianne on Jul 25^th, 2003, 6:42pm

'All ready to go then?' signed Harrietta's mother, signing was how the communicated normally.
'Yes Mummy, i'm ready.' replied Harrietta, se showed know fears or anxieties for despite her disability she was a self assured young person.
The pair clambered into their old car and set off to the train station where Harrietta was to meet the train that would take her to wales.

Title: Re: A problem school girl
Post by Lisa on Jul 25^th, 2003, 10:25pm

Just a pointer: what's the girls main mode of communication? You've made her profoundly deaf. That's very very very deaf! Realistically, a deaf child with that degree of loss will struggle seriously in ANY mainstream, and the other thing that should be considered is hearing aid technology. I have to confess I'm not too sure myself how advanced it would have been during the CS years, but you can bet that any kind of radio aid would have been very conspicuous, very large, and very likely tied to one room.Normal hearing aids would possibly have not been good enough to make a substantial difference to someone with a profound loss. Even now, many people who are profoundly deaf get relatively little out of their aids, which is why so many do not wear them.
On the subject of communication, if the girl's mother is signing, she's gonna be using Sign Supported English (SSE) and speaking rather than BSL, which is a completely different language in it's own right. If your student's first language is BSL, think about the educational repercussions. Often, but not always, BSL can impact on fluency with written and spoken English as the grammar patterns are different. It might actually be a little safer, and more feasible, to give the student a moderate hearing loss. That's bad enough to cause problems, but not so bad that really, it would be impossible. And I dont think that even the CS could have handled a profoundly deaf student at this period when even today profoundly deaf children do NOT normally integrate fully into mainstream. They will either usually be in a special school such as Ovingdean, or Heathlands, or the Mary Hare (NB- check MHGS website for useful info) or they will be in mainstream, but within a specialist unit working with trained teachers of the deaf. Even students who really are completely integrated still get a certain amount of TOD support each week. It's supposed to be approx 3 hours, depending on age etc, but obviously varies.
Back to the CS, the student would not have been able to move from classroom the classroom. Think also about games lessons- they are a NIGHTMARE for deaf kids in mainstream. Ditto science. Foreign languages- deaf kids can actually (strange to say) perform better in MFL than in English at GCSE, assuming they have top quality teaching and support. REmember that listening is particularly difficult. Dictee is a major part of the CS curriculum- what will you do with the girl then?
Well I think I've gone on long enough.
L :)

Title: Re: A problem school girl
Post by Marianne on Jul 26^th, 2003, 11:30am

Thanks Lisa, i was just post a message asking you to point out really unrealistic things in the story! :D

So, i we make her moderatley deaf, is it feasable she could lip read in lessons? my mum is a teacher and she talks about a girl wh she had to look at when she was speaking!

Title: Re: A problem school girl
Post by Lisa on Jul 27^th, 2003, 5:05pm

Yes perfectly feasible. I'll see if i can find something out about hearing aid technology at this time which will make it even more feasible! It's all possible but difficult. At the CS girls would have different accents because of coming all over the place, and that would create initial problems, but later on that wouldn't be a problem. The other issue would be the languages if your new girl is in the same sit'n as most of them- good english minimal french and no german. I got round that myself in my version ( i must revise it and post bits to see what people think) by making the deaf student a daughter of an Old Girl who had made sure that she was thoroughly fluent in both english and french, with a smattering of german. Then it becomes more possible again. The other thing is that while you should make her primarily oral- lipreading and listening- you could have her with a degree of fluency in BSL and have some fun with that- a new version of passing notes in prep!!
Lisa

Title: Re: A problem school girl
Post by claire on Jul 27^th, 2003, 5:40pm

You might want to consider as well how she became deaf - if you had her becoming deaf after she had learned to speak and understand english etc you have a different level of communication - in the way she would speak - as opposed to someone who was deaf from birth. If this is set in Wales you could have her deafened by bombblast during WW2

Title: Re: A problem school girl
Post by Marianne on Jul 27^th, 2003, 5:41pm

Thats what i thought! (about BSL)

I washinking about the language thing and i figured that she should already speak good french and have special coaching from JO, in German - Jo being the wonderful!

Title: Re: A problem school girl
Post by Ally on Jul 28^th, 2003, 7:51pm

But as its during the war, they didn't learn German, so you don't have to worry about that.

Title: Re: A problem school girl
Post by Emily the Strange on Jul 28^th, 2003, 9:10pm

Um...what's BSL? *she asks sheepishly*

Title: Re: A problem school girl
Post by Rachael P on Jul 29^th, 2003, 9:29am

British Sign Language

Title: Re: A problem school girl
Post by PatW on Jul 29^th, 2003, 1:17pm

I remember the hearing aid my Grandma wore - she died in the early 60s. There was box that she wore pinned to her clothes that must have been about 2" wide and 4" or 5" long. This had the wheel that controlled the level of sound on the top. A wire connected it to the ear piece. She carried the battery in a leather case on a belt round her waist. It was pretty bulky and heavy. Grandma went deaf with age, and had the habit of turning off her deaf-aid if she didn't want to listen to something!

Title: Re: A problem school girl
Post by Marianne on Jul 29^th, 2003, 7:23pm

I forgot she didn't need to learn German, lets have her pretty good at french already!!!

Title: Re: A problem school girl
Post by Lisa on Jul 29^th, 2003, 8:17pm

That's a good idea claire about her being deafened by a bomb. It cuts out many of the problems that come with her being deaf from birth. Actually, maybe that's how she should be introduced to the school- involved in a bomb, traumatised by the shock plus hearing loss and noone knows what to do with her!! I know I pointed out a whole list of reasons about why a deaf student would have problems at the CS, but its also true that MFL/ TESOL teaching can actually be good preparation for teaching the deaf, and if the girl has been referred to the San, then it makes sense to bring the school into it.
Lisa.

Title: Re: A problem school girl
Post by Rachael P on Aug 13^th, 2003, 1:58pm

At the station, Harrietta balked a little at the numbers of girls milling around in the same brown and flame uniform as her own. Shrinking closer to her mother she gripped her suitcase firmly, hoping that she was not going to let herself down by blubbing in front of all those big girls.
Mrs Lucas gently turned her daughter's head towards her so that the pale green eyes could clearly see her own dainty mouth
"Are you all right, darling?" she asked anxiously. "I know it looks daunting but I'm sure all the girls are very friendly"
"I know" replied Harrietta softly "But it's such a big change from living at home with you and Daddy"
"You'll be fine, sweetheart, I know you will. I'll write as often as I can and if you have any problems you know you can confide in me and we'll do our best to solve them together" Mrs Lucas gave the child a reassuring hug as her eyes swept the crowd for whoever was in charge.

"Aah, you must be Mrs Lucas" said a friendly but efficient voice behind her. She turned to see a woman in her thirties, smartly dressed with a beaming smile on her face. "I'm Miss Edwards and I'm Harrietta's form mistress so if you've finished saying your goodbyes, I'll call over one of Harrietta's classmates to show her the ropes."
Mrs Lucas relaxed as she took in the calm person before her and after a final kiss to Harrietta, watched as Miss Edwards called over a long-legged blonde thirteen year old, by the name of Daisy, who confidently took Harrietta under her wing. Mrs Lucas was pleased to notice that Daisy was making a concerted effort to face Harrietta as she chatted away to the new girl, nineteen to the dozen.

Miss Edwards smiled as she turned to Mrs Lucas.
"We've asked Daisy and her special friends to look after Harrietta for her first few weeks. We always get our established girls to look after the new ones but Daisy, Beth and Gwensi are some of our best and she'll have no problems with them. I have to say though, Mrs Lucas, I'm extremely impressed by Harrietta's speech. I has assumed, wrongly of course, that she might have struggled in conversation with the other girls. You know how quickly they speak ... and with such slang" she added ruefully, catching a particularly choice expression coming from Daisy who had loosened up after a rather formal start once she realised that this new girl could understand almost everything she said.

"Oh Harrietta's fine" replied her mother. "She could hear normally until she was eight but we suffered a direct hit on our home during the war and sadly Harrietta lost her hearing as a result. To be honest, we were all very lucky to escape alive, but Harrietta bore the brunt of it and she was severely traumatised for a number of years afterwards. We thought long and hard about how best to ensure her education and her father and I agreed that she must attend a mainstream school but one which will be sensitive to her difficulties. She’s had so much instability for so long that this is really the last resort.
Miss Edwards smiled warmly.
"You've picked the right establishment with the Chalet School, Mrs Lucas. I'm confident that Harrietta will be able to settle in quickly. Now then, there's the whistle. I really must be going .. it would never do for a mistress to miss the train! Goodbye for now!" And with a cheery wave, Miss Edwards ran swiftly to her carriage, pulling the door shut as the train began to edge away from the platform.

Title: Re: A problem school girl
Post by Rachael P on Aug 13^th, 2003, 3:51pm

Harrietta waved bravely from the window until she could no longer see her mother's figure. Then falling back into her seat, she smiled shyly at Daisy who began to introduce her to her friends.
“Harrietta, this is Beth Chester. She’s our form prefect and ever so clever” Daisy grinned provokingly at the tall, slim girl beside her.
“Welcome to the Chalet School, Harrietta” said Beth, calmly ignoring her friend’s teasing “and this is Gwensi Howell” she introduced the small, dark girl sitting beside her.
“Auntie Jo will love your name” mused Gwensi.
“How do you mean?” demanded its owner “I don’t particularly like it myself”
“Oh Auntie Joey’s a writer and she’s always looking for unusual names for her characters” explained Daisy “But if you don’t like it, don’t you have a short?”
“No, Mummy and Daddy have always called me Harrietta and I’ve had governesses ever since my accident”
“Oh, I see, but there’s nothing to stop us now then – come on you two, think” Daisy commanded her friends and knit her brows together as the three of them considered the problem

“Do you have a middle name?” asked Gwensi
“It’s Ottily” admitted Harrietta who had many times, in her short life, regretted the Christian names of her father and mother’s respective sisters.
“Oh dear” Beth was sympathetic “And I suppose Harriet isn’t really a short”
“ But it’s obvious – we shall call you Harry!” cried Daisy with deep satisfaction at coming to a solution so quickly.
“Harry” Harrietta tried the new abbreviation “You know I rather like it but will the mistresses allow it? It sounds like a boy’s name”
“Oh don’t worry. They don’t allow nicknames as such but if your name’s a short for something else, they’re fine. Although don’t expect them to use it!” laughed Beth
“Especially when you’re in trouble!” interjected Gwensi knowingly.

Throughout their conversation, Harrietta was very conscious that the girls were making an effort to look at her when they spoke and she was grateful for their consideration. Only the happy-go-lucky Daisy seemed to struggle but she was such a gadfly, as her Auntie Jo often called her, that she could barely sit still for two minutes let alone remember to turn to face the person she was addressing. Harietta smiled to herself. These girls seemed very nice and maybe life at this school really would be all right. By the time they arrived at the school she was chattering away to them, surprising herself by the ease with which she fitted in with people of her own age. Unfortunately for Harry, things were not going to run as smoothly as she initially hoped and a lot of water would have to pass under the bridge before she could look back at the term and judge that she really did fit into the Chalet School. What she did not realise was that not all schoolgirls were as open as the Triumvirate, as she later found out they were called, and that some people were quite ignorant when it came to understanding another’s disability.

(apologies for the chronology – Daisy & co were 13 in the middle of the war therefore the war is not over even though I hinted that it was in my earlier post – never mind, no drabble is complete without EBDisms!!)

Title: Re: A problem school girl
Post by Marianne on Aug 16^th, 2003, 2:00pm

The great gaggle of girls soon arrived at the school, all suitably tired and ready for a little supper and an early night. Harry was especially tired, delicate from illness and then a trauma the chattering and travel had exhausted her.

The Triumvirate were lovely girls and very willing to look after the new girl, however the three got caught up in the chatter and swept away in the crowds leaving poor Harrietta alone. Harrietta was no coward she simply picked up her case and moved with the throng towards Matron.