The Naughtiest Girl Series

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Tony Summerfield
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Re: The Naughtiest Girl Series

Post by Tony Summerfield »

I am coming in rather late on this one, but private schools were not all that big in the late 1930's. A bit earlier I know, but the Prep School that Enid taught at only had 30 children. Even in the 1950s about 60 would have often been the case - six forms of about 10 children each. It is often said that Enid possibly based Whyteleafe on Summerhill and I suspect that 30 would have been nearer the mark, I think that Summerhill possibly had less than that.
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sixret
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Re: The Naughtiest Girl Series

Post by sixret »

My nephew has entered a private boarding school catered for students in Form 1(13 years old) - Form 5(17 years old). He went there earlier this year. The total students for all the forms is 63 comprises 30 boys and 33 girls. It is a small boarding school with a very good discipline record. The class start as early as 7.30 until 5.30 in the evening with several breaks in between.

So, a small boarding school like Whyteleafe is existed. I agree with Tony that around 30 students is nearer the mark based on texts written by Enid Blyton.
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timv
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Re: The Naughtiest Girl Series

Post by timv »

I didn't have any pre-school 'introduction' before I started in a privately owned 'kindergarten' (ages 4 to 7) aged 4 in the early-mid 1960s. My mother was a teacher and had already taught me to read and write; I can't remember exactly but I assume she'd explained about school lasting until I was 18 as I was not surprised at having to go back there again after the first day. I had an interview with the Head and was shown around classrooms (out of school hours) before I joined both a State (Church of England) primary school at 7 and then, after we moved, a private school aged 8 3/4. At the 'changeover' to secondary education, I'd been to an 'introduction' evening at the Grammar school a couple of months before entering it, after 11-plus selection results came in - the staff met the teachers while the pupils were shown around the classrooms by seniors. The only teacher we met was the Head, a very formal character who still wore a mortar board and gown as if it was the 1930s.

Both my private junior schools were around 50-70 pupils, so this was normal in the 1960s - but the schools depended financially and organizationally on the Heads and had to close when they retired. In any case, they had to be small as they were in converted private houses - large Victorian (mid-C19th) ones with 'upstairs' formal rooms for seniors and servants quarters downstairs for juniors. By contrast, the Grammar School (purpose built) had over 900 pupils from a 10-15 mile radius so I was rather daunted by it.
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Re: The Naughtiest Girl Series

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

Interesting posts about school sizes. No wonder Elizabeth had no trouble buying a cake big enough to feed the whole school!
Moonraker wrote:
Anita Bensoussane wrote:I find it shocking that Arabella's parents don't appear to have talked to her about Whyteleafe or prepared her for it in any way.
I don't remember ever being prepared for my schools. I don't remember any of my friends/peers being prepared either. It was just a great shock on our first day at school! There were no parents' evenings or indeed any interaction between parents and schools. School life and home life were totally separate and never the twain did meet.
Didn't you know a few basic things though, like whether the school took both boys and girls? With Arabella being around eleven, you'd think she'd have had a few questions about the school as soon as her parents told her she was being sent there. After all, going to Whyteleafe wouldn't be like going to a local day school and she'd no doubt have wanted to know a little about what to expect. But maybe Arabella's mother didn't know very much about Whyteleafe herself and simply took Mrs. Allen's word for it that it was a good school. If Arabella had any questions, perhaps her mother said something like, "Don't worry - Elizabeth Allen will tell you all about it when you go to stay with her."
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Rob Houghton
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Re: The Naughtiest Girl Series

Post by Rob Houghton »

My mom taught me to read before I went to school. I could read quite complex sentences. I could also write a little, especially my name and age, and i could use scissors, which many children couldn't do. My mom taught me to read with 'flash cards' - laid out across the floor in sentences. My nan thought I had merely memorised the sentences, but she soon found out, when she made a few new sentences up for me, that I knew what I was doing! ;-) I also had some early years reading books, which I could read before I started school.

I had never been to a pre-school, so I have never seen the point of them. I was actually more advanced than most children in my class who had been to pre-school/nursery etc.

I must admit I'm not sure how I feel about the idea of Whyteleafe being a small school...because for my whole life I've always imagined it as a large school such as those I've known personally. Now I'm feeling a bit 'odd' because I'm having to reevaluate my ideas! I guess a smaller school makes sense...because of the cake, and the Lacrosse matches and the dorms etc...but its not really such an achievement that the children have meetings and manage rules themselves, and have monitors, if we are only talking about 60 pupils!
Last edited by Rob Houghton on 28 Aug 2017, 12:41, edited 1 time in total.
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Anita Bensoussane
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Re: The Naughtiest Girl Series

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

I could also read and write before starting school - I'd already read quite a few Enid Blyton books. However, my mum didn't teach me to read and write in order to prepare me for school. That was merely a bonus. She taught me because of the joy of sharing stories and information. I did the same for my own children.
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Re: The Naughtiest Girl Series

Post by Daisy »

I did the same with my children. When my youngest started school she turned up her nose at the reading scheme on offer, telling the teacher "Those aren't my books."
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Re: The Naughtiest Girl Series

Post by Eddie Muir »

I could also read and write before starting school, Anita. Like you, My mom didn't teach me in order to prepare me for school. How well I remember reading comics like the Dandy and Beano. I also recall reading stories about Cinderella, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Jack and the Beanstalk and several other similar tales. As far as writing was concerned, I used to make and write my own greetings cards. Chick and I also taught our daughter and son to read and write before they started school.
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Rob Houghton
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Re: The Naughtiest Girl Series

Post by Rob Houghton »

My mom just taught me because she could see I was ready for it and enjoyed it. No idea of getting me ready for school - it was just fun! :-D Because my mom was a stay-at-home mother she had more time to do things like that. 8)
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



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Rob Houghton
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What Enid Blyton book are you reading right NOW!

Post by Rob Houghton »

Split from another topic.
Courtenay wrote:I've just finished The Naughtiest Girl Again. I loved it! :D Easily as enjoyable as the first book. Very fast-paced, too — once all the saga of Robert and then Kathleen was cleared up, I thought it was nearly the end of the book, but there was still plenty more that happened, including a surprise twist in the final chapter! Well, not something I couldn't have seen coming — given the title of the third book in the series :mrgreen: — but I had assumed that would take place at the start of the next book, not the end of this. I might have to move straight on and find out what happens next!
Glad you enjoyed the second book, Courtenay! As I think I said previously, I believe the third book is the best - with some quite intricate relationships/situations. :-D
'Oh voice of Spring of Youth
hearts mad delight,
Sing on, sing on, and when the sun is gone
I'll warm me with your echoes
through the night.'

(E. Blyton, Sunday Times, 1951)



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Anita Bensoussane
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Re: What Enid Blyton book are you reading right NOW!

Post by Anita Bensoussane »

I love all the Naughtiest Girl books but tend to think there's a little more overt moralising in the second book. Although I prefer the other two titles, it's still a compelling story with engaging characters. I'm sure you'll enjoy the third book as well, Courtenay!
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Re: What Enid Blyton book are you reading right NOW!

Post by Courtenay »

Well, there was some overt moralising, but no more than I'd expect from an Enid Blyton book — and as she doesn't just lecture her readers about good and bad behaviour, but tells a good story with engaging characters who find out for themselves why being unkind or selfish or bad-tempered doesn't pay off, I don't really mind it. :wink: There were several really good "quotable quotes" in this one, I thought!
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Re: What Enid Blyton book are you reading right NOW!

Post by Darrell71 »

I loved the second one, especially as it has a terrific ending and non stop pace.
Rob Houghton wrote: I believe the third book is the best - with some quite intricate relationships/situations. :-D
I'll say it is! :lol: It's definitely a great storyline, and I had a slight crush on Julian when I was younger. :lol: So that made it all the more enjoyable, obviously.
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Re: What Enid Blyton book are you reading right NOW!

Post by Courtenay »

Darrell71 wrote: I'll say it is! :lol: It's definitely a great storyline, and I had a slight crush on Julian when I was younger. :lol: So that made it all the more enjoyable, obviously.
Ah, well, sounds like all the more reason to get into it. :wink: (Not that I recall ever having a crush on an Enid Blyton character before — although I might consider Bill from the Adventure series if only he wasn't older than me, already spoken for and inconveniently fictional. :mrgreen: )

Anyway, I have just started The Naughtiest Girl is a Monitor and am already intrigued — looks like the sparks are going to fly with Miss Arabella Buckley around! I had to laugh at how quickly Elizabeth finds her resolution to be "good and trustworthy and wise" with "no silly flare-ups" going out the window already... :P
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Darrell71
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Re: What Enid Blyton book are you reading right NOW!

Post by Darrell71 »

How very like her, isn't it? :lol: I found that amusing when I first read the book too, Although I believe I was 8... :shock:
Wait a second...
Darrell71 wrote: I had a slight crush on Julian when I was younger.
Darrell71 wrote:Although I believe I was 8...
:shock:
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