The Scholarship Girl, Josephine Elder

[callmemadam]

Most people know Josephine Elder from the three Farm School books which were reprinted, with very pretty covers, by The Children’s Press. I read these myself as a child but found them hard to understand and certainly wouldn’t have sought out more books by the same author. These days, Josephine Elder is recognised as one of the most interesting writers of school stories. Probably her best book, Evelyn Finds Herself, has been reissued by Girls Gone By Publishers.

I was lucky to find this copy of The Scholarship Girl, as it’s a very scarce title. I read it quickly and enjoyed it. There are so many formulaic scholarship girl stories. The girl from a poor home wins a scholarship to a grand (usually boarding) school. She may be tormented by some awful snobbish girl talking loudly about ‘scholarship brats’ who shouldn’t be allowed at ‘a decent school’. She may feel ashamed of her background and try to cover it up. She may earn the respect of her peers by some heroic deed or by turning out to be ‘somebody’ after all. Elder rejects these clichés.
All Monica Baxter’s problems at Greystones School are caused by her own attitude. She’s been badly advised by the headmistress at her Council school that people like her have no time for games but must work hard all the time in order to gain more scholarships. So, although she enjoys games and likes the games captain, Monica calmly informs her that she won’t be doing games. She’s quite unfazed by her new surroundings and simply refuses to conform or to see why she should do as the prefects tell her. Everything changes when she meets the fairy-like Francesca (Monica is a big girl) and the two become inseparable. Francesca's academic Cambridge family believes in a healthy balance between work and play. Monica learns to enjoy life, especially after a stay with the family (see book cover) and becomes a much happier and nicer person as a result. She and Francesca progress up the school, excelling at both work and games until they are both ready for Cambridge, Monica with a major scholarship. There’s a sequel, The Scholarship Girl at Cambridge, which I’ve never seen.

I said I enjoyed the book. I did, but I find Josephine Elder a very cold fish. She was a doctor and I shouldn’t imagine she was a very sympathetic one. All the chief characters in the books I’ve read are scientists and the author has no time for sentiment. Games are important for instilling the team spirit, the individual is always less important than the school (read, society), as a whole and people’s feelings matter very little. So for me Elder is an author to admire but not to love.

Comments

[minniemoll.livejournal.com]

Now I loved the Farm School books when I was young - Exile for Annis was one of my first school stories, as my mum had won it as a school prize, and I was thrilled to find the other two. But I couldn't get on with Evelyn the one time I tried it, and whilst I've read Erica Wins Through, it didn't make any huge impact on me. Although I seem to remember a slightly unsettling episode involving dead cats - I can't check it now as Ann and Clarissa have borrowed it to copy the plates for their reprint.

TSG sounds interesting though, I hope they reprint this one too.

[callmemadam.livejournal.com]

I've never read Erica Wins Through, so I'm glad they're reprinting. When I rediscovered the Farm School as an adult, it was Cherry Tree Perch I remembered best; I loved the cover! Evelyn Finds Herself is based on my own old school, which Elder went to, so that gives it an added interest for me.

[kvstitching.wordpress.com (from livejournal.com)]

I've never heard of this series, despite being a lover of school stories (mainly Chalet School, but I like Antonia Forest and others), so thank you for the review. I'll be checking out GGBP for the title they've reissued, if it's still available.

[callmemadam.livejournal.com]

The Farm School books are very easy and cheap to find but the others are trickier. The GGBP Fun in the Fourth series reprints a lot of old classics people might not otherwise know.

[ramblingfancy.livejournal.com]

I'm so delighted you found this! It's an amazing find - well done you! I must admit I haven't read any Josephine Elder though I have the common ones. I love the illustrations on the front boards of your copy. Hope you're lucky enough to spot the sequel soon!

[callmemadam.livejournal.com]

There's only so much luck about!

Josephine Elder

[(Anonymous)]

I've just re-read the Farm School books, which I love, and haven't read anything else by her. I wish she'd taken Annis into the war - wonder whether the Farm School would have taken evacuees, or if indeed, they sent evacuees to Kent in the first place?

Re: Josephine Elder

[callmemadam.livejournal.com]

Your comment was there all right but anonymous comments remain screened until I unfreeze them. You've made me want to re-read the Farm School books, now!

[feather-ghyll.livejournal.com]

I've only got around to reading this post now.

I can't say I've found Elder a cold fish, exactly, and am drawn in by her look at character psychology. Certainly her take on 'the scholarship girl' in this book bucks the formula!

I'm very grateful to GGBP for repbulishing the books, as, apart from the Farm School reprints, which I too got a hold of as a child, and only fully grasped as I reread them - I suspect I got them out of order too - I've never seen any of her other books.