The New Girl at the Priory

by Ethel Talbot

The first day of a new school is not generally one of great joy to any girl or boy, and our little heroine Pippa, being a somewhat stubborn and self-willed maiden, made the task of winning her way amongst the other girls at the Priory school one of more than ordinary difficulty. Otherwise she was quite a lovable little girl, but something always seemed to go just wrong. First she had a quarrel or two, then she became implicated in a serious loss of money. Of course, she was quite innocent, but in her anxiety to clear herself and others, she got into even deeper trouble. But although Pippa had more than her share of troubles, she had a great and unexpected joy in the end.

Genres: Childrens, School Stories

250 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1928

About the author

A prolific English children's author, known primarily for her girls' school stories, Ethel Mary Talbot was born in 1880, in Sutton Coldfield. She was the daughter of Hugh Talbot, and his wife, Margaret Ellen Turrell, committed members of the Plymouth Brethren, and had at least eight sisters and one brother. The family moved frequently, and little is known of Talbot's early years, or her education. As an adult, she settled in Edinburgh, where she shared a house with her friend and fellow school story author E.M. de Foubert, from 1914 to 1916. Talbot remained in Edinburgh until the 1930s, at which point she moved to London. During WWII she moved to Hayward's Heath, where she died in 1944.

Reviews

[^ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Terrifically of its period, and, I thought, just not up to the standard of Elinor Brent-Dyer's 'Chalet School' series. Many of Angela Brazil’s school stories have been made available by Project Gutenberg, and are well worth reading/re-reading.

The principle thread of the plot of “The New Girl At The Priory” is not novel. Its twists and turns are both unchallenging and predictable; producing no great surprises. However, once I’d cast the meritless plot aside, I did discover this book to be a sufficiently amusing read cover to cover.

Fascination remained to be unearthed in both language and expectations. With rising amusement I struggled to imagine a modern child at boarding school “… once more marched dormitorywards at 8.30 p.m. weary, but still convinced that school was as ‘lovely’ as ever, no hour had passed without bringing enlightenment of some kind or other.”(pg.47) and, later, how that child could possibly realistically expect, without prior negotiation that a hairdresser would pay her for locks of hair cut off, rather than sending the bill to her school!

These fictional children grew up too slowly. Today’s children grow up far too quickly. How very nice it would be to find a happy medium.