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For the Sake of the School
For the Sake of the School
172 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1915
About the author
Angela Brazil
126 books35 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
Born in Preston, Lancashire in 1868, Angela Brazil (pronounced "brazzle") was the youngest child of cotton mill manager Clarence Brazil, and his wife, Angelica McKinnel. She was educated at the Turrets - a small private school in Wallasey - and then, when the Brazils were living in Manchester, at the preparatory department of the Manchester High School, and (as a boarder) at Ellerslie, an exclusive girls’ school near Victoria Park. She subsequently attended Heatherley's Art School, in London, with her sister Amy, and sketching remained a life-long interest.
With the death of Clarence Brazil in 1899, the family left the North-West of England for Llanbedr, Wales, where they took up residence in their former summer house. It is believed that, at some point during this period (1899-1911), Brazil worked as a governess, although she does not mention it in her autobiography, My Own Schooldays (1925). In 1911, she moved to Coventry, where she kept house for her doctor brother, living in that city until her death, in 1947.
Brazil's first children's novel, A Terrible Tomboy, was published in 1904, and is believed to have been autobiographical, featuring the adventures of a young Angela (Peggy), and her friend Leila Langdale (Lilian). It was only with the 1907 publication of her second novel, The Fortunes of Philippa, that she turned to the genre in which she would become so influential: the Girls' School Story.
Brazil is often described by readers as "the first author of modern girls' school stories," and her publisher Blackie once claimed, in a bit of promotional hyperbole, that she had originated the genre! While not actually true - the genre predates her by some time, and other authors of modern girls school stories, such as May Baldwin, were publishing before she was - Brazil was certainly immensely influential, in the genre's move away from a didactic, moralistic model, towards one aimed more at entertainment. Her books are told from the perspective of her girl characters themselves, and were immensely popular with young readers, both in her own lifetime, and afterward. All told, she published close to sixty children's novels, most of them girls' school stories.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Born in Preston, Lancashire in 1868, Angela Brazil (pronounced "brazzle") was the youngest child of cotton mill manager Clarence Brazil, and his wife, Angelica McKinnel. She was educated at the Turrets - a small private school in Wallasey - and then, when the Brazils were living in Manchester, at the preparatory department of the Manchester High School, and (as a boarder) at Ellerslie, an exclusive girls’ school near Victoria Park. She subsequently attended Heatherley's Art School, in London, with her sister Amy, and sketching remained a life-long interest.
With the death of Clarence Brazil in 1899, the family left the North-West of England for Llanbedr, Wales, where they took up residence in their former summer house. It is believed that, at some point during this period (1899-1911), Brazil worked as a governess, although she does not mention it in her autobiography, My Own Schooldays (1925). In 1911, she moved to Coventry, where she kept house for her doctor brother, living in that city until her death, in 1947.
Brazil's first children's novel, A Terrible Tomboy, was published in 1904, and is believed to have been autobiographical, featuring the adventures of a young Angela (Peggy), and her friend Leila Langdale (Lilian). It was only with the 1907 publication of her second novel, The Fortunes of Philippa, that she turned to the genre in which she would become so influential: the Girls' School Story.
Brazil is often described by readers as "the first author of modern girls' school stories," and her publisher Blackie once claimed, in a bit of promotional hyperbole, that she had originated the genre! While not actually true - the genre predates her by some time, and other authors of modern girls school stories, such as May Baldwin, were publishing before she was - Brazil was certainly immensely influential, in the genre's move away from a didactic, moralistic model, towards one aimed more at entertainment. Her books are told from the perspective of her girl characters themselves, and were immensely popular with young readers, both in her own lifetime, and afterward. All told, she published close to sixty children's novels, most of them girls' school stories.
Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
February 12, 2015
File under Ugly Duckling. The future swan in this pieces is Rona, a New Zealand girl who's considerably less refined than her new schoolmates. Her long-suffering penpal and roommate Ulyth undertakes to civilize her, something that is, apparently, done mainly through example. Personally, I thought Rona was rather more fun when she first came to the school, but I'm not an early 20th century English schoolgirl, so what do I know? The final crisis that leads to Rona truly proving herself is... well, it isn't the most convincing thing in the world. But fun, certainly. The Lord Glyncraig business is telegraphed pretty widely, but imagining the reaction of one character in particular makes it quite satisfying anyways.
I loved the Camp Fire Girl bits, though. I was a faithful Girl Scout for seven years, and I liked getting to see another girls' scouting organization. It's a bit different from my Girl Scout troop had been, and it was fun to see the differences. I don't remember having such hero worship for my troop leaders, for example. My mom told me once that she'd been obsessed with the Camp Fire Girls books when she was a kid, and I wonder if she'd like this, too.
Most delightful name of the book: Ulyth herself.
I loved the Camp Fire Girl bits, though. I was a faithful Girl Scout for seven years, and I liked getting to see another girls' scouting organization. It's a bit different from my Girl Scout troop had been, and it was fun to see the differences. I don't remember having such hero worship for my troop leaders, for example. My mom told me once that she'd been obsessed with the Camp Fire Girls books when she was a kid, and I wonder if she'd like this, too.
Most delightful name of the book: Ulyth herself.
July 7, 2012
Awkward colonial schoolgirl is an embarrassment to her more refined schoolmates in a small English boarding school, but with the help of a girl sacrificing herself to improve her due to the inspirational influence of her Camp Fire Girls leader, the Cuckoo blossoms into a beautiful, graceful and brave girl. So beautiful, graceful and brave, in fact, that is there a chance of noble blood hidden under her uncouth New Zealander ways and whinnying laugh? Wait until any vestige of individuality is successfully stripped from her, and see! There is also a (particularly stupid) chance for her to prove her nobility by sacrificing herself for the sake of the School, in between rescuing
Really, really dreadful, in a lot of senses. And an awful lot of fun in others. Despite the bits that are very clearly Of Their Times, it's a lively read, and the schoolgirls are impressively independent for upper middle class 1915 schoolgirls.
Really, really dreadful, in a lot of senses. And an awful lot of fun in others. Despite the bits that are very clearly Of Their Times, it's a lively read, and the schoolgirls are impressively independent for upper middle class 1915 schoolgirls.
December 30, 2012
I really liked this one! Taking Rona and turning her into a worthy star of school girl books was no mean feat, but it was accomplished. I liked this school very much too, with the rules and what not, and it seemed the perfect size. The mystery was good at the end too, because I didn't fully pick it. Finally found another gem by Angela Brazil, it was worth the wait.
August 12, 2009
Rona from New Zealand has difficulty adjusting to traditional British school life at The Woodlands in Wales. A fun school story, although Rona is a little over the top.
July 22, 2012
a lovely ideal of 'tween war school story - lovely characters!
February 23, 2015
Didn't age quite so well. Needs more shenanigans and less casual classism/racism.
June 1, 2026
I may be viewing things through the rose tinted glasses of nostalgia, but this is easily among my most favourite boarding school series that I read as a child
April 28, 2015
Ulyth is very excited to learn that Rona Mitchell, the New Zealander with whom she has been corresponding for several years will be joining her at school. But when she meets Rona, Ulyth is very disappointed. She finds her loud and uncouth. But as a Torchbearer in the Campfire Girls she knows she must do her best, for her own sake, for Rona's sake, and for the sake of the school.
July 26, 2016
My first Angela Brazil school story, and I really enjoyed it. I kept trying to work out where the school is, because the countryside described was so familiar.
Nothing unexpected in the plot, really, including the ridiculous snobbery!
Nothing unexpected in the plot, really, including the ridiculous snobbery!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews