The Chalet School Does It Again Quiz

Answer: Head of the Middle School

Julie Lucy is Head Girl in this book. So far, fifteen-year-old Mary-Lou is the only character in the series who holds the position of Head of the Middles (unless you count Margia Stevens in the Tyrol years, who had a similar role when the school was much smaller).

She is on friendly terms with the Maynard triplets, who are a few years below her and are all in forms with girls older than their age. She does eventually become Head Girl a few books later, however.

Answer: Fanny Burney

For context, Fanny Burney was an English Regency novelist and playwright, and Keeper of the Robes to Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, King George III's wife. Her most well-known novel is 'Evelina', which Mary-Lou reads when she is ill and running out of reading material. Prunella has a habit of refusing to use contractions and throwing in random proverbs.

Some of the girls liken her to Verity-Ann Carey, though Len points out that Verity is more 'precise' than proper. Both the girls and staff have a feeling that she doesn't really talk like that and is putting it on (and they turn out to be right).

When Len first encounters her, she finds her hilarious and can't wait to tell the form. Mary-Lou also mentions 'Evelina' when comparing Joey's books to the classics and explaining why Joey's characters talk like modern people.

Answer: She calls Len 'Helena'.

Although Len's full name is Mary Helena, she has always been known as Len and only gets called by her full name when she is in trouble. Prunella refuses to use abbreviated forms of people's names, calling Madge Watson 'Margaret' (her name is actually Magdalene) and Clem Barras 'Clemency'. Len repeatedly asks her not to call her 'Helena' and finally loses her temper when Prunella does it one time too often. Prunella does not help matters by calling Len 'ill-bred' and insulting her parents.

It is later revealed that she has flu, which is going round the school, which accounts for her being in a worse mood than usual. Several girls and staff come down with the illness as well, leaving the school momentarily short-staffed. Len and Prunella make up with each other during a skiing class, after Len has words with Joey and Joey tells her that she was in the wrong too.

Answer: 'Daniel bit the lions.'

If you've read some of the later books, you might remember this event being mentioned, and 'Does it Again' is the book where it happens. Con is daydreaming about a story she has written, set during the Crusades, and is trying to think of what to do with the characters when Miss Annersley calls on her. Emerence Hope pokes her in the ribs and Con blurts out her answer, which makes both Miss Annersley and the entire class burst out laughing, much to Con's embarrassment.

Answer: The Willow Pattern

The School previously did the Willow Pattern as a sale theme in St Briavel's (offscreen) and as they have many of the old props and costumes, they decide to go with it as the theme for this term. Madge Watson, Julie Lucy and Veronica explain the story to girls who are unfamiliar with it.

Although they don't have trellis for the bridge this time, Miss Annersley promises to make enquiries so they can build a similar one. Joey also pops in while the Sixth Formers are organising the sale and suggests some folk dances, and the girls coerce her into singing. (Context: the Willow Pattern is a pattern used on plates that is inspired by Chinese art. Various stories were invented to promote the design, and the most popular one, which the St Mildred's girls use for their play, is based on 'The Green Willow', a Japanese folktale, as well as borrowing elements of other Chinese stories.)

Answer: Margot falls into Lake Lucerne and Prunella rescues her.

Miss O'Ryan and Miss Wilmot are in charge of a group which includes Mary-Lou, Prunella, Emerence Hope and Margot. The girls visit the Lion of Lucerne, the Old Town, the covered bridges, and have lunch at a local restaurant. The group are joined by Miss Dene and her group, after four of the girls get lost in the gardens of Château Gutsch. Lesley Malcolm trips over and hurts her knees and hands, and later has to have stitches.

While the staff are distracted, Margot - who has previously been told off for climbing a parapet on the Seebrucke - and Emerence play a game of tag. Margot jumps up onto a railing and falls into Lake Lucerne when Emerence bumps into her, and Prunella immediately dives in after her while Miss O'Ryan holds Len back.

Answer: Dr Eugen Courvoisier

Dr Eugen Courvoisier, a Swiss doctor who is friends with Jack Maynard and has referred patients to him, is walking his Newfoundland dog nearby and the dog grabs hold of Margot's collar in his teeth while a passing boatman rows over to get the girls out of the water. Both of them are taken to hospital, along with Lesley. Miss Annersley heads into Lucerne to see the girls and Frau Helder, a friend of Dr Courvoisier, offers to put her up for the night. Joey visits the girls in hospital and thanks Prunella for saving Margot; she also reveals that she knows about Prunella's background. Prunella had been spoiled by her grandmother while her parents were in Africa and when her grandmother died and they came back, she had got in with a bad crowd and behaved very badly. Joey suggests that she try and make friends with girls in her own form, and be herself, which Prunella takes to heart. Elsewhere, Jack invites Dr Courvoisier to come to the Sanatorium as they have a mutual patient. Dr Courvoisier says that he also wants to see the school and Jack thinks that the doctor has taken a liking to Miss O'Ryan. (He turns out to be right, as the two marry later on in the series.)

Answer: A statue of St Therese de Lisieux

Margot comes home from hospital and is reunited with her sisters. Charles is kissing the statue of the saint and accidentally breaks it, and Joey is angry as she repeatedly told him not to touch it. She tells him to confess his sin to G-d when he says his prayers. Margot also confesses to Joey about the Lake Lucerne incident, blaming it on her 'devil', and Joey encourages her to keep fighting against her urges to misbehave.

She does not punish Margot as it is a school matter and leaves it up to Miss Annersley to deal with it. Beth Chester and Joey later get a shock when a pet rat gets into the house, and Jack has to get rid of it.

Answer: A Saint Bernard puppy

Joey has recently lost Rufus, the loyal old Saint Bernard dog who she adopted as a child in the Tyrol, and misses him greatly, so the school give her a new puppy in a hamper. Julie presents Joey with the present at the opening of the sale, telling the school that it is a thank you to Joey for her help in organising the sale.

As well as suggesting ideas for dances, she also helps dye some of the scenery (Miss Annersley tells Madge Russell that Joey's hands are covered in dye!) Joey drops the puppy off at Freudesheim, as he is frightened by the noise, and later names him Bruno. (The cake goes to Matron Graves, who guesses its weight.)

Answer: Leila Elstob

Long-time readers may remember that Con had won dolls' houses in previous sales. Leila Elstob is Sue Meadows' cousin, and is a patient at the Sanatorium who is seriously ill with tubercular hip. Her mother has a tendency to spoil her and begs Prunella to let her keep a painting which Mary-Lou had reserved for her own mother, and which Mrs Elstob had bought from the Upper Fourth's stall, which is based on the island in the Willow Pattern story. Mary-Lou has a fit of conscience and decides to let Mrs Elstob keep the painting, and Prunella offers to illuminate a prayer for her to make up for it. Mrs Elstob also enters the dolls' house competition. Con wins it, but gives the dolls' house to Leila as the Maynard girls already have their own and Con only entered for the fun of it anyway. Prunella leads a cheer for Con.