Judy the Guide
Synopsis
Judy Carey's first term at St Ronan's is nothing if not eventful. Pitchforked straight from her isolated life on a Canadian prairie farm into the hustle and bustle of the Fourth Form, she is befriended by the other girls in her dormitory - the Bird Room - and soon forgets her homesickness in the joy and colour of one of the school's favourite hobbies, country dancing.
Even that excitement, however, fades into the background when Nancy, Marjorie and Nanciebel introduce her to the school Guide company. Inspection, marching, drill, patrol corners, badge work - to Judy even the most mundane Guide task is a thrill and she longs for the day when she can be enrolled.
But those first days are not all happy ones. An accident on the very first afternoon makes an enemy of an older girl, with far reaching consequences. At first Judy dismisses the unpleasantness but when Muriel insults her brother on Parents Day, and later her heritage, the new girl shows her formmates that she has a temper to be reckoned with.
In the classroom the young Canadian finds that she must slog to keep up but once classes are over she throws all of her energy into the Guides. Finally comes the great day when Marjorie leads her into the horseshoe to make the promise of that great sisterhood.
The Guide feeling in the school is not always in evidence, however, and fate seems to be against Judy when a series of small incidents, including a broken vase and an unfortunate exam paper conspire to discredit her and isolate her from her schoolfellows.
By the close of term it looks as though Judy's difficulties have finished, but then the fourth form arithmetic exam papers go missing and all evidence points to her. It takes evidence from an unlikely quarter and the catching of a totally unexpected culprit to finally clear her and the term ends happily.
"You're dears! I love you all! And I am so glad I am a Guide!" cried Judy of the Guides.
contributed by Nicky Wade, England __ working from a hardback edition
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