A Pair of Schoolgirls

Autumn term begins at Avondale College with fresh paint, new classrooms and an election that matters deeply to Dorothy Greenfield. A capable pupil with interests in games, music and writing, Dorothy hopes to become Warden of the Lower School. Angela Brazil places her story in an English day school where clubs and elected representatives are meant to teach girls how to take responsibility for their community.

Dorothy's friendship with Alison becomes more difficult when school companionship meets family expectations. Their shared train rides bring them together, but Alison's mother places limits on their closeness. Meanwhile, Hope Lawson's influence in the Upper Fourth makes money, clothes and social standing powerful measures of popularity. The novel examines how classroom leadership can encourage fairness or undermine it, and how pride can make an honest conversation difficult. Its school routines give readers a concrete setting for questions of belonging, loyalty and the treatment of classmates.