Aunt Judith

A schoolroom announcement quickly becomes a quarrel when fourteen-year-old Winnifred Blake defends a new pupil against Ada Irvine's social snobbery. At Mrs. Elder's school, Ada's polished manners and strong lessons give her influence, while impulsive Winnie resents the way she judges other girls by their families. Winnie's sharp reply brings her before the principal, where the demand for an apology sets her pride against her sense of fairness.

Grace Beaumont's children's novel carries those tensions into family life. When Winnie's mother forbids her close friendship with Nellie because of their different positions in society, Winnie turns to her brother Dick for sympathy. Friendship, Christian conduct and the distinction between outward respectability and kindness shape the story's concerns. Readers interested in older school fiction will find a close view of how adult expectations and class prejudice press upon a girl's choices, alongside the lively speech and quick tempers of her companions.