Jo Returns to the
Chalet School

HB/PB comparisons      Publishing history  

Click to see a larger image of the dustwrapper. On the right is a paperback edition.

Jo Returns to the Chalet School - Hardback versus Paperback

I compared my 1960 HB, illustrated by Dorothy Brook, with the Collins Two-in-One PB edition published in 1996.  The front matter of the paperback states that "this revised edition was first published . in 1970".  The paperback has only 219 pages, compared to 303 in the hardback, but bearing in mind the differences in layout and typeface, this is hardly surprising.  The two editions have the same number of Chapters (18) and, whilst there are no great omissions, there are some significant and informative passages missing from the paperback.  (Page numbers refer to HB first, and then PB).

Chapter I - A Surprise For The Chalet School

We are no longer told that "The School, begun nearly six years previously with only eight girls, had swelled in numbers until there were now more than a hundred and fifty girls .".  The most significant omission in this chapter, however, occurs after "Louise felt rather diffident as to her ability to take Jo's place (as Headgirl); but those who appointed her felt no doubt" (HB p8 / PB p7).  The missing sentences state that Louise's best friend Anne Seymour "should really have held the position, but a wild escapade during the previous term had resulted in her being set aside, her friend being chosen instead."

We go on to learn that Anne acknowledged that she deserved her punishment, and did not envy Louise, although she wished she had kept her head last term.  I don't remember another occasion in the series when a girl was punished so severely for what was really just one act of stupidity.  This seems out of character for both Mademoiselle LePâttre and Madge Russell.  Are these the same people that forgave all Joey's and Grizel's lapses?

Smaller changes include: 'gay chatter' becoming 'merry chatter' and Cornelia now says 'sure' rather than 'safe'.  The error in the list of previous Headgirls on p14/12 (naming Gertrud Steinbrücke, rather than Bette Rincini) is the same in both editions.  Finally, a paragraph detailing how and why the four chief Prefects would be based at St Clare's House, and comparing them to Joey et al, is omitted (p17/14).

Chapter II - The Twins Do It

On p20/16, as Jo tells the staff of her intentions to write a school story for Daisy and the Robin, we are no longer told that "The Robin was her little adopted sister, and Jo loved her as deeply as she loved her real sister, Madge Russell."  Also omitted is the fact that Mademoiselle LePâttre loved Jo dearly.  Jo's "Oh, rather" as she agrees to place Miss Wilson's book order becomes "Oh, gladly" - a rather pointless change.  Details of Jo's shopping trip to Innsbruck with Frieda Mensch are lost, and on her return, her stove has now been "lit" rather than "lighted".

Lost also is the information that Dr Jem is hoping that his little niece, frail Primula Mary, will not be called on to fight any illness for the next five or six years (p26/20).  A description of the study as a "... pretty room with its wide sunny windows, pleasant pictures, and all the daintinesses which spoke of the cultured woman who inhabited it" is deleted, which is a shame (p27/21).  Finally, a full-page description (p32/25) of Robin's history, health and medical care by Dr Jem and the Sonnalpe team is removed.

Chapter III - Joey's New Discovery

Throughout this chapter, and the book, Joey is referred to as an "author" rather than the original "authoress".  In the PB as well as the HB, Matron has incorrectly "been at the School for nearly six years", rather than the correct three years.  Lost is the fact that Joey was beginning to look "big-eyed and white-cheeked" through overwork on her book, and an update on the condition of the measles invalids in deleted (p38/28).  On p42/32, Matron Lloyd no longer adds "the jam to the powder", but "sugars the pill" when commenting on Jo's book, a phrase more comprehensible to modern ears.

Jo still meets Herr Braun on her way to the Hotel Post, but we are no longer told that he owns the land on which the School was built, or that he asks after his grand-daughter Gretchen, a pupil there (p46/34).  Also removed, consequently, is Jo's realisation, with horror, that she has nothing to tell him, having been too busy to see any of the girls recently, and that usually she knew "all there was to know" about the middles.

Chapter IV - Mr Wilmot Arrives

Jo's first act on returning from her weekend in Innsbruck was originally to ring Die Rosen to ask for the latest news, and she only learnt what happened about Polly from Matron later.  Polly is frequently referred to as "Miss Polly" in this chapter in the HB, which lends a certain old-fashioned air to the story.  In the same vein, Polly calls Mr Wilmot "Guardian" throughout the HB edition; this is replaced by plain Mr Wilmot in the PB.

In a larger omitted passage (p66/49), Matron tells Jo that two letters have arrived, from Simone and Marie.  Jo promises to let Matron know all the news after reading the letters, and Matron tells us that she wants to know all about Marie's wedding preparations, as she is keen to attend the wedding.  Jo responds dramatically that Marie "would weep if you weren't there, and that might shed rather a gloom over the proceedings."  As Jo goes to burn 'Malvina Wins Through', we are no longer told that Otto "in common with all the servants . privately thought that Fraulein Joey was one of the most charming young ladies in the world".  Kaffe und Kuchen, by the way, "was always later on Wednesdays".  Of course.  Also omitted is that Frieda was one of the most popular girls in the School, possessing a quiet influence that everyone had felt.

Chapter V - Joey - The Authoress
 

This Chapter starts with a pointless title change; it becomes "Joey - The Author".  Small changes include the fact that Miss Annersley's eyes are no longer "brown" (p73/54) - a good deletion for once, as they were "keen blue eyes" in Chapter I.  Also, Joey no longer has "a pain in her temper", but has "got a bit of a temper", according to Cornelia (p75/55), the Staff are no longer relaxing "since the labours of the day were ended" (p75/56) and Jo now refers to her nieces and nephews as "those infants", rather than "those babes" (p78/58).

Chapter VI - The Problem of Polly

Few changes again in this chapter.  One notable omission on p85/64 gives us an insight into Miss Annersley: "Although senior mistress, she was apt to sit back and let other people run things.  But on occasion, she would take her proper place, and then they generally listened to her, for what she had to say was always worth hearing."  We are also no longer told that, as Jo was mainly responsible for Polly being at the School, the Staff think it is only fair she should help them to cope with Polly's patchy education.  In the PB, Jo's messy hair makes her look like a hedgehog, rather than the original gollywog, an understandable change.

Chapter VII - Joey Embarks on A New Career

The passage about Polly's chair sliding away across the well-polished floor (p94/71) is re-worded throughout, although no information is erased.  Strangely, a phrase is then added to the PB: as Jo and Polly discuss the Clunaic Reformation, Polly's speech on p99/75 "I say!  I'd no idea they did all that . I though they just enjoyed themselves and were lazy" in the HB, is changed to "Goodness!  I'd no idea they did all that . I thought they just sang and prayed and sat about meditating a lot, and enjoyed themselves." in the PB edition.  Jo no longer says Polly's History chart would be "much more thrilling" if she could put in some "jolly little original pictures", now she says it would be "much more exciting".

A few phrases are cut in Jo and Polly's discussion about Herr Laubach and art classes (p100/76), and we no longer learn that Polly's previous training had taught her respect for her elders and betters, so she was quiet and made no further objection to learning German, to Jo's relief.  When Jo speaks to Madge and discovers Rix has whooping cough (p107/81), we no longer discover that Alan Lindsay's mother is in the San for observation, and Jo's wailings about missing all of Sybil's babyhood and seeing her grow into a little girl are also cut.

Chapter VIII - Polly Creates A Sensation

The description of Polly's new hobby (painting on wood) has been shortened.  We are no longer told, as Joey pulls the curtains over the windows (p113/84), that whilst she loved fresh air, she hated draughts.  Also deleted is the fact that Herr Laubach had stayed up in Briesau to see Mademoiselle, as she had been suffering from a sick-headache earlier in the day, thus explaining why she is later referred to as the "wan-looking lady" he had just left.  In addition, throughout this chapter, Herr Laubach's strong accent is corrected: for example (HB p118/89) "See vat you 'ave done ... I mooch desire you to punish" becomes "See what you have done . I much desire you to punish".

This appears to be a consistent change in many of the PBs: for example, the PB of Highland Twins removes all trace of Scottish accent from the McDonald twins.  One such modification suffers from poor editing, though, and changes the sense: "Go and ze mirror HERE bring" becomes "Go and the mirror HER bring" in the PB.  In the HB we also learn more about the plight of Frau Laubach: "(she) lived in a tiny flat in a very dull street, where most of her neighbours were too busy to do more than wave to her as they passed; while frequently her little maid was the only person she saw between Früstück and Abendessen" (p124/93).

Chapter IX - The Result of Too Many School-Stories

Various small phrases are cut from Evadne, Elsie, Margia, Joey and Polly's discussion about floods.  Polly thinks over her plan to ring the Ste Therese bell, and her night time "peregrinations" have become "travels" (p129/97), and her description of Pat, the Pride of the School is shortened, missing the passage "Only, she was Irish, of course.  Irish girls always seem to do the worst thing - I wonder why?  Biddy O'Ryan isn't like that a bit!" (p130/98).  No wonder that was erased.  Polly's problems with arithmetic are also edited; she no longer wishes during prep that if only 'Bonny Leslie' would let her go on in the old way, she could be certain of full marks (p131/98).

On p132 the "mysteries of H.C.F's" are elucidated for us in the PB, where they are referred to as "highest common factors".  We are also no longer told that Anne was a stern disciplinarian, and ruled with a rod of iron during working hours (p132/99).  As Joyce reacts scathingly to the suggestion that the girls could share beds, she reveals Matron Venables nickname to be, predictably, "Venny".  As "pretty" Miss Stewart catches the girls talking, she no longer wears "the blackest frown anyone had ever seen on her brow" (p134/100).  Various trivial details are cut from Polly's journey to ring the bell, and also from the aftermath of her actions.

Chapter X - Consequences

A long passage about the medical care provided at the School has been deleted, including the training and backgrounds of the three Matrons (p145/109).  We originally learnt that Matey was a fully trained nurse, Matron Gould had three years training at a big London hospital and that Mrs Venables had been a nurse at a big Sanatorium in England before her unfortunate marriage (what else should we expect from Jem's sister?).  Omitted is a restatement of the fact that Polly had no idea that the bell would wake the whole valley and various other small phrases are also deleted.

Mademoiselle's French accent is underlined in this chapter in the HB as she calls Polly "Pollee" throughout.  The "swing-chair" in front of the study desk is altered to a "swivel-chair" in the PB, and we also loose the information that, strangely, the School at large didn't know much about Jo's book: ". it was rumoured throughout the School that the book she was writing was a school-story, although some people inclined to the belief that it was a historical novel" (p154/116).

Chapter XI - Trouble for the Chalet School

Omitted from the PB is the fact that although Mademoiselle had been "ill all night" she was "better now" (p160/119).  Several small changes are made to the staff discussion about Mademoiselle and Miss Stewart's illnesses.  Also "jalousies" are changed for the less exotic "shutters", "whither" becomes "to where", and the fact that preparation hours are wisely limited and that the older girls are "privileged" by having longer preparation periods are omitted from p164/122.

The awkward "Instructresses" becomes "Mistresses", "finger-ends" becomes "finger-tips", and the discussion about Jo and the red ink is cut: a passage about Jo's untidiness and "propensity for ink-slinging", and Miss Stewart being "very particular about her books" is deleted (p167/124).  Consequently, this whole passage makes much less sense in the PB than it originally did in the HB.  Finally Dick Bettany's comment that India is "not a week's journey by air from here, if need be." and Jo's reply "It would be some aeroplane that did it in that" is cut for obvious reasons (p174/129).

Chapter XII - Livening Things Up A Little

A rather gushing passage revealing that "Polly was a beauty-lover, and it was scarcely to be wondered at that she regarded Gillian (Linton) with her fresh beauty of black curls, sapphire eyes and skin of roses-and-milk, with deep admiration." has been deleted (p176/132), as has the fact that Joey is "aching" to get back to Die Rosen (p179/133).  Small omissions occur in the passages about Jo taking preparation for the middles, the largest being brief descriptions of the characters of the five girls due to do their piano practice next (p189/141).

Chapter XIII - Half-Term Begins

In a large and telling omission, we no longer get Jo and Madge's telephone discussion about whether Jo should stay teaching till the end of term (HB p196-201).  In the PB this is reduced to Jo asking to use the telephone, and then telling Mademoiselle that she is willing to finish the term teaching History (PB p146).  Briefly, Jo and Madge discuss the invalids and how Sybil has grown, and Jo asks when she can come home.  Madge says it will be another three weeks as they aren't running any risks, but then proposes that Jo finish the term at Briesau as there is so little left and Jack Maynard says Miss Stewart won't be fit for work until after Christmas.  Jo complains, and interrupts her several times, and finally Madge says she must leave it to Jo's conscience.

In imitation of Mary-Lou many books later, Jo wails that this is tantamount to ordering her to do it, as she would always feel so awful if she didn't.  Then Madge counters with the suggestion that Jo owes the School something for the jolly time she has had there, and this is an opportunity to pay something back.  Madge also says she has finished the Christmas play, which has a role for Jo, if she wants it.  Jo grumbles about this being "jam for the powder", and eventually Madge rings off.  Jo tells Mlle LePâttre that she will stay, Mademoiselle offers to invite the Robin down for half-term as a treat, and the chapter carries on as in the PB.

Later in the chapter, a paragraph is deleted which describes how Jo spent the rest of the week alternating "between fits of hilarity and attacks of deepest gloom" as she watches the changing weather, hoping that it will be fine enough for the Robin to come down to Briesau (p205/149).  The description of the girls' half-term destinations has been edited, the journey of those going to the Sonnalpe is shortened, and we are no longer told which girls are going: Greta and Ailsa Macdonald are to visit their father in the San, Mrs Venables and Daisy are to stay with the Carrs who have been looking after Primula, and Elsie is taking Evadne as her guest.  Another description of how loved the Robin was, her sweet nature and her instant obedience to authority is deleted (p215/156) along with all the most gushing and sentimental of the greetings between Joey, the Robin and the other girls.

Chapter XIV - A 'Different' Party

Only minor changes in this chapter.  For instance on p223/162 Cornelia's "what under the canopy" becomes "what on earth", and a passage where Polly catches "the love in Jo's soft black eyes as she looked down at her little adopted sister" and suffers a twinge of jealousy, is deleted (p224/163).  Jo also no longer "whistles like a flute".  In a larger omission (p229/166) we no longer learn that the four tinies insisted on helping with their dresses, but even people of fourteen were glad of assistance from their elders, and "Stacie Benson, whose knowledge of sewing was very poor, brought her work to Jo with the despairing remark that she had no idea what to do", thus explaining why Jo made Stacie's costume.  The mis-spelling of Jo as Joe on p171 (in the PB) is not seen in the HB.  Finally, Joey's comment "how topping of her to go" is replaced by "how nice ." (p240/174).

Chapter XV - Statues - And A Sequel

On p243/177 the grey-blue sky originally "betokened " a fine day; in the PB it now "promised" one.  In another mis-reading of the original, on p247/180 instead of saying that at least none of the statue of Flora "HAD dropped away", the PB reads "at least none of her HEAD dropped away".  On p249/181, after Polly's comment that she can't skate, a page of discussions about skating is lost.  Briefly, we are told that Robin hasn't been allowed to skate before (despite her skating across the lake in Headgirl of the CS), and that she would like to learn this year.

Jo tells her she must ask Dr Jem, and Stacie also voices a wish to skate.  Jo reveals that she knows Stacie won't be allowed, as the doctors don't want to risk further spinal damage, and breaks this news to Stacie gently.  Stacie sighs sadly, and wishes she hadn't been so silly all those years ago, and Jo tells her not to dwell on what she can't change, before ushering Robin and Polly away, as she can see Stacie is about to cry.  Later, more details about Thora grasping Robin preventing her rushing outside when Jockel gets frightened by the Statues, are erased (p252/183).  Robin struggles and argues, "for once . not inclined to obey", before the note of authority in Thora's voice checks her.

Chapter XVI - A Fresh Calamity

When Mlle LePâttre is taken ill, we are no longer told that Nurse could not be spared long from Miss Stewart to help Matron Gould, as they "must keep Mademoiselle's illness from Miss Stewart if they could, and she would certainly have suspected something if Nurse were long away" (p259/188).  We are also told more explicitly in the HB that Mademoiselle required a "dangerous operation . to be performed on her as soon as possible." and that "a sudden attack of inflammation had come on, and her life was in the utmost danger" (p261/189).

After Dr Jem has talked to the girls, a deleted passage reveals that the girls could hardly believe that Mademoiselle, who had "never suffered from more than an occasional migraine" should be fighting for her life (p262/190).  There are a number of smaller deletions through this Chapter, such as the fact that the younger girls cried themselves to sleep (p265/192), and that Mademoiselle's temperature had begun to rise with fever after her operation, giving cause for worry (p271/196).  The Chapter ends with an extended paragraph about Miss Annersley's attempts to sleep: "She was not very successful; but at least she was resting, and the long night-watch brought its own counsel to her, so that when morning came, she rose, strong and ready to face whatever the new day might bring forth."  Modern editors have done Elinor an injustice; some of her most poignant words have been cut from this book.

Chapter XVII - Joey Unfolds A Tale

Few alterations in this Chapter.  As Jo visits Die Rosen for the first time, p276/200 is missing a description of David and Rix's behaviour after their illness "Master Rix was mischief incarnate, and David was not far behind him", and also that "(Peggy's) little face had grown sharp and they had cropped her pretty curls".  Other changes include Joyce Linton's Saffron cakes "spilling" over the floor rather than the original "bedewing" (p281/203).

Chapter XVIII - The Christmas Play

There are a number of small alterations, such as the Robin looking "so lovely" in the Christmas Play "that many there felt prickings in their eyes" (p293/212), but essentially, this chapter is unaltered.

In conclusion, there are many more small / medium changes than I initially realised in this book.  They don't alter the story at all, but they add immeasurably to the atmosphere and mood of the book.  There are many small domestic details and insights into people's characters and relationships, and it is definitely worth reading the hardback, even if you only read it once.  Certain passages made far more sense in their unedited state, and it was a pleasure to do this comparison.  Finally, if anyone can tell me (Clarissa!) which passage in the book is illustrated on the Brook dw, I would be very grateful.  For those who haven't seen it, it shows a girl with bobbed red hair in a green dressing gown looking round a bedroom door at the occupant, a taller girl with long black plaits (presumably Joey) in yellow pyjamas, putting on a blue dressing gown.  I can only suppose that this is supposed to represent the girls fleeing the house when the Ste Therese bell rang, but the precise scene doesn't seem to appear in the book.

Caroline German

Publishing history