The Chalet School
and Barbara

HB/PB comparisons      Publishing history  

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

The Chalet School and Barbara - Hardback/paperback comparison

This article first appeared in FOCS 29, published in August 1995.

Barbara was one of the earliest of the Chalet School series to appear in paperback and was presumably edited by EBD herself. Interestingly, the paperback has more pages than the hardback, but there are still cuts, although none are serious enough to gravely affect the narrative.

Both have eighteen chapters with the same chapter headings, the hardback having Roman numerals and the paperback Arabic figures.

In Chapter One we meet Barbara and her sister Beth, on their journey to Basle. In the opening of the paperback chapter, Barbara no longer mentions the wooden bears which Beth had brought her on a previous visit to Switzerland, and her 'bubble-crop of flaxen hair' becomes just 'flaxen curls'. 'Any too easy to get about once the snow comes' is altered to 'I don't suppose it'll be easy to get about once the snow comes'. Later on, Beth no longer describes Barbara as 'enjoying herself to the top of her bent' and Barbara no longer says she is 'going to stand on her own feet now'. A paragraph describing her early delicacy is shortened and rephrased, and the description of her as 'sweet of nature' is changed to 'sweet natured'. Beth no longer lowers her novel to survey her third sister. Barbara still puts on her beret but Beth no longer reminds her about her gloves, although in the next paragraph she still tugs them on.

Following their arrival at Basle station the reference to the train maybe only waiting a few minutes is deleted. They are met by Frieda von Ahlen who takes them to her home for Mittagessen. She explains that her husband works in a bank in Basle and she now lives there. The description of the journey from the station to the von Ahlens' flat is shortened slightly. During their visit, Joey's inaccurate and politically incorrect description of Carlotta as a 'nigger baby' has been deleted. After the meal, Barbara is still allowed to hold baby Carlotta, but Frieda and Beth are no longer described as drinking their coffee while she does so, although in a later paragraph Beth still refuses more coffee. At the end of the chapter, when Joey telephones to confirm that her family has German measles, the German measles now occur at 'one of the hotels' rather than 'among the visitors at one of the hotels'.

Chapter Two opens with a discussion between Joey and Beth about German measles; it is decided that Barbara must be a boarder at the Chalet School, and Beth and Barbara continue their journey to the Görnetz Platz. They are met at Interlaken by Rosalie Dene.

As they set off, Beth no longer tells Barbara to put on her gloves if she wants to arrive at Interlaken with clean hands. Beth's farewell to Frieda at the station is considerably shortened. After Beth has told Barbara she is to be a boarder, she no longer says she won't write home fussing if things go wrong. After the arrival at Interlaken, Rosalie Dene's explanation of why Frieda was asked to meet them is shortened, and most of their descriptions of the scenery as they drive between stations is omitted. At the patisserie, Rosalie no longer hurries Beth and Barbara to the point of bolting. The coffee is still very expensive at a shilling a cup! In the hardback they pay their 'score', in the paperback their 'bill'. On the final lap of the journey, Rosalie's mental view of Beth as 'something quite choice' changes in the paperback to 'really quite outstanding'. On their arrival at the Platz, Rosalie succeeds in starting the car rather than 'setting the engine humming'. Barbara's momentary panic on parting from Beth is shortened.

Chapter Three concerns the latter part of the journey of the Chalet School to the Platz, concentrating in the main on Mary-Lou and her friends in their discussion of the new uniform. Hilary's remark about navy blue is omitted. Following the discussion on a crimson uniform, part of the paragraph preceding Miss O'Ryan's arrival is deleted, as is the detailed description of Mary-Lou repacking Vi's case. The discussion about umbrellas remains. Lesley's qualifying 'I should think' in discussing the site of the new school is omitted. Mary-Lou and Verity-Anne are no longer described as marching side by side up the school. The cows and cowbells disappear from the scenery on the journey. An 'it's only Mary-Lou' paragraph has been removed, and the description of the journey is much abbreviated.

Chapter Four reverts to Barbara waiting at the school for the arrival of the others and the events other day. The observation that 'Barbara envied no man anything' is omitted. The description of the view from her cubicle has been deleted. The bathroom is no longer described as the one where she had washed the night before, and no longer does she run the bath 'rather more than half full'. The paragraph explaining the effects of the cold water omits the comment about leaving all relics of her individualism behind'. While dressing, her shoelaces are no longer tied in a 'smart bow'. Matey is described as 'trim' rather than 'trig'. On her return to the school after her walk with Miss Annersley, she is 'happier' not 'happier for Beth's sage advice'. The comment about not 'shoving things into the first drawer that came handy when Matron was about' is deleted from the paragraph on how Matron explained the rules about bedmaking and unpacking. At the end of the chapter, the school arrives, and 'guarded on one side by Vi and on the other by Mary-Lou, Barbara made her first real acquaintance with the Chalet School'.

In Chapter Five, the school finds its way around its new abode. In her opening remarks, the Head no longer explains where Hall is. Barbara still has to have the phrase 'your face rings a bell' explained to her. The description of Verity-Anne's slowness is omitted. In the talk about the Maynards' German measles, Freudesheim is no longer described as a 'queer name'. The discussion between Mary-Lou and Barbara on Nicholas Nickleby remains. On their way down to the Common Room, the Middles no longer stand respectfully against the wall to allow a prefect to go by. The description of the girls marching into the Speisesaal is curtailed. The different colours of the glasses are described as 'all so jolly' rather than 'all so gay'. In clearing the tables, napkins are no longer mentioned as being carried in blazer pockets. When after Prayers the Head is explaining about the speaking of the correct language for the day, her comment about everyone helping new girls is omitted.

In Chapter Six we meet the Prefects. They settle their special duties for the term and they discuss games and winter sports prospects. In the early stages when Julie is sitting on the table in the Prefects' Room, Madge no longer joins her on the table and Julie no longer slides off the table. The simile about the Parish Clerk and the mixed wedding couples is deleted. This being so, the Prefects no longer chuckle, and the description of Julie forgetting she was a lonely ill-used individual is also omitted. After the voting for individual posts, the description of the others watching Julie and her not giving anything away is omitted. Pat Collins no longer explains that she did think hard before putting anyone's name down. Much of the discussion of Clem as second Games Prefect is curtailed. Rosalie's question as to who can skate is no longer described as a 'facer', and the names of those Prefects who can skate, Annis Lovell, Pat Collins and Dorothy Watson are left out. At the end of the chapter, Julie no longer refers to having 'one or two oddments to do'.

Chapter Seven concerns plans for Saturday's expeditions and the journey to Interlaken and Unterseen. In the opening pages, Mary-Lou's 'clarion tones' are deleted, and Emerence no longer bounces up and down until her bedsprings complain. Verity-Anne is still so thrilled that she is liable to have left the dormitory half-dressed', but 'none of her dormitory chores done' is deleted. When the new girls are told their forms so that they are able to join the appropriate expeditions, Barbara is still credited with having 'plenty of brains' but the addition 'now she would have a chance of using them' is deleted.

Chapter Eight, which involves sightseeing, Swiss history and a picnic, has been left intact, but an error in one of the historical dates has been rectified.

Chapter Nine, although halfway through the book, has only reached the first full day of term. It also introduces the new Maths mistress, Nancy Wilmot. The sun is no longer described as 'streaming through the window' as Upper IVB await the arrival of the new mistress, whose name they haven't been told. The only other alteration is the abbreviating of the description of Barbara's confusion over her arithmetic.

Chapter Ten, in which Mary Woodley expresses a dislike for Barbara, there is a discussion about Guides, and the school is presented with a prospective pupil, is intact, apart from two very minor deletions in the conversation between Mary Woodley and Betty Landon and the deletion of Vi's description of Mary as 'a complete idiot'.

In Chapter Eleven, Barbara has trouble with her form mates who are led to believe by Mary that she is the cause of Caroline Sanders getting into a row with Matron. Vi settles the trouble, and both Upper IVths and Lower IVA set off for an expedition to the Rosleinalp. There is only one very minor deletion in this chapter.

Chapter Twelve describes the expedition and the snowstorm in which the party becomes lost. Apart from Mary-Lou stumbling over a rock rather than 'a snag of rock', the fact that their guides knew every step of the way (to the station), the fact that the little roofed over shed which formed the station gave them some protection once they were there', and the last sentence of the chapter, 'and it was so', the chapter is complete.

Chapter Thirteen introduces the Christmas Play, written on this occasion by Lady Russell, and also tells us more about Upper IVB's other new girl. Sue Meadows. The chapter has no alterations except for the correction of Julie's surname to 'Lucy' rather than 'Lacy'. This is also corrected in subsequent chapters.

By Chapter Fourteen we have reached Half Term, and its special expedition to Berne. Mary-Lou falls downstairs and has to stay at home. Two early minor omissions refer to the christening of Marjorie. Nancy's description of Peggy Bettany as last being seen as 'a leggy infant of five or six' omits 'of five or six'. In the subsequent conversation about the triplets, Biddy O'Ryan no longer says 'no I don't agree with you, Nancy'. From then on the rest of the chapter, sightseeing and history, is complete.

In Chapter Fifteen, the school wakes up to discover that the snow has come. There is a discussion about the change of dormitory prefect in Leafy. Later, there is discussion about Captain Oates and his bravery and some reminiscences about previous Sales. The only deletion is early on, when, in the conversation between Vi and Barbara, Vi now says 'I didn't mean to offend you or anything', instead of the original 'I didn't mean to offend you or get your monkey up or anything'.

In Chapter Sixteen, the school dresses for extreme cold, dons its dark glasses, and makes a first attempt at winter sports, being careful to keep the points of their skis apart. In announcing this, the Head no longer tells them to bring their shawls and hoods downstairs with them, although shawls and hoods are still worn. There are no other deletions to this chapter.

Chapter Seventeen, the Staff Party, is complete without alteration.

Chapter Eighteen, being the last chapter of a Christmas Term, is of course the Christmas Party. Felicity Maynard makes her stage debut and there is an unexpected visit from Lady Russell. From the opening paragraph. Miss Dene's remark that 'this is one time when better late than never won't do. Nothing gives the amateur away more surely than awful pauses between speeches' is deleted. The Bar Parlour of a modern 'local' becomes the Bar Parlour of a modern 'Inn'. Joey no longer describes the customers in the Children's Crusade scene as 'desperate scoundrels'. In the same episode, the Landlord no longer says he'd make mincemeat of them (the young crusaders) if they didn't 'be off'. Josette no longer looks 'even wilder and dirtier' (than Mary-Lou). The angels in snowy white have disappeared from the final tableau, and the angels and humans now sing 'Adestes Fideles' rather than 'The Adeste', though still in its musical, Latin form.

To conclude, the differences between the hardback and paperback versions of The Chalet School and Barbara are not great, and apart from the aforementioned alteration for political correctness, seem mainly for modernisation and to shorten it.

Philomena Jones
Sadly, Philomena Jones died on 8th April 1998.   This article has been reproduced with permission from her estate.

Publishing history