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So in all that time, I’ve only reached number 28 in the original series, ‘Changes for the Chalet School’. I last read it in 2013 and didn’t remember anything much about it. It follows directly on from ‘Bride Leads the Chalet School’, which I reread a couple of months ago, and is the last book set at the island of St Briavel’s.
The title is a misnomer, in a way, since the ‘changes’ are forthcoming, rather than actually happening in this book. At the start of the term, there are no new girls at all. It’s the summer term, so they wouldn’t expect many, but it seems odd that there are none at all. Then Miss Annersley, the Head, announces that as of September the school will no longer be on the island. Instead, those of 12 and over are invited to be part of a new branch of the Chalet School which will be starting in Switzerland. Those who don’t go to Switzerland, for whatever reason, will join with the younger girls who are already in St Agnes House, separate from the main school.
The plan had always been for the Sanatorium to return to the Oberland, but in 1953, when this book is set, Austria is still not considered safe; so Switzerland is the best compromise. And the finishing branch of the Chalet School is already nearby.
With no new girls to settle in, no major problems, no illness and no actual changes, the book feels like a bit of a filler. It wouldn’t be of much interest at all to anyone who is not already familiar with the characters; but for those of us who are fans, and who have read the earlier books, it’s a good book for catching up on different members of the school.
Jo Maynard and her family return from Canada, and the triplets are back in school. Margot hasn’t been working hard, and is threatened with being left in the UK branch of the school since she and her sisters are younger than 12. Margot also befriends Emerence Hope, the ‘difficult’ girl who was new in ‘Shocks for the Chalet School’, 25th in the original series.
Jo brings news of several of her old friends, most of whom have married and had babies, and there’s quite a thought-provoking incident where one of the school staff tries to explain why she isn’t going to go to Switzerland. There’s a nice scene where girls are chosen to decide which books should go and which should stay… and much more.
Towards the end of the book is a chapter about the seniors’ visit to the Cadbury factory in Bournville. I don’t think I had taken in, on previous readings of this book, what a very long journey it was - probably a couple of hundred miles, in coaches that would not have travelled very fast. A journey of over seven hours is described, without any stops at all. The visit is then well-described, evidently based on the author’s own experience, although very different from a Cadbury World tour today. But they only stay in Bournville for a couple of hours, and then - presumably - have another seven-and-a-half hour journey back to the school.
There’s a mildly amusing incident when some of the Middles realise they haven’t done anything mischievous so far, and there’s a long section that’s rather tedious about the end-of-term regatta. It’s poignant for the girls because it’s the last one they’ll have, but doesn’t make for interesting reading.
My previous copy of ‘Changes for the Chalet School’ was an Armada paperback which was starting to fall to pieces, so I managed to acquire a ‘Girls Gone By’ full edition since my last reread. It’s very nicely produced, with some interesting introductory material, but I didn’t notice anything extra in the text. Apparently the Armada edition had frequent minor edits; but nothing that changed the story, or missed out anything significant, as far as I can tell.
I wouldn’t recommend this book as an introduction to the Chalet School. It's not one of my favourites. But as part of the ongoing series it’s worth reading if you're a fan, and I expect I'll re-read it again in another ten years or so.
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