Viewing page 37 of 143

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

-30-

[[underline]] FOURTH YEAR AT ST. CATHERINE'S [[/underline]]

The fourth year of school life was to bring many changes. During my summer vacation with my aunt she gave me the choice of continuing at St. Catherine's or of following the head-master and his family to another school. I decided at once in favour of St. Catherine's

The school-master, his wife had two daughters, had formed a familiar background to my school-life, but they were so merged with other things and people that they seemed almost without distinctive outlines. Evidently they felt otherwise about me. When the mother died, I was dressed in mourning like the daughters, and taken to the funeral. Knowing them but slightly as individuals, it was difficult for me to understand why I was forced to intrude myself into their family grief.

After his wife's death, the head-master took to drink. One day he created much suppressed laughter when, after staggering up the chapel aisle he reversed the regular order of things by announcing "Here endeth the reading of the first lesson", before even opening the Bible, and then; "Here beginneth the reading of the first lesson", on shutting it. But far worse things than that were whispered about him. This gaunt, scrubby-bearded man had called several of the older girls into his study, and there he had tried to kiss them. It was obvious that there was need of a new director. Little did I expect the change that was in store for me when I returned from my vacation.