The Sports
The Summer Term at Aireyholme always wound up with the Sports. They were
as much of an institution as the dramatic performance given shortly
before Christmas. The girls stuck to them with conservative zeal.
Several times Mrs. Franklin had suggested some other kind of fete to
celebrate the close of the school year, but concerts, tennis
tournaments, or pastoral plays were alike rejected in favour of
athletics. For the last week the Committee had been at work arranging
the events and making copies of the programme. The prizes were on view
in the studio, and were inspected with deep interest on the morning of
the great day.
"I can't think why you should make such a fuss about sports!" said
Katrine, who was touching up some sketches, and found her painting
operations decidedly hindered by the crowd clustering round the table.
"If you'd had an art competition, now, it would have been far nicer. Why
didn't you?"
"Because we've got to think of something to suit the whole school, and
not just a few hobbyists," returned Viola rather touchily. "You're
absolutely obsessed with painting. We monitresses take an all-round
view, and consider the general good."
"Isn't it for the general good to elevate public taste?" asked Katrine,
who never missed an opportunity of arguing with Viola.
"Certainly; but it's not fair on an occasion like this to have a
competition for which only an elect number are eligible. Sports are
democratic things. Every one has the same chance."
"Now there I don't agree with you. Some girls are better at running and
jumping, just as others are cleverer at music or painting. Sports aren't
a scrap more democratic, really; they only offer a different field of
battle. Your artistic genius may be a duffer at a sack race, and your
crack pianist a butter-fingers with a ball. You must admit that!"
"I shan't admit anything of the sort. It's well known in every school
that athletics are the fairest things going. That's why they're so
popular."
"But from your own reasoning----"
"Oh, I say, stop--for the sake of peace!" interrupted Diana. "We're
going to have the Sports, so what's the good of barging about them? If
you'd write a few extra programmes, Katrine Marsden, instead of giving
your opinions, there'd be some sense in it."
"I thought you had enough."
"We could do with half a dozen more. It's horrid to be short; and extra
visitors sometimes turn up."
* * * * *
It was the tradition of the school that the summer fete should be held
on the last Saturday in July. Though not the actual breaking-up day, in
the estimation of the girls it was almost as good. After Friday's
classes there were no more lessons; Monday would be devoted to packing,
and on Tuesday all would be speeding away by train to different points
of the compass. It was a kind of "do-as-you-please" day; rules were
relaxed, and everybody made the most of the holiday. A band of helpers,
under the superintendence of the Games Committee, spent the greater part
of the morning preparing the playing-field, forms were carried out to
accommodate the spectators, hurdles and other obstacles were arranged,
and the ground for the long jump freshly raked.
"It's frightfully rough on Coralie that she mayn't compete this year!"
said Hilda Smart. "She's something wrong with her heart, I believe;
anyhow, the doctor has absolutely forbidden it. Poor old Corrie! She's
so disappointed! She was ever so keen on winning a medal. She'll just
have to sit and watch, like a visitor."
"And Tita has blistered her foot, and can't run, so two of us are off,"
commented Diana. "It's hard luck on the Sixth!"
"Never mind; we've got Gladwin and Ellaline! They'll have to brace up
for the credit of the form."
"Trust them! But some of the Fifth are A1, and may steal a march on us."
"Not while Dorrie Vernon's alive! I'd back her against anybody."
"Has Katrine Marsden put her name down for anything?"
"Only for the bicycle race. She thinks the other competitions
hoydenish!"
"If you'd called them Olympic contests, and required candidates to come
attired in ancient Greek costumes, she'd have been madly enthusiastic!"
grinned Diana.
"Much jumping one would do in classic draperies!" sniffed Hilda
scornfully. "What does that kid want hallooing at us over there?"
Novie Bates was running down the field yelling at the pitch of her voice
for Diana.
"You're to come--at once!" she shouted. "Mrs. Franklin wants you. I saw
the telegraph boy coming up the drive."
Diana promptly dropped her rake, and fled towards the house, followed by
Hilda and the rest. On this most propitious day the results of the
Matriculation Examination might be expected to be published, and the
three candidates were on the _qui vive_ for news. Mrs. Franklin was
standing by the front door, with the yellow envelope in her hand, but
she did not divulge its contents until Dorrie and Viola also came
hurrying up.
"All passed. Viola first division, Diana and Dorrie in the second."
The welcome information was handed on from girl to girl, till in a few
minutes everybody in the school knew of it, and ran to offer
congratulations to the heroines of the hour. The Principal, who had
always considered Diana's mathematics shaky, was looking immensely
relieved. It was a triumph that all were through, and a very happy
finish for the term. Last year two out of the five candidates had
failed, a deep humiliation to Mrs. Franklin; but this success restored
the credit of Aireyholme. It put everybody in a good temper, and made
quite a gala atmosphere in the establishment. The monitresses took their
laurels with an air of dignified humility. They were gratified, but
left the rejoicing to their friends.
"Of course, when you've worked for a thing, it's a comfort to pass,"
admitted Viola, with would-be nonchalance.
"If I'd got a First Div. I'd be too proud to know what to do with
myself!" declared Laura Browne ecstatically.
"Will your names be put in the newspapers?" asked Yvonne with awed
admiration.
"We ought to run up a special flag!" suggested Jill Barton.
"There! That's enough cock-a-doodling on our behalf!" said Viola. "Some
of the rest of you must do credit to the school this afternoon. I hope
you're all in good form. Don't go tearing about the place, and getting
yourselves too hot beforehand. It's a waste of superfluous energy!"
The Sports were to begin at half-past two, and by that hour the
competitors and the greater number of the spectators were in their
places. Invitations had been sent to residents in the neighbourhood, and
though the visitors were not so many as on Waterloo Day, there were
quite enough to fill the seats which had been carried out for their
accommodation.
Githa arrived rather late. It had been intended that she should motor
over with her uncle and aunt, but at the last moment Mr. and Mrs.
Ledbury were delayed by a telegram, the contents of which they did not
disclose to her, and she had set off on her bicycle. By quick scorching
she managed to join the ranks of the school just in the nick of time.
She waved to Gwethyn, but there was no opportunity of speaking, for the
girls were ranged according to their forms. Miss Andrews and Miss
Spencer were respectively to be starter and time-keeper, and Mr. Boswell
and the Vicar would act as judges. The prizes, arranged on a small
table, would be distributed by Mrs. Boswell. The Patriotic League had
been anxious to forgo prizes altogether, and offer bouquets of flowers
or crowns of laurel to the victors; but this decision was overruled by
Mrs. Franklin, who thought the school honour demanded at least a few
inexpensive medals to grace the occasion.
"I shall not get silver ones this year," she had decreed; "but as we
have the die, the cost of metal ones will be comparatively trifling.
Mrs. Boswell is very kindly giving the form trophy, and Mrs. Gordon the
prize for the bicycle race. Miss Aubrey, the mistresses, and myself wish
to pay for the medals amongst us, and the shillings which you girls
usually subscribe can be sent either to the National Relief Fund or to
the Belgian Fund, whichever you choose."
This arrangement satisfied even the most patriotic conscience. All had
felt that the Sports would not be complete without medals, though they
were heroically prepared to make the sacrifice. The Athletic Prize
badges were coveted distinctions at Aireyholme, and were treasured by
their winners almost above the books generally awarded for successes in
form examinations. This summer the medals would be specially attractive,
for they would seem almost like military decorations. Each girl was
wearing her form rosette--the Sixth pink, the Fifth green, and the
Fourth blue; the monitresses in addition had white favours, and the
members of the Games Committee, whose duty it was to keep order and
marshal the competitors, wore a "C" embroidered on a mauve ribbon.
The first event was the junior plain race. The fifteen members of Form
IV started with great enthusiasm, and tore over the ground as rapidly as
their respective running powers permitted. Big Hebe Bennett, Bertha
Grant--also fat and scant of breath--and Myrtle Goodwin were soon
distanced by their more agile companions. Yvonne and Melanie made a
gallant struggle, but fell behind, and after an exciting heat between
Garnet Adams and Gwendolen Jackson, ended by Nora Parnell making a
sudden spurt and beating them both.
In the higher forms Megan Owen and Ellaline Dickens proved the
Atalantas. Megan, though short and stoutly built, was remarkably
swift-footed, and Ellaline, tall and willowy, covered the ground at a
swinging pace that distanced even Dorrie Vernon, the crack champion of
the Sixth. Dorrie redeemed her character, however, in the next event;
her record in the long jump was the highest ever known at Aireyholme, it
evoked loud cheers, and she retired with the satisfaction of knowing
that her feat would be duly entered in the athletic minutes of the
school. The high jump came next on the programme; juniors led the way
and showed much agility. For several rounds ten of them cleared the bar;
but the next trial proved fatal to seven, leaving only Novie, Myrtle,
and Githa on the field. It was a hard contest between these three. They
were very evenly matched; Novie was the tallest, but Githa had the best
springing power, and came off victor in the end.
"Glad the poor old Toadstool's scored," commented Dona Matthews to
Gwethyn. "It's a tremendous feather in her cap, because she hasn't been
able to practise as much as the rest of her form. Those kids have been
at it half the evening, all through this week. Our turn next! Hope
you're feeling fit?"
"I'll do my best, but I always find the feminine petticoat an
encumbrance--even a gymnasium skirt is apt to catch. Boys have that
immense advantage at athletics."
"Well, it's the same for us all, so we must take the petticoat as a
handicap."
Gwethyn was fairly good at jumping, and held her own well in the form.
She kept up pluckily when Beatrix, Susie, and even Dona had fallen out.
A large coco-nut mat had been placed for the girls to jump on to, but
the grass was very dry, and just where the spring must be taken it had
become slippery. Gwethyn, so near to victory, slid, alas! as on ice, and
came a heavy cropper. She got up ruefully rubbing her leg, not seriously
injured, but too temporarily lame to make another trial, and the triumph
was scored by Rose Randall; not even the Sixth, who followed, being able
to break her record.
The sack race for juniors was attended with much merriment. The fifteen
members of the Fourth, fastened up securely to the neck in clean sacks,
were laid on their backs in a giggling row. At the word of command from
the starter they struggled somehow to their feet, and began to make
what shuffling progress they might. It was a case of most haste least
speed, for over-zealous hurry only resulted in a fall, and often five or
six girls would be squirming like caterpillars on the ground. Hopping,
stumbling, tripping, anything but running, the competitors made their
slow way, till Jess Howard, the foremost, literally tumbled across the
ribbon, lying mirthful and speechless till she was raised and released
from her impediment by the stewards.
The bicycle race was less of an open competition, for only those could
enter who possessed machines. There were ten candidates altogether,
Katrine, Gwethyn, and Githa being among the number. It was the sole
event in the Sports for which Katrine would compete; she affected to
consider running and jumping only fit for juniors, and stood aloof from
such "childish recreations" (as she termed them), greatly to the
indignation and scorn of the monitresses, who held a brief for
athletics. The race was by no means plain riding. Two long rows of
flowerpots had been placed, with due intervals between them, and in and
out among these the competitors must guide their machines in a tortuous
twist. It was a matter of balance and careful steering, and Katrine, who
was perhaps a little too airily confident, came to grief over the ninth
pot, rather--I am afraid--to the satisfaction of some of the members of
the Sixth, who chuckled together at her want of prowess. Katrine,
however, had the virtue of being able to take defeat in a sporting
manner. She wheeled her bicycle away, and watched the finish from a
quite disinterested point of view. Gwethyn did well, but she was still
a little stiff with her fall on the grass, and she lacked practice.
Githa, whose daily cycling to and from school made her absolutely at
home on her machine, had a decided pull over the others, and won by
several points. It was her second victory that afternoon, and the school
applauded loudly. Her pale cheeks flushed with pleasure at the sound of
the clapping. It was sweet for once to be appreciated--she, who was
generally such an outsider among the boarders.
"Good old girl! You outshone yourself!" cried Gwethyn with an admiring
slap on the back. "You wound about like a boa constrictor!"
"Thanks for the comparison--I'd rather be a toadstool than a snake!"
laughed Githa.
The stewards were collecting and rearranging the flowerpots, and a team
of juniors came forward for the tortoise race. A difficult competition
this, for each candidate had to conduct marching operations mounted on
two flowerpots, and was required to balance herself on one leg on one
pot, while she cautiously and skilfully moved the other pot forwards.
Putting a foot to the ground necessitated returning to the
starting-point, and several times the foremost competitors, in their
anxiety to hurry along, let zeal exceed caution and lost their balance.
True to the title of tortoise, the slow and steady made the surest
progress, and Bertha Grant, the hindmost in the opening running, scored
at this event. On the whole the girls voted the obstacle race the best
fun. Every competitor rapidly worked a sum, submitted it to Miss
Andrews, and if correct tore away to scramble through some hurdles and
run over a raised plank. She was then required to open a parcel, take
out a long skirt and put it on, continuing her course, much encumbered
by its flapping, to climb more hurdles as a finish. Lena Dawson, Dona
Matthews, and Dorrie Vernon won credit for their respective forms, the
latter particularly distinguishing herself, as she arrived at the goal
without having torn her long skirt, an achievement not accomplished by
Lena or Dona.
The last event, the North Pole race, was confined to juniors. The girls
were first blindfolded with handkerchiefs, then paper-bags were tied
over their heads, and thus incapacitated from seeing, they were turned
loose to grope for the "North Pole", a stick placed in the centre of the
field. Attendant scouts kept them on the course, gently turning them
towards the goal when they strayed to other points of the compass; but
in spite of this help they would often pass groping hands within a few
inches of the stick and fail to grasp it. After much fun and excellent
"collie work" on the part of the scouts, Meta Powers tumbled quite by
accident over the winning-post, bearing it with her to the ground as she
shouted a stifled "Hurrah!" from within her paper-bag.