4 Settling In
On the first day of the term Miss Parker announced who the head-girl of the form was to be. Theclass were all agog¹ to hear her, and sat like mice whilst sherustled her papers and looked for her pencil.
"I am sure you all want to know who has been chosen for head-girl this term," she said. "Well, I willnot keep you in suspense² long. After a short discussion at the staff meeting we decided³ on—SallyHope."
The girls clapped and Sally blushed red. She was very pleased indeed. Miss Parker went on, glancingat her notes as she spoke⁴.
"You may perhaps like to know what girls were in the running for the position. Darrell Rivers was,Jean MacDonald was another. Winnie Toms was a third."Everyone expected to hear Alicia's name mentioned, or Irene's. But Miss Parker did not give anymore names at all. Irene didn't mind. She knew she was a scatter-brain and she didn't in the least wantto be head of the form. So long as she had her music she was happy. Being head of the form mightrob her of some of her practice time t
But Alicia did mind. She had been top of the form last term. She had a fine brain and an excellentmemory, and although she never needed to work hard because she had these to help her, still shecertainly had done well last term.
And yet she wasn't even in the running for the position of head-girl! She bit her lips and wished shecould stop herself going red.
There's too much favouritism!" she told herself, fiercely. "Just because I play the fool sometimes andupset the mistresses, they won’t even consider me as head!"But Alicia was not altogether right. It was not playing the fool that made the staff pass over her name,but something else. It was Alicia's hardness to those she didn't like, her sneers⁵ at those less cleverthan herself, who needed help, not taunts⁶. Often the stafflaughed privately⁷ over Alicia's ridiculous tricks, and enjoyed them—but nobody liked her wild andunruly tongue, and the sharp things it could say.

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