10 Average Questions about The New Mistress at the Chalet School

Answer: Oxford

This is mentioned in "New Mistress at the Chalet School", when her aunt asks her if there were any other Chalet girls at Oxford when Kathie was there. (There were two, Mollie Carew and Joan Sandys, but they were both in Second Year when Kathie was a Fresher.)

Answer: The Song of Hiawatha

"The Song of Hiawatha", an epic poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, was written in 1855 and is based on the legends of the Ojibway Indians.

When Kathie stood up to give her speech in "Excitements", Blossom Willoughby started 'For She's a Jolly Good Fellow', and Kathie dropped back down into her seat, blushing and hiding her face in her hands. Nancy Wilmot ordered Mary-Lou Trelawny and Katherine Gordon, who were sitting either side of her to yank Kathie back on her feet so she could give her speech.

Answer: Kathleen

She was named after her mother, who died when she was born. "A good Irish name," Biddy declared when she was told.

Answer: 5'4

When she meets Biddy for the first time in "The New Mistress at the Chalet School", it is mentioned that Biddy was barely 5'2, while Kathie herself was 5'4. Her actual height is never mentioned again (and chances are, if it were, it would be something different!)

Answer: St. Thérèse

Kathie tells her aunt this when she's giving her all the details about her new post in "New Mistress at the Chalet School". Nancy Wilmot is her Head of House.

St. Thérèse's House was the name of the original Chalet in Austria, named after Thérèse de Lisieux. Fittingly, Thérèse de Lisieux is the patron saint of loss of parents and tuberculosis.

Answer: Sketching block

She is accompanied by Joan Bertram and Ruth Derwent, who had bought books and needlework, but it's specifically stated that the sketching block is Kathie's.

It was during this ramble that Len Maynard, Rosaumund Lilley and Ted Grantly came in contact with a smallpox case and ended up in isolation.

Answer: Upper IVa

Kathie was form mistress to Upper IVa and instead of giving them their geography lesson, she was forced to return them to their form room in order to sort out their missing property.

When she collapsed, her form rushed to her help but Nancy Wilmot was soon on the scene to take charge and comfort Kathie.

Answer: Mary-Lou Trelawney

The quote comes from "Trials for the Chalet School".

While spending half term in St. Moritz, Kathie instigates what she called 'a spot debate.'

Hilary Bennet declared that it sounded interesting, but Mary-Lou was much less trusting of Kathie.

Answer: Green

Kathie and Nancy met Flavia at Besançon, and were colour co-ordinated so that Flavia would be able to recognise them. Nancy was wearing brown and both had sprays of yellow flowers pinned to their jackets.

Flavia's unusual method of arrival at the Chalet School was because she was in danger of being kidnapped.

Answer: Nancy Wilmot

Nancy and Kathie were described as 'very good friends' as early as "Excitements of the Chalet School", which covered Kathie's second term of teaching.

She was not unfriendly with any of the other mistresses; she referred to Biddy as the first friend she made at the School, but her relationship with Nancy was always the one highlighted.