Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

OPINION: Joan Clanchy on the school marms who have loosened their corsets

Joan Clanchy
Wednesday 22 November 1995 19:02 EST
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

It is the annual conference of the Girls' Schools Association this week.

I am the longest-serving member of GSA and this is my 20th conference. When I first attended in 1976, our conference was a one-day affair, largely taken up with debating the increase in subscription. The ladies gathered were perhaps a little in the Margaret Rutherford mould, with magnificent bosoms supported by Clyde-built corseting, serviceable jerseys and tweeds. They were mostly unmarried: the words "vocation" and "dedicated" would be much used in retirement speeches. They were also extremely kind to a newcomer. I remember a kind lady tapping my hand and saying: "Just remember, dear, never say 'yes' to anything in a corridor." I have sat through many courses on management since and have never had more useful advice.

The dispute about the subscription, should it be pounds 25 or pounds 30 per annum, caught the mood of the time. We represented girls' schools and we were cheap. We cut costs all the way round: carbon paper was put to dry overnight; yogurt pots were collected to hold water in the art room; headmistresses answered their own phones during the school secretary's lunch hour.

Change has been fast and radical. I think the watershed came with John Rae's presidential speech to HMC in 1977 when he urged the boys' schools to open their doors to girls - in effect, to rescue girls from girls' schools. His innuendo about the dullness and cheeseparing small-mindedness of girls' schools had just enough truth in it to provide the spur.

The message to headmistresses and their governors was to fight back and to spend. GSA conferences in the Eighties reflected their era: they became residential in big conference hotels; they lasted three days; delegates had outfits; shoulders had pads; secretaries of state attended; more headmistresses were married women with families (one remarkable lady seemed to have a new baby to nurse for every second conference). We were urged to take management training, provide role models and teach our girls to smash glass ceilings.

Girls' schools have fought back successfully, not only through our demonstrated academic superiority, but by developing our own style that is distinctive. During the most painful upheavals of the national curriculum years, GSA had a clear, unbowed line and rejected pointless testing. The framework for inspection for GSA schools lays great emphasis on all the management issues in schools and on aiding them to reappraise and review their procedures. It is an economical system headed by an HMI and is neither cosy nor threatening. The schools are constantly supplied with curricular and management information from their officers and committees to jolt them clear of complacency. We have shown ourselves to be a resilient and adaptable lot.

I write before the opening session of this year's conference so I can only speculate. More short skirts, I should think, and soft, long cardigans in fine wool. I would put some money on a few Georgina von Etzdorf scarves, even if the central heating is too hot. I am wearing last year's skirt and blouse from Mulberry and I hope to tell a new batch about never saying "yes" in a corridor.

The writer is head of North London Collegiate School for Girls.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in