A long chat with Chloe

Big doings at Summerhill this weekend. It's Half-Term Weekend, which essentially translates to "Big Party that Parents Can Attend." The kids voted to make Friday and Monday "slobbing" days like the weekends always are, which means no classes and later wake-up and bedtime times. There are activities planned for each of the four days, as follows:

Friday night -- The Midnight Walk -- Large pack of Summerhillians roaming about Leiston and the English countryside after dark.

Saturday

* Half-Term Crafts Sale -- Poc ("pocket money") will be handed out a bit early so the kids can spend it all at the sale. Proceeds benefit the school.

* Archery Competition

* Miss Half-Term Talent Show and Party -- Yes, boys can be crowned Miss Half-Term, too. Chloe, Ellie, and Popono will be performing a Summerhill version of "What Do You Do with a Drunken Sailor," with verses tailored for each of the 5 age groups at the school. Chloe says they are suffering quite a bit of stage fright.

Sunday -- Races and swimming games (field day)

Monday -- Football (soccer) match and Capture the Flag

Parents who attend will either camp on the grounds or stay at the pub in town. I know from the traffic on the parents newsgroup that the parents have a few activities planned, too, including a meal in the Jazz Cafe (on the school grounds) and something about a late-night kitchen raid. Wish we could be there for the fun!

In other news, Chloe seems happy and settled. She's making friends. Some of them are younger than her, which works out nicely since Chloe is never very interested in teen conversation and the younger kids need an escort to walk to town. She spent a day last week with Little Ruby (yes, ~85 students but two Rubies) listening to music by Harry and the Potters and Draco and the Death Eaters. Obviously a kindred spirit there!

For some reason, not all of the laws (school rules) are written down, so she occasionally blunders. The only time she's been punished, though, was for oversleeping one morning. Some of the older kids are "Beddies Officers." It's their job to (1) wander the school -- all 11 acres -- at bedtime making sure everybody heads to bed, and (2) shake out the sleepyheads in the mornings. All students are supposed to be up and dressed by 8:30. Chloe's penalty for sleeping in was a "Small Job" -- 20 minutes helping out with housework.

Something I didn't know before: The Beddies routine includes bedtime kisses-on-the-cheek upon request. The Beddies Officers try to avoid this part of their duties, which I'm sure makes the other students determined to make demands. Chloe said one Beddies Officer got so flustered by kissing one of her top-bunk roommates that he fell off the ladder. :-)

Chloe is regularly late for bed, but apparently there's no penalty if you're late because the Beddies Officers didn't find you in time. Chloe makes them work for it, having cozy little thinkin' spots out in the woods and way up by the entrance. (As you can tell, they all spend a lot of time outdoors.)

For the first time today, Chloe seemed pretty sure that she's going to want to go back for Christmas Term. There goes the budget! But I do want her to have a term where she's not the new kid.

Which didn't stop me from blubbering a bit when I got off the phone. I miss her!!!