It was much more difficult to do this because the hostel only formed part of a large day school; the general atmosphere of the place was more free than at a college where all alike are boarders, and the girls naturally were infected by the prevailing spirit.

A constant source of annoyance was the rule that they must report themselves in the hostel at 4.15.It was the fashion to linger after school, and chat in the "gym" or in the playground.

It was a delightful little time, when everybody could meet every one else, and discuss school news and matches and guilds and other interesting topics.
To be obliged, for no particular reason, to cut short their conversations and race back to the hostel was annoying.

The boarders evaded the rule as far as possible, but Miss Kelly kept a roll-call, and they knew that their absences would be duly reported to Miss Bishop.
To Winona, in especial, many of the rules were extremely irksome.

At more than sixteen and a half, she felt it ridiculous to be obliged to ask permission to go out and buy a lead pencil at the stationer's.
"It's like living in a convent!" she fumed.
Another bone of contention was her preparation.