During the two previous years of the school's existence the self-government had been in a state of evolution.
For the first year, when everybody was new together, comparatively little could be done.

The school must find itself before it began to form its private code of laws.

In the second year ill-luck had raised to the post of honor Ivy Chatterton, a clever but most untactful girl, whose quick temper had brought her into constant collision with her prefects.

Many were the squalls which had swept over the school, of so serious a nature sometimes as almost to wreck several of the guilds.

The younger girls, following the example of their elders, had quarreled hotly, and indulged in an incredible amount of petty spite, and altogether the current tone had been anything but desirable.