n's Bright Idea

As Gwen went down the corridor she noticed a small crowd collected
round the notice board, and, edging her way in among the crush, read
an announcement which Bessie Manners, the head girl, had just pinned
up.

"There will be a General Meeting of the Seniors at 2 p.m. in the Sixth
Form room. Business--to consider what steps can be taken for an
adequate celebration of the school anniversary. All are urged to
attend."

"Hello! Whence this thusness?" exclaimed Gwen. "What have we got to do
with the school anniversary? I thought Miss Roscoe engineered the
whole of it!"

"So she does, ordinarily," answered Moira Thompson, one of the
prefects. "But we want this to be a very special festivity; not just
the usual picnic or garden party."

"But why?"

"Haven't time to explain now. Come to the meeting and we'll expound
our views. I think it's a ripping notion of Bessie's myself."

"Do give me a hint!"

But Moira shook her head and passed on, leaving Gwen to curb her
curiosity until two o'clock, for the prefects had not imparted their
plans to anybody as yet, and none of her own Form could enlighten her.

At the hour stated nearly all the Seniors presented themselves in the
Sixth Form room. Bessie Manners was voted to the chair, and at once
began an explanation of why she had called the meeting.

"Girls," she said, "you all know that we're accustomed to have some
kind of festivity on 1st June, the day of our school anniversary. Now
it happens that this particular occasion is one of more than usual
interest. Miss Roscoe has been Principal of Rodenhurst for exactly ten
years, and it seems only fitting that due recognition should be made
of the circumstance. The question that we have met to discuss is the
shape and form in which we can adequately celebrate this event. We
feel that the suggestion ought to come from the girls themselves,
though we may need aid from the mistresses in carrying it out. I shall
be glad if anyone who has a plan to lay before the meeting will
propose it."

"I am sure," began Moira Thompson, rising in response to Bessie's nod,
"that everybody would like to show Miss Roscoe how we value her as a
headmistress. For my part I think there should be a testimonial,
subscribed for in the school, and that we might have a public
presentation of it."

"Hear! Hear!"

"What kind of a testimonial?" asked one of the girls.

"That remains to be discussed, and would, of course, depend upo