It was a grief to her to make new rules, and I can recall her sorrow, on several occasions, when it became necessary to add to those already existing—in every case as the result of some act on the part of a selfish minority, who thus imposed additional burdens on the obedient majority.
Miss Fawcett, who had long experience at Myra, and Miss Edwards, who followed her there, speak very strongly about the thoughtful care which in all cases aimed at preventing possible dangers. Girls whose influence might be hurtful to each other were placed in rooms remote; and the sitting-rooms were made attractive, and thus kept the pupils to some extent under constant supervision.
In Miss Buss’ letters during the holidays there are many proofs of this thoughtfulness. She writes to Miss Fawcett—
“Of these two I know nothing—morally, I mean. But A. ought to be kept if possible from B., and also from C. and D.; the former cannot manage her, and the latter gives in, perhaps, to her. Would it do for her to take F.’s bed, in G.’s room? It requires consideration.”
This consideration reached all round. Another long letter goes into arrangements for Miss Fawcett’s own relief from some of the care, each detail being worked out with the utmost exactness.
Or again—
“Can you invite X. to visit you on the half-term holiday, or, if possible, from Friday or Saturday before? I fear she may be asked to two places where I do not wish her to go just now. She is not easy to manage, and her companions are of great importance; and yet it is difficult for me to decline invitations when the reason cannot be explained.
“If you do not much mind, I will not send the three girls on Sunday until six o’clock, when they will be in time for service, unless it is raining.
“But I give up an hour or rather more to the girls on Sunday afternoons, and have been obliged, since that difficulty last year, to refuse to let them out on Sundays, except at the half-term. If by any chance a girl goes out in the morning, I expect her back to tea. They can go out on Saturday afternoons occasionally.”
Here is a note after the great explosion in Regent’s Park, on October 2nd, 1874—