Phyllida in Form III

Queen Anne's #3

by Evelyn Smith, J. Dewar Mills (Illustrator)

Phyllida is one of seven sisters to attend Queen Anne's School, where they are known as the "long family of Shortt," responsible for a list of escapades to their credit and discredit. During the summer holiday, Phyllida tries to rescue a swan being hurt by a spoiled girl called Queenie, soon to be a student at Queen Anne's. The rescue mission ends badly, with Phyllida bitten by a dog and Queenie pushed into a river. However, the holidays conclude happily with the wedding of the eldest Shortt girl, Pam.Back at school, Phyllida likes beginnings so enjoys the first few days in the third form, and is delighted to see old friends and enemies. Naturally, the annoying Queenie turns up in her form, accompanied by a shabby and shy girl Violet. Phyllida's initial dislike of Queenie is renewed but her sympathy is awakened by Violet's discomfort. Will new girl Queenie ruin the term for Phyllida?

Genres: School Stories

176 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1927

About the author

Born in Leamington Spa, in 1885, British children's author Constance Evelyn Smith was the daughter of Henry Bartlett Smith, high bailiff of Warwickshire County Court, and his wife, Eleanor Langford. She was educated at Leamington High School (now known as the Kingsley School), and at Royal Holloway College, where she graduated with first class honors in English, in 1907. She taught at Glasgow High School from 1909-1923, until ill health forced her into an early retirement. She turned to writing at this period, and edited plays and collections of poetry, in addition to publishing her girls' school stories. She died of pneumonia in 1928.

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Reviews

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this school story the first time I read it, and loved it on this reread, gulping it down in the course of a day. Small John Silver is easily my favorite fictional cygnet. Phyllida is an appealing protagonist, and Queenie a delightfully appalling school-girl villain.

[Abigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

The final book in Evelyn Smith's trilogy featuring the adventures of the Shortt sisters at Queen Anne's - following upon Seven Sisters at Queen Anne’s and Septima at School - Phyllida in Form III details its eponymous heroine's experiences during her third year at school. When "fierce" Phyllida comes upon Queenie Gregson mauling Small John Silver - an orphaned cygnet she had befriended earlier in her summer holiday - the interloper eventually winds up in the river.

Unfortunately, Phyllida is not so easily rid of her foe, as the snobbish, self-involved rich-girl turns out to be one of two new students in her form at Queen Anne's. Disgusted at Queenie's attempts to buy her way into popularity, as well as her condescending attitude to shy Violet Cunningham (the other new girl), Phyllida is constantly at odds with her odious rival, whom she takes to calling "the Quiggins." Will Queenie succeed in her efforts to become the preeminent girl in the third form, or will Phyllida prevail, upholding the traditions of the "long family of Shortt?"

As predicted by my friend Emily, who was kind enough to loan me the first two titles in this series, I enjoyed Phyllida in Form III immensely! It was an entertaining and pleasant read, and a satisfactory conclusion to the Queen Anne's trilogy. It might have been nice to read a fourth book devoted to Gerry's experiences, particularly as Smith hints that she has a brilliant athletic career ahead of her, but there is enough closure here to keep the reader happy. Although still a neophyte in the genre of the girls' school-story, I am already of the opinion that a well-drawn schoolgirl rivalry does a lot to add interest to the narrative, and that is certainly the case here. The reader will root for Phyllida, and wait anxiously for Queenie to "get hers." I know I did...