theirs.  What we want first of all is a feeling of unity and public spirit.  Each girl must make up her mind to do all she can to push on the ‘Seaton High.’  We want to win matches, and have a good sports record, and generally build up a reputation.  Slacking at games must be out of the question.  Everybody must buck up all round.  Those who aren’t playing themselves can show their interest by attending the matches.  It makes the greatest difference to an eleven to know that their own side is watching their play, and ready to cheer them on.  There’s nothing so forlorn and depressing as to see whole rows of the enemy’s school hats on the spectators’ benches, and only half-a-dozen of one’s own—­yet that’s what happened when we played Harbury last spring.  No wonder we lost!  I’m going to ask you presently to elect a Games Captain, and then I want you to support her loyally for the whole of the year.  Let her feel that she can depend upon you, and that instead of getting together scratch teams, her difficulty will be how to choose among so many crack players.  But as you know, games are not the whole of our business to-day.  We have our guilds to consider as well.  I want to put these upon a good and firm basis.  Last winter we didn’t quite know where we were with them, did we?  At present we have ‘The Dramatic Society,’ ’The Debating Club,’ ‘The Literary Association,’ and ’The Patriotic Knitting Guild.’  We might very well add a ‘Photographic Union’ and a ’Natural History League.’  They ought all to be run on the same lines.  Each must have a President, a Secretary, and a Committee of eight members, who will undertake the business of the Society, and settle all its events.  Any difficulty or dispute must be referred to the Prefects’ meeting, the decision of which shall be final.  Each guild must draw up a list of its own rules; these must be submitted first to the Prefects, then, if passed as satisfactory, they must be written in the minutes book, and strictly adhered to.  I want you all to realize that this school is still in its infancy.  It’s a baby of only two years!  But a very promising baby!  It’s we who are going to make its history.  So far we can’t say it has had any annals; in the future it must show a whole splendid list of achievements and successes.  Years afterwards, when it’s the most famous school in the county, we shall be proud to have had the privilege of taking our share in pushing it on, and our names may be handed down to long generations of girls as those who founded its best traditions.”

Margaret paused, quite out of breath with her long speech.  A storm of applause rose from the audience; the girls clapped and stamped, a few even cheered.  Margaret had touched the right string.  The idea of making school history appealed to them, and they were ready to respond with enthusiasm to her appeal.  Even the ten-year-olds were eager to show their zeal.  Winona had never taken her eyes off the speaker.  It was a new gospel to her that she was one of the great community, bound to help the common weal.  The realization of it stirred her spirit; her imagination danced ahead, and performed prodigies.  Suppose she could do something wonderful for the school, and leave her name as a memory to others?  The vision gleamed golden.  It would be worth living to accomplish that.