May 1956

Alice arrives back in Bedford for the summer term in early May 1956 and finds herself in the midst of a hot and sunny spell. Writing home on 6th May she says that the area around the College has been transformed, with the leaves on the trees along Lansdowne Road now hiding the houses. She and the other students are making the most of the sun.

The College’s new gymnasium is preparing for its official opening on 29th June and Alice sent her parents a cutting from a feature story on the gym in the Bedfordshire Times and Standard. Stories about the new gym also apparently featured in the Evening Standard and the Times Educational Supplement. The students resort to subterfuge when out and about in town to ensure that the Daily Mirror does not learn anything about the new building, as they are also interested in the story.

Term started on Saturday 5th with an Anatomy class and Athletics trials. On the day after Alice writes her letter, she is scheduled to take part in swimming, tennis and Modern Dance.

The following day, Tuesday 7th, a group photograph of the College’s students is due to be taken.

 

Towards the end of her letter Alice mentions that she is on her ‘locking up week of 11pm’. The college’s rules stated that students could have evening leave until 11pm (9.30pm on Sundays) by signing in and out of the book in their house. Lock up was at 11pm unless a student received special permission for a later return.