Bully teachers in girls comics

[philcom55]

In Carnforth's case even the prefects and staff eventually washed their hands of him, after which he hired some fairground thugs to do his dirty work! As you can see Bunter himself kept a low profile this time, having been responsible for Dr. Locke's departure in the first place.







- Phil R.

[Phoenix]

In Carnforth's case even the prefects and staff eventually washed their hands of him, after which he hired some fairground thugs to do his dirty work! As you can see Bunter himself kept a low profile this time, having been responsible for Dr. Locke's departure in the first place.

According to Greyfriars Since The Magnet, this story ran from 414 (Jun. 23 1956) to 419 (Jul. 28 1956). It was the second serial in the Chapman period, and it was based on issues 743 - 745 of The Magnet. Lofts and Adley informed us that the headmaster was Mr Carneforth!!

[Phoenix]

I've erased this post. Sorry.

[Tammyfan]

@Philcom. Thanks for posting this version! Now I see why Carnforth tops even Grimstone. I'm not quite sure what the Famous Five has to do with this, though - wasn't that Enid Blyton?

[Phoenix]

I'm not quite sure what the Famous Five has to do with this, though - wasn't that Enid Blyton?

The Famous Five were Harry Wharton, Bob Cherry, Johnny Bull, Frank Nugent and Hurree Jamset Ram Singh.

[Tammyfan]

Ah, so the Greyfriars strip had its own Famous Five? Okay, thanks for explaining.

I hope the governors did turn up just as the thug was trying to take the boys down.

I just noticed that Billy wears a bow tie while all the other boys wear regular ties. Wonder why that is?

[philcom55]

It's worth noting that not all head teachers from Hell were authoritarians. In the case of this strip from Diana the headmistress Miss Nelson attempts to destroy a once-exemplary school by the introduction of 'progressive' teaching methods whereby pupils are encouraged to do whatever they want. The extent of her duplicity only becomes apparent when a granddaughter of the school's founder arrives from Australia and attempts to turn things round...





- Phil Rushton

[philcom55]

As requested by Tammyfan, here's an episode of the short-lived Sally strip 'The Silent Shadows' (clearly based on 'The Silent Three' from School Friend) where the headmistress Frau Fischer doesn't just act like a Nazi - she really is one!







- Phil Rushton

[Tammyfan]

Philcom: thank you for those scans!

[Tammyfan]

Miss Purity Goodfellow from this 1979 Jinty serial may be the most bizarre and insane headmistress ever in girls' comics. She is obsessed with making pupils (and ultimately the world) perfect with her special drug that brainwashes people into docile behaviour. Art by Phil Townsend.

[DavidKW]

That Miss Goodfellow reminds me a lot of my mother - trying to make me conform and be like her perfect trophy daughter (my older sister). Also perallels with primary school teachers I had who taught her especially my "Mrs Decrepid" (whom I had after mrs Ratbag), whom Goodfellow reminds me a lot of in appearance.

[Tammyfan]

That Miss Goodfellow reminds me a lot of my mother - trying to make me conform and be like her perfect trophy daughter (my older sister). Also perallels with primary school teachers I had who taught her especially my "Mrs Decrepid" (whom I had after mrs Ratbag), whom Goodfellow reminds me a lot of in appearance.

I would not be surprised if Goodfellow's face was inspired by a real-life teacher like Mrs Decrepid.

[philcom55]

The really unnerving thing about that last panel is the way Miss Goodfellow seems to be looking directly out of the page, almost as if she's just noticed the reader. I keep expecting her to say something along the lines of "...and I don't know what you're smirking at Rushton - it's your turn next!"

- Phil Rushton

[Tammyfan]

The really unnerving thing about that last panel is the way Miss Goodfellow seems to be looking directly out of the page, almost as if she's just noticed the reader. I keep expecting her to say something along the lines of "...and I don't know what you're smirking at Rushton - it's your turn next!"

- Phil Rushton

Yes, I thought this episode was the one that best illustrated the insanity of Purity Goodfellow - just look at those eyes of hers in the panels - and therefore the most effective to show.

[Tammyfan]

I love this story! It really stuck in my mind over the years - I first read it when it was reprinted in the Tammy Annual 1977 (I used to get just about every girl's annual every Christmas!) and was thrilled to come across it again when I started collecting all the comics of my childhood. Since collecting June comics I've come across the story there, though I think it was called "Patsy Strikes Back!" first time around.

It was called "Patsy on the Warpath" the first time around in June. Personally, I think its new title "Patsy and the Beast of Banchester" in Tammy is better as it describes the story more clearly, while there can be all sorts of reasons for going on the warpath, and not all of them are honourable.