PREPARING THE BALLROOM 53 



fifteen feet wide, with a strong resemblance outside 

 to Noah's Ark and inside to a Colonial Mission 

 Room, was erected some few hundred yards from 

 the house. It is a most friendly, homely room, 

 heated by a stove, and its shape and good floor 

 make it ideal for dancing. It is seen at its best 

 when, some time in December, the annual Founder's 

 tea-party takes place, and we adjourn there after- 

 wards for a dance. 



This is perhaps as strenuous a day of enjoyment 

 as any working day is tense in activity. Playtime 

 is an important factor in the lives of young women, 

 and our Captain fully realises it, for it is her secret 

 hope that these years of preparation for a wider 

 field of work will be amongst the happiest and that 

 our women-gardeners will in the midst of future 

 duties look back to them as to an oasis of enjoy- 

 ment. 



Upon this eventful day two separate parties of 

 workers are busy making all necessary prepara- 

 tions, and it is difficult to decide as to which are 

 most actively employed. Outside the Lecture 

 Hall stands a row of hob-nailed boots, because the 

 ballroom floor has to be treated with due respect, 

 for it is wonderful what stockinged feet will do with 

 dusters wound round them, and a tin of French 

 chalk scattered over the boards and then vigorously 

 rubbed in. Then the roof within is hung with 

 Japanese paper lanterns, all in shades of red, pink, 

 and green. One or two very large ones, with 

 portraits of our King, are placed in the most con- 

 spicuous places, and small flags are nailed in groups 

 to the beams that run across the room. Wreaths 



