Figure 1.--This photograph of us at Wellesly Colleg appeared in an English Magazine. The caption read, ""Peter Bishop, Graham Ardouin, John Stephen, and Alan Ardouin play croquet on the lawns of Wellesley College, Massachusetts - the USA 'Girton'. (Girton College, Cambridge was a world class women's college at Cambridge. It is now Co-ed.) Miss McAfee (now Lt. Cdr Mildred McAfee he newly appointed Director of the 'WAVES' the American counterpart of our WRNS) welcomed the children as President of the College in August 1940. Writing home to British parents she said: A nation which produces such children must be invincible - they are worthy emissaries of a great nation." You can see I am wearing my summer school school uniform - grey short sleeved shirt, school tie, and and knee socks with coloured tops. These were knitted by my mother. Graham hitting the ball with his mallett is less formal with plimsolls and no socks.

We were billetted at Wellesley College until allocated to local families (figure 1). Wellesley College is one of the best known women's liberal arts college in America, one of the notable Seven Sisters. It is located, in Wellesley, Massachusetts, founded in 1875. A heated political debate was in progress in America at the time over aid to Britain. between the isolationists desiring to keep America from supporting Britain and President Roosevelt'd Administration which was determined to aid Britain. I am not sure how Wellesley fit in to this debate, but many important colleges and universites with traditions and ties to Britain were important supporters of the Administration. It might have been Quaker connections. Quite a number of Quakers attended Wellesley College and the Quakers played a major role in the American Committee which took responsibility for our welfare. In my communication with the archivist at Wellesley College in 2008 here is an extract from one of her eMails, "The files have a few items that indicate Wellesley College was approached about this enterprise early in the summer of 1940, and clearly at some point the Boston Chapter of the United States Committee for the Care of European Children was involved. The Transcript covered part of Wellesley's expenses." The reception at Wellesley was most welcoming. Many of Wellesley students returned early to College to look after us. They rapidly introduced us to American customs. We had a big barbeque one day and were introduced to corn on the cob and frankfurters. The local kids came round to play with us. They led us ride their bikes around the college quad. I learned to ride a bike there thanks to one boy. I was cross, because being under 10, I had to take an afternoon nap. I thought this a bit humiliating. We couldn't have been made more welcome.