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    Teacher's Pet
    

    Patsy was Teacher's Pet. Or at least, she thought she was.
    In reality, she was the biggest darned nuisance a teacher
    could have. She was forever running amok, interfering with
    lessons, following teacher around town, and causing an
    affray. All she wanted was to get in Teacher's good books.
    And all she would normally receive was a bloomin' good
    thrashing, caning or spanking - metered out by her own
    beloved tutor!

    Patsy's long-suffering teacher was simply known as
    "Miss". Though one might criticise the level of violence she
    wielded upon her pupil, it has to be said, Patsy deserved
    all that she received. The gal ruined school trips, film
    shows, gym class, and swimming classes. She pursued
    her quarry into shops, ruined her Samba lessons, and
    interfered with her Christmas plans. "Miss" attempted
    to keep her at bay with a guard dog, and even adopted
    disguises to evade her young charge.

    Patsy was certainly thorough. She also enraged her
    classmates with her behaviour, which would often heap
    trouble upon them all. They'd take great delight in Patsy's
    comeuppance, and would even conspire with "Miss" to
    see the gal got fair punishment!
                      
  

    In spite of everything, Patsy still had her uses. "Miss" had
    a particular penchant for arriving late to school, so Patsy
    helped gee her along on a number of occasions.

    Unbelievably, our Patsy once had a rival for her role.
    In the strip from 18th November 1972, a blonde girl called
    Jessie took her on at her own game - and won!

    But the biggest winners of all were us Cor!! readers,
    because this was a classic strip, drawn throughout its
    run by Norman Mansbridge. "Miss" was a beanpole of a
    woman who looked like an older Fuss Pot, but she wasn't
    nearly so po-faced. She was a busy single girl about town,
    in fact, always venturing out to social events and
    embarking on new hobbies.

    As for Patsy, well, she was a prissy pantalooned Princess.
    Norman Mansbridge could draw fantastic brats. And Patsy
    was the best - like Violet Elizabeth Bott from "Just William".
    The end panels with Patsy taking flight or taking her
    punishment were priceless...

    

    Name checking

    Identifying Patsy's classmates is tricky. Though many
    were namechecked over the years, they semed to keep
    changing, intemittently.

    

    Take the lad above, conspiring with Teacher. His name
    might be Smiffy, Jimmy, Billy, James or Fred, because
    he was addressed by all four during the strip's run!

    Similarly there's Mavis Wilkie, also known as Angela.
    And at various points we met Mabel, Freddie, Sammy
    and Tubby Thomas - the latter being a huge lad who
    appeared in class just once.

    The confusion continues up into the Head's office. In April
    1972 we met the school's Headmistress. But in May "she"
    had become a Headmaster!