A/N Thank you very much for your continued support for this story. I'm overwhelmed by your encouragement. Guest reviewers, I love you, too, even though I can't send you PM's. (By the way, if you do want nice, gushing PM's from me, please sign up for an account and review as a member. I'd love to send you some love.)

Here's a look at a school board meeting in which we hear more from the upstairs characters. Enjoy.

(Spoiler for tomorrow's chapter: faculty trivia night at Downton!)

Thursday, December 3, 2015

It was lunchtime, and Elsie sat next to Charles at the table in the faculty dining hall.

She spoke quietly, so as not to be overheard. "What do you think of this special board meeting tonight is all about? I understand that even Mrs. Levinson has flown into town for it. She never attends these things unless it's serious."

Charles leaned in closer and whispered. "I don't know what it's all about, but I think you're right that it must be serious. Mrs. Levinson is usually content just to send her checks from Cincinnati and leave the rest up to the Crawleys. She's just been here for Thanksgiving. If she's come back again so soon, it must be urgent."

"Mm," Elsie agreed.

Charles scowled. "Whatever it is, I don't like it. It can't be good."

"I'm afraid you're right, but we'll just have to wait and see. We'll find out soon enough, I imagine."

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

After dinner that evening, Elsie and Charles made their way to the board room. Robert and Cora were already there. Violet Crawley sat glowering at Martha Levinson, who simpered back at her. Soon they were joined by Mary Crawley, the school's business manager. Elsie was surprised when Thomas Barrow, Sarah O 'Brien, and Andy Parker – Downton's recruiter, publicist, and information technologist, respectively – arrived to join the group. She nudged Charles and inclined her head towards the threesome.

"What are they doing here?!" Charles murmured.

"Your guess is as good as mine!" Elsie whispered back. "But judging by the looks on their faces, they know as little as we do."

After a few other board members took their places, Robert called the meeting to order.

"I've requested this meeting tonight because Downton is in crisis," he began dramatically.

Soft gasps and low rumblings filled the room. He waited for silence before continuing.

"As you surely know, Downton's enrollment is not growing as fast as we'd like, and our ACT, SAT, and A-levels scores haven't risen as much as we'd hoped. We're not in dire straits financially – not yet, anyway – but that's only because of substantial donations from my lovely mother and generous mother-in-law, along with a few other benefactors. I want Downton to be self-sufficient.

"Now, we could increase tuition, but I think if we raise it too high, that will adversely affect enrollment. We want to keep costs reasonable and not scare parents away. We've got the space and the resources to accommodate a larger student body. We need to have more resources to offer potential students, and we need to get the word out about our school. We want to attract more students, and we want them to be the best and brightest. That's why I've asked Sarah and Thomas to join us. We need Sarah to advertise more heavily - a new, aggressive campaign. And we need Thomas to get out there and find us the top students from the local area and from across the country - even from abroad. We need those future Nobel Prize winners to know about Downton and to choose to come here.

"In addition to everything else we already offer, we must be able to boast the latest in technology. That means we need a major technological overhaul. I know Downton has always been traditional, but we need to move with times, update and increase our electronic resources. A new media center, integrated projectors, better wireless capability, electronic textbooks, subscriptions to academic websites, a redesigned webpage, whatever it takes. That's why Andrew is here. Andrew, you need to put us at the forefront, the cutting edge, so to speak.

"At the moment, Haxby High and the British School* are both seeing enrollment skyrocket. Those establishments are certainly no better than Downton, but they're attracting more students because people see their advertisements on billboards, television, and the internet. Their recruiters are wooing the best students. Their digital resources are first-rate. If we want to compete with them, we've got to redouble our efforts."

Violet Crawley had listened patiently to her son's speech up to this point, but when he paused momentarily, she spoke up. "Robert, you must be joking. Downton's reputation for providing a solid, classical education is second to none. Our institution thrives and our students excel because we haven't bowed to the pressure to modernize. And more importantly, how are we to pay for all this publicity and all these improvements?"

"Oh, Violet," interjected Martha Levinson. "Be reasonable. We're not in the Dark Ages. We can't expect our students to read from dusty, yellowed text books and to write their lessons with chalk on slates. Not when their peers at other schools have iPads and Smart Boards in their classrooms."

Charles could remain silent no longer. "I'm sorry, Robert, Mrs. Levinson, but I quite agree with Mrs. Crawley. The latest software and the most expensive equipment do not guarantee well-formed students, or nor do those things ensure a successful academic institution. We've turned out thousands of well-prepared young scholars over the past twenty years, many of whom have gone on to achieve great things and are now paramount in their fields. Why should we alter things now? Our reputation speaks for itself; our legacy is well-known. We shouldn't have to 'woo' prospective students. Students should be banging down our doors to get in. I don't care if Haxby and the British School have more students. Those students are foolish. We provide a quality education, and it's well worth the price we charge. It's a sound investment. Parents and students may choose to pay for it or not. The choice is theirs."

"Might I make one suggestion?" asked Mary Crawley. "I have an idea about how to generate more revenue without increasing tuition prices. How about an annual fundraiser? We could turn the faculty and staff Christmas party into a larger event and invite parents. The sales of tickets could provide a nice, one-time lump sum. In addition, we could have a silent auction at the event. That would allow the wealthier families to be able to contribute more, while the others wouldn't be burdened. We would still have a steady monthly cash flow from tuition to cover the usual overhead, but a yearly event like this would bolster our coffers for other expenses, like the improvements we've been discussing."

Violet voiced her disapproval. "Are we a charity then, that we require fundraisers to sustain us? Must we beg for donations?"

"I think it's a wonderful idea, Mary!" said Cora. "But we'll have to move quickly if we're to have everything in place in time to do it for this Christmas."

"I'll help you plan it, dear. Between the two of us, I'm sure we can manage," offered Martha.

"Well, I suppose that's all settled then," pronounced Robert, clasping his hands and rubbing them together. "Now let's talk particulars."

Conversation moved on to the development of specific plans for Thomas, Sarah, and Andy. Tasks were assigned, and the meeting was adjourned.

As Charles and Elsie walked together back to their flats, Charles complained. "I don't like it at all. A fundraiser? Are we an orphanage … or a soup kitchen? The elder Mrs. Crawley is right!"

"I think it might be fun," said Elsie. "The Christmas Party is always a nice event, but this could be a pleasant change."

"And a technology overhaul?" he barreled on. "Digital textbooks? Interactive whiteboards? What's next, spaceships and time machines?"

She tried to soothe him. "I agree with you that certain aspects of a traditional education are essential and should never be compromised. But there are some advances in technology that are undoubtedly worthwhile. It's possible to strike a happy medium."

"Hmph."

By this time, they'd arrived at Elsie's front door. "The world is changing, Charles, and Downton must keep pace," she pointed out.

"Perhaps," he conceded grudgingly. "But that doesn't mean I have to like it."

She huffed softly and shook her head at him with an indulgent smile. "Good night."

"Good night, Elsie. I'll see you in the morning."

As she closed her door, he walked off, still shaking his head in annoyance.

*The British International School of Chicago is a real school. (Haxby High, of course, is not.)

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