“You wanted to see me, Miss Pringold?”
“Yes, Jennffer! I've been looking at your records. You don't go to lessons. You are studying economics, accounting, business studies or something. But we don't teach these things. I mean...”
“Yes, that's why I don't go to lessons.”
“Jennffer, I have to tell you this.”
“Yes, Miss Pringold!”
“I don't care what you do really. You are obviously old enough and ugly enough to know what you are doing. No, don't thank me for that! Do you want to be my personal assistant and help run the school?”
“You wanted to see me, Miss Hartlepool, Miss Hargreaves?”
“But I think I know why. You are not happy with the teaching of history to the younger girls. Learning about Jeanne d'Arc, Ada Lovelace and Florence Nightingale is fine, but too much doesn't help pass the exams, does it?”
“I'm very pleased that you both want to take over history from Miss Haroyd. I know that it is a lot of extra work. I will inform Miss Pringold about the change. I, I mean, Miss Pringold and I will have to find a better solution for next term.”
“You wanted to see me, Miss Stiltoe?”
“Yes, Jennffer! And I will tell you why we are meeting here in the old gym. I wanted to meet you outside on the rise on this side of the lake, but it is raining hard.”
Yes, it was pissing down outside and dripping here inside.
“Imagine, Jennffer, that you are standing on the rise and that you are looking over to the school with your eyes wide, wide open. What do you see?”
“I see something large and I see something small.”
“I see the school grounds which are very large, which is very good. I see the school's reputation, which is also very good.”
“But I see something small. The school buildings are grand on one side, but mostly too small and too small in number. We need a new dormitory, soon we'll get a new gym, but we need more. However the school has not got the money. I know, I've been through the accounts. We can't sell any land either, all the grounds are in a trust.”
“And that's the problem – the school's future is small – no chance of getting bigger and more modern.”
“Very good, Jennffer! You see what I see. The school needs to teach more subjects, modern subjects. The school needs to double in size. We could double the intake, the number of new girls, if we had a more interesting teaching program. However as you said, there's no money.”
“But I have an idea, Jennffer. The boys' school in Great Uffetton has the same problem. Perhaps the two schools could share the teachers for the new teaching. I have a smaller idea to begin with. Every week in this term we hold a seminar with invited speakers for the top classes. One week here and the next at the boys' school. What do you think about that, Jennffer?”
“Large! Yes, I could arrange that, no problem. I will tell Miss Pringold that it is her idea. Sorry, but it must appear to be her idea. She will do anything that I tell her to do. But I will only tell her about the small idea. Larger ideas take more time, Miss Stiltoe.”
“Very good, Jennffer. Go for it! You already know Mr Cricklewaite, the head teacher of the boys' school.”
“One more thing, Miss Stiltoe. I need help. I'm running the school all by myself. Miss Pringold does nothing, she just plays with Miss Haroyd. I don't think that I have made a mistake yet, but I haven't got the experience. I need your help, Miss Stiltoe. Please help me!”
“I understand, Jennffer. I will give you all the help you need.”