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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
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So now Danielle came to be standing here upon the end of the long sweeping gravel drive that swept up to the school itself. With a final glance around the imposing structure, she made her way to the right hand side of the large building in front of her as she had been instructed. The small pebbles gave way to flags which were much kinder on the polished black heels she had decided to wear to give an air of professionalism (who could have predicted gravel anyway?) and she headed to the rotunda entrance she knew about hoping she gave off an air of confidence in contrast to the butterflies and knots vying for attention in her stomach...
She pushed the heavy original oak door open (no creak; it was clear they kept on top of such things here) and entered, her eyes taking in the spotless black and white tiled floor of a long wide hallway ending in double doors some 50 yards away before she carried on walking down it, conscious of the seemingly loud echoes of her heels upon the polished floor. She reached a large desk around halfway down on the left and the lady behind it regarded her quizzically.
"Hi," Danielle said, "I'm Danielle Freshman. I've been told to come and see Mr Dark?" The woman's eyes cleared in recognition. "Certainly," she said with an efficient manner, "he's expecting you. Head into the office behind me here." She pointed at a door behind her upon which was a pewter -style plaque with 'P. Dark Headteacher' embossed upon it. A sign underneath it instructed "Please Knock." Danielle thanked the woman and approached the door, pausing a moment to swallow before knocking briskly upon it's surface.
"Come in!" came the male voice from behind it, and Danielle paused again, for a moment feeling like she had on the few occasions she'd had to visit the Headmaster's office when a pupil herself..? But that was ridiculous, she reasoned, the last time she had done that the country had seemed largely grumpy with Margaret Thatcher and the younger female population largely not so grumpy with Morten Harket? She dismissed the notion and opened the door in front of her.
The figure of Mr Dark rose behind the desk at the far end of the room. He was a man perhaps 6 years younger than herself with close cropped hair, over 6 foot, but not massively so, with a lean figure under the linen suit he wore. He smiled as she approached the desk and shook her hand. "Miss Freshman, I take it?" he asked, his blue eyes seeming alive with intensity and humour at the same time. Danielle nodded "That's right." "Excellent, well I am Mr Dark. Be seated, please." Danielle did so, in a comfy looking leather chair on the opposite side of his desk.
"Let me start if I may by asking you a question Miss Freshman," he said, "Do you consider when it comes to teaching that if the results in one's pupils is nothing short of outstanding and they enjoy learning, that the fact that the methods used may be wildly different from what is considered...normal...perhaps even those accepted by society....matters less?" Danielle was thrown. What a question to get to start with! Talk about throwing her a curve ball! She rattled her brain trying to think of a suitably considered answer in a hurry and it must have shown that she was flustered, for Mr Dark added; "There isn't so much a right or wrong answer to this question. I'm just interested to know your thoughts?"
Danielle considered this, her honest opinion. Then she spoke; "IF the results are as good as you make out... AND the pupils themselves find such learning fun and you don't consider it to be on their detriment as a whole....then yes, I'd agree that the standard curriculum can be...what's the word? - diverted from - and disregarded, to some extent." Mr Dark smiled. "It is a good consideration in my humble opinion," he said, "and indeed that of everyone at this school! But we'll come to that in due course. Please, follow me." He got up from behind his desk and Danielle did so to, following his steps as he made for his office door. He held it open for her in a guesture that was becoming too old-fashioned too quickly for her liking and led the way down the hallway towards the double doors at the end, talking as he did so.
"You see, Miss Freshman," he continued, "We teach an exclusive age group here at St Parzuph's; the upper 6th. Or year 13 as it's called in more recent times. Our pupils attain the rest of their education at whichever educational establishments they were at previously, but the final year before they depart for university in most cases, but occasionally employment, is spent here. We only accept the cream of students academically, but much more important than that is their willingness to learn...and their openness at the methods in which they do so? Furthermore, their education is as standard practice (though obviously at an advanced rate) until they reach their 18th birthday during the year. For those who won't turn 18 until later on, they usually consider it a valid sacrifice to make to stay on for almost a year afterwards to learn to their full potential, such is the rewards and benefits available to them from learning in such a manner that beginning university a year later is worth it; it really does set them up that well for life! And of course as they are now adults they do so of their own free will?"
Danielle had to admit she was a little perplexed. Mr Dark seemed to her to be being agonisingly cryptic, skirting around what seemed in her head to be the actual differences in this school to others, teasing her with snippets here and there of what it might be? It put her in mind of a showman, enthralling the audience with glimpses of what may happen beforehand, working up to it bit by bit before the...the big reveal? And as he swept the double doors open at the end of the hall to reveal flights of stairs which he began to ascend, he certainly added to that impression with his physical manner.
"It all sounds very...exciting, Mr Dark," she admitted. And indeed it did, like no other claim that anyone employed in teaching had made to her as yet. "It is Miss Freshman," he concurred, "it certainly is..." Danielle climbed the stairs rapidly behind him, reaching the half landing and ascending the next flight. They went through another set of double doors on the 1st floor and made their way rapidly down an identically floored, yet narrower hallway beyond.
"You recall meeting Mrs Funk" he asked her, "Sorry; Natasha. Whilst we insist upon titles for staff members within the school, outside it's perimeter of course none are necessary." "Yes of course," Danielle replied. "I found her quite....intriguing." Mr Dark chuckled.."She certainly is that," he agreed. "She's also my very able deputy and one of the finest teachers in our...particular methods...that I've seen. But you must see for yourself." They stopped in front of one of the classroom doors about a third of the way down the hallway on the right.
"Before we enter Miss Freshman" he told her, "this may seem absurd to you, but we take our methods here extremely seriously. We also take very seriously any risk of having them passed onto the world beyond the school, for they are unique and many of those in the outside world would not agree with them? So as ridiculous as it sounds, I'm afraid I have to ask you before we enter to sign this confidentiality agreement that is legally binding and ensures that beyond the confines of St Parzuph's you shall utter either vocally or by writing not one word pertaining to the methods and practices that we use...." He produced a red folder and opened it to show a sheaf of the relevent documents and Danielle saw it was no joke; court headed paper outlined just that, the legal equivalent of being told to keep it buttoned on all counts.
'So this is what one of those gagging orders that have been frequently mentioned in the media lokks like' she thought...."Mr Dark," she asked falteringly, "Is this really necessary?"
His face was impassive. "Irregular perhaps. But highly necessary Miss Freshman," he answered her. "You will find out exactly why within moments of signing that agreement when I open this door...when in an instant of viewing Mrs Funk taking that class everything will become all too apparent. I must also stress importantly that though what is happening behind it may be viewed by the vast majority of society as outlandish, perhaps even highly immoral...It produces results in students grades that are unparallelled, it is done so without any complaint from anyone concerned and it is completely legal."
Danielle's breath caught in her throat. "The decision is yours Miss Freshman of course," Mr Dark added. "You can always not sign this agreement. I shall in that case tell you how much of a pleasure it was to meet you, show you out of this establishment personally and wish you a splendid day! Or you can sign where marked and I shall swing this door open, that you may have your eyes opened wider than they've ever been in just what pleasure it can be to truly unlock eager minds so so willing to learn...."
It wasn't just a burning curiosity in her now, it was a volcanic eruption of the stuff she felt...an overwhelming compulsion to know what the fuck was happening in the classroom beyond this door? She took the shiny black pen offered to her and paused, looking at the blank space highlighted by the small red 'X' on the document in front of her....
And with a flush of triumph over the personal dilemma within herself she quickly scribbled her signature thereon!
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