Administrative Quandries

Posted on Mon Jan 13th, 2025 @ 9:32 by Claire Cavendish & Penny Gardner

Chapter: Besieged
Location: Administration Office, Avalon Institute
Timeline: Early morning, Friday, February 5, 1993
1501 words - 3 OF Standard Post Measure

The advantage of getting up really early was that one could move around large parts of the Institute unimpeded by nosy faculty or even nosier students. Winifred Pocklington took advantage of that fact by making his way to the administrative offices. He'd been going in and out to read up on student files. This morning was no different. He took meticulous notes of the things detailed in the files of the students. It wasn't as robust as the proposed Mutant Registration, but it gave a good enough indication of what some of the kids were capable of. Unfortunately the personnel files of his fellow faculty were behind a more robust lock.

“Oh! Excuse me, I didn’t think anyone would be awake at this hour!” Penny paused in the door to the administrative offices and looked the strange man up and down. She strode over. Her clothes were neat enough, but her hair was wildly unkempt and she had the air of someone who had only just woken up. “Penny.” She said offering her hand. “Or Miss Gardner if there are kids about. I don’t believe we have had the pleasure yet?” Her general demeanour, despite the early hour was sunny.

"Miss Gardner," Winifred shook her hand, it seemed that keeping to himself had been rather successful since his arrival at the school over the winter break. He was quietly pleased with that. "Winifred Pocklington. I teach English, you teach Drama if I recall." He slowly closed the drawer he had been leafing through, trying not to contract too much attention to that fact. "From what I've heard you've been in search of some controversial plays."

“Pleasure Mr. Pocklington. Tell me are you a Wini, a Fred or a Winifred? And yes indeed I do teach Drama, you are quite correct. I’d love to hear any suggestions where our circular reading could overlap, perhaps add an additional dimension to both our subj-“ Penny paused as she saw the man surreptitiously close the desk drawer. She tucked the large envelope she was carrying under her arm.

She did her best not to frown, keeping a sunny smile on her face. “I believe in children receiving a broad education, so often Drama can be restricted to Shakespeare and improv games. Besides these are controversial times. Wouldn’t you agree it is best to cover subject matter in which the children might see something of themselves?”

"There is a reason why the plays by the Bard have held relevance and reverence over the centuries." Winifred remarked, "as for the nature of the subject matter to cover, I would prefer we expose them to literature and drama that aligns with our worldview and how we would prefer to see the children, rather than how they see themselves." He started to make his way around the desk to be more in the main area of the administration offices. "They are here to learn, besides children in their teens are notoriously unstable and rebellious. This, it seems, is doubly true for the children in our care. In my humble opinion there's no need to further fan those embers. However, I am not in control of the drama curriculum, nor am I head master of this institute."

Penny’s smile stiffens slightly but it does not drop. Years of controlling her emotions to get a grip on her power means she is able to meet such drivel. “Yes well, even the bard will have read more than just his own work. And have no fear, he’s represented there too.” She quirks an eyebrow at him. She then grins. “Plenty of rebellion and instability in Macbeth.”

“And what literature would you say represents your worldview? And how strange!” Here Penny blinks innocently, looking quite confused. Unstable and rebellious, honestly! They were children. A little hormonal but entirely predictable in their reactions to situations. “Do you find your classes unstable and rebellious? I find my pupils engaged, curious and eager to learn. They seem to be some of the best of what this generation has to offer. Perhaps if the dog groomer keeps getting bit it is not the dog’s fault but how they are handled?” Penny came round, ostensibly to drop her envelope with all her personal history on the desk, but also to block Mr Pocklington from being able to access further files. In every school where she had worked, teachers were able to officially request to see information on children if need be. There was no good reason in her mind for him to be doing so in such a furtive manner. She leaned against the drawer he had a moment ago been rifling through. Her demeanour carefully casual.

“Then again I am still new. If you think you can teach me a thing or two I would be happy to come and sit in on your classes.” She suddenly burned with a desire to keep an eye on this one. She just needed to figure out who to share her concerns with.

"Represent my worldview, you ask? My dear, that’s a rather lofty and fraught question, is it not? One’s worldview, after all, is a composite of life experience, education, and predisposition, not easily encapsulated in mere literature." Winifred allowed that to sit for a moment, "However, if I were pressed—and it seems you are pressing—" He wasn't going to comment on the dog groomer remark, but he'd be remiss to let it go over his head entirely, "I might suggest something like Samuel Johnson’s Rasselas. A melancholy meditation on the futility of human ambition, the inevitable disappointment of utopian dreams, and the sobering realisation that happiness is a rather slippery, and often illusory, goal." With a somewhat arrogant smirk he added; "Oh, what a cheery worldview I must have, wouldn’t you agree?"

He pauses, as if debating whether to continue, but of course, he couldn't help himself.

"And if you’re finding that too dour, I might venture to suggest Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest. Not because it aligns with my worldview, per se, but because it reminds us of the absurdity of life’s grand pretensions." He made a flourish with his arms to mimic what was often viewed as melo-dramatic acting, a jab at her chosen profession. "Satire is often the most honest mirror of humanity’s little foibles, wouldn’t you agree?" He slowly continued his shuffle towards the exit, a slight smirk on his face.

“I only ask because you suggested that we should be dictating such, I was merely curious as to what that would look like to you.” She blinks innocently and does her best to hold back a snort at that. “Ah I see, so it’s disappointment and disillusion on the reading list? I must admit I had often thought Rasseselas to be as much about ignorance than anything else. I’ll take that into consideration.” The last were said quite pointedly. Like hell she would. “Perhaps we should also force them through Milton’s Paradise Lost? Or is the rebellion of the seven hells too optimistic for you?” She undermines the jab with a lighthearted chuckle.

“Oscar Wilde, well it seems you are full of surprises. I would think someone convicted of corrupting the youth would align too much to your original concerns. I would be delighted to include that in the curriculum.” Seeing he is about to leave she gives him a jaunty wave.

“Good day Wini! Hope you have a marvellous one.” She waited a moment, pretending to write a note to stick to her envelope until she was certain he had left.

"One can separate the artist from the art." Winifred responded but stopped short of leaving. "And please, Miss Gardner, address me appropriately. There's no knowing who might be listening in. I think it would greatly benefit you to sit in and observe how to properly conduct class in an institute such as this." He straightened his coat by tugging slightly at the front of it, "I'll let you know when we're covering the bard in class, so you can sit in."

Penny kept her smile on her face and nodded. Although she disagreed with his feeling about artists, she did not want to argue with him. She’d be late for breakfast. “Much appreciated MR. Pocklington.” She kept smiling until her left and then let out a long breath. What a supercilious man, she wouldn’t be surprised if some of the kids already had a nickname for him. If not maybe she could start one. But first, time to see what he had been doing in here. She quickly opens the desk drawer and takes in the information he had been looking over. Her look of private irritation deepening when she saw it was children’s files. She put them back just as swiftly and then went to drop her personal information off. She needed to find Claire.