Golden in Death(50)

“You came on as headmaster after the winter break, in ’53. When did you accept the job?”

“That would have been around Thanksgiving the previous year. Dr. Grange was taking another position, and my impression was she’d made the decision quickly, and resigned, effective at the end of the year.”

“Do you know why she resigned so abruptly?”

“My assumption was she’d been offered the position at Lester Hensen. It’s a very prestigious institution.”

“Dr. Rufty.”

Eve’s tone had him closing his eyes. “I’m sorry. It’s simply ingrained not to speak ill or gossip about a colleague. There had been a number of complaints, by parents, by staff. And it seemed her marriage was ending.” He sent a painful glance toward Greg.

“Whatever there is, Marty.”

“There were rumors and accusations she’d had an affair with another member of the faculty, and possibly had inappropriate relationships with some students’ fathers. Others claimed she’d turned a blind eye to accusations of bullying, intimidation, cheating, illegals, and alcohol.”

“Did she?”

“Yes, I believe she did. When I spoke with the staff, there were many who told the same or very similar stories. Still, much of it was gossip, and hard feelings, and I could only form impressions. I met with Dr. Grange, of course, during the transition. She and I had different approaches and, to be frank, she seemed quite done with the school and ready to move on. She did list several names of teachers and administrators she found problematic.”

“Was Duran on the list?”

“He was. However, when I looked at his records, when I met with him, I found him to be, as I said, a dedicated educator. And in the months we worked together, I only saw him as just that, and a man who worked very hard to reach his students. Others she listed were among those who had filed complaints.”

“Was there anyone in that transition period, the early period, you had issues with, or who had issues with you?”

“Of course. It was a changing of the guard, and many changes in policy and tone. Her emphasis in many ways had been on bringing in large donations, giving naming rights, bolstering prestige.”

Rufty waved a hand in the air. “That sounds critical, and frankly, it is. But those are important aspects to heading a private school. Still, I found serious lapses in discipline, an unfortunate bias toward some students whose parents provided those donations.”

“Which Duran and others complained, formally, about,” Eve prompted.

“Yes. There was an unstated policy that if a student was bullied, he or she should stand up for him-or herself, and not look to the school to handle the problem. If a student failed a test, that student was given an automatic makeup, or if the parents complained, the grade was curved up. Cheating was, unfortunately, rampant. Several students had formed a kind of business out of it. There were some teachers actively threatened. Drinking and illegals not only outside but on school grounds.”

“How did you handle it?”

“I had meetings with everyone on staff. Some were very reluctant to speak out, as they’d been labeled troublemakers or, as I said, threatened. Some, like Jay, were already leaving or planned to, and it was easier for them.”

“Can I say something?” Greg asked. “From an outside perspective?”

“Sure,” Eve said. “Go ahead.”

“It was pretty clear to us—the family—Marty had been given the position at TAG not only because of his reputation, his qualifications, but because of his, well, his philosophies. They—the board—needed someone to clean up the mess.”

He turned to Rufty. “You dealt with a lot those first few weeks, Marty. I remember once, a family dinner, and you looked so tired and stressed. You said how when you needed to get a ship back on course after a storm, you couldn’t take your hands off the wheel.”

“How do you remember these things?” Rufty asked.

“Did you keep your hands on the wheel, Dr. Rufty?” Eve asked.

“Greg’s not wrong about why I was offered the position and, honestly, why I accepted it. I knew it would be a challenge, and I wanted that. Clearly, what I intended to do, what I would do, wouldn’t be popular with some.”

“What did you do?”

“I instituted firm policies with specific disciplinary actions regarding bullying, cheating, drinking, and so on.” Pausing, he linked his hands, set them on the conference table. “Some students were suspended for violations within days. As a result, I had several very unpleasant meetings with outraged parents. Some pulled their children out of the academy.”

“So, as Greg said, a difficult transition.”

“Yes. Yes, it was. I don’t know what I’d have done without Kent those first few weeks. I honestly thought I’d be fired at any moment, as some promised donations were pulled, some students left, a few teachers who’d gotten used to a more … lax environment were unhappy.”

“You never told us that.” Greg shot Rufty a look of surprise. “That you worried about being fired.”

Smiling a little, Rufty patted Greg’s arm. “Children don’t have to know everything. There were others, on staff, in the student body, and, yes, on the board, who were relieved, even pleased with the new rules, with the new tone. That balanced the scale. By spring it had largely evened out.”