Date: November 1, 2021
Last night, I made my way to 1823. I was coming back from a wedding in West Virginia. So Lesley (my wife), Kathleen (my mother-in-law), Maddie (the delightful but slightly unruly puppy), and I made our way to 1823. It was a cold and breezy evening. Groups with dogs are, quite rightly, required to sit outdoors. Thanks to Lara Case, the heater was lit. Some warmth made life easier for my mother-in-law. We took advantage of the “all you can eat buffet” and enjoyed chicken wings, broccoli, and potato wedges.
Naturally, the 1823 terrace is quiet in the cold of late October and early November. So the economics of these venues comes to the fore. Economically, the Flamingo, 1823, and places like the Butterfly House – all make a significant loss. Now as it happens almost everything we do makes a loss. The Doctoral programs do well, but depending on how you count the cost – even with these programs there is a loss. Most schools make money from tuition, but with our scholarship packages, this does not apply to us.
Sometimes people wonder about our endowment. Some murmur that they will not give to a school so fortunate. But without that endowment, 1823, the Flamingo, the Butterfly House, and our scholarship packages would not happen. So, next time you sit – hopefully inside – 1823, do remember this venue is made possible by the endowment. And then say “thank you” to the past and remind yourself that the future needs your gifts, too.
The Very Rev. Ian S. Markham, Ph.D.
Dean and President