The rebuilt station contained lavish facilities, such as a large booking hall with an arched glass roof, and lavish waiting rooms with oak bars.

It was decided that such a lavish facility should have art that would be equally striking, and Weems was chosen to carry out a number of projects.

Levy said that, at the same time, the school was "not appealing to the rich, who often preferred compliant teachers and lavish facilities."

Agents have become key figures in accelerating the trend, using lavish facilities like Fischer's and an array of complementary services as a tool to recruit players.

At the highest level, universities wage what has been called an "athletic arms race" to see who can build the most lavish facilities to attract the highest-quality players.

The school's lavish facilities and 42 acres of grounds, which once housed the College of Staten Island, were transferred to the public school system in 1994.

The audience was so impressed by the lavish facilities that no one complained about the malfunctioning Wurlitzer organ.

But while students liberally line up behind lavish facilities, there is no shortage of detractors who bemoan the price tag that can accompany them.

Administrators often speak of students as customers whom they must please with cozy dormitories, free Internet access and lavish athletic facilities.

At Croxford House the luxuries of small classes and lavish facilities, plus moderately compliant children, cushioned his inadequacies.