Post by Hermes on Jun 11, 2014 17:18:46 GMT -5
1. It would seem so from the conversation that it is, they are not talking about villains finding their headquarters but of them being published in The Daily Punctilio and their old HQs were not burned down.
2. In his letter to Jerome Jaques appears to say that Olaf started the schism: "this organisation experienced a schism, a word which here means 'a member suddenly behaving in a greedy and violent manner and thus dividing the organization into two arguing groups.' The member I am speaking of - I will just call him O, though currently he prefers S".
3. Kit was four when the Schism occurred, and Olaf is of her generation, so he would probably have been too young at the time.
So, is the O not Olaf? This seems unlikely as his speech sounds like Olaf as does his preferred names. Is it post-schism and Olaf is turning villain? Or something else?
According to Kit in TPP, VFD before the schism was an open organisation; it was with the schism that the secrecy began. So it looks as if the Building Committee scene is post-schism. Although the immediate aim is, as you say, to keep VFD out of the Daily Punctilio, they would not be worried about this if they were not trying to hide from villains.
Now, it's true that in earlier material, a much more recent date for the schism is suggested; and Jacques' statement that it was caused by Olaf is one of these suggestions, since it's unlikely he started a schism when he was five. In real life, this probably means a change of plan by Handler. But in-story, we can take guidance from Kit's statement that 'in each generation, the schism gets worse and worse', and imagine a series of sub-schisms along the way; and the Building Committee scene can certainly be one of these, caused by Olaf's desertion.