What if Elgin school never existed?

In the nightmarish middle section of Frank Capra’s classic, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” James Stewart knocks on his mother’s door — only to be greeted by the cold stare of a woman who doesn’t recognize her own son.

It’s a poignant moment, and the staff at Elgin’s oldest independent school hopes the message of that scene, and others from the film, will resonate with donors as they work to save 98-year-old building from closing.

Staff and parents at Fox River Country Day School, a private, independent school set in a scenic, 55-acre campus on the east side of Elgin, fear the school may not be able to make it to its centennial in 2013.

“Along with the other schools in the state, we are in a struggling financial state because of the economy,” said Kathy Prigge, director of marketing at the school.

As a private school, Fox River Country Day relies on tuition fees and donors to pay the bills. But enrollment has declined somewhat as families have moved away or decided they cannot afford private school tuition anymore.

At one point, school staffers feared they would not have enough cash for the rest of the current school year. Now, they believe they can finish the year — but still have next year to worry about.

To alleviate the economic pressures, the school has launched a new campaign called “It’s a Wonderful School.” The campaign, independent of the school’s annual fundraising push, uses a YouTube video starring teachers at the school to show, through the classic Frank Capra fairy tale, what Fox River Country Day has meant to its students through the years.

It is Fox River Country Day’s first foray into social media, driven by trying circumstances.

“It was a way to reach out to a broader, wider audience,” said Jami Switzer, director of development. “It’s already having the result we hoped.”

The school is hoping to raise at least $50,000 through the campaign and has already received $2,200 and an offer to match up to $15,000 from its global alumni network in less than a week.

Staff at Fox River Country Day hope the alumni, like George Bailey’s friends at the finale of “It’s a Wonderful Life,” will come through in the end.

“There really are a lot of angels out there and they’re starting to come out,” Switzer said.

To donate, visit frcds.org and click on the link for “It’s a Wonderful School.” Donations will also be accepted by mail and in person.