The Hawaiian gazette., 1913-06-06

-INAntT iHNu tNlN Ut tUhi DliNtNnUNtN j
on the part OF this OF that person. II /
is we'll known that there has been much 1
friction in the department and that I
this has greatly impaired its usefulness. |
1t is unnecessary to attempt TO discover |
or to set forth all the causes, nor would |
any two persons entirely agrcn on them |
1.-THE tfouble, as / see IL, has been |
due In part to natural Incompatible. |
ity of ,tntpframent and viewpoint be.
tween the supcrintend and some of
the commissioners and in lesser degree
between groups of commissioners--an
infelicitous combination. II has been
due in part to lack of cooperative
disposition and n lack of faith in the
disinterestedness OF each ether IS mo-
tives--a lack of mutual confidence that
fed on little Misunderstanding until il
grew into mutual suspicion and distrust
1t has been due in part to proven.
hal "school politics. played by some
members of the teaching force. 1t has
been due in part, il must frankly be
said, to lack of adaptation in some
ways on the part of the superintendent
and some of the commissioners to these
particular offices. 1t has been due in
part to a misconeeption of the nature
of the new organization of the depart
ment and hence failure TO make or
allow that organization to perform its
functions normally. The last alone need
be enlarged upon here.
Change of System Calls for Change in
Procedure.
Formerly, all the commissioners,
like the present members of the board
of health and the members Of most 9th
er territorial commissions, were appoint
ed from Honolulu. Now they are re
quired by law to be appointed from the
several islands. In each case, the de-
partment as a whole, consisting of the
superintendent ana the commissioners
was supreme. In either case, as rec
ognized both by the law and by the
rules, there was and had to be head
the superintendent. In either case,
the superintendent and the several com
missiOners were equals as members of
the department, and the superintendent
has additional powers as presiding of
ficer when the department was in SEES
sion, and still more so in the very ma
ture of the case as the chief executive
officer between sessions. Formerly, the
superintendent could call meetings as
often was deemed advisable and so
keep in close touch with. the commits.
sioners. Now, the law contemplates only
two regular meetings year, although
1t permits other meetings, but the in
convenience to the commissioners of
coming to Honolulu and the smallness
of the funds available for travelling
expenses necessarily prevents frequent
meetings, and hence requires the exer-
else of greater responsibility by the
superintendent in order that constantly
arising needs may be met. For the
smooth and successful working of the
system, the superintendent should con
suit the commissioners as body as
much as practicable on all important
matters, and when not practicable
should constantly bear in mind that his
acts are subject to the subsequent ap-
prevail Of the department. When he can
not consult the commissioners as n
body, he should confer with majority
of them when practicable and when the
matter in hand is of sufficient import
ance. He should, also, according to the
circumstances in less important matters
oi'cu WIN a pdiiiNu'di
sioner who by reason of his location
on particular island or for some other
reason might be likely to be able to
give helpful information or advise. On
the other hand, each Commissioners
should fully appreciate the necessity
Of an administrative head and the nee
essity of his exercising a great deal of
responsibility between meetings of the
department and the practical i'm
possibility of his consulting all or
even majority of the commissioners
on all matters arising on their respective
islands. Above all there should be
mutual frankness and confidence in each
other s motives and aims.
Frankness and Confidence Lacking.
"There has not, however, been such
frankness and confidence. Relations
have gradually become strained. The
superintendent, perhaps unduly i'm
pressed with the necessity of strong
and responsible administrative head
and realizing the difficulties of keeping
in touch with widely scattered com
missioners and feeling lack of sym
pathy on the part of some of them
has inclined too much to ignore them
or has permitted them to think that
he was doing so. The position is al
best difficult one to fill, and he was
laboring Under some special disadvan
tages. Some of the commissioners, per
haps not appreciating sufficiently the
need of such head and leaning toe
much to the ward theory of politics,
have inclined too much to assume in
dividually to give directions to the su
perintendent and to consider themselve
as clothed with special authority owe
: matters within their respective islands
: They have also been IN position t.
be more easily reached by complaining
! teachers or others throughout the Ter
, ritory and apparently have been in som
, instances too ready to listen and eve
enlist. OF course, the individual com
missioners have and should have N
: control over the superintendent; he j
not and should not be their subord
nate. And scarcely anything should b
I more carefully guarded against tina
{ the encouragement of ex parte con
plants to individual commissioners an
! the espousal or seeming espousal of TIL
r cause Of the compliments by the con
l missioners to whom the complaints ar
: made. There has, been altogether to
much 'wire.pulling' ON the part G
some teachers or principals. Difference
> of opinion can not be avoided and ope
4 of than, &, Ia.;ral.la l,.+ N