The Maui news. [volume] (Wailuku, Maui, H.I.) 1900-current, 1922-11-14

working member of the II. Il. A., We
may hope to enroll all other educa
tors of The territory as members Of
the same body. We cannot expect
the teachers OF the private schools to
join a self-hearted organization.
"No bill affecting lawyers and the
business Of lawyers is ever presented
TO the Legislature unless it has been
drawn up and sponsored by lawyers.
Bills affecting doctors and dentists are
engineered by members of those pro
fessions. Why should not the same
principles hold good in educational
bills? It is our own fault if that which
is u specific business has been hand
led by others. For the lack of a
united front, our forces and our faces
have been put to confusion, and only
through the ~magnanimity of our
friends, who have good %naturedly over
looked our weakness, have wen VI
poi and fish been supplied. The
spectacle in years past, of n group
OF teachers asking for a 90 percent
raise while another group asks so per
cent, should never be repeated.
United We Stand
Not only should We be united as
w AAfA 10 Jul Nv l'''lNA 'NAl'AANtH
but our banner should be in the very
forefront OF advance in school prog
ress. Instead Of tagging behind a SUI
perintendent of educational vision.
whenever we are fortunate enough to
have such a superintendent. he should
be able to follow our leadership. while
at the same time lie would be in a
position to suggest advances here and
retrenChments there as his superior
vision prompted him to do. No super
intendent OF advanced ideas has ever
escaped the epithet dreamer, or his
plans that of "fads and %frills,' and no
superintendent who was really in
earnest about the progress of the
school system but would welcome the
really progressive leadership of a live
organization. The very fact hat a
progressive superintendent is seeking
money for some new project in educa-
ton is sufficient reason. in some
minds, for opposing It. But when you
put 1900 voters behind an idea, it is
seen in a different light.
yet effective leadership implies
a personal leader, and no organization
can perform the functions of effective
leadership unless il can center around
some n person of dynamic force;
one who will act as a reagent. to use
a chemical term, one who will first
disturb the placidity of our inert
minds, squirting them on to cunstruc-
tive thought, and shall then transmute
that thought into action. Our super
intendent, from his very office as adj
ministrator for the department, is
barred from functioning in this capa.
city of leadership for u association {;
no officer OF the association who is at
the same time busy with the details
of school administration or class room
teaching can give the time and energy
that such leadership demands.
Need For Secretary
"The work of the II. +. a. is in
creasing by leaps and bounds, and nc
officer who has worked with us dur.
ing the campaign of the last few
months but will agree with me thai
we need a full time paid secretary.
situation, most OF the work of our as.
situation, most ofthe work of our as
! ISOLATION must be done by correspond
/ ence, and the amount OF correspond
ence that has already developed is as
] founding; and this is true not only
of the work of the corresponding sec
! rotary, but that of the treasurer anC
Y president as well. All of this work
which involves no small amount OF
] careful thought as well as of petty
detail, should be carried by a paiC
! officer.
ITO fulfill the duties of an efficient
paid secretary would require a mar
i Tor wOman) of parts; he Tor she)
y would need TO be a good diplomatist
a person of broad educational vision
I a good executive. If such a person
J can be found, no mere matter of dol
lars and cents ought to weigh an
4 n in the balance against him
! All that we have said in favor of an
!, organization of teachers, could be said
Z with even greater force in favor of a
\ paid secretary of the right Caliber
4 He and his leadership would be oul
4 insurance against reduction in salary
and the paltTy four or five dollars that
! you and | might pay to support this
Z department would be little enough as
a premium for this insurance. Such
an officer would watch legislation tC
! see that no freak bill received even
\ serious consideration. Indeed, under
his guidance, u position before the
] legislature should become so secure
\ that an educational bill would receive
4 scant attention unless ii was either
i directly fostered or at least sanction
4 ed by our association. Such has beer
the history Of legislation in Califor
mia and other states that have organ
4 lied so effectively under paid secre
4 taries of force and tact. There is NJ
reason why Hawaii should not do a,
well as they. If we really want sucl
an organization, we shall have it il
! the near future.
Four Incentives