The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1926-03-25
Special Writer Investigates
Methods Now i'm Use
Lauds Hodge
SALARIES INCREASED
BUT SAVE $45OO.00
One Man Authority Seems
to Make a Hit with the
Students, Too
(By Jesse H. Moores)

When requested to visit the local
schools and give my findings to the
public, / accepted the assignment
with distinct pleasure. My willingness
to perform the task was not confined
to personal curiosity as / had prev
iously received some information on
the subject, but / felt it would be a
pleasure to dig deeper into school
affairs and report my observations to
the stock holders of this public en-
terprise. 1 feel pleasure in this task
because all too often only the faults
and seldom the virtues. of such an in
stitution are paraded before the pub
lie.
Before entering the school thresh-
hold it might be well to observe the
present laissey faire attitude of the
local tax payers. At recent school
election there was no controversy, and
the election proved to be but for
mality that received slight attention.
To some such condition might not
be significant, but in my opinion it
speaks volumes, as volumes can be
written on school fights in every city
in the land. During this peaceful
period, which pessimistic observers
might term doubly easy for your cub
reporter to make observations. Inves-
tigations are necessary only in cases
of controversy.
To study a school system it is real
ly surprising how often the study
continually reverts to an analysis OF
the ability and characteristics of a
single man. Especially is this true
in Kennewick where the office of high
school principal has been abolished.
With as much truth as a king once
said. 81 am the state" it might be
said that the local superintendent is
the school system. The very nature
of the business requires that it must
be so.
To begin my survey then, thought
it best to visit first the head Of the
local system, Mr.. Hodge, who when
told of my mission, seemed willing
and pleased to have the public know
all the details of his stewardship. The
main feature of Mr.. Hodges reor-
ganization plan called for the elimin-
alton of three teachers, the combin-
ing of the school clerk and steno-
grapher, and general Capitalization
of authority. The net saving to the
district from the plan, learned, was
more than $4500 per annum, despite
the fact that salary increases, of
which / shall speak later, had been
necessary during the past two years.
was interested in investigating the
effect of this monetary saving on the
school system and while Mr.. Hodge
was talking he was interrupted by
administrative details, enough to give
me glimpse of his system. I-noticed
that school supplies were charged
in a ledger against teachers using
them, an innovation that is bound
to promote further economy. noticed
the installation Of an automatic bell
system for dismissal of classes. Pre-
viously different teachers were re-
quired to ring the bell, and the whole
student body was usually alert at
bell time with either filters or groans,
on whether the bell was
rung early or late.
| then was treated to an example
of the one man administrative policy.
A girl appeared and requested per-
mission to accompany the boys ball
team to neighboring town. The re-
quest was denied by Mr.. Hodge in a
gentle but final manner in sentence
of less than dozen words. With a
Coolidge-like brevity, he laid down
a new school policy. The girl retired
without argument or protest, and /
marvelled at the ease with which he
was enforcing what / thot was an
altogether too new policy. In prev
ious years I had often seen an ex-
odus from the schools on account OF
such events, and / was curious to
get the reaction of such an edict or
the student body.
I therefore took the liberty later
to question leading high school
student on this subject, and this was
his answer: "Sure; the kids would
like to get off and run around the
country, but shucks, they know that
Hodge is right"
IT. ~ oanf;rraIN