Such Is Life

We’ve spent the last few weeks going through “stuff,” lots of stuff. We came across something Joe wrote back in 1972.

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Joe Todd - Written in November 26, 1972 - Observations About My Experiences as Assistant Director of the Division of Special Education, Ohio Department of Education

I have had a recurring mind-image memory periodically--and with particular  frequency here of late. Recess - Maire School - second or third grade – on the playground  - we were running about pretending to be a horse cavalry. There were several groups, sometimes swooping towards each other – sometimes charging an unseen enemy. Somehow, due to an accident, the two other kids I was running around with paired up with one of the larger groups and I was actually leading the pack - they were following me. What a sensation of power to run this way and that and actually have them follow. I was exhilarated and began galloping (leaping, yelling, and slapping my thighs) - I could hear some kid yell "Who does he think he is, anyway." I kept on running, yelling, and slapping, thinking I was on a mission. 

   

Initially I was so confident I could stay out in front. Then several kids began to overtake me; I pulled out all stops and ran as hard as I could. I stopped slapping my thighs - I couldn't stay in front; now we all were running in the same direction. I thought for a split second that the pack was actually following me, not just who was out front. I veered to the right. Everyone else continued on. I watched the rest of the recess on the sidelines, trying to figure out what went wrong. Nobody missed the mission or the leadership.

But the next day I was out on the playground “riding my horse” and slapping my thighs, charging on ahead no matter if the followers stayed with me or not – I was back on the mission!

I wonder if there is any similarity between this experience and the situation in Assistant Superintendent FW's office. I was explaining a new project to FW; he was buying all the way and seemed very impressed. At the end of the meeting I used the occasion to ask him about a new hire's salary mistake--during the employment interview TS was promised one salary as an Educational Consultant III by Dr. FW, resigned his position, then was told that the department had given the wrong salary figure and that he actually would come in as an Ed. Consultant II.  It was immediately clear Dr. FW didn't want to discuss the matter. I proceeded on ahead supremely confident. SB, my boss and the recently promoted Director of the Division of Sp. Ed. was in a state of panic. I knew what I was doing, however. I said "isn't it strange when the organization is wrong, the individual always pays - In education and in this situation we are so fortunate not to have to be that way - where the organization can correct its own injustice," or words to that effect. I thought that appealed to his ego as a good guy and a good leader. I under-weighed the fact that the person who had revised the salary figure downward didn't work for FW directly, but reported directly to the state super [superintendent]. Dr. FW indicated that I was beginning to appear as stupid administratively as someone he had referred to earlier in the meeting. I understood his political problem, but wasn’t the real issue about correcting a wrong?!

My conclusions -  Such is life - you pick your causes and issues based upon what you believe is right and not necessarily on what is popular or acceptable.

2014 Comment Added: I have had a number of situations like that throughout my life beginning in grade school, Howe Military School, High School, the Navy, and my professional life.  These incidents included an incident which caused me to choose to retire in 1995 when I refused to hire an totally incompetent secretary who was a friend of the head of the Dept’s HR department – she was later fired, 9 months after I left - - - such is life and Joe Todd.  Notice I never became Director after SB and 1 other left.  I believe in flexibility, cooperation, and compromise, but I also believe in principles and right and wrong issues.

Pictures – Joe in 1940 in Indianapolis, Indiana just before moving to Grosse Pointe, Michigan where he attended Maire School; Joe in December 1977