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January 2010
I recently read an article about Fiorello LaGuardia, who was mayor of New York City during the Great Depression and all of World War II. What a leader! He would often ride the NYC fire trucks and help fight fires. He took busloads of orphans to Yankee baseball games. He even went on the radio and read the Sunday funnies when the newspapers went on strike and kids didn’t receive their weekly comics section. Only 5-foot, 4-inches tall, LaGuardia was a colorful character who always wore a fresh carnation in his lapel. One of the most famous incidents in the life of this remarkable individual happened one cold, wintry night in 1935 when he appeared at a local night court. He dismissed the judge and promptly assumed the role of deciding the fate of those who had been summoned. One of those individuals was an old woman who had been charged with stealing a loaf of bread. “Yes, Your Honor, I stole the bread,” the woman said. “My daughter and two grandbabies have been deserted by my daughter’s husband. She is critically ill and we’re starving. I didn’t know what else to do.” The store owner who had brought the charges against the old woman told LaGuardia that he refused to drop the charges. “She’s got to learn a lesson,” he said. “She’s got to be punished to teach other people around here a lesson.” “Yes,” LaGuardia answered, “the law is the law. I have no choice but to punish you with either a 10-dollar fine or 10 days in jail. The law makes no exceptions.” But even as he was making the statement, he was reaching into his pocket and pulling out a $10 bill. “Here is the 10-dollar fine which I now remit,” he said. “And furthermore, I am going to fine everyone in this courtroom 50 cents for living in a town where a person has to steal bread so that her grandchildren can eat. Mr. Bailiff, collect the fines and give them to the defendant.” The newspapers the next day told the story of how $47.50 had been collected and given to a “bewildered” old lady who had stolen a loaf of bread to feed her starving grandchildren. The story went on to report that the courtroom, which had been filled with petty criminals, policemen, traffic violators and such, gave the mayor a standing ovation, even though each of them had just paid 50 cents as part of the “judge’s” orders. Wow! Now that’s the kind of enthusiastic, energetic, compassionate leader that we need in our schools, in our clubs, in our churches, and in our city, state, and national governments. So, as this new calendar year begins, vow to become more involved in the day-to-day activities and events in your school. Take the time to visit classrooms, bus barns, maintenance shops and cafeterias. Attend some PTA meetings just because you want others to see how important their children are to you. Do the unexpected by showing your community that this is not only a job, but a journey to make a difference. Compassion speaks volumes about you as a person, and those random acts of kindness can make the difference between success and failure for so many of those you have been empowered to lead. RINEY JORDAN, whose best-selling book, "All the Difference," is now in its sixth printing, is an international speaker and humorist. He can be reached at riney@htcomp.net or by visiting www.rineyjordan.com |
In traveling around the country speaking to teachers and administrators, I do my best to encourage them and to lift their spirits. Oh, I’ve seen great schools, and, yes, some that weren’t as good as I thought they ought to be. But here’s what I have noticed: The best schools have enthusiastic, energized and compassionate leaders.