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that we could probably get the State to intervene on our behalf should Los Angeles decide to cancel our contract.
We had immediate need for a new library building and an addition to the auto shops so I began a drive to get state money to build these new facilities. It was a long hard effort but we finally managed to get both these new buildings but, more importantly, we had made the State authorities aware of the contract arrangement with Los Angeles. I have no idea what the final outcome will be but I doubt that the State will allow Los Angeles to duplicate facilities that exist in Santa Monica so I think the contract arrangement is quite safe.
Santa Monica is a unique place. It operates like a small town but is the hub of a metropolitan area. Then there is Malibu, just next door, which is a part of the school district. The children of many prominent movie and television people attend Santa Monica schools and this increases the need for security. Santa Monica High School had developed a system of checking attendance of pupils that was based on periods rather then on school days. If a pupil was not in a class he was scheduled to be in the alarm went out and the pupil was immediately located. We took no chances with the people in our charge. Yet both pupils and their parents were treated like all other children and parents. This arrangement seemed to be agreeable to every one. I have attended school programs where Jane Fonda, Barbara Streisand, Flip Wilson or Loren Green were present and they appeared to be ordinary parents.
Santa Monica Schools had a superb musical program and each spring there was a district wide concert at the huge Civic Auditorium. A guest Director was brought in and each grade level performed in turn. First the Elementary Schools, next the Junior Highs and then the High School and finally the Community College. At the end the guest director led the combined groups in a grand finale that brought down the house. The whole community was involved and it was a wonderful event and well attended.
The Superintendent of Schools at Santa Monica was a most effective administrator. He kept well ahead of the Board of Education by anticipating their "leanings" and then making decisions in response to Board Member's desires. As an example, there were a few black people in the school system and when the question of racial integration came up the Superintendent was ready with a plan. The matter was placed on a board agenda and adopted as a routine action. The community had confidence in the Board and Superintendent so matters that were so controversial in other districts were just routine business in Santa Monica. This happened because the Superintendent kept ahead of the Board and community in anticipating possible problems.
The one area where the Superintendent was weak was in the Community College. He literally hated the college organization. He was convinced that the teachers were lazy and had half a work load. He also thought they were grossly overpaid. I thought he was wrong on all counts but could not convince him that he was. Finally the President of the college retired and the Superintendent became President as well as retaining the superintendency. This proved to
