The Art of Administration

He has never left out an occasion without inviting me to visit him at the school he administers. I would not be exaggerating if I told you that, if we meet accidentally on the road, instead of the day’s greeting, he says: “when will you be visiting me?”. Today before noon, I visited him. We talked about the present affairs of the country. School matters did not let us continue our conversation. We were interrupted by a teacher with a child complaining, with her mouth and eyes, that one of her classmates had slapped her in the face. The principal soothed her with words he seemed to be skilled at, and promised her that it would not happen again. The little girl was close to me. I took her by the hand and kissed her on the tip of her head. I did not mean to preempt the principal. I directed her towards him. He did not let her reach him. He dismissed her, together with her teacher, with a politeness which he also seemed to have mastered. I was surprised by his behavior. I did not ask him for an explanation. I realized that the upright person cares for the suspicions of the world in which the exploitation of the young by the adults has increased. Administration, as art, consists of integrity and care.