A Lesson in Unselfishness: Principal Expels Himself

Norman Najimy, principal of the only school in Richmond, Mass., taught School Committee members a hard lesson in altruism. In tears, they fired him for it, just as he had asked. The financially strapped Consolidated Elementary School earlier had been forced to cut another $50,000 from the budget, and Najimy said: “My choice was easy. Cut two teachers or can one principal.” Supt. George St. Pierre said the selfless action will save the district more than $40,000 and help preserve computer, lunch and basic skills programs. Najimy will stay for the summer to help train a teacher-principal, who will get an extra $3,000 per year for limited supervisory duties. “This was the shortest and saddest meeting in our history,” committee member Donna Slowick said after the 20-minute session in which Najimy was dismissed. St. Pierre said: “Most of the committee was in tears, including the chairman of the board.”

--The Iraqi government is offering a $1.6-million first prize in an effort to learn how water reached the high terraces of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the ancient world’s seven wonders. INA, the Iraqi news agency, said engineers are being asked to develop a way to water the gardens built by King Nebuchadnezzar without modern pumps, to keep them authentic when they are renovated.

--Vice President Dan Quayle told the Young Republicans National Convention in Nashville that the anniversary was near for “Neil Armstrong and Buzz Lukens’ walk on the moon.” Astronauts Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin took the first steps on the moon on July 20, 1969. Republican U.S. Rep. Donald E. (Buz) Lukens, however, was recently sentenced to 30 days in jail after being convicted of having sex with a 16-year-old girl. Quayle also called for the GOP to reach out to blacks and other minorities. He arrived on stage after “Dixie” blared from the loudspeakers as noisy delegates displayed a few Confederate flags. Young Republican Chairman Rich Jacobs later defended the song and the flags as shows of regional pride. But Thomas L. Hayes, one of about 40 black delegates, said he was offended and blamed fringe elements of the party. “These are intelligent people, and they know what the Confederate flag represents,” Hayes said.