Studio City Park Director

The report “Park Leader in League of His Own” (Feb. 5) tells a common story, and I understand completely the challenge the parents have put out to the administrators.

There are, however, solutions which address several desirable objectives. Jon Klay is a role model for park directors. His abilities could be included in the criteria for employing all directors. He could be used in training or retraining programs for directors, existing or new, while remaining as director in Studio City.

But change is not necessarily a bad thing. There is a whole range of qualities and skills that make up good people, and one person has only some of them unless she or he is a paragon of all the virtues. It is desirable that children be exposed to as many of those qualities and ways of operating as possible. Shelley Gelber and Sandy Lavet could regard a change of director as a learning experience for their children and for themselves. There may be merit in having a new director, for the reason I give above, but they should insist that the criteria for that person, man or woman, reflect the sort of person they would like. They should then ensure they train whomever is appointed into the climate Klay has already created, and help that person to add in things that Klay, good though he is, may not have thought of.

JIM HOLDOM

Hamilton, New Zealand