542 PARKS 



no doubt come many of the formal plans and policies of the governing 

 authority. Conversely, a governing authority may be of very great aid to 

 the superintendent in purely executive functions. This is especially true if 

 the governing authority happens to have one or more members (as in the 

 case of a commission) who is technically trained in some particular executive 

 service or services, or has had wide experience in handling executive problems 

 similar to the problems facing the superintendent. The wise executive will 

 welcome such assistance. 



Relation of superintendent or chief executive to his staff. The discussion 

 thus far has been concerned chiefly with the relations which the superin- 

 tendent or chief executive bears to the governing authority. In this rela- 

 tionship the superintendent is the servant to do the will of the governing 

 authority. In carrying out the will of the governing authority an entirely 

 new set of relationships begin, involving relationship to staff employees, 

 program of activities and a relationship to the entire community. Relation- 

 ship to the staff begins with the act of employment. It has already been 

 indicated that in a properly ordered executive organization the superin- 

 tendent should have authority to employ his subordinates, whether these 

 subordinates be skilled or unskilled, full time or part time workers, and the 

 authority to discharge them. 



The superintendent will be limited in the act of employment by the 

 policy of the governing authority with respect to type and number of each 

 type of employee; and he may be further limited by the rules and regula- 

 tions of the civil service laws prevailing in his municipality or county. The 

 rates of pay will also be determined by formal resolution of the governing 

 authority or by the rates prevailing in the municipal government as a 

 whole, fixed either by council or by the civil service commission. Where 

 a superintendent has direct freedom, subject to the policies of the governing 

 authority, to select his subordinates, he has the best possible opportunity 

 to show whether he is fit to be a superintendent or not. If he displays poor 

 judgment in selecting the various types of employees needed he is a misfit 

 and would better resign, for the success of the entire executive organization 

 depends very largely upon the quality of the staff. 



Civil service. In most of the larger park systems throughout the 

 country, and in many of the smaller ones, the selection of employees is 

 made through the civil service. There has been a good deal of criticism 

 among park executives of this method of employment. It is asserted that 

 the customary examinations conducted by civil service commissions cannot 

 gauge personality which is so important a factor in several different branches 

 of park and recreation service; that it is exceedingly difficult to get rid of 

 an employee that happens to be a misfit, and that certain types of workers 



