Published: December 03, 2007 11:45 pm            

Letters to the editor - Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2007

Living within means is just old-fashioned

The old saying is true: “One is never too old to learn.” I would like to share with you something that I myself have recently learned while observing the actions of our highly respected local and state politicians.

But first, I would like to share with you my disappointment I now have in my own father. My father has always taught me not to spend more money than what I earn. He taught me, when I am finished paying my bills, I should always have money left over to deposit into my savings account.

While watching the actions of our politicians, I can now see my father has been leading me astray all these years. From now on, I will attempt to model my life after our elected officials. In the future, I plan to spend more money than my wife and I earn each year. And every year after that, I will increase our spending above and beyond what our increase in income is. Some of you may think this is going to create a problem. Well, I used to think that myself, but this is just not the case. When our money supply is running low, I will inform my employer he is not paying his fair share and demand more compensation for my work.

Sometime in the future, when my wages become too burdensome on my employer, I will very reluctantly agree to a wage concession. But since controlling our spending is no longer an option, I will demand my employer compensate me for my lost wages by means other than the payroll department. They can just pay me from a different account. Then I will inform my employer how much better off he is now than he was before.

My father has always paid his bills, had money left over to save, and has been debt free much of his life. How misguided can one be? After all, these new role models of mine are highly educated individuals. They are honorable men and women. My father does not even have a college education.

Marty Kemp

Greentown

City lost bit of its soul with Hogan

Kokomo lost a great educator and leader of youth over the last few days. Dr. Douglass “Dan” Hogan was not only a brilliant leader in the Kokomo-Center Schools system but a friend to all who had the privilege of working with him.

I first met Mr. Hogan when he was a young, fresh-out-of-college teacher who was eager to help kids better themselves, not only in the classroom, but in life. As the years progressed, I watched Dan climb the ladder of the school system’s administrative totem pole to become one of the finest principals in the system.

I knew this because during my own progression through the police department, I was able to become a school resource officer and work side by side with Dan for many years.

Dan always had a smile on his face and, even when he was dealing with a problem student, remained positive and would always end the conversation with the student with something like, “I’m not giving up on you, and you can do this!”

Another thing that impressed me was that Dan knew each child by name and even knew the family background on most. Dan and I would talk about not only issues with students, but about our own kids. Dan had many of my seven children in some capacity as an educator and would always assist me if I had a school issue with one of my own. He also talked about the love he had for his own wife and children and their accomplishments.

Interestingly enough, Dan was pursuing his doctorate and spoke with me often about it never being too late to get back into school and finish my degree. Even though he was only four years my senior, he was helping guide me into an accomplishment of my life that I would never dream I could attain.

The final touch of the exchange of advice was when Dan received his doctorate and I my baccalaureate degree at around the same time. When he learned of my achievement, he was one of the first to seek me out to pat me on the back and said with a chuckle the familiar, “I knew you could do it, I never gave up on you!”

Dan always had a smile on his face and always greeted me with, “How you doing, coach!” when I would arrive at school after a long day at the police department to spend the next few hours coaching football or basketball. I can’t ever remember anything negative, even in the most stressful situations, which Dan would not come out with a positive and acceptable result for all involved.

Dan lived for being an educator for children. It was indeed his life, and you could see it in his eyes when he walked the halls or talked with the kids. He truly cared for each and every one of them.

When I walk into the building at Maple Crest, I will feel the void left behind by the passing of this man. Kokomo indeed lost a piece of its soul at the passing of Dan Hogan, and I was proud to know him and call him my friend.

Gary L. McKay

Kokomo Police

        

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