Ms. Perkowski's letter of Aug. 27 merely reaffirms the point I was attempting to make in my Aug. 20 letter...simply that the "powers that be" were apparently more taken with the matter of compensation for the Hicksville superintendent than, perhaps, noticing a deplorable-looking American flag that was barely 100 yards from the administration building. I am pleased to note that, possibly due to the "powers of the pen," this same flag has finally been removed and replaced.

As a new school year commences, I look forward to seeing many of the improvements, plans and projects that have been slowed in recent years. Hopefully, Superintendent Finn can earn his "very nice income" by improving upon the pitiful rate of 51.2 percent of '98 graduates going to a four-year college; 55.6 percent getting Regents diplomas; 73 percent of third-graders reading at grade level; and only 72.4 percent passing the English Regents (Newsday, Aug. 27). In comparing the "similar-size districts" mentioned by Ms. Perkowski, Hicksville's aforementioned percentages pale in comparison in the majority of areas.

While Ms. Perkowski compares Superintendent Finn's position to that of a CEO of a $60 million-a-year corporation, I, as a "shareholder" of this "corporation," definitely would expect the statistics for '98-'99 and the forthcoming years to be much improved. This, I feel, would be the true "reality check" of Superintendent Finn's compensation.