The Columbus dispatch. (Columbus, Miss.) 1905-1908, 1907-06-20
PROF. WHITFIELD
ELECTED PRESIDENT
TIL STATE SUPPLEMENTARY OF
EDUCATION ELECTED PRES
IDENT OF THE /. I. AND
c. LAST THURSDAY.
Was Elected at Meeting of Trustees
Which Was Held in Jackson;
Scramble for State Super
intendent is Now On.

AS foretold in The Dispatch, Prof
H. L. Whitfield, State superintendent
of education, has been elected presi-
dent of the Industrial Institute and
College to succeed Hon. A. A. Kin
cannon, who recently resigned the
presidency of the institution in order
that he might accept the chancellor
ship of the State University at Ok
ford The board of trustees of the
local institution met in Jackson last
Thursday for the purpose of electing
a president, and Prof. Whitfield was
chosen by a unanimous vote. The
result was not unexpected, as it was
generally understood when Mr.. Kin
cannon was elected chancellor of the
State University that Prof. Whitfield
would succeed him as president of
the I. I. and c.
The election of Prof. Whitfield to
succeed Prof. Kincannon is quite a
coincident, as Prof. Kincannon him
self stepped from his position as
State superintendent of education in
to the presidency of the Industrial
Institute and College. Prof. Kincan-
non was elected president of the local
institution in June, 1898, and in Sep
tember of the same year Governor
McLaurin appointed Prof. Whitfield
to succeed him as State superintend-
ent- of education. In this position
he has been an active and persistent
worker, and under his able direction
the educational system of the State
has been materially improved. He
is a man of fine executive ability,
and believes in advanced methods
and modern ideas. Having been su-
perintendent of education for nearly
nine years, he is we'll acquainted with
the needs and requirements of all
the educational institutions of the
State, and his election to the presi-
dency of Mississippi's splendid coll
lege for the education of the young
women meets with universal approv-
al. 1t is not known exactly when
Prof. Whitfield will assume the du-
ties of his new position, but Prof.
Kincannon will take charge of the
University on July 11th, and it is
supposed that Prof. Whitfield will
take up his duties here on the same
date.
Now that Prof Whitfield has been
elected president of the l. l. and c.,
the scramble for the position of State |
superintendent of education is on in |
full force, and many prominent Mis- !
sissippi educators have signified their |
willingness to accept the position. |
Among the announced candidates for |
the vacancy are Prof. G.. F. Boyd, |
superintendent of the public schools !
at Kosciusko; Prof. J. \. Powers, |
principal Sf the public school at West
Point; Prof. II. P. Hughes, principal |
of the McComb City public schools
and member of the State board of
examiners; Prof. E. L. Bailey, super
intendent of the public schools at
Jackson; Mr.. d. L. Ross, secretary
of the University of Mississippi and
member of the house of representa-
tives. 1t is also rumored that Prof.
Joe Cook, superintendent of the pub
lie schools in this city, will be a can
didate for the position, and while
Prof. Cook has not announced pub
liely his candidacy, the fact that he
left for Jackson as soon as he learn
ed of Prof. Whitfield's election to the
presidency of the /. I. and c. seems
to indicate that the rumor is not {,
without foundation.
Gov. Vardaman has stated that he |
viii exercise no undue haste in ap- !
pointing Prof. Whitfield's successor,
but will give all who desire the po-
sition ample time in which to file
their application. While there is no
means of definitely ascertalning the
name of the successful candidate, a
general impression that T ~. Ross {
will be appointed seems to prevail
AS stated above, Prof. Ross is now +
of the State University at }
Oxford and a member of til lower }
branch Of the State Legislature He ];
IS a self-made man, and is sI.2s mildly
equipped in every way to acceptably
discharge the duties of the position f
which Prof. Whitfield is about to /
Facate. /
Prof. WhitfieId's Career.
Prof. Whitfield has accomplished a