The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-11-22

tially the loyal friends of their alma mater, and college president must keep in touch with them and be keen with pride in their individual success esa To recognize the strength and &C., ton of the alumni is one of the vital points of college organization.
 Through the alumni, as natural pat rons of the college. the president must be able to command the confidence of the people, the public at large. No college can secure endowment unless the president is known to be worthy of confidence, of financial probity. As a large-minded man he is a trustee for the funds of the community-he must merit, therefore. civic confidence and must be in touch with all definite movements in education.
 The fact is that men of marked ex- eoutive ability with high moral char acter, sufficient force and fearlessness to be leaders. sufficient tact and sym pathy to inspire confidence, sufficient vital. healthful personality to be an inspiration--such men are rare. It Is also a fact that there are more col- leges than there are executive men, competent to be at their head. It has sometimes been difficult to induce well qualified men to accept the executive office because it's detail precludes de- votion to scholarship. There is, how ever, nowhere a field of greater use- fulness and honor than the college presidency. for a young man of schol- arly instincts, sympathy, tact. energy and courage.
 A college graduate who wishes to prepare himself thoroughly for teach ing, may do so in any of dozen uni- versailles. He Is not really in earnest unless he is willing to do this. There is open to hin a complete preparation for every possible speciality, save one --the executive office.
 It is the opinion of many that col- lege administration cannot be taught, because it is so far from being an ex- act science. Its problems seem isofat- ed. and they vary greatly under differ ent conditions. Methods of training may have to be developed slowly; but it is to be hoped our large universities will furnish means for starting aright and insuring efficiency and success in administrative work.
 President Wheeler of the University of California arranged a course of lec- tuEes upon administrative requirements and President Harper established & chair in the University of Chicago for just such a need.
 I have considered some of the quali- acations for an ideal college president. some of the relations he must bear to the trustees, faculty, students and alumni--are women as well or better equipped with these qualifications2
 It is characteristic of eur day and generation to recognize the ability of women and accord to them the right to consider any line or work as educa- tors.
 On the boards of education in many large cities women have served efh- ciently.
 When Lord George Hamilton, the Chairman of the School Board of Lon don. left that body he said in a public speech: "As this is the first time I have had the pleasure of being asso- ciated with women, in an administra- tive capacity, should like to say that there is no part of the work of the Board which is more efficiently per- formed, where authority is better main tained, and where the amount Of work done in the time consumed is greater. than on those committees on which the women serve"
 In every State in our Union where women have been appointed on school boards. 1t Is the consensus or opinion that such appointment has led to en- hanced moral character of teacher and pupil improved physical comfort and welfare, better sanitation, ventilation and discipline and a more economical expenditure of the public funds. with better results. -s---.-4-->..---- 2. <
 These effects stand for many things. They mean high moral character, with sufficient force behind 1t to make it's influence felt; courage. thoroughness, patience and conscientious attention to details. They mean one thing more which is vital, a natural aptitude for educational work.
 Tn the faculties of some wonen's col. leGes all the work is maintained by women; in others the work Is shared equally with men, the best equipment for the work being the only test as to position.
 The co-educationai colleges and uni versailles, as well as State universities, are open to women on the same terms as to men-and this standard applies also to the teaching force of these in- stitutions. In secondary schools. girls form 60 per cent of the pupils, and 1S per cent of the girls, against 10 per cent of the boys enrolled, are graduat- ed from the public high schools r41=
 In these schools fully three-fourths of the teachers are women. Our youth are therefore being trained for college life. and in many cases for the busi- ness life of the world. largely by the women educators.
 The public school must at it's stu dents, or possibly two-thirds of their number. for life work, without higher education, and the patrons demand for their tax-paying all that can legiti mately or not come into the number of years given to liberal culture.
 With the fact that many of our high schools are attempting a part of the Work or colleges, the securing of bet ter trained teachers represents a ssri- ous problem in education. When we ind college-bred teachers willing to enter not only the high school. but grammar and primary departrnents this problem will be less serious.
 To break away slightly. therefore