The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1911-07-07
The College President.

/ On a great many accounts and In
a great many ways the presidency OF
a college us thought to be about as
honorable and distinguished a posi-
tion as any man can have. Its field
of usefulness Is large and in its line
there are none larger. appointment
to the place carries with it the as
sumption Of learning. character ard
dignity, and college president Is
accorded respect and esteem every
where. That is one side of the pic
ture and only one phase of the fact
There are drawbacks, hindrances and
disadvantages. II such they may be
called, that are something Of an or
set which most people do not take
into serious account. In the first in
stance college presidents are not as
well paid as they ought to be- and
their salaries are not what they could
get in other positions to which they
are eligible. II Is only short time
ago that the president OF a New York
college declined to accept the, pas
torate Of a. church where the salary
was $4,000, more than twice what
the college gives him. Another col
lege president in this state recently
declined similar call to a salary of
$4,000 or more. far in excess Of
what his present position brings, and
in both instances the catering in
ducements We're refused because the
incumbents felt 1t their duty to re-
main at their posts and because they
put the discharge Of duty, the oppor-
tunity for great usefulness above the
mere matter Of financial income.
A college president. nowadays. es-
pecially the president Of what Is COM
monty called small college. earns
all the salary he gets and more. Hel
must be man not only of great abil- |
ity, but OF varied attainments. In
the first place the college president
must be a man OF recognized ability
and 1t is much preferred that he have |
marked skill as public speaker. Hell
is frequently required to represent
his institution before large gather
ings and the college Is Judged some
what by the sort OF address its presi- |
dent makes. He must be possessed
of learning. with some capacity as an
instructor. for In the small colleges.
at least, the president is expected to
meet the men in the classroom.
Moreover. he must be an organizer,
and show good executive ability. Hell
Is the head OF the faculty and must
keep the instructors under him har-
and enthusiastically upl
TO their work. Each professor thinks
his own department the most i'm
portant and best entitled to aid and
prominence. The president must
hold and maintain the proper bal
ance. Then, too. In the smaller col
lege II Is expected that the PRESIDENT
will ingratiate himself into the good
offices and generous liberalIty of men
OF means who will under proper lead
ership become separated from some
Of their wealth for the benefit OF the
institution. The college president is
sometimes judged by the number Of
new buildings and endowments he Sc
cures. and IL he Is the right sort of
a man, Is ambitious IN that direction. |
He must have the good will and re-
spect Of the students II he is to make
his work a success. These are some.
but not all. OF the requirements
which the college president must
have and whith most OF them do
have. and the wonder is that the col
leges are able to get so much for
their money;Tutiea IN. W, Press.