The Columbia evening Missourian. [volume] (Columbia, Mo.) 1920-1923, 1922-08-12
OUR COLLEGE PRESIDENTS

Ability in the administration of univeI
sites is specially Of at least as mucl
importance as that Of business undertak
ings. Two college presidents receltl
appointed are business men of grea
achievements. ht they have in each cas-,
been interested in education and hav,
the sense to know that they have to learr
in the new line. There is so great scar
city Of real college executives that mer
Of recognized ability in that work have
been drafted for il. DR.. NJ. L. Burton
upon his election TO the presidency Of the
Iliversiiy Of Michigan last year recently
was wiitily introduced as "ex-president,
president, and Presideni-elect Burton.
President W. o. Thompson Of Ohio State
University, who had been prominent IN
the national administration during the
period Of the war. and would have likely
transferred 10 that service altogether, was
forced TO yield to the universal plea. rt
students. faculty, trustees. and citizens.
Frank P. Graves, former professor in
the University Of Missouri, is credited
with the statement that the rapid change
in personnel and policy is not surprising,
for it is well-known that the Office Of uni.
versity or college president is one Of the
most exscting in the world. The incum.
bent is expected tc excel in so many and
unrelated fields Of action that he is al
most certain TO fall short in some and to
become target Of criticism. II he is
broad and cultured he may vet lack sym.
raihy and tact, and, possessing all these
qualities, be may fail as public speaker.
mixer or a good money raiser, worst
Of all. he may be found wanting in force
and courage. Under the most favorable
circumstances the presidential brother
hood is found to be migratory one One
finds among the newer institutions not a
few where the usual tenure Of past exec
utives has been for but two or three years
and fair average Of all the institutions
would not 90 beyond a decade. |
The college administrations that
have stretched over a full generation,
like those Of Eliphalet Mott, Mark Hop
kins, Charles W. Eliot, and James B. |
Angel, could be counted on the fingers
of one hand.
1t is certainly encouraging to note how
many Of the new presidents are men Of |
standing in the academic world. Nearly |
all of them had careful scholastic train.
ing at home or abroad and have come
from successful professorship, deanship,
Or another presidency. With the excep.
tion Of five. who we're born in Great
Britain or Canada, all Of our new presi.
dents, acting presidents, and presidential
possibilities are native-born Americans
and educated in America, although their
advanced training was derived in part
from European institutions.
War responsibilities and the inadequacy
Of salary due to the rise in the cost Of liv-
ing have contributed to the ravages in
presidential circles the las; years. In 1893
there we're some fourteen or fifteen va
cancics in colleges and universities Of
repute while last year there we're between
forty and fifty. The seriousness Of the
situation may be realized from the fact
that this represents quarter Of the total
number Of such higher institutions in the
United States. The few men who BY
common consent are best fitted by natural
endowmenis, by training, and by exper-
icnce for these higher educational posts
are frequently unwilling to accept them.
even when extraordinarily large salaries
are offered them, or, il they accept, often
retire early through WEAKNESS or disgust
al the conditions. I,
While the real executive is hard to find.
it is encouraging TO note that most Of the
institutions have been able TO find sat
isfaciory msn to continue permanently or