536 PARKS 



of these funds is largely in charge of the chief executive. He must prepare 

 the budget for the consideration of the governing authority, must see that 

 every dollar is properly accounted for and be ready to give an intelligible 

 explanation of where, how and why the funds were used. All this involves 

 business ability of a high order. It is desirable, therefore, that the modern 

 chief executive have training and experience in business organization and 

 management. 



With respect to technical training in landscape design, horticulture, 

 construction , engineering and other technical subjects, it is desirable that 

 the chief executive be trained and experienced in at least one of these fields, 

 preferably in either horticulture or construction engineering. A knowledge 

 of the other fields of technical knowledge involved in park services of the 

 above types is very desirable to the extent, at least, of knowing principles, 

 terminology and the character of the operative processes involved. 



In handling the affairs of the executive organization in general the 

 executive must be a capable organizer and administrator, and possessed of 

 personal qualities that inspire confidence and loyalty in subordinates. The 

 executive who is unable to transmit to his subordinates something of 

 his own vision, ideals and enthusiasm is unfit to be a chief executive. As 

 to that intangible quality or qualities called personality, which plays so 

 large a part in making the successful executive, nothing can be said except 

 that personality qualities are born, not made, and while the efficiency of 

 anyone possessing the personal qualities of a leader, organizer and admin- 

 istrator can be greatly increased by training in one or more of the several 

 fields of functional services under his charge, no amount of training will 

 make a successful executive of anyone lacking these personal qualities. 

 (For a detailed consideration of the training of executives, see Chapter XX.) 



How and where to secure executives. How and where to secure executives 

 of wide social vision, of personality, and a high degree of organizing and 

 administrative ability, to say nothing of technical training in one or more 

 of the functional services involved in handling the affairs of a modern park 

 system, is one of the most important problems in the park movement in 

 America today. Some of the most capable executives in charge of systems 

 today have come from the field of engineering, others are landscape archi- 

 tects, others horticulturists, others were trained recreation leaders and 

 some have had no special training in any of these fields. At the present 

 time there is no higher institution of learning that is specifically giving a 

 course or courses for the training of park executives. Many are giving courses 

 for landscape architects, horticulturists, engineers, business administra- 

 tors and organized recreation leaders. There is not a consensus of opinion 



