ioi6 PARKS 



liberal arts subjects, can be crammed into four years at any college or uni- 

 versity. In order to place the profession of park executive upon the plane 

 which its importance warrants a postgraduate course of study and training 

 of from one to three years is considered essential. The plan of summer vaca- 

 tion field work is, in a sense, a sort of postgraduate course, but this by no 

 stretch of the imagination can possibly take the place of a genuine post- 

 graduate course. 



This postgraduate course should mainly comprise subjects falling 

 within the technical fields of service of park departments, such as courses 

 in executive organization and administration, landscape architecture, engi- 

 neering and community recreation. As to which of these fields should be 

 emphasized the most in postgraduate study would no doubt largely be 

 determined by the preferences of the individual students. It would be wise, 

 however, to keep them as nearly evenly balanced as possible, for even through 

 postgraduate work it is not the aim to turn out professional workers in 

 any one of the fields with the possible exception of executive organization 

 and management. In the larger systems the executive can always have at 

 his command professional landscape architects, engineers and organized 

 recreation workers and trained office secretaries, but the specific and general 

 problems of executive organization and administration he will of necessity 

 have to handle himself. The objectives of study in landscape architecture, 

 engineering and community recreation are to give him an appreciation, and 

 as much technical knowledge as possible, of the principles and operative 

 processes involved in order that his role as general executive be to that 

 extent strengthened. Even in the smaller systems it is desirable that the 

 professional services of the landscape architect and the engineer be used as 

 the need arises for them. 



PERSONAL QUALITIES OF AN EXECUTIVE 



The fundamental qualities and powers which make a successful and 

 efficient executive are inherent not made by external influences of any 

 kind. While these qualities and powers may be developed and sharpened 

 by study and practice, no amount of study or practice can put them into 

 an executive who does not possess them in the beginning. 



What are some of the essential personal characteristics of an efficient 

 executive? The Committee on the Training of Park Executives of the 

 American Institute of Park Executives mentioned some of these in their 

 first report to the institute (see pages 995-998). In a book entitled "Exec- 

 utive Control," issued by A. W. Shaw Company, the requirements of a 

 successful executive are given as follows: (i) Good health, (2) character, 

 (3) disposition, (4) originality, (5) determination, (6) good observation, 



