On February 25, 1931, President Wark spoke to the Weekly Convocation at West Virginia University on the topic of “The Problem of Leadership”. Here is a summary of that speech, and a link to the Pharos article about the event.
The business of our schools and colleges is to train the leaders needed in society.
Leaders have been scarce in nearly every age of history. Recently the officers of thirty-three agencies representing the prohibition movement met in Washington, and the biggest question raised was: Where shall these agencies find competent leadership for this new day, and the new problems which now have to be faced? Big men with power of leadership are not plentiful in this country at the present time.
Leaders are not found by chance, nor are they supplied by kind providence. We need to realize that leaders have to be trained. The business of our schools and colleges is to train the leaders needed in society.
While the schools must be the main source of leaders, yet mere technical training of men and women will not make leaders of them. In addition to technical instruction, the college must furnish an atmosphere in which character of the highest sort can be developed.
The most important question relates to the qualities and characteristics that make men leaders. Most of us agree that a large measure of intelligence, ambition of the right sort, enthusiasm, patience, perseverance, and optimism are indispensable factors.
The best leader is a man or woman who has seen a worth vision, and then has courage to make the vision real. Finally, power of leadership is a question of character and personality.
This country never faced graver problems than at the present moment. The solution of those problems will depend upon the appearance of truly great leaders. If these leaders are found, it is quite certain they will be found in our college.
Source: Pharos, Vol. 38, Number 29. March 4, 1931.
PLM