Baldwin County GaArchives History .....History of Baldwin County - Parks Biography 1925
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Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 October 7, 2004, 5:51 pm

p. 426-428

DR. M. M. PARKS

    One of the best prepared men for educational work in the State is Dr. M. M.
Parks, for nineteen years president of the Georgia State College for Women at
Milledgville.

    After graduating from Emory with first honor, and as the youngest man in his
class, he spent nearly three years of graduate work at Harvard University and at
the University of Chicago.

    Twenty years ago, he traveled extensively in Europe and more than a decade
ago, he circumnavigated the globe making a trip entirely around the world.

    He has taught in Andrew College, in Wesleyan College, in Savannah High
School, and in the Georgia State College for Women at Milledgeville.

    In point of service, he now ranks as the oldest of College Presidents of
Georgia.

    In 1903, Dr. Parks accepted the Professorship of Education at the Georgia
State College for Women at Milledgeville, because of his interest in vocational
work and in the training of teachers. At that time, few colleges had departments
of education and the normal work was not so popular. At that time, the college
was sending out about a dozen graduates a year; now the college is sending out
over three hundred graduates a year. The institution is supplying the State with
over one quarter of a thousand of trained teachers every year.

    Probably no man in Georgia ever taught so many young women or trained so
many teachers. It is noteworthy that the number of graduates has grown over five
times as fast as the state appropriation has grown.

    The administration of Dr. Parks has been noted for the remarkable popularity
and growth of the college, (the graduating class having increased over 2000
percent) and is noted also for the unusual economy in management, with no
deficit for the last decade and with no pleas for increased appropriations for
the last five years. Over a year ago he refunded the boarding students $10,000
from the savings in the management of the Boarding Department.

    According to the Bookkeeper's figures the College received only $50,000 for
buildings and repairs for eleven years. This is less than one-tenth of the
amount spent by some of the Southern states for their state colleges for women;
and likewise, the maintenance appropriations in other Southern states for
similar institutions.

    The annual appropriation for the North Carolina College for Women is
$400,000, while the annual appropriation for the Georgia State College for Women
is only $90,000. In spite of this great discrepancy, the Georgia College has
maintained a very fine record.

    Dr. Parks is known as a scholar, a traveler, a college administrator, a
business manager, and an educational thinker; but, above all of his work as a
successful administrator, and his remarkable success as a business manager, he
is most interested in promoting educational ideas. He has been an educational
reformer steadfastly for a generation, striving to bring education closer to
life, closer to the interests of children, and closer to the needs of the
public. He has pleaded for more attention to the primary schools, to the
neglected country schools, and to the need for a more effective high school.

    He has been a pioneer in advocating a vocational education, being first
among the college presidents to stress agricultural education, home economics
education, and health education. He has been an ardent advocate of Character
Education, Health Education, Personality Education, Thrift Education, and
Citizenship Education.

    On August 1st, 1922, upon the appointment of Governor Hardwick, he accepted,
temporarily, the office of State Superintendent of Schools for an unexpired
term. During this time he was granted a leave of absence by the Board of
Directors of the Georgia State College for Women.

    His brief term as State Superintendent of Schools was notable, and received
hearty commendation from all parts of the State.

(J. O. Martin, State School Supervisor).


Additional Comments:
From: 

Part V

HISTORY of BALDWIN COUNTY GEORGIA

BY MRS. ANNA MARIA GREEN COOK

ILLUSTRATED

ANDERSON. S. C.
Keys-Hearn Printing Co.
-1925—


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