Kenneth McFarland

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Dr. Kenneth McFarland.
Born October 12, 1906(1906-10-12)
Caney, Kansas
Died March 6, 1985 (aged 78)
Topeka, Kansas
Nationality American
Occupation Public Speaker
Commentator
Educator - Superintendent of Topeka Schools during Brown v. Board of Education
Spouse Margaret E. Thrall McFarland (m. 1927)
Children James W. McFarland,
Chief Justice of Kansas, the Honorable Kay McFarland

Dr. Kenneth W. McFarland (October 12, 1906 – March 6, 1985) born in Caney, Kansas was a Superintendent of schools, a American Public Speaker author and conservative commentator. An early conservative, Kenneth McFarland moved from being the public school superintendent for Coffeyville, Kansas where he founded the McFarland Trade School and later the racially segregated Topeka school system, [1]. McFarland was reportedly a stanch supporter of the status quo. [2].


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[edit] Education

Born in the small South Eastern Kansas town of Caney, Kenneth McFarland received a bachelor’s degree from Pittsburg State College of Kansas in 1927. He received his Master’s degree at Columbia University in 1931 and a doctorate from Stanford University, California in 1940. Dr. McFarland served as principal in Cherryvale, and then superintendent of schools in Coffeyville and Anthony, Kansas. He designed and built a trade school in Coffeyville, Kansas named in his honor, The McFarland Trade School (changed in 1965 to the Southeast Kansas Area Vocational-Technical School.)

[edit] Public Speaker

Since the 1950s Dr. McFarland was engaged as a public speaker and lecturer for the General Motors Corporation, and Reader’s Digest. He received numerous awards from politically conservative civic and business-oriented organizations for his support of free enterprise and salesmanship.

[edit] Author

Dr. McFarland authored the speaking guide, “Eloquence in Public Speaking, How to Set Your Words on Fire” (1963). He also published over twenty-six addresses recorded live. His speeches consistently used humor, as well as engaging speaking techniques of alliteration (“Take me to your ladder lady, I’ll see your leader later.”) and vocal techniques to make for remarkable speeches such as his, “Ropes of Gold,” “The Lamplighters,” “America’s Opportunity,” “Wake the Town and Tell the People,” “Selling America to Americans, “The Eagle Has Landed,” and “America’s Opportunity.”

Along with Frank Emerson Harris, he produced a series of booklets on the preservation of “basic Americanism,” regarded as an expression of modern political conservatism.

[edit] Recorded Speeches

  • America's Opportunity (Bicentennial - 1976-1989)
  • Are We Raising the Red Flag Over Ourselves?
  • Guarding America Tonight
  • Horse Sense
  • How is America Doing?
  • Ladder To Success
  • Leadership that Leads
  • Let's Sell Success
  • Liberty Under Law
  • Public Speaking - Part One
  • Public Speaking - Part Two
  • Ropes of Gold
  • Salesman Power
  • Selling America to Americans
  • Speak Up For America!
  • Sure-Fire Selling
  • The Best of McFarland's Humor, Vol I
  • The Best of McFarland's Humor, Vol II
  • The Best of McFarland on Insurance
  • The Best of McFarland for Salesmen
  • The Lamplighters
  • The PERSON in SalesPERSON
  • Wake The Town and Tell the People
  • Who Bites the Bountiful Hand
  • Who Will Succeed...?
  • You Better Believe It

[edit] Awards

According to his published obituary Dr. McFarland received many prestigious speaking awards:

Freedom Foundation’s National Leadership Award and Free Enterprise Exemplar Medal

American Academy of Achievement’s Golden Plate Award

Honorary Member: America’s Number One Rotary Club, Chicago

America’s Number One Air Passenger (for flying more than any other passenger on American Airlines)

Sales and Marketing Executives International’s Outstanding Salesman of America

Honorary Member, Fraternal Order of Police

Optimist International’s Highest Honor: The International President’s Award

Toastmaster International’s Golden Gavel Award for Excellence in Communications and Leadership

Named Quote Magazine’s list of 10 Most Quotable Public Speakers


[edit] References

  1. ^ See OLIVER BROWN, MRS. RICHARD. LAWTON, MRS. SADIE EMMANUEL, ET AL., APPELLANTS, vs. BOARD OF EDUCATION OF TOPEKA, SHAWNEE. COUNTY, KANSAS, ET AL. at Supreme Court of the United States OUTOBER TERM, 1952 NO. 8 .http://clearinghouse.wustl.edu/chDocs/public/SD-KS-0001-0002.pdf <\ref> the school system in landmark case, Brown vs. The Board of Education 347 U.S. 483 (1954),<ref>{{cite web | url = http://laws.findlaw.com/us/347/483.html | title = Brown v. Board of Education, 347 U.S. 483 (1954) | publisher = FindLaw | accessdate = 2008-02-04}}</li> <li id="cite_note-1">'''[[#cite_ref-1|^]]''' {{cite web | url=http://brownvboard.org/video/blackwhitebrown |title = Black, White & Brown|accessdate=2008-04–06}}</li></ol></ref>

    [edit] External links

    Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:
    Persondata
    NAME McFarland, Kenneth W.
    ALTERNATIVE NAMES
    SHORT DESCRIPTION Public Speaker and Superintendent of Schools involved in Brown v. Board of Education
    DATE OF BIRTH October 12, 1906
    PLACE OF BIRTH Caney, Kansas
    DATE OF DEATH March 6, 1985
    PLACE OF DEATH Topeka, Kansas