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The present county superintendent of schools, Elmer F. Walker, was born on a farm about four and a half miles southwest of Winchester, in Scott county, Illinois, October 22, 1875. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Isaiah Walker, and was reared upon his father's farm in that neighborhood. He was educated in the Eureka school district. He attended his first term of school in a new school house, in a new district, and N. R. Smithson was his first teacher.

When the young man was eighteen years of age he took up the profession of pedagogy and has since, with the exception of his official terms, followed it. His first school was a six months' term and was taught at Bloomfield, and in the spring following taught a two month's term at the Union district, and his first years' work was such a decided success that they retained him for three consecutive years.

After the death of County Superintendent Harvey E. Leib, in 1899, Mr. Walker was appointed by County Commissioners Taylor, Young and Freesen to serve until his successor could be elected. In the spring of 1899 he was nominated for the position by the democrats and at the election that fall was chosen over the republican nominee by a majority of 295 votes. This election was to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Mr. Leib, and the tenure of the office was three years. In the spring of 1902 he was re-nominated to succeed himself and was again elected by a majority of 393 votes. When the county commissioners appointed Mr. Walker to the office, he was but twenty-three years of age and was, at that time, the youngest superintendent of public instruction holding office within the state of Illinois.

In 1895 he was united in marriage with Miss Lois J. Leib, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Randolph Leib, Mrs. Walker was born and reared near Exeter and was a Scott countian in the strictest sense. To Mr. and Mrs. Walker three daughters were born - Mildred, Virgie and Lillian. Mrs. Walker died August 23, 1902.

Mr. Walker has a host of friends in Scott county and they have great faith in him. They see that he is constructed of the right metal and are confident that his qualifications are sufficient to justify their faith. During his official terms both elective and appointive, he has discharged the duties of the office with credit to himself and honor to the service. Under his guidance, and by his labors, none but those worthy in every sense are placed in charge of the education of the children of the county. He believes, and firmly, too, that teachers should possess other qualifications than those of education, and is endeavoring to supply the county with a corps of instructors who will look after the real welfare of the pupil – its moral as wall as its mental development.

Mr. Walker is a young man of ability; is properly conducting himself and the affairs of his office, and is destined to win for himself a place among the successful men in life.