The author contends that school administration has been suffering from inbreeding -- the result of the selection by chief school administrators of only those people who could present proven track records for decisionmaking positions. In an effort to learn whether this narrow view of school superintendents regarding the sources of administrative talent was equally evident among the lay sector of public school governance, a survey questionnaire was distributed to school board chairmen in the 150 largest U.S. cities. Survey results seem to indicate that outstanding people who have demonstrated leadership ability in other walks of life may aspire to top level positions in public school administration and that community representatives who are responsible for the development of school policy appear to be more openminded concerning the sources of school system leadership than are professional administrators. (Author)