ables
VOL. 3.—No. 2.
LAWRENCE, KANSAS. JUNE, 1888.
CIRCULATION, 75.000.
THE COLLEGE REVIEW.
PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY THE
LAWRENCE BUSINESS COLLEGE
—AND—
ACADEMY OF ENGLISH AND CLASSICS.
This paper covers the main ground for information respecting the institution it represents. Our new Catalogue is in course of preparation, and will be ready to mail about the first of July.
E. L. McILRAVY,
Superintendent.
P. T. FOLEY, Printer, Lawrence, Kas.
The American Business College.
The American Business College. An extract from a paper by S. S. Packard, read before the Business Educators association, held at Jacksonville, Ill., July 9th, 1885.
pth. 1850.
We meet here in the interest of fifty thousand young men and women who yearly seek through business schools a preparation for life and when it is known that the constituency is yearly growing larger instead of smaller, and that there is to-day no class of schools having such vitality, or such a hold upon the public. I give all the excuse that is necessary for dwelling with enthusiasm upon the great work that is before us.
And first, I will say that I honestly believe that the past history of the BusinessCollege of America bears about the same relation to its future history as do the past developments of steam and electricity to the immediate possibilities which we plainly see.
Until it is settled beyond dispute that an honest practical education, such an education as will enable its possessor to take care of himself and not become a burden to his friends or society, is an injury, no one can truthfully invigilge against the multiplication of Business Colleges. And for the comfort of any who may have felt alarmed at the spread of these institutions I would say that just as soon as business Colleges fall to meet the wants of the public they will cease to exist. * * * * * *
Every young man and every young woman in this country should make sure of some means of an honest livelihood—should be able to do some kind of service that somebody is willing to pay for Methods of business are constantly changing and the nature of services to meet the requirements must also change. During the past few years almost a complete revolution has taken place in the matter of correspondence. The invention of the typewriter following that of the sewing machine has reduced the sum of human labor and made it possible for men whose moments were golden, to delegate much of what was formerly mere drudgery and friction to the nimble fingers and brains of those to whom the duty and its remuneration are a blessing. * * * * * *
- *t* *t* A few years ago the number of persons who were capable of taking down
a speech verbatim might be almost counted on one's fingers; a few years hence no intelligent girl will think her education complete unless she able to take a speech and reproduce in fair print promptly and well. And this change will be wrought through the American Business College.
There are two distinct ideas of education: One that it is an instrument, the other that it is the hand that wields the instrument. Both ideas are correct, but in all true education the hand and the instrument are equally considered. A sharp instrument in an unskillful hand is a dangerous weapon and a dull instrument in a skillful hand is ineffective, but a sharp instrument in a skillful hand makes a combination by which the work of the world can best be done.
When Mr. Greeley said that there were a thousand college graduates in New York who did not know how to earn a living, it was not to inveigh against the mental force, and culture of these persons nor against the institutions that sent them forth. He simply implied that the tools with which they were familiar were not adapted to the work around them that needed doing. It is a cheap and unworthy thing to say of a liberal education that it is worthless because the college graduate cannot keep a set of books or make out a bill of goods equal to a trained clerk. The college graduate who has earned his diploma is a skillful hand, and he of all others should be able to turn his disciplined mind into productive channels. If the college graduate cannot keep a set of books and wants to, all he has to do is to learn how. If he cannot report a speech or take a letter from dictation, it is not because there has been a mistake in his education but because his education has not been carried far enough. If he has done himself credit in his six years of study he is in the best possible condition to take up the instruments of the world's busy work and familiarize himself with them.
I am not one who can be led into denunciation of the highest methods of mental culture, and while I am pleased to know that the exigences of American life have necessitated important changes in the curricula of our ancient seats of learning, and some times am free to think that this has been effected mainly through the proved efficiency of business colleges. I do not believe in doing away with or cheapening classical culture. It may be, and doubtless is true, as Mr. Adams has charged, that in individual cases wrong is done in making a fetch of the dead languages, but Greek and Latin may profitably be pursued without injury to brains or morals. I do feel, however, that the substitution of the modern and spoken tongue for much of the time which in the old regime was given to Greek and Latin white, it is in accordance with modern ideas is in the interest of true culture.
What is known as the learned professions must still give a favorable learning to this privileged class, but boys who expect to make their mark in business feel, and with some reason, that their actual contact with life must begin at an early age and before their habits are
too rigidly fixed in directions not conducive to the desired end. Such impulses and conclusions are not to be set aside and as far as that goes sensible parents do not undertake to set it aside. If the boy will not take to a profession and will go to business, why, go to business he must, and it would be simply foolish to insist upon educating him for a profession in order to prepare him for business.
order to prepare you for it. It is a grave responsibility which the business college assumes when it steps in at this juncture and agrees to do for the young man's business career what the classical and professional schools would otherwise do for his professional career.
This is the work, my fellow-creatures,
in which we are engaged, and these are
the interests which we meet here to advance.
Can there be work more important or interests more dear? * * *
* * * * * * * Who are to be the alumn of the business colleges fifty years hence? The men who build and freight ocean steamships, who belt the earth with railroads, who make great cities in waste places, who keep the looms and spindles in motion, who initiate and perfect grand enterprises, systemize and promote magnificent charities and make the world a pleasant place to live in. The son of a poor shoemaker in Pennsylvania came to the Buffalo Business College when I was its temporary manager. At the conclusion of his course I obtained for him a place at four dollars a week. Fifteen years later he was summoned before Congress charged with the crime of creating a panic in the money market of New York by withdrawing his private deposit from the banks, amounting to five millions of dollars. The five millions did not make him a man, but it takes a good deal of a man to honestly acquire five millions of dollars, and ever so much more of a man to spend it wisely. And there are the men that our business colleges of to-day are sending out. Are they worthy of recognition? Do they deserve anything at our hands? Are we not in duty bound to so conduct our work that they will be as proud of us as we are of them.
On Choosing a Business.
Much of future success depends on this, parents have a great responsibility here. In nature we find variety in all things. No two of her productions are alike. So, too, of the human mind—each individuality is fitted to some particular sphere. Many a young, enterprising spirit has been sacrificed upon the altar of Ignorance. Young mental prodigies, upon whom it would seem had fallen the immortal mantle of a Shakespeare, or to whom had been bequeathed the business capacity of a Girard, are inhumanly imured to the fire of some ignorant smith; while blockheads are forced into a profession, in the hope of dignifying a name, or the senseless pedigree of an ambitious family.
Life has great responsibilities. Obstacles are to be met and overcome. A proper choice of business will do much to conquer the difficulties of a business life, and render easy what would otherwise be found burdensome. Thus one must first study to become acquainted with himself.
Every one should know the capacity of his own brain—the leading traits of his own character; and thus, in choosing a business, be able to make an intelligent selection. For the purpose of acquiring a knowledge of one's abilities and aptitudes we believe there is no better means than a good business education. It brings out the latent capacities, and shows what there is in a young man. Were the plan generally adopted of giving all young men a general business training, there would be fewer failures in life than now. Many mistakes would be avoided, and talents which now go to waste would be utilized. Young men would then understand themselves better, and be enabled to choose their business or profession more intelligently. Also, in their subsequent career, whatever their calling, they would find this training of vast importance, and a great help to success. To parents, we say: Send your sons to a good business college, where their faculties can be brought out and disciplined by a careful training in the practice of mercantile principles—then they will be far better fitted to choose a calling for themselves; and, having chosen it, pursue it to a successful termination —Exchange.
Cheap Education.
The more generally that education lies within the reach of the masses, the better it is for the welfare of the country. Yet there is a kind of "cheap" education arising from the employment of cheap teachers which is especially disastrous in its effects on the minds of the young. As a rule cheap rates of tuition are looked upon with distrust by the public and generally with reason, since except in the case of schools liberally endowed, they can only result from the employment of poor teachers.
An excellent authority on educational matters recently expressed himself on this subject in the following sensible and businesslike manner: "Cheap wages must result in cheap teachers; and cheap teachers will naturally cultivate cheap minds, which will fit the pupil for living a cheap life—that is, not attaining to any occupation above a mediocre. Let the subject of cheap teachers be thoroughly discussed, and it will be found at once that the great majority of the educated minds of the country are not in favor of cheap educators." The difference in price between good and bad instruction is small. The difference in results is great. A few dollars more spent in getting a superior education may make a difference of thousands of dollars to you in your future business relations. Therefore, do not trust to cheap instruction. You cannot be too careful in selecting a good school. It is the most important step of your life, as your success or failure in great part depend upon it. A good education will bring you happiness, a poor one, disappointment. Do not try to save a few dollars, and thus ruin your prospects for life.
The attendance at this institution, for year ending March 15, is 405, represent thirteen states and thirty-six counties in Kansas. We have every reason to believe that this number will be increased one third next year.