# Comptometer News/Volume 1/Issue 1

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Quality
THINGS of Quality are distinctive. They stand out sharp and clear against the flat level of mediocrity. In them are reflected always the genius, vision and artistic handiwork of a master Craftsman. Such things live and endure. They set, each in its own sphere, the standards of excellence at which imitators aim. But leadership in excellence is never attained through imitation. As the shadow but imperfectly reflects the image of substance, so the imitator copies only the form, not the essence of Quality. Real Quality does not hold the lure of cheapness. Though necessarily of higher price it costs less in the end. It is by the policy of "not how cheap, but how good" that Quality lives.
COMPTOMETER NEWS
Published by Felt & Tarrant Maufacturing Co., Chicago, U.S.A. Frank T. Hess, Editor
THE officials of the Comptometer company have long had a friendly desire to know in a more intimate way the thousands of Comptometer operators who have graduated from our schools scattered throughout the world. We are all one big family, working together to carry our portion of the tremendous figuring burden of industry, and it would be a very fine thing if we could know each other better.
The Comptometer family has grown year after year to the point where it is now of huge proportions—there are operators in almost every civilized country in the world, speaking many different languages.
In Europe, Asia, Africa, North and South America and in far-away Australia, there are Comptometer schools, and Comptometer operators, who no doubt can tell us of interesting experiences.
It will be the purpose of this little magazine to bring into closer touch all these widely separated members of the Comptometer family. From time to time we will run pictures and interesting stories of our over-seas cousins.
Through the courtesy of Signor Ferraris we are running in this issue some pictures and a story of the Comptometer battery in the Fiat Motor Co., Turin, Italy.
IN deciding on a color scheme for the cover of this issue of the News, it occurred to us that we could use the colors of the new Model J. on which we have heard so much favorable comment.
Instruction Service Department
The genial Mr. Vebeck pictured above, has been in the Comptometer organization since 'way back in 1905.
During all these years he has been compiling methods for problems sent in from the field, and amplifying these thousands of ways of doing any and all kinds of figuring on the Comptometer.
If you have any problem that's puzzling you, send it along. (I'd like to see him stumped.—Ed.)
THE Ed. knows well enough that the party pictured so nicely doesn't know every short cut or how to do every figure problem presented, but after handling the Operating Instruction Department for about 20 years, a great many short cuts and methods have been learned and worked out, so that he is able to assist on about every kind of figuring imaginable. Right now the Correspondence Operating Instruction Service Department is instructing by mail over 400 operators, and so far this month (November), 92 operators have written special thanks for the operating help given them.
Even though you know how to add, multiply, divide and subtract on the Comptometer, you may be still in kindergarten as far as efficient Comptometer operation is concerned. Even with the volume of information available here, there is yet much to learn about Comptometer application and short cuts, so just imagine what some operators don't know about Comptometer application. We would like to suggest as a good idea, that every operator procure one of the Correspondence Instruction Service Sheets which gives about 50 Comptometer uses, and then check it to see with how many of these uses they are familiar. Of course, even the uses on this Instruction Service Sheet are just an inkling of the figure work for which the Comptometer is used.
Do you know how to subtract on the Comptometer, February 4th, 1925, from November 8th, 1926, almost as easily as you can subtract $5.25 from $6.50—or how to multiply 47$^1$⁄$_2$ x 193$^3$⁄$_4$ and from that subtract 67.3 x 17$^1$⁄$_3$ and get the answer without writing any figures down on paper and without cancelling―or how to subtract an amount that's already in the machine from any other amount without first clearing the register―or how many figures of the divisor it is necessary to hold if you divide, for instance, 483621. into 2164835. so as to get three decimal places of accuracy―or do you know how to figure percent of profit by just making one division and not finding dollars profit―or how
(Cont'd on page 12)
Romance of the Macaroni Box
IN the early '80's Dorr E. Felt was operating a planer in a machine shop in Chicago. As the cutting tool went back and forth across the work, it turned a screw one or more notches—at the pleasure of the operator.
One day it occurred to the young machinist that this principle might be made to count for him. He soon became highly enthusiastic and told a friend of his—an electrical engineer—what he had in mind. "Inside of ninety days," asserted young Felt, "every office in the United States will be doing its calculating by machines."
Bent on achieving this object, he purchased a wooden box at the corner grocery. It had once contained many reels of macaroni. He next bought some beef skewers at the butcher's, some elastic bands at the druggist's, and some staples at the hardware store. He was now all ready to take advantage of the first holiday that came his way.
He had not long to wait. Shortly afterwards God-fearing people all over the land were offering Thanksgiving. Not so Dorr E. Felt. He was huddled over an infamous contraption made of skewers, elastic bands, and wire staples—savory odors floating up the while from the boarding-house table. Tradition has it that he forgot to eat his dinner, but I am skeptical. He may have. He worked nearly every evening, Christmas day, all day New Year's—and a Sunday now and then, though he denies it. At the end of a year, the bookkeepers of the United States were still doing their work in the same grinding, gruelling, late to supper fashion. The macaroni box Felt had counted on, wouldn't count. He was up against the same problem that had got Magnus a smashed head and had brought poor Leibnitz in sorrow to the grave.
The next scene shows young Felt working on a model for an automatic elevator door. The unfortunate macaroni box had meanwhile crawled under the work-table and was hiding there in the guise of a foot-stool. Enter now, Mr. A. B. Lawther, the beneficent employer.
​"What else have you got?" said he.
"An adding machine," replied young Felt doubtfully, "but it's over to my room—and it won't add."
"Go get it."
The macaroni box was brought to Mr. Lawther, who fed it a couple of sums and was amazed to see it produce the correct answer.
"Why don't you make one of metal?" said he.
"I haven't any money."
"I'll lend you the money."
"I haven't any place to work."
"I'll fit up a corner in the shop."
The First Comptometer Just thirty-nine years ago, on Thanksgiving Day, 1887, the first Comptometer was begun. It's a long step from that crude wooden box model to the present-day model "J".
The very next week Dorr E. Felt was established among some new lathes and drills in a corner all by himself, and there for a year or more, he grappled with difficulties that were almost inconceivable. Finally out of the tangle all the nine hundred little parts got together and agreed to work in harmony. Mr. Felt now began to set his traps for the weary bookkeeper.
With joy in his heart and the first Comptometer under his arm, he sallied forth to the conquest. The first bookkeeper squared off and saluted him with a stony stare.
"What do I want of that thing?" he demanded. "I learned to add when I was five years old. Go 'way—I'm busy. 5-7-15-21-30-36 an' 7's 43. 4 to carry. 9-13"—etc., etc., ad infinitum—sometimes ad midnight. Such was the love for menial labor in those early days! Do you remember how our grandfathers used to love the quill pen and the hour glass? Anyway, it took Mr. Felt just two years eleven months and six days to sell the first hundred machines. But these, be it noted, were the first key-operated adding machines to be manufactured and sold in this country.
In 1888 and 1889 Mr. Felt got inveigled into the problem of listing machines. Others had tried to solve it without success. It was sort of a challenge to the intellect. He finally perfected the Comptograph—the first successful listing machine, and a machine of no small distinction.
Controlled-Key Notes Pertinent and Impertinent News Items
Des Moines, Iowa
COMPTOMETER PICNIC
THE Des Moines school held their second picnic at Union Park on Friday, October 15. A delegation of girls was sent out early in the afternoon to take possession of the log cabin and to have the coffee ready when the rest of the "gang" arrived. Key-lock rules and controlled school dignity were set aside and every one had one grand and glorious time. Plenty of eats and real peppy games were on the program for the evening.
COMPTOMETER RINGS
The Comptometer ring that is given as a prize to the girl who can add sixty correct columns from the Standard adding book, on or before her twenty-third day in school has caused some very good competition between the students in our school. The results are that thirteen girls have been presented with these rings since the first of the year. These rings are also taken into consideration by the office managers and we have had the experience of placing our "ring girls" on positions at from five to ten dollars more a month than our other operators.
Miss Rose Stein of our Des Moines school not only won a ring but made a record of eighty-five correct columns from the Standard adding book in an hour on her thirtieth day in school and better yet has been keeping up this record. Miss Stein has a record of 170 correct figures per minute. Her unusual speed is due primarily to her concentration and use of the key-lock.
Philadelphia, Pa.
MISS Mildred Hiller of Chicago, has recently moved to Philadelphia and was placed in a position at David Lupton's Sons Co. through Mr. Davies office.
Mrs. Nora H. Notman of the Washington Comptometer School, is doing temporary work through the Philadelphia School in Philadelphia.
Mrs. Howard Benson, formerly of New York, now making her home in Philadelphia, has been placed, through the local office, at the Potomac Insurance Company.
Miss Margaret Sadler of the Philadelphia School, added 60 columns correctly on her 17th day in school and passed the Comptometer ring test 94% and is very proud of the Comptometer ring she is now wearing.—Caroline White.
Louisville, Ky.
THE French Lick Hotel, French Lick Springs, Ind. (that famous watering place of the elite) just called for a temporary operator to do some work for a convention—all expenses paid, including hotel, horseback riding, golf, dancing, and $10.00 per day salary. The Louisville school was in quite an uproar as to who should go and it was necessary to draw lots. Miss Tessie Shain drew the lucky number. (No, the editor was not injured in the rush for that hotel job—he did not hear of it in time.) *** Yes, girls, it's finally happened! Mr. Earl Tyler, our efficient repairman, was married on October 7th. He was back on the job October 18th. Now don't kid him, girls—he feels bad enough. *** Miss Henrietta Roach, who was a member of the Comptometer operating staff of the Southern Bell Tel. Co. for a number of years, was married September 4th to Mr. "Billy" Hoback. Mr. and Mrs. Hoback will be at home to all of their Comptometer friends after September 15th. *** The Louisville Comptometer office will move into larger quarters November 1st. The new address will be 509 and 510 Republic Bldg. All of the old operators and friends are cordially invited to come up and pay us a visit.—Lina Roach.
Tacoma, Wash.
"Miss Comptometer" A Magazine Cover Girl
Miss Shirley Stoddard, a member of the Tacoma school, who was "Miss Comptometer" in a recent bathing beauty contest, is gaining national publicity on account of being selected by Howard Chandler Christy as his new model.
MISS Faye Rasmussen, who was one of the winners in the recent Addition contest, has accepted a position with the Standard Oil Company.
Seattle, Wash. Comptometer Operator Becomes Bank Official
IN recognition of long and faithful service with the Washington Mutual Savings Bank, trustees of the bank at the annual meeting promoted Miss Alice Backstrom to the position of Assistant Secretary.
"Miss Backstrom had been Chief Clerk of the Washington Mutual Savings Bank. She is the author of a system of machine calculation of interest accounts, whereby the bank recently figured in twelve hours, with the aid of 53 employees, the interest due January 1, on more than 62,000 accounts, on Comptometers."
The foregoing appeared in a recent issue of the Seattle, Wash., "Times."
After graduation Miss Backstrom's first position was with the C. M. & St. P. Freight Office. From there she went to the Frederick Nelson Department Store, where she had charge of the Auditing Department for five and a half years. She started as Comptometer operator at the Washington Mutual Savings Bank on June 26, 1918.
We all extend our congratulations to Miss Backstrom and wish her continued success in the banking business.
Miss Norland, who was for several years with Bon Marche, and three years head operator at Grote Rankin Co., recently embarked on the sea of matrimony. Miss Norland, now Mrs. Finch, is in Honolulu where she will make her home for three years. Miss Kathryn Rutlidge has taken her place.
Miss Clara Bryan of the Pacific S. S. Co.. Seattle, has recently been advanced to assistant auditor. She has charge of a battery of operators. We congratulate her on this promotion.
Miss Hueford of Piggly Wiggly of Puget Sound Co.. has left after being with the above company several years.
Miss Hueford was married August 21st to Capt. Mac Schade. Mrs. Mac Schade advanced in her former position to office manager and cashier.
Miss Ruth Richardson, formerly with the Shell Oil Co., Seattle, recently returned from a three months' vacation in New York. Ruth was glad to return to the land of sunshine and rain. Our rain is sometimes described as "filtered sunshine".
A reward is offered to anyone who can tell us why Madge Whitmore, our Seattle demonstrator, makes such frequent trips to Vancouver.
Refreshed after a few hours' swim, we would gather around a cozy campfire and with someone strumming the ukelele all joined in and harmonized on popular melodies. Gossip about friends and the school, and proper attention to the "eats" were then in order—bringing to a close a "perfect day".
The idea has proved so popular that plans are being made to continue these picnics this winter, using the Y.W.C.A. when Puget Sound "sounds" too cold.
We certainly advise other schools to try this scheme from which we derive so much pleasure.
(That's a splendid idea, and not the least of which is the efficiency indicated in wearing bathing suits to eat watermelons—Ed.')
Alice Gerry is back in Seattle after several months' auditing work with the Mercantile Trust Co., San Francisco. Miss Gerry was for three years in government work in Bremerton and was instructor in our Seattle Comptometer school for one year. Alice is now in full charge of a battery of Comptometers at the Standard Oil Co., Seattle.
Memphis, Tenn.
THE latest name to be added to the "Honor Roll" in Memphis is that of Miss Margaret Merriam. Margaret added sixty columns correctly on her twenty-first day in school, thereby winning the much coveted Comptometer ring. (That's fine! Both Miss Merriam and the Memphis school are to be congratulated.)
The students of the Memphis school surprised Mr. Avery on October 21st, his birthday anniversary, by remembering him with a little party and some gifts.
Mr. Avery was somewhat taken back by this expression of appreciation and loyalty, and responded with an audible blush and the statement that he thought his birthdays were long since over but that to be so pleasantly reminded takes the sting out of them.
Birthdays seeming to be in order, Miss Solomon showed up a few days later with another link in her chain of years. Strange to say, she didn't suspect a thing, and at noon machines were pushed aside and all desks used for a spread, which could well be called a "banquet".
Kansas City, Mo.
SINGS WAY TO PHILADELPHIA Miss Dorothy Dill, Kansas City, Kas. Soprano, Wins 4-State Contest
MISS DOROTHY DILL, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Dill, 21 North Seventh street, Kansas City, Kas., was awarded first prize yesterday in the vocal soprano division of a state contest at Tulsa, according to a telegram received by her parents. She is 19 years old. Her reward is a free trip to the national meet in Philadelphia November 1 to 4.
There were entries from Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Arkansas. Each had won first place honors in state contests conducted October 7 and 8.
The contests are being conducted under the auspices of the National Federation of Music Clubs, which will pay the expenses of sending each district winner to the sesquicentennial city.
Miss Dill was graduated from the Kansas City, Kas., high school last spring. Shortly before her graduation she won highest musical honors at the state high school music contest at Emporia. Miss Dill is a graduate of the Kansas City Comptometer School.—Marie R. Bliss.
Instruction Service Department (Continued from Page 3)
to multiply 487 x 66$^2$⁄$_3$ with only nine strokes or how to add mixed fractions without using decimals—or how to divide accurately by 87 3/16 by holding only four divisor keys; and thousands of other operations that it's time and labor saving for the operator to know. If there is anything in connection with Comptometer operation that you want to know, we will do our best to help you if you will just let us know what it is. A young lady wrote in the other day—she wanted to know how she could multiply 486 x 1.33$^1$⁄$_3$ x 68.45 and divide all that by 144 without cancelling on an 8-column Comptometer. It's easy enough with just a little suggestion.
Send in your "hard" ones and your "easy" ones. And remember that if you have learned any new kinks or short cuts that have assisted you in your work, we would be glad to know them and pass them on to others that can make good use of them. Remember, this assistance is free for the asking and is a part of Comptometer Service to Operators.
INCOMPATIBILITY
Jones—What caused their love to be lukewarm?
Smith—Incompatibility of temperature—cold feet and hot words.—The Club Fellow.
Charlotte, N. C.
Miss Cecilia Cantrell, Comptometer operator for the Piedmont and Northern Ry. Co. Auditing Dept.. was married Sept. 18 to Mr. W. G. Jackson, Auditor for the same firm. Mrs. Jackson was succeeded by Miss Sara Hunter, a recent graduate of the Charlotte Comptometer School.
Miss Mary Lee Hewitt, one of the operators out of our last class, has accepted a position with the Southern Power Co. in the Auditing Dept. We wouldn't have mentioned this but we feel she deserves a little credit for this as she is the first trained operator they have ever had. I guess being a blonde had something to do with it.
Mrs. Howard Bundy, Chief Operator for the Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Co., has been very ill for the past week. Mrs. Bundy's many friends hope to see her out again soon.
Miss Vera Caldwell, a very popular telephone operator with the Ford Motor Co., has decided to take a Comptometer Course with us in the night class.
Paul J. Potts, Soliciting Agent, left last week for a business trip through South Carolina. Mr. Potts left with three new Comptometers and a new Ford; and, too, being a new man, we see no reason why he should not bring back some orders.
Mr. W. E. Sloan, General Agent, has just returned from a two weeks' business trip over the two Carolinas, and says business is very good.
Miss Etta Wylie, one of our older operators, left a short time back for New York, where she will accept a position.
Misses Ellen Blythe and Anna Bell Cochrane, two Charlotte girls, spent their vacation in the city. They have been employed with the Florida Power and Light Co. at Miami, being very lucky they were not hurt in the storm.—Rosa M. Cantrell.
CORRECT POSITION
"If your fingers are all thumbs, maybe your seat is too low," writes one correspondent.
Right you are! Sitting too low is the commonest of all faults in typewriting. It is a fault committed by probably one operator out of every three.
Fatigue, backache, lack of speed, inaccuracy, uneven touch; all these may result from sitting too low.
Maybe you are sitting too low and do not realize it. If there is any doubt in your mind on the subject, just raise your seat a couple of inches and see what happens.
Rochester, N. Y.
PROGRESSIVE is the middle name of the charming young "Comptometresses"—if one may coin a word—who recently perpetrated a dinner party, the partaking of which covered quite a lot of ground.
Anna Hammill of 95 Myrtle Street, Rochester, provided the cocktail. Oh Lady! Lady!
Dewey Avenue was the next stop, where soup was imbibed with much gusto. Yodeling was strictly prohibited.
Then "on the long, long trail" to 92 East Church Street, Fairport, where Miss O'Ray provided the piece de resistance of the dinner—and we don't mean tough beefsteak, either. Then back to Rochester once more, where everyone got their "just dessert" at Anna Vogler's, 169 Shelter Street.
The entire tour was a great success.
Gertrude Denk has left us for Brooklyn, N. Y., where she will be appreciated, as a multiplicity of talents provide a halo for the fair brow of Gertie. She is not only a star performer on the Comptometer but a very efficient entertainer. Sings and elocutes most distractingly. Good for you, Gertrude!
Mr. Adam Miller of the New York Central, recently gave a party for ten of his Comptometer operators. "Unquestionably one of the most successful affairs of the season" was the verdict as the "wearied women homeward wound their straggling way" in the wee sma' hours.
SQUARE DEAL FOR THE BOSS
Let's give the Boss a Square Deal.
Don't you think that he's entitled to it?
When he is on his vacation, that's no reason for us to also declare a vacation.
When the Boss gives you some work, just see how fast you can do it.
Gee, what a thrill you get out of life when the finances are low and the old pay check comes in the mail a day ahead.
Just so with the Boss.
Wow! what a kick the Boss gets when we give him a Square Deal. "Ain't it a grand and glorious feeling."—Jeanne Sherriff.
JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER SAID:
"The man who starts out with the idea of getting rich won't succeed; you must have a larger ambition. There is no mystery in business success. If you do each day's task successfully, stay faithfully within the natural operations of commercial law, and keep your head clear, you will come out all right."
Houston, Texas
JUST to let you know that Houston REALLY is on the map. HARK! to the following items of interest:
The various business concerns of this city employ approximately five hundred operators.
With business increasing as it is, naturally the demand for operators is greater.
The first nine months of this year we placed an average of twenty-nine operators per month. Frequently we have calls for operators to fill out-of-town positions. Recently we have placed the following:
Miss Grace McInnis, with S. P. Ry. Co., Austin, Texas.
Miss Grace Fox, with Transcontinental Oil Co., Tampico, Mexico, at a salary of $260.00 per month, U. S. currency.
Miss Annie Lee Richardson, East Texas Electric Co., Beaumont, Texas, also Miss Lois Kimmons and Miss Agnes Paskie with the same company.
Miss Margaret Huntsinger is an operator worthy of mention, having completed the course on her thirty-fifth day in school, making a final grade of 97%.
Three Cheers! for the girls who will work in Mr. Rohrer's office for the experience, for if they MAKE GOOD he either gives them a position or a good recommendation to assist in securing one. We call to mind just now three—Miss Freda Bell Woodard, Miss Marie Louise Andry and Miss Grace Almond—all now are holding good positions.—Euna S. Davis.
Flint, Mich.
OPERATORS from other schools that have recently taken positions in Flint: Mrs. M. F. Proctor, Atlanta School; Frances Musil, Milwaukee School; Ruby Murfield, Omaha School, with Chevrolet Motor Co.; Mrs. Marian Small, Detroit School, with Cumings Bros.
Gladys Ramm and Bertha Gilbert, formerly operators for the Murray Body Co. at Bay City, both had an attack of homesickness at about the same time and came back to Flint for positions with the AC Spark Plug Co.
San Francisco, Calif.
Miss Anna Radovich, head operator of the Southern Pacific Co., Sacramento, Calif., paid us a friendly visit recently.
Miss Bert Frazier has accepted a position with Rosenberg Bros. She says she is a fresh air fiend but somehow they placed her just where the foul air goes out.
We are having a number of operators from other cities registering at our office. They are always more welcome when the vacations are on and we are scratching our heads in answer to the call for substitutes, after we have assured the customer that we will have a good operator there in less than half an hour (but don't know were we may find her).
Miss Aimee Woldenberg, one of our old operators, gave a bridge party to a number of her operator friends last Thursday night. Miss Mary Barclay of the Calculating Bureau, won first prize though she left her Comptometer at home.
Miss Pauline German, formerly with Felt & Tarrant Co., Chicago, has a very fine position as manager of the Khroler Mfg. Co. She insists on taking Felt & Tarrant students from the school and we are pleased to know they will be well taken care of.—F. Marchbank.
Wichita, Kan.
Mrs. Opal Doughty, who recently operated a Comptometer at Wichita Terminal Association, Wichita, Kan., moved to Fargo, N. D., on account of her husband being transferred. She is back to Wichita and reports the weather too cold up north. While in Fargo Mr. Stonehouse placed her with the Standard Oil Co. Division Offices. This is a Service offered to all Comptometer operators, and can be rightly termed "Employment Insurance."
The Geo. Innes Co., one of the largest Department stores in Wichita have discarded their old system of Audit and retired ten old listing machines and are now using Comptometers with operators, two of them to do this work.
The Comptometer Exhibit at New York Business Show
Indianapolis, Ind.
ONE of the Indianapolis students using a model "E" Comptometer told the other girls that not all students were able to use machines with such lovely bridge work.
We were sorry to lose Frances McCready from our list of Indianapolis operators but we hope that since Minneapolis promises to hold the same attraction for her, she will like it as well as the Hoosier city.
The operators at Van Camp Products Co., Indianapolis, just love to get new machines. Because they also get a cover, a bottle of oil, and the cutest little oil can "all for nothing".
Pittsburgh, Pa.
(Pittsburgh is justly proud of the loyal spirit expressed in this letter.)
MISS Agnes McConnell enjoyed a two months' vacation this summer among the hills and heather of Glasgow, Scotland. Miss McConnell was formerly of Scotland but has been in the United States for a number of years. She enjoyed her trip very much, but said she was glad to be back home in the old United States of America.
Pittsburgh Comptometer operators who have recently embarked on the sea of matrimony: Alice Sebert, Margaret J. Quinn, Laurette Till, and Helen Neely. We wish you luck and happiness in this new field, and hope you are as successful in this as you were with the Comptometer.
Miss Marie Burns of Washington, Pa., is one of our staunchest supporters. She has sent five new students to the Pittsburgh school. Keep up the good work!—Catherine P. Espe.
"WAS your husband in comfortable circumstances when he died. Mrs. Murphy?"
"No, Mrs. Flanagan, he was halfway under a train."
Father—"Daughter, do you ever let the boys kiss you good-night?"
Daughter—"N-n-n-o, father."
Father—"Well, don't let them do it any more."
"Good-by." said the little boy. "And I've had a very good time, thank you."
"You don't say so." replied his host, playfully.
"Yes, I do." said the little boy, very seriously. "Always."
"Do I really need brushing off?" asked the passenger in the Pullman.
Portland, Ore.
MISS Ethel Hart, who for the past fourteen years has been chief operator in the Comptometer Bureau for the auditor of disbursements of the Union Pacific Ry. Co. (O.W.R. & N. Co.), resigned her position on the first of October. Miss Hart has an enviable record as a Comptometer operator and after a short vacation expects to do temporary work.—Mrs. Bell Howard.
CANDIDATE FOR THE HOLE IN ONE CLUB
Miss Gladys Larsen, of the Eastmoreland Golf Club, yesterday achieved the feat extraordinary when she holed out a mashie shot across Johnson creek from the fourth tee. Playing with the dodo maker were M. O. Kauts and N. H. Hillyard.
Miss Larsen has only been playing golf since January, 1926. (It will be hard for the people in the lands of eternal ice and snow to appreciate this, but the people from Florida, California, and the other garden spots of the earth will know what we mean.) Miss Larsen officiates at the Ford Motor Co. as their Comptometer Bureau in the day time, and has charge of the Portland Night School evenings. Miss Larsen in a recent competition open to all comers, walked off with the prize by adding a standard column in eighteen and four-fifths seconds, so we can vouch that she is as good a teacher and Comptometer operator as she apparently is a golf player.
The greatest structure is made up of little things—nails, stones, bricks, beams, bits of glass. So is life made up of little things—words, smiles, frowns, thoughts, gestures. Watch the little things.
Does the girl hold a pencil when she operates?
No, she doesn't hold a pencil when she operates.
Does she try to do more work?
No, she doesn't try to do more work.
Does she try to learn new methods?
No, she doesn't try to learn new methods.
Does she take advantage of short-cuts?
No, she doesn't take advantage of short-cuts.
Does she read the Comptometer News?
No, she doesn't read the Comptometer News?
Does she ever get a raise?
No, she never gets a raise.
GOSH—DING—IT.
SCOTCH ANTHEM
Akron, Ohio
THE demand for Comptometer operators in the tire industry is evidenced by the following, taken from the Sept. 29th issue of "The Wingfoot Clan," published by the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co., Akron, Ohio:
COMPTOMETER COURSE IS ATTRACTING MANY
"A special course in Comptometer Operation will be given at Goodyear University, starting with the fall semester, October 4. Though it was announced for the first time last Wednesday, a number of students have already enrolled.
Here is what Assistant Comptroller H. D. Hoskin has to say about the course:
'Business organizations are rapidly increasing their use of Comptometers and are seeking trained operators who can assume their duties without breaking the smooth flow of office operation.
'Goodyear is no exception to this general rule. New methods which are being constantly introduced will require the further use of Comptometers so that there will continue to be opportunities for those who prepare themselves to competently operate these machines.'
The course covers a period of nine months divided into two semesters. The student is trained to operate the machine with speed and accuracy and becomes familiar with Goodyear forms during the course so that he or she should be able to fit into work in the organization without any difficulty.
Applicants for the course should have at least a high school course or its equivalent. Look over the schedule of classes and enroll in the group that will be most convenient for you. Five students will be taken in each of the following groups:
* 8:00 A. M. to 10:00 A. M.—Mon.-Wed.-Fri.
* 10:00 A. M. to 12:00 A. M.—Mon.-Wed.-Fri.
* 1:00 P. M. to 3:00 P. M.—Tues.-Wed.-Fri.
* 3:00 P. M. to 5:00 P. M.—Mon.-Wed.-Fri.
* 5:00 P. M. to 7:00 P. M.—Mon.-Wed.-Thur.
* 7:00 P. M. to 9:00 P. M.—Mon.-Wed.-Thur.
Registrations should be made this week if possible. For additional particulars, see Miss Mary Mason, registrar, fifth floor, Goodyear Hall."
HIGH IN EITHER CASE
"Well, John," the doctor said one morning on his arrival, "what is your master's temperature this morning?"
Detroit, Mich.
Mrs. Francis Fox, nee Carol Larkin, ex-Detroit Comptometer Instructor, is the mother of a fine baby boy. We wonder will Carol make him a Comptometer salesman.
We have as a student in our Detroit School, Miss Hazel Henning, Royal Oak's tennis champion. Hazel already shows signs of being an expert at Comptometer operating.
Miss Frieda Fingerlos, a well-known operator, surprised us all by getting married last week. Congratulations, Frieda!
The Misses Marie and Josephine Mumford have been in New York operating Comptometers for some time, but are back to stay. They say Detroit is home to them.—Miss M. B. McCall.
Worcester, Mass.
Miss Cora Ferris, formerly Mr. G. E. Whelpley's right hand aid as teacher and demonstrator, has hit upon a novel idea which keeps her busy all the time. Thoroughly familiar with all Comptometer work found in banks, Miss Ferris has built up a fine clientele with these organizations, especially the banks in the smaller towns, and she is kept busy traveling from one bank to another figuring their quarterly dividends, interest, and being generally helpful in handling their peak loads. She is rendering a real service.
Columbus, Ohio
Miss Virginia Meyers is one of the unusual students who recently attended the Columbus Comptometer School. She added 80 correct out of 82 on her twentieth day. Her point work was done with similar rapidity and accuracy, completing the course in twenty-five days.
Miss Rosalie Milhon, an operator out working for a couple of years, made a test as to her accuracy and speed in adding the other day. In sixty (60) minutes she added 105 columns of which 103 were correct. For this unusual performance she was given a large silver loving cup by Mr. C. W. Seidel, General Agent at Columbus. The cup, a photo of Miss Milhon, a Comptometer and a card explaining this unusual feat was exhibited among a bank of flowers and ferns in a very prominent window on High St. Every passer-by was attracted by this interesting as well as instructive display.
Miss Sara Melly, a Comptometer operator, now employed at one of our largest department stores, is to be married in the near future.
Perhaps you are not all familiar with all of Shakespeare's works, especially his latest in which he describes a bow-legged girl something like this:
There is a new addition to the Comptometer family in Columbus, Ohio. Charlie Simms from Knoxville. Tenn., is assisting Mr. C. W. Seidel with the oiling and cleaning. We're for him and sure hope he makes good.
Mrs. Edith Wyson, a Comptometer operator of some four years' experience, recently won first prize as a bathing beauty. Her photo was used on a blotter for advertising a leading electrical house here in Columbus.
New Orleans, La.
Miss Stella Legendre, one of New Orleans most successful Comptometer operators, has decided to give up her first love, the Comptometer, and join the "Housekeepers' Brigade." We all join in wishing her happiness.
THREE'S A CROWD
Soph: "Between you and me, what do you think of Jack's girl?"
Grand Rapids, Mich.
Miss Rose de Modungno, formerly a Comptometer operator at Wurzburg Dry Goods Company. Grand Rapids, Mich., married October 2nd Mr. Fred Darmuro of Muskegon, Mich., where she is now making her home. Miss de Modugno proved very interested in her work at Wurzburg's and this was manifested by the fact that she won the third prize in an advertising contest held during the months of July and August.
Miss Louise K. Endres, formerly connected with our Indianapolis and Cleveland agencies, is now demonstrating in Western Michigan territory. She has a good start with one order to a new customer during her first two weeks in the territory.
Miss Rena Vander Ploeg, formerly with the Standard Oil Company. Grand Rapids, Mich., moved to Kalamazoo to help take care of her orphaned niece. She is doing Comptometer work at the Upjohn Company there.
Mrs. Ethel Renkes about two years ago resumed Comptometer work after an absence of five years. She was employed by a public accountant in Grand Rapids and was sent out on a job to the L. O. Gordon Co. at Muskegon. Her advancement at the L. O. Gordon Co. was rapid. Only recently she was elected secretary of the company.
Miss B. Ethel Ellsworth, former demonstrator and teacher of the Comptometer school both in Grand Rapids and in Philadelphia, has just opened a school in Muskegon, Mich. We predict a real success for Miss Ellsworth with her Comptometer work in this busy little city.
Mrs. Earl Mayer (Mattie Sutherland) for several years teacher in the Grand Rapids school, has recently moved from Kalamazoo to Battle Creek. Her address is 83 Cherry Street.
Miss Josephine Graham, Grand Rapids teacher, has accepted the position of night school teacher in the Comptometer department of the Vocational and Technical High School at Grand Rapids. This is her second year in this capacity.—J. Graham.
Youngstown, Ohio
The Comptometer in Italy
THE spirit of modern progress that dominates the managerial policies of the FIAT Company of Turin, Italy, is as strongly in evidence in the offices as in the factory departments of this great industry.
Fiat Motor Co. office group including participants in test.
Section of Compometer department. It is interesting to note that 97% of the calculating machines owned by Fiat are Comptometers, which number 255.
Recognizing the economic value of trained over untrained office workers the FIAT Company maintain within the plant their own School for the training of Comptometer operators. It was at the suggestion and under the supervision of Cav. Carlo Ferraris, General Agent for the Comptometer in Italy, that the School was organized and it was because of his activities in behalf of the extension of such vocational education that the title of ​Cavalierre was bestowed upon him by Royal Order of the Crown of Italy.
An interesting feature of the Fiat plant is the speedway for testing cars, located on the roof of the main plant. The picture shows one of the banked turns.
As a means of diversion and for the purpose of creating a spirit of friendly rivalry in the various accounting divisions, a speed and accuracy contest was held by the FIAT Company on their own work for Comptometer operating, 13 operators participating.
The test consisted of three separate groupings as follows:
1. 20 Additions composed of 20 items consisting of 4 to 8 figures, including decimals.
68 Multiplications with 4 to 8 figures in each factor.
Time limit, 30 minutes.
2. 15 Subtractions with items of from 6 to 8 figures.
15 Divisions with factors of from 3 to 4 figures, decimals included.
Time limit, 20 minutes.
3. General business calculations:
Extending one invoice,
Checking one invoice with fixed decimal,
Making four interest calculations,
Adding two columns of pounds sterling,
Converting five items of pounds sterling into lire,
Making four cubic calculations,
Making four multiplications by accumulation.
Gold, silver and bronze medals were offered for first, second and third place prizes in addition to which there was a prize of a thousand lire to the one ranking first on general classification and a prize of 500 lire to the one ranking second. The departments represented in the contest were Bookkeeping, Pay-Roll and Cost. The names of the winning operators are as follows:
Amelia Turvani—1st prize.
Ernesta Traversa—2nd prize.
Adele Carnero—3rd prize.
History of the Comptometer School By J. C. Nevins, Vice Pres. and Gen. Sales Mgr. Felt Tarrant Mfg. Co.
In 1888 Mr. Felt started the first school for operators, with Mr. Geo. McKay in charge, with a beginning class of five students.
From then the instruction was intermittent until December 1st. 1905. On this date we opened a regular Instruction Dept. in the Monadnock Bldg.. Chicago. And from this one little office the Comptometer schools have grown until there are over 100 in the United States, run in connection with our sales offices, and over 35 in foreign countries, that are run continuously, fitting young men and young women for holding a real job and earning their own living in the commercial world.
Well we remember the difficulties of those earlier days, for it seemed at times as though the starting of a successful school was even harder than the manufacture and selling of the Comptometer itself.
In the classes held previous to 1905 only young men were taken in, for the common thought was then that it was a profession which could be held only by men. But by 1905 many of the our customers, like Marshall Field & Co., Chicago & North Western Ry., and many others, had shown us that there was a big, broad field for young ladies as well.
And beginning with the school of December 1st, 1905, we advertised and took into the class young ladies as well as young men. It was hard to get people to come into the school, for even though by that time we had several hundred customers in Chicago, the general public did not realize the possibilities of Comptometer operation as a profession.
But gradually our customers realized the economy of putting their calculating work to trained operators on the Comptometer. just as they previously realized the economy of routing their typing work to trained typists.
So from the beginning of the continuously run school in 1905, where only 19 students were trained the first year, to the present time, the growth has been gradual but very sure. During the first six months of the current year we placed 12,298 Comptometer operators in positions in the United States alone.
MOST of these were young ladies and young men trained in some one of our Comptometer schools. Some received their training on practical work in the offices of our customers. We have no accurate count of the number of operators trained in customers' offices, but we estimate rather accurately that in the full current ​year between thirty-two and thirty-six thousand young ladies and young men will be trained in our Comptometer schools and in the offices of our customers.
We estimate today that the Comptometer family of regular operators and clerical forces using Comptometers is between three and four hundred thousand. If so many of our operators were not advanced to higher positions, and if so many of our girl operators didn't get married, then we could estimate rather accurately—but we wouldn't like our operators to forego the pleasures of matrimony just in order that our statistics might be accurate.
We are rather proud of this record. The Comptometer schools are the largest commercial educational institution in the world today, and these schools are training more young women and young men for the business of earning their living than any other institution under one management.
And we can all feel that we are doing a great deal of good in the world, for by skillful Comptometer operation we are effecting an economic saving by turning off a large volume of work that could not be effected in any other way.
So every Comptometer operator can be proud of her profession—and she can be proud of the enormous family to which she belongs.
Comptometer—a Trade-Mark
MANY persons think that Comptometer is a general term meaning "calculating machine"—any kind or make of a calculating machine. When it appears in the newspapers and other publications, which it does quite often, it is almost invariably used in this general sense as is indicated by the omission of the capital "C".
Comptometer, however, is not a name descriptive of a class of machines, but is the registered trade-mark of Felt & Tarrant Mfg. Co. It has been used continuously as such on all their machines—and only on their machines—for thirty-nine years and is duly registered by them as a trade-mark under the law governing such registry.
SHE KNEW IT!
Observing a young lady standing alone, the young man swept up to her and said:
"Pardon me, but you look like Helen Black."
"Yes," she replied, "I know I do, but I look much worse in white."—Atlanta and West Point "Courier."
AN OPTIMIST.
"Gosh! You had a close call! That certainly was an awful accident!" exclaimed the friend who had dropped in at the hospital to call on the bandaged victim.
"Yes," he replied dreamily; "but thank goodness, I got an eyeful of what I was looking at before the car hit that telephone pole and I was knocked unconscious."—Cincinnati Enquirer.
WRONG PLACE
A Chicago man died and passesd into the great beyond. A guide showed him about, but after an hour of wan- dering the Chicago man said contemptuously:
"Well, I've heard Heaven cracked up a whole lot, but I'm telling you it ain't a darn bit different from Chicago."
"Heaven!" exclaimed the guide. "This isn't Heaven."—Finance and Industry.
OH BOY!
First Steno: "George's mustache makes me laugh."
Second Steno: "It tickled me, too."
SEEN IN A GARAGE
Use genuine parts. No substitutes as good. Ask the man with a wooden leg.
ANOTHER TEST
Tom: "What are you putting your thumb in the corn likker for?"
Jerry: "If the nail stays on I'm going to drink it." ​THE customary procedure is to limit the Editor to one page in a magazine of this kind, but ordinary rules are never applicable to an editor who is also a salesman.
It would be impossible to write individually to the thousands who replied to our letter of October tenth, but we assure you that we are gratified both by the number and quality of those replies. In fact, the biggest difficulty is in the sorting out of the material and using that which we feel will be the most interesting and instructive.
ANOTHER big job was that of bringing our mailing list up to date. So many changes occur—girls move, or get married, or change their positions—and it's very difficult to keep our files here in Chicago correct. In some instances we do not have any record at all. So after reading this issue you might show it to your operator friends and have them write in for their copy.
IF you have a good group picture of Comptometer operators that would be interesting to our friends on the other side of the world, send it along. We will gladly return original manuscripts or photos sent in if you desire.
If we have omitted anything you want, let us know. We are particularly interested in suggestions for offering a prize for best letters on your experience as a Comptometer operator, best poetry or prose submitted, or other interesting features.
We want you to feel that this is your magazine and it's the editor's job to please you.
Kindly mail the "Comptometer News" to the following address:
Name:
Street:
City:
Remarks:
Frivolity
Youth
MISS LILLIAN R. CONLEY received her Comptometer diploma August 1st, 1920, and was for some time assistant in the Chicago Comptometer school. Since 1921 she has had complete charge of the school.
Miss Conley has contributed many splendid ideas which are in general use in all of our schools. Some of the more notable were the introduction of phonographs for the teaching of rhythm in machine operation, and the use of the keyboard chart to simplify touch operation.
Miss Conley also edited "Business Arithmetic," the Comptometer text book used in public schools and universities where Comptometry is taught.
Students Enrolled At Any Time
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SYDNEY Bull's Chambers, 28 Martin Place Phone, B5719
ADELAIDE 8 Pirie Street
Phone, 2788
PERTH Perpetual Trustees Buildings, St. George's Terrace Phone, A5347
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