The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-02-15

ceiye just rewards. In mercantile life he who best
understands his business will be most likely to sue
ceed. To be good mechanic, young man must de-
vote years to learn his chosen trade His natural and
acquired skill is the measure Of his ability TO be
master in his vocation To enter any Of the learned
professions requires long and tedious course Of
study Not only is thorough general education ne
Cessary but long time must be spent in special pre-
parat1on before an asprant for professional honors
can bcoir his career.
Is the merchant an exception9 Can the business
man alone claim exemption from the general rule,
which requires of others due preparation for the abors
and resp onsibites of their callngs professons2
Shall ma plunge into business totally ignorant OF
its duties al ID trust to luck, ingenuity, or observa
ton, to learn ITS requirements? No! The truly eda-
Gated merchant must rank superior to those of in
ferior attanmentS Business qualifications tact aud
knowledge are elem ents of success Education gives
enlarged views, improves the Judgment and welds an
influence which nothing else can.
The training of comiuOn schools forms the grand
foundation Some are fortunate enough to enjoy the
advantages of higher private schools academies and
colleges, and yet even those who reach the highest
grade and graduate literary colleges, have before
entering upon business life, much to learn. Greek
and Latin and Mathematics Rhetoric, ABee Lettres
and Philosophy fall very far short of the requirements
of the great of business and here the CONNER
cial College supplies the deficiency.
These institutions devoted to q specially, and
afford advantages which the literally educated,
as well as those whose early education has been ne
elected, may improve Such schools are, therefore, in
every sense of the word, necessity Their object is
by brief course of instruction. to impart a know
ledge of business affairs; in short to initiate their
students into the practical duties of the accountant
the merchant the fnancier in the multifarous trans
actions of the commercial world.
Business Colleges, when properly conducted under
the direction of competent teachers are Justly en-
titled to the confidence of the public The greatest
danger to their general reputation and permanent
popularity lies in the fact that where there is one
really good one, there ten poor ones, and many
wholly unworthy of patronage Some maintained
by such glarng and fraudulent pretensons that they
reflect discredit upon the very name Pretenders un
educated and inexperienced, either as business men
or teachers, set themselves up under the assumed
name of commercial business colleges and pat
forth such egostical, bombasc and illiterate mani
festoes as almost to cause the respectable aud
educated managers of such schools to blush that the
dignity of their profession is thus lowered and the
honest name of college libelled.
In every other class of schools the public has at
least some guaranty of the competency of those who
act in the important capacity of instructors but in in
sttutons of this kind there is often not the slightest
proof that those who herald their aainments and the
advantages of their schools to the public are lit to be
the teachers and guides of others person having
little knowledge of bookkeeping and arithmetic as
socates himself with writing teacher and forthwith
the is dubbed 'business college" The next
thing is to get out flaming circular filed with ex-
travagan expressions and sellaudation and the un-
wary caught in their tolls only to be disappointed
and subsequently to decry all commercial colleges as
| humbugs.
1t seems to matter very little who proclams himself
teacher will be found to pass by schools of es-
tablished reputation, and throw their influence and
money IN aid of his enterprise. We have seen it i'm
this city in the opening fnew schools within the past
two years by persons entirely unknown in the bust
ness, and in by party whose deplorable ig
noranee of the rudments of an English education was
notorious Yet he had patrons-dupes should rather
say-and every dollar paid to him was so much with
drawn from the support of meritorious schools
am aware of the difficulties which beset an appIi-
cant when without acquaintance with the general
reputation of competing schools, he undertakes to de-
eide upon their comparative merits. II know no
difference between them," says one Then you owe it
to yourself to find out the difference. If Won are goin
to place yourself under instructor you ought to in
quire into his character and standing his education
experience and qualifications. You ought to ascer-
tain whether the institution which he presdes has
a substantial reputation Scan his circulars closely
and see whether they give evidence of superiority in
something besides pretension and bombast Espe-
cay see to it that guard against being deceived
by false pledges. Beware of imposition in any shape
and you win hardly fail to find good school, where
your expectations willnot be disappointed.
Every parent who has a son to educate, every
young man who desires an education should make II
matter OF vital Importance to seek the best nstitu-
ton within his reach If this were done the poor
concerns would soon die ont and the good ones be all
the better for the greater encouragement they would
receive In my opinion there is for two or three
successful commercial schools in city like this and
no more. And yet, excited by cupidty, and relying
upon the creduty of certain class, they spring up
like mushrooms, and 'presidents of ''business col
| leges' and institutes" self-nominated and self
elected under no charters or associations having anv
legal existence, are as plenty politicians. do not
argue against healthy competition but saw it is for
the interest of every citizen give his patronage only
to those who deserve it, to support one two or more
good schools and no countenance to any others.
ask nothing for age-for old age may be in its do
tage The longest established institution may be so
old as TO be old ogysh If it clings to an efee repu-
taton II 1t fails to keep pace with the progress of the
times, II II does not meet the demands of the ever
active, moving present it must pass into decay
The character Of this institution think NAV saw
without egotism, is established. IL claims to meet
the demands Of the age and its progress has been un
preCedented Over two thousand students have been
received in three years which certainly shows that its
laims are appr eciated.
II il, moreover, the only commercial school in the
city possessing legislative charter and the only one
according e the decision of the Attorney General ON
my application for charter three years ago under
| supposed general law which has a legal status Our
diplomas awarded under seal and by authority oF
law. The charter guarantees the permanency of tbe
institutions gives it rank, and excites lauduable am
btion sustain it in the best manner and to keen nm
the highest standard of instruction in every denart
ment. TO do anything else would be to forfeit an inn
piled pledge TO to those who have sanctioned ito
Incorporation. We have endeayored so to conduct it
to make it in every respect worthy Of the confidence