The Portland daily press., 1880-11-04
Benefits of Education.

lritchDurg (Mass) SENTINEL
a graduate of one of our high schools applies
to gentleman in the commission business for
position in his store, whereupon the follow
ing questions and answers occur:
Merchant-Well, young man, understand
you are an applicant for the position advertised
as vacant in my store?
High School Boy-Yes, sir.
M. I presume then, that YOU can come
prepared to work hard and faithfully in the
interests OF your employer. work up by degrees
and at the proper time become thorough
business man and have a business of your
own?
~ H. B.-Yes, sir, such are my plans.
M.-What advantages have you had in the
way of schooling?
II. 8. B.-I graduated from the grammar
school at the age of fourteen, and during the
from which graduated recently.
M-Have you any knowledge of accoun is?
ID. S. B.-No, sir; they do not teach book.
keeping in the high school,
M.-Here is note dne to-day, upon which I
was calculating the interest when YOU came in.
You will see it has several payments endorsed
on its back. Will you take pencil and figure
the amount due to-day for me?
ID. 3. B.-l am afraid, sir, that could not
do 1t, as we did not study arithmetic in the
Iish schooi: ana IL Is SO long time since
have studied it that have forgotten nearly
allIknew about j..
NJ Will you take pen and write the ad-
dress OF our firm on this envelope?
ID. 8. b. Il would rather not try. sir. While
at tue nigh school we had no instruction in
writing, and had so many exercises to COPY
that was obliged to write fast and do it all
with pencil, SO l do not write nearly as well
as when left the grammar SC oo
M.-We have great variety of goods in our
store, ana our young men must have the abli-
ity to spell correctly. Are you good speller?
ID; 5. B.-I can't say, sir that 1 am. did
not have any exercises in spelling in the high
school, and don't know how should do.
H.-Here are some papers-a note and a
draft, bill of sale, invoice, account of sales.
check, lease, deed, policy, mortgage ana let
oil credit. Will you look them over and name
eachIas you hand them back to me?
ID. s. B.-Really, sir, have never seen such
papers before, and could not distinguish one
from the other.
M.-Well, young man, what did you last
study in the high school?
II. s. B.-Chemistry, natural history and
French.
M.-Ohl we'll, let me see, you had better ap-
Wy 70 my Iflenas ea ~ In the drug business
fit you for their line of business.
ID. o. B.-I Tear, sir, that do not under
stand chemistry well enough to make nv
knowledge OF any value in business. / only
studied 1t becaue 1T was one of the studies of
the school, took but little interest in it, and
therefore do not know much about it,
M-You say you studied French?
II. S. B~-Yes, sir.
M.-If you understand French some posi-
ton in foreign importing house would be
more suitable. There you would be useful, as
your knowledge of French would enable YOU
To speak and correspond with foreign custom
ers.
ID. S. B.-I did not learn, sir, to speak the
language; it was mostly translations that we
did. 1 do not think, sir, that am competent
to be trusted with such duties.
M.-What other branches did you study at
the high school?
d. S. B. Algebra, English literature, ply
siology, ancient history, natural philosophy,
astronomy, geometry, trigonometry, moral
philosophy, civil government, rhetoric, and, as
1 said before, French, natural history and
chemistry.
M-And you have not studied reading,
writing, arithmetic, spelling, or grammar
since you were fourteen years of age?
ii. s. B.-No, sir; 1 finished those in the
grammar school, so my teachers said, and 1
have my diploma from the school officers as
proof of it.
MI am afraid, young man, that your quail
ihcatlons are not suitable for the position
which advertised to fill. 1 want a young man
TO begin with us who can make himself gener-
ally useful at first, and rise as opportunities
occur and he proves himself worthy.