The Newtown bee., 1893-10-06
Editorial Ink Drops.
CLASSI lING INFORMATION.

JUST Did you ever keep a scrap book? The MAKE systematic classification of informa
 tion relating to one's chosen trade or NOTE profession, and It's ready application
 OF as a result ot this classification, can THIS. not fail to improve a man both intel lectually and financially, so says the Metal Worker, and it hit the nail right on the head In these days Of book and newspapers there Is scarcely Il progressive man who does not take a trade paper and own a few technical books. In the periodical reading othis paper he notes many things ot value, but not being interested in them at the moment they are not impressed upon his memory. When at some future time their information would be Of marked value to him he has either forgot ten 1t altogether or at least cannot remember where he snw 1t. It Is his ability to find at short notice information regarding any given subject that makes him valuable, rather than his mere oncyclopedic knowledge. His mind is not burdened with q load and yet he is practically as well equipped as though his head carried it all.
 In regard to the scrap book plan, the same journal goes on to say. The scrap book al wuys suggests itself us the most ready and -imp1c means ol rctting newspaper clippings. Gu IL usually lnils just as it becomes oi rsrcatcst service, tor Us soon as the material has accumulated in sufficient quantity to make reference to it desirable, it will take too much time 10 find il unless the entire Look is satisfactorily ndexed. To avoid the necessity of thus ndcNing 1t hns been found very satisfactory to substitute a series of large, stout cnvelovcs tor the scrap book These envelopes may be variously titled nc cordiug to their contents which may consist either of newspaper clippings, Illustrations sketches or memoranda. A proper alpha bctcal arrangement of these envelopes makes it an exceedingly simple matter to in stanty find all the material of this character relating to any given subject. The arrange mcut Is eNpunsiblc without limit, and the en. volopcs may be classified and sub titled with the greatest refinement. For the classilca- ton of such material Us cannot be filed in this manner, or even for Inc purpose or lll'th ing the scrap book practical, the card index stands as above all other methods the best
 This cnu be adopted of the form Of inc gcner al library index, with cards about three in chcs by five inches. A card relating to any given subject may be filled in at any time and place and subsequently, dropped into it's proper position. Like tho envelope system there Is no limit to the extent ot this arrange mcnt, and anything conceivable may be en tered upon the cards. Before starting the project, however, the entire subject of card indcxing should be studied, for it is an art in itself The general style in which the card is to be filled out should be decided upon and aqheared to- All words should be titled un del the broadcst word in the title-that is the one that the other words simply modify This first word then becomes indicative of 6 class while the modifying words indicate the subdivisions of this class As the index in creascs cross reference cards, division cards and the like can be introduced-in fact, any device or arrangement that will facilitate the use of the index.