The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1893-11-10
coNcLupEp PROM 4rH pAeE.

I VTWT0 = " "
struction in this particular is failure.
Remember, also, that it is almost i'm.
possible for person to become good
speller after IA years of age.
| However deficient the business man
may be in this particular, and we are de-
| ficient enough, for did we not have SINH
lar training? yet he insists that his bust
ness letters should be correctly spelled.
| OF the young ladies aspiring to become
| type-writers, not One-half can be called
passable, and of the other half, the most
we can say is that some are better than
| others. Seldom do we find what APP
proaches perfection. l have an acquain-
lance, a lady of education in the true
sense, of business habits, and executive
ability, an expert typewriter who COM
manded the very highest remuneration.
Finally, she began business for herself
by taking work at a fixed price per page.
Her venture grew apace, and now in New
York she has an office, and about Is girls
employed, She told me that her greatest
difficulty was in securing girls who could
spell. Not half of those applying could
begin to SILL the bill" Scarcely any
could be trusted to work outside of cop
ying. A good speller and operator can
earn from $1,000 to $4,000 a week, while
a very large portion of those who will do
at all, can earn but 500 to $1,000 week
ly,
am not sure but it would be a good
plan to go back to the old-fashioned spell
ling schools, though my remembrance
of them is not as pleasant as it might be,
from the fact that use to be spelled
down early.
am glad to know, however, that
many teachers appreciate the Importance
of this subject, and that in some schools
much more attention is given to this
matter than of yore.
Says distinguished writer and educa-
tor: "The most general and most UNI Or
tunate defect in our educational system,
from the University to the district
school, is neglect of the language which
we speak and the treasures which it
holds. An increasing disposition to
supply this deficiency is happily discern
ible. But the small minority who learn
to use their noble Mother tongue with
ease and power, still owe little to those
who assume to teach it."
But to return to our deficient young
man; no such proportion as nine to one
are permanently incapacitated from
grasping what is required of them, for
many of these same boys, in the end
make good help and successful business
men; but they start in life unnecessarily
hampered.
About the first thing tie bright, am
bilious youth does to remedy the def
cheney which should not have existed
and which he must remedy in order to
perform the duties required of him, is to
take the train for business college, and
there endeavor to learn to write, and
how to address and compose Il letter,
the use of figures, and how to keep &C
counts, not necessarily to make book
keeper of himself, but to enable him to
do at least what little fgui ing and ac-
counting is needed, and as we know de-
manded in every occupation and in all
walks of life.
Let me not be understood, however, as
recommending the So-called business
college, for the most of them fall short
of what they advertise to do, and in all
of them, suprriiciality is very conspicu-
GUS.
HIRE let me quote from Andrew Car
negie, the successful business man, who
is spending his fortune in the canse of
general education, and whose learning
and position enttle him to be considered
an authority on the subject of which he
speaks. He says: II rejoice when
young men and women have not wasted
their time upon dead languages, but
have been fully occupied in obtaining
knowledge of practical affairs, of short
hand, and type-writing, methods of
farming, banking methods, ook-keep-
ing, penmanShip, business correspond,
ence, business customs, and commercial
law, and are thus fully equipped to sail
upon the elements upon which they
must live their lives, and earn their
living"
How much of this practical education
should be taught in our common schools
may he question; but, teachers, have
we not right to expect little more
than we find? Should the parent be
obliged to send his boy away to learn
these simple lessons of every day life?
Is it using the boy right, thus leading
him to think that he is fitted for life's
hard work, only to fine himself disap-
pointed, and unable to commence even
at the foot of the ladder, except by unex-
pected toll and expense? He is obliged
to seek that which he has a right to sup
pose he possessed, or. lacking means to
acquire more, sink to the level of the
common laborer.
But | will not lay this all to you,
teachers, for know that our system is
not perfect; but l do insist that, even
with all it's defects, teacher who loves
the work, possessing health, energy, and
ability, can rise higher than the system,
and do wonders in making the boy or
girl really fitted for what is before them.
know Of teachers among you who hon
or their profession, and of whom we are
justly proud. There are schools in our
State, and l am proud to say the Graded
school in my own village is one of them,
that are successfully endeavOring to
make the practical and useful the chief
feature of instruction All hail the
movement to engraft industrial features
on our public school system, Boston
leads, let us watch and profit. l am an
American citizen; believe my Country
is the grandest and best on earth, yet I
believe it is a mistake to be blind to its
defects, or to ignore facts, which show
that in some things we may learn from
older countries, and older civilizations.
l have for many years been impressed
by the efficiency and intelligence of
workers from Germany and the Scandi-
navian Countries. | am ashamed to &C
knowledge the fact, that of two men
seeking employment in the mill, the one
a Scandinavian, the other stranger but
an American, my judgement tells me to
give the position sought to the first, be-
cause experience has shown that the
average German, Dane, Norwegian, or
Swede, brings more intelligence to his
work, is more faithful, less given to mis-
takes, better penma1, and better in
figures than the AVERAGE of a like class