The times., 1899-11-05
A SCHOOL FOR cAsHBoYs.
Elementary Instruction i'm a Depart
ment store.
CFrom the New York Eveaing Pos,)

Elementary Instruction i'm Depart
ment store.
CFrom the New York Evening Post0
The contemporary department store is
not unlike modern womaukiud in its pro-
pensity for entering lines OF activity which
were once supposed to be exclusively the
proper domain Of others PostOthces and
restaurants are common places in the big
department establishments. and a full
hedged school, which is somewhat Of an
innovation, may be found in one OF the
largest Of these New York stores.
This unique educational institution is be-
ing carried on daily for the benefit OF the
stores 800 cash boys. who are required TO
attend school twice week. from eight to
ten in the morning. A commodiOus section
Of the basement of the store is the school
room. A teachers desk stands at one end,
together with a large and handsome pOtted
palm Pictures, map a clock. and flags
adorn the walls. blackboard stands in
one corner, a case Of reference and text
books in another. and elsewhere are to be
found a big dictionary on a stand. and a
globe, while occupying the main portion
of the room are tables. each furnished with
writing materials and surrounded by the
lads, who are the pupils.
The teacher is an attractive little wOm-
"
eys birthplace. although a great many
years later, and shows in her thorough way
OF conducting the school the marks of her
experience along the same lines in a part
of the United States where young girls
blossom into 'schoolmarms" as naturally
as they enter into womanhOOd. Under her
energetic direction a number OF the boys
have made notable progress in their les
sons, it being part of her method TO en-
I q cf ON Of pff In, nars
tie office near the schOolroom she goes over
with much care the exercises handed her
1 by her pupils. and shows them. with evi-
dent appreciation to any visitor.
While eonversing with a visitor the other
day, she said: The school was started eX-
perimentally last fall and has proved so
successful that It has now become a per-
manent feature of the store. The school
work has been found to increase the eff
cheney of the boys in the store work. and
is tn y ore valuable TO their employers as
we'll as themselves. The 900 boys are di-
vided into classes, and each class has two
| sessions a week. Regular attendance and
strict attention TO study are as much in
sisted upon as care in any work about the
establishment The majority of the boys,
/ however, need no urging to take advantage
/ of an opportunity for an education. The
business experience they have already had
has given them an appreciation of its
| value. Arithmetic handwriting, and the
correct use Of the English Languages are
/ the branches most dwelt upon in the cash
I boys school.
/ The boys have made progress which is
/ very marked. The books in which they
write their exercises and compositions, on
/ such topics as The Duties of a Cash Boy
/ are models Of neatness and Iegible hand
writing. While many of the formalities
/ of an ordinary school life are dispensed
/ with, very careful records are kept of the
work of each boy. and these nave much
weight in the matter of promotion in the
| store. Many letters have been received
/ from parents expressing gratitude that
/ their boys while obliged to earn a living
are at the same time able TO acquire the
fundamentals of an education.
1T is most interesting to watch the boys
enthusiasm for their studies. They seem
to realize that they have an unusual Op-
pOrtunity, and are not laggards, not one
| of them. They appear 10 make the most
| of the short time they have for getting
/ any sort of an education, and work with
a faithfulness that is both interesting and
/ touching. Since their school hours are
short and come, for each boy, but twice a
/ week, they always enter the schoolroom
| with fresh aud receptive minds and appear
! TO be sorry when the time is up.
Spelling is their favorite branch and the
/ big dictionary on the stand is the most pop
ular volume in the school, They go 10 il
| to look up long words with which to parade
| their learning while engaged in their store.
/ duties. Many times during the day am
| accOsted by one or another Of them with
! such a question as, What is a long word
| for give Or for go or talk or some
| other short expression which evidently
| has become too brief and too common for
/ their erUdite little tongues; and along the
| corridors of the store 1 viii later hear them
| speaking about presenting or departing
| or 'conversing As this affinity for long
words increases their vocabulary, I am glad
! to encourage it.
| Another amusing habit of theirs, which
! is an evidence of interest in their studies,
/ is a way they have OF observing and com
menting upon the errors in grammar
which they overhear falling from the lips
| of their associates, the people Of the store
or the customers. They turn with disdaiu
| from such grammatical monslrosities as a
double negative or a plural verb with a sub
| ject in the singular number
4 never have the slightest difficulty in
regard to attendance. If a boy is able to
come TO the store. he never offers an ex-
cuse to absent himself from school ana
/ after arriving mis- behavior is exemplary"