The times., 1901-05-22

ThorouEhnesS of the Course
Demonstrated by the Interesting
Display Some of the Features.
Practical problems from everyday life.
worked out in a practical way, according
to a not very everyday principle. form the
exhibit which is now hanging on the
walls Of the Business High School Build
ing II will be open this evening to be
viewed by business men, teachers, and
people specially interested in educauonal
problems, from until 10 o'clock p m
The high school management are anxious
to show just to what degree the scholars
graduated at the institution are prepared
for business life, and just how much
they are ready to take up what IS In the
vernacular called a Job and success
fully earn their title to it by discharglnS
in an efficient manner the duties connect
ed with it.
The evidence in the case is spread upon
the blackboards of half a dozen large
rooms. and speaks for itself. There is not
a business situation OF common occur
renee which is not met by the papers
which are shown. and many situations OF
uncommon. occurrence are equally pro-
vided for. that the pupil shall be prepared
IA meet everything likely at any time 10
come into his life.
The work Of the Business Hlgh Sciluol
which the exhibit is intended specially
to demonstrate. is done under a variety
Of departments The divisions are arlth-
metic penmanship, English, Jypewritlng
shorthand. business law, commercial
eeography and history, mechanical draw
ing. bookkeeping, and banking OF these
the most novel is the arithmetic, which is
not taught according TO the OLD text Dooh
principle, but from life.
Each problem that is worked out on
the papers exhibited is one that has
practical bearing upon the everyday
work of the world, and is such that when
the pupil goes out, it Will be one with
which he viii most likely be confronted
The arithmetic is not only an exercise in
figures; in fact. the figuring on the pa
pers in the majority OF the cases is much
the smallest part of them The prob
lens" set become simply exercises in get
ting information, in finding out things
and then making calculations upon the
data discovered.
one Of the most interesting papers has
upon it simply two columns of figures
about five rows in each. but the totals
Of these columns represent information
worth having. This particular pupil was
asked TO find the relative efficiency, per
dollar Of expense. in an automobile and
horse ana wagon. He found himself
obliged 10 go for his information to a
prominent business house in the
city. to have a talk with its
manager. to get certain specified
facts which by original thought he
discovered that he wanted and then to
make a simple calculation upon these
facts. His figures show, what Is probably
information to the layman, that the horse
and wagon are only about half Is costly
as the electric automobile.
Almost as interesting, because of its
novelty and because of the ~ork-a-day
use that il is likely TO be to those who
take il. is the course in business law.
As stated by the instructor, the course is
not intended to make lawyers oat of the
pupils, but to make them able to draw
simple commercial paper and 10 meet any
4 legal contingencies likely to arise IN
their business. The pupils IN the nrst
year are given, as a groundwork, text
book study on contracts. They are given
test cases and are made familiar with
the meaning Of 1ailmeTts and agency, etc.
The exhibit shows the next part of the
work. which is III drawing up papers
which are more or less legal They are
shown agreements covering all sorts OF
conditions Of sale or exchange, bills OF
sale. drafts, bills Of lading. realty leases,
and deeds.
Some collective exhibits show all the
documents IN the case OF 3 protested note,
or in a case where the right of stoppage
of goods in transit was exercise0- The
papers show that nearly every common
situation where ordinary law is applied
has been met. and that the pupi going
out into the practice OF his or her bgsi-
ness is not likely TO be met at every turn
and surprised by some legal tecnicaiity
not expecting The object of the course
is summed up as being ITO turn out a
man who shall know more than he could
know by rule Of thumb. -
The shorthand work is done in conjunc-
ton with ty-peTI1tlng and formal English.
The flrst-year pupils are able to take four
hours a week. and the object is TO make
them progress slowly 10 a complete under
standing Of the entire foundation of
stenography. The exhibit Of the first
year shows simple, short sentences and
work done at a speed which would enable
the pupil to take ordinary letters al slow
dictation
In the second year the work becomes in
teresting, and the young stenOgraphers
plunge right into the real thing The dis
play Of secOnd-year work shows business
letters from models which have been
taken out Of the books Of business houses
in this city-from the Offices of real estate
dealers, railroads. patent lawyers. and de-
Tartment stores. Part Of the work consists
II dlctation Of correct phrases containing
words which are usually used wrongly
with the purpose Of accustoming the ear
Of the pupil TO the correct sound.
English as taught in the Business High
School is intended TO increase the pupils
Selectiye powers and their powers Of ex-
preston. The first work is in condensing
a long story into paragraph. Develop
ing through variations and descriptions
the course eliminates in the last quarter
Of each year in fun practical work.
The commercial geography exhibit is
made up of maps showing the routes of
trade. the great Tnarts, and the products
Of the world The idea Of the course IS to
show the students how trade originated.
the lines It takes, and the centres of bust
ness. An exhibit OF bookkeeping and
bank work and some specimens Of pen
manship close the display which is nr0b-
ably as exhaustive an elucidation Of the
product Of the Business High School and
the methods employed as could possibly
be made The exhibit viii be open Thurs
day from 10 p. m, as well as this even
ing from Z to 10 O'Clock