The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-04-08
R. R. KINDERGARTEN
Story of the Great Northern's
School for Railroad Men.
SOME OF ITS NOTED ALUMNUs
Men who Learned Railroad Econ
Omy in the Great Northern Ac-
counting Department..

James J. Hills school for railway
presidents and the Kindergarten" con-
nected with the Great Northern railway
are treated in an article in the Saturday
Evening Post of Philadelphia.
The Great Northern kindergarten is re-
cruited from every division of the Great
Northern system. The number of stu
dents Is usually limited to twenty and
the course is for one year. 1t is taken
in the accounting department. AS soon as
one class leaves there are plenty Of ap-
phcants to take their places. The stu
dents serve as clerks and statisticians in
this important department OF railroading
and every item Of expense in the manage
ment and operation of a railroad passes
through their hands. This gives the be-
ginner knowledge of railroading which
he could get in no other way. The Even
ing Post says:
1t Is a school of instruction in which are re-
ceiVed limited number of promising young
men, Admission to 1t is the ambition Of
every budding railroader in America who
Knows Of its existence. Naturally, preference
Is given to the Great Northern employee, but
few outsiders have been admitted from time
to time under exceptional circumstances. One
OF the scholars" who graduated recently is
younger son OF James Stillman, president
of the National City bank of New York, tine
Standard Oil Bank" as 1t Is known, and
the richest financial istitutlon in the United
States. Young Stillman is now employed on
the Great Northern system, in one Of the
small towns, where he is putting the knowl-
edge he gained to practical USE 1t Is sell
dom, however, that the president of the Great
Northern consents to take outside pupils
unto his railroad school, though the pressure
from rich men who have sons they desire
to bring up in the railroad business is emo
mous and constant
MIR. HIPS View on school.
1.-THE school," said Mr.. Hill, In resisting the
arguments Of one Of his friends who desired
to enter his son, lis not intended as an in
stltution for the production Of railroad men
generally, nor is 1t a personal affair with me
1t was organized for the benefit OF the Grea,
Northern railroad. and the purpose of its
existence is to help Great Northern employees
who show special talent and evince special in
terest In the business. 1t is intended to give
us constantly supply Of available men fol-
special service ON the road. If we were tC
fill it up with outsiders whose services would
not be at our disposal after they graduated
one OF the chief reasons for its operations
would cease to exist"
Some of Schools Graduates.
The large number of railway men who
have graduated from the Great Northern
to take high positions with other systems
Is thus noted by the Post:
The list Is a most imposing one beginning
with w. H Newman, president OF the New
I ork Central, and Including such men as Rus
sell Harding, third vice president and gen.
eral manager OF the Oregon Railroad and Nav.
igation company; Charles Fl. Warren, frs
vice president and general manager of The
Central Railroad Of New Jersey; W. c. Wat
rous, superintendent Of transportation of the
Missouri Pacific; J. D. Farrell, president ant
general manager of the Pacific Coast com
pany; William w. Finley, second vice presi
dent OF the Atlantic Coast line: and many
others In positions of Importance.
George Il. Slade assistant general manager
of the Erie railroad, ought property to be
cfassed as one of the conspicuous graduates
of the Kindergarten" Owing, however, tc
his peculiar relations with Mr.. Hill, he may
perhaps better be considered as member OF
another group popularity spoken of in the
railroad world as 1.-The Hill boys" Mr.. Slade
fits into this classification because he Is mar
ried to one Of Mr.. Hills daughters He Wen
to college with the GIill boys, Lewis W. ant
James N, and after graduation was takeI
into the Great Northern in the "Kindergart
en-" Afterward it was hard work and M
fayors' with him. He showed himself sucl
willing and capable worker that he was ad
vanced from one position to another until h
became superintendent Of one OF the most i'm
pOrtan& connections Of the Great Northern
the. Eastern Railway of Minnesota. He lef
the Great Northern to become general mana
ger OF the Pennsylvania Coal company's rail
read properties. and when that concern wa
absorbed recently by the Erie he was selecte
as assistant to the general manager of tina
railroad. His work since then has demon
strated very clearly that 1t isn't pull tina
pushes men along in the Great Norther
system