The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-11-23
TEACH how TO WRITE lads. u
SEVERAL SCHOOLS FOR THIS
PURPOSE IN EXISTENCE.
Importance Of Having Adyertiseme rents
Well Written-ThinEs Taught ~ the
SchOOls--G0od Jobs for the Graduates
ADV ertising OF GROWING inheritance

Well Nritten-Things Taught ~ the
SchOOls--GOod Jobs for the Graduates
Advertising Of CROWNS Importance.
There are at least dozen places in this
country where men who know how to write
advertisements make money by teaching
others how TO write them What IL more.
If half the assertions made by the men who
teach advertisement writing. or 'ad build
ing as the trade phraseology has It.
are not true. there are enough assertions
left to convince the sceptc that just at
the present time II Is fairly easy for a man
who has an ordinary knowledge Of spelling
and English to learn how to write adver-
tisements for which he can get paid at the
rate Of S25 or SIS a week or a good deal
more.
Can anybody succeed at this work -
a Sun reporter asked a man who
teaches IL
NO, sir was the answer Success in
the business Of building advertisements
can't be obtained by a man who doesn't
know how to write an ordinary English
sentence any more than that same man
can be successful as teacher OF compo-
sition. As matter Of fact only about 80
per cent. Of the people who study with us
become successful, but the half that fail
do so because they were lacking In pre-
liminary equipment. We can't teach SPELL
ing and English life's too short.
'Why Is II necessary for anybody TO learn
how to write advertisements2 I'll tell you
These are the DAYS Of close competition
IN business. The business man who doesn't
keep up with the times soon falls out of the
race altogether. The business man who
lets his competitors do all the advertising
while he contents himself with his own
signboard dies commercial death in
very short time.
-The man who advertises judiciously
and extensively always wins out That is
where the 'ad building business comes in.
There are comparatively few people who
know how to advertise wisely. Advertise
ing IA you see IL to-day IL a comparatively
modern business and the men who can write
good advertisements are in big demand
That is the truest thing you can tell
anybody"
Although there are several schools Of
advertisement writing their methods Of
teaching are necessarily pretty much
alike. In one way or another the pupil
Is taught how TO write in ordinary business
laneuace. special stress being laid on the
desirabiltv Of fluency and ease.
Then the teacher puts the pupil AT work
on list Of synonyms in order to teach
him how to use the right word in the right
place. Brevitv and conciseness are also
laid down as necessary
When the student has studied these
points for a time he is asked TO write
number OF business sentences.
At this stage or somewhere near II lessons
are given in the more technical part Of the
work--how TO give instructions to the
printers. There are many kinds Of type
to he studied before the "ad" writer can
proceed intrllicentlv in writing his COPY.
This necessitates also some knowledge Of
proof reading.
Resides all this the student must learn
something about proverbs and quotations
60 that when n chance comes to use one
he will be quick to seize II, He must also
learn how TO instruct his artist in the draw.
ing Of illustrations. how TO get together
material for advertising from his store
or business establishment. how to apply
a given plan Of campaign and carry the
plan out, how to check the circulation Of
his advertising mediums. how to handle
o'NV upt'olI id'iohr, IO" W &eN Nv
advertising solicitors. and get away from
them sometimes. how advertising agencies
are usually conducted. and dozens of other
points about the business.
The general advertising man must know
not only how to write an advertisement
for newspaper. but he must also be able
to get up a convincing circular letter for
prospective purchasers and then make
arrangements for attending to the answers
TO his letter. He must learn how TO get
up billboard advertisement and must
arrange for the pla cling Of these.
He may have to get up a placard for
windows or street cars at any time and he
must be able to do this work. too. without
much hesitation. To do it he must ha We
working knowledge of color sche mes
and their effectiveness and Of the Use Of
Photographic reproductions.
Perhaps the prospective "ad" writer
has a knack for writing catchy nonsense
verse or limerioks. If he has he is en-
couraged to do this sort of work, for II
paws very well.
Within year two several people have
made a great deal more than comfortable
living by writing these verses. and inelli-
gent heads Of concerns that advertise are
always looking for new ideas to put in the
jingles and are willing to pay we'll for them.
At one school in this city the students arc
taught how to do the advertising business
of an imaginery department store just for
practice, Then the student Ia allowed to
specialize his work il he cares to do so and
can learn how to advertise a theatre, a
patent medicine. a breakfast food. or any
thing else.
A great many do specialize because many
Of the students are already In a business
Of some sort which they want to advertise
intelligently, The average business man.
according to the school people. is likely
to be n mighty poor advertiser Of his own
business until he learns something about II
from new viewpoint, short course in a
good school Of advertising is calculated
to get such men out OF the nut.
Several OF the advertising schools teach
by correspondence and their proprieto, .
say that this method is by no means to be
despised. because the students are usually
so earnest in their work that the long
distance teaching is effective. Most Of the
work has to be put on paper any way in
stead Of being recited 10 an instructor.
Object lessons form large part Of the