The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-10-07
IT INTO MONEY
Knowledge Of English, Spelling and
Punctuation Is Worth
Hard Cash.
Some Sample Tests That Will Con-
vince Readers That They're
Getting Rusty.

1t is a fact tnaL business men IN
England take much more pains with
ence than Americans do; and we know
how literary Boston has jibed at the
slangy and ungrammatical West. But
the information that Marshall Field &
Co. offer their employees 81 for every
error Of English one OF them finds in
any. of the printed matter Issued by
the house, and that Alexander IL.
Revell has had little book on English
prepared for his salesmen,, is an indi-
cation that "a spirit of reform is at
work. In a different way our own
high class houses put a premium on
good English byat paying the ste-
nographer who can spell, punctuate,
and write dramatically SIS to $25
a week. while the ordinary ste
hographer gets only Sc or So; and
they say that the SIS and $25za week
positions often remain untitled for
want of "a good English letter writer
to take them. 2. %.sst *,rs5,
The salesman who says IT seen,'' II
done,'' and HE don't" is kept in the
background when high-class custom
ers are about. Everybody knows how
social standing and business com
potency are judged every day by the
appearance and grammatical correct
ness&of a letter, whether the writer is
plying for a position. nj
But we do not make a systematic
effort to raise our standard. Our
schools put too little emphasis on eIe-
mentary English, too much on higher
and theoretical studies. Shorthand
schools are eager to turn out gradu-
ates in forty days, without SO much
as a review drill on spelling, regard
less of the fact that nine-tenths of the
ct acr3 e 40, o+s 81, -
ton, whatever their shorthand speed,
till they brush up on their English.
/. If we did not; learn the mas
school, there is every reason
why g. we i. should :. commence our
study now at home. Even the best
Of people. get rusty We forget what
good English is. We can maintain
our standard only by constant study
ate and certain returns; in larger sal
airy, or increased social or business
prestige, as~study Of elementary, prac-
tical, everyday English.
A Business Letter Test.
TIL e Journal is interested to
learn whether the standard Of bust
ness ,letterIwritfng in Minneapolis is as
high as that Of Chicago, and submits
the following actual business letter
sent out by a leading Chicago firm, in
which our literary editor has simply
indicated fifteen errors of punctua.
ton, grammar or phrasing to be cor
rected.. We should be glad to have
you send us a corrected version: and
to all such we, will mail a., brief de
tailed criticism of the letter, prepared
q, S, one 1 Of the best letter. writer's If
II. 1876 Wabash Ave, Chicago,
Mr. Henry Adams Is ,'..@o - N'D' =,
M p s sec, Y, s ls St Louis, Mo,{s)
Replying 70 yoaaf esteemed fayor n % .
the 18th and afh linsts,, 81, If you viii
return the goods 70. as. we: will refunt
yo9pl ~ j money n guarantee that tn
We e, send out IS 1s5rof the best = =
= Replying to another letter Of your
when seems to have no date please ! GO
send, us full description Of the campin,
| outfit you want and we will (1O) be yer,
(ll) pleased to quote you prices, You viii
find some excellent outfits described il
our catalogue. on pages 1920. ss<.t
We. note that you do not seem to under
stand very we'll our methods of llandlin,
orders. sQ2 II you will look on pages
and 10 Of our catalogue (13) you will fin.
some useful suggestions, which we woul,
be pleased to have you follow
We are always very pleased Q4) to re
fund money. If goods are not satisfactory
and to answer all Inquiries promptly D
not hesitate to write us freely. =
, Trusting we can arrange the matter O
the gun, to your satisfaction, and NEE
your desires for camping outfits, ETC., w
remain - 49,. -. - , y: =. s:5
| ~. Very: respectfully (15). yours. .~,
j. NH ing e. Va