Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-26
WORK IN NEW BUILDING
Z. M. c. A. HOLDS ENTHUSIASTIC
MEETING.
Address by Mr.. colburn Of New York
-washington's Educational Equip
ment Best in Country.

Directors. members of the educational
committee and others interested in the plans
for enlarged work In the new building of
the Young Mems Christian Association met
at the building last evening to hear an
address by Mr.. Colburn of New York, whose
experiments In special classes for better
education of business boys and men were
noted In The Star yesterday.
DR.. Merrill e. Gates. who presided. ere
ated enthusiasm when he announced Mr.
Colburn's opinion Of the Washington educa-
| tional equipment to be the best thing In
the country. without exception Mr.. Col
burn has investigated all the large assoc
Citations, Dr. Gates said ''It ought to please
us, and fill US with deep sense OF oblga-
| ton to reach maximum efficiency in the
| important educational work we are doing
| in Washington. The people of Washing
| ton will be more than surprised as / was
myself surprised, when they view the
| spacious, spiendidly arranged educational
| space, SO well lighted and equipped. 1t ex-
ceeds my fondest hopes. gentlemen, and
| will yours"
| In inviting Mr.. Colburn to recite the story
| In an informal way DR.. Gates explained
| that the object was not to set up program
| for Washington In imitation of the west side
| of New York. but rather to provoke
| thought, to show possibilities of scientific
| investigation of field and to adapt classes
| to those needs. Washington three years
| ago appointed committee of investigation
| whose work was partially completed. 1t
| adopted policy for educational work which
! has been carried out, in part, and with en-
| larged facilities and conditions outlined in
! that policy now fully met, is now in a fair
way to be more completely realized.
Educational Work and Needs.
Mr. Colburn used seven charts, showing
the plans of Manhattan's educational
| work and needs. He described special de-
| velopment in the educational work of the
| West Side Association of New York dur
| ing the past year and half The speaker
said, in part:
| ''The reason for the existence of the
| schools was the lack of similar schools
1 in other educational institutions Approved
| academic and higher education was and is
| being satisfactorily given; but the direct
effort to place such educational subjects as
! are indispensable to the greater develop
ment of particular lines of business and
| professions had not been undertaken. 1t
| was discovered also that business men
| needed assistance as well as others, and
| they wanted it, too, if 1t was practical.
| "A careful and analytic study of New
| York, with its variety of business inter-
| ests, developed the fact that there was
room for the organization of such schools
| as would meet the needs of men in vari-
Gus cardinal pursuits as real estate, insur-
| ance, investments, printing and publishing.
| automobile, business economy. etc. An
other guiding principle which prompted the
| West Side Y. M. c. A. in its pioneer work
| was to supplement rather than duplicate
existing schools. 1t made no attempt to
| offer courses that could not be better given
by them than other approved institutions.
Etiquette for Office Boys.
1.-THE Harvesting of the Office boy and his
development into valuable asset. rather
| than an infant terrible has been one of
the latest ideas of this school. 1t Is ac-
knowledged as one of the most annoying
problems in business offices today to prop
erly develop the Office boy. This class COW
ers comprehensive course in Office work,
including the most approved methods in
filing. indexing, mimeographing, letter
copying, etc, as well as applied arithmetic,
business English, spelling and penmanship.
The discardng of the street lingo and
emphasis placed upon the use of good En-
glish and etiquette. forms another impor-
tant part of this course
I'm the fall of 1903 the idea was conceiv-
ed of organizing a class which should have
for it's object the treatment of large bust
ness problems for htgh-grade business men.
1t was believed that the present commercial
and Industrial combinations presented
many unsolved problems 1t was further
noted that a new profession of specialists
had sprung up who were attempting to
solve these problems; but 1t was evidenced
that no effort was being made to give BUSH
ness the advantage of the broader
perspective of the specialist 1t was there
fore decided to endeayor to supply this de-
ficiency. Business men and business spe-
cialists counseled progress through recog-
nizing the difficulties of the undertaking.
1t was soon realized that the success OF
the movement depended upon securing the
right kind of men who could teach business
management. This was the most difficult
part of the organization OF the class.
High Standing of Members.
''In a short time class of forty repre-
sentative men was formed; these were high
grade men, such as managers superntend-
ents members of firms, secretaries, treas
urers, vice presidents, and presidents, OF
whom there were six. The average age OF
the men enrolled was thirty-nine 1t was
difficult to impress the men who came to
lecture before the class of the high stand
ing Of the members. Many of them who
called to see the class In operation before
they delivered their lectures revised them
before presentation because of the high
character of the student body"
Chairman Gates, when Mr.. Colburn had
concluded called upon General Secretary
Pierce. who indorsed the tribute paid to
Washngton's new educa tional director, Ny
on J. Jones. characteriziug him as a man
of breadth and culture. with unusual liter
airy and administrative gifts, and an ASSOC
citation secretary of many years expert
ence.
larry of the excellent work the educational
depar tment had been able to do under the
most difficult conditions as to rooms and
equipment and prophesied doubling of
the enrolment, with the present facilities
and the enthusiastic cooperation OF the
committee having supervision OF the depart
ment.
The attendance included c. F. Nesbit
Charles r. Burr. 8. T.. Kramer, W. G. Sui
Ivan. p. C. Clafiin. Charles F. Weller W.
A. Scott, L. l., Pierce. Walter Allen, VIII
10 A II pofd xr-fr
w. Baldwin, w. H. Kerr, A. b. Broune,
Judge Peale Merrill e. Gates. H. G. Jacobs
Miles NJ. Shand. H. O. Hine. Charles r.
Dean. M. c. Sullivan, j. w. Crawford
Judge Taylor and President Needham