Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1906-06-15
The University and the Business
Man.

Man.
AS rule the business man who doe
not believe in colleges has in mind som
classical school of his boy hood wher
careless boys were drilled in unwilling
L,tin. For any practical purpose il
life, either of culture Or action, tn
Latin grammar is the poorest educa
tlonal stuff the colleges yield. Th
predominant Importance of Latin is {
m litter of tradition, not of experience
ICulture and power were given in tht
old Latin Greek-and- -pu,e-mathemat
is colleges, but they were the result O
contact with strong personalities, suct
as Mark Hopkins and DIR. Mott. rather
than of the subjects studied. But fol-
the presence of such rare men, the old
,lIeges we're not very useful, not help
ful to business or to life. The univer
sty of TO day recognizes the supreme
ins sty of Greek and Latin for those
who can enter into it's spirit-for those
who are Greek-minded or Roman
minded. 1t gives far more attention
to higher mathematics than the classi
Cal colleges did, but it is because of the
application in engineering Its range
of studies is now brOadened and enrich
ed SO as to include whatever in any
line the real student can demand for
any real purpose, aud such a univers-
ity can give young men of ability a
ppwer which they cannot get elsewhere.
In business, in engineering, in all prac
tical enterprises. this modern univers-
ity can save the students time by Civ.
ing him methods of work and methods
of thought, which outweigh the value
of practical experience in apprentice
ship or actual business.
In California the mining companies
no longer want as engineers forty
niners-practical mining men, who
know the business from the bottom
up. They want men trained in the
universities and who know the busi-
ness from the top down. The ship
builders employ large umbers of uni
versity men. Mr.. Irving M. Scott, of
the Union Iron Works, says that he
regards university man as worth SO
per cent more than a man who has
come up to the same level by practical
A certain Stanford min.
ing engineer six years out of college
now commands salary greater than
that of all the self taught mining en-
gineerS in California put together In
civil engineering the Western railroads |
give preference to college men. A few |
days ago graduate of Stanford was |
chosen to an important cleIkship in a |
large business house in San Francisco, ]
being given the precedence over 200
experienced, or business
school competitors.
Those Western men usually have the |
advantage over their cousins of the
East, in that they have had more con-
TACT with the world and Practical af- |
fairs before completing their cOuIse |
in college. If more necessity for self
help existed in our secondary schools |
we should turn out a wiser brand of
cole ge students. A little contact with |
the world is a great help in clearing
The vision. The young man who sees
Things as they are will begin at the
bottom with perfect cheerfulness. He
knows the way to the top, where there
is always room, and which Can never
be found by the artisan who operates
by rule of thumb.
OF course, business Instincts are in
born, rs are instincts for engineering
or music; but the university training
helps nightly in giving him the con-
troll of these instincts. In business,
when something above the routine
arises, the college graduate is the pick
ed man What the university has
done for the mechanical arts is clear,
tremendous 1t can do
the same for business if men of busi.
ness come to ask its help.
But to this end 1t must employ in its
faculty men who can use the methods
of science in the study of business.
Mere smartness and the journalists
superficial methods will not do. The
whole nature of American business is
changing. The day of great enterprises
and co operation has come. Comhin-
alton demands better training and a
higher degree of honesty than individ-
ual op-keeping. A great business
cannot rest on sharp practice. COur-
age and foresight must take the place
of smartness and selfishness Men of
courage and foresight must be supplied
by the universities.
The business man must also be edu-
Gated ahd trained to a high kind of
citizenship. Civil service reform and
b )nest and efficient municipal govern
ment must depend on organizations OF
broad-minded and wise business men
rather than an organizations of preach
ers, college professors, and philanthro
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