Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1906-08-22
School of c Commerce at>Washing-
ton and Lee

School of Commerce at>Washing'
ton and Lee
The Richmond News Leader com
ments as follows on the School Of
Commerce and Highway Engineer
ing at Washington and Lee Univer
sity
At the commencement meeting Of the
board of trustees of Washington and
Lee University in June last two new
schools were created, one of Highway
Engineering and the other of Com
MERGE" The purpose o; tie former,
which was made division of the gen.
eral engineering department, was ex-
planned at the time, it being to meet
the demand for engineers especially
qualified for the work of public road
building and improvement. The scope
and object Of the School of Com
nerce," however, have just been set
forth, and appear in the Washington
and Lee University Bulletin. This
school, the first of It's character, as we
Understand, to be established in con-
nection with any institution Of learn
ing in the South, was originally sug-
gested to and urged upon the univer-
sity authorities by Mr.. John Munce oil
Richmond, member OF the board, and
is course in. and constitutes an en-
largement Of the department OF Eco
Monies and Politics"
The school is not in the nature of a
business callege, AS that term is pop
ularly applied. Broadly speaking, it
CRAFTS upon the old advanced courses
In Economics and Politics. which are
designed to prepare students for sound
citizenship and the further prosecution
of higher studies along similar lines,
these additional aims: First, instruct
ion $50 arranged and co-ordinated as
to form good preparation for young
men who do not propose to engage in
scientific or professional pursuits, but
who wish to acquire suitable prepare
ton for business" Second, the en-
enlargement OF young men to prepare
themselves for the study of law, such
preparation being directed to fitting
them "for dealing with business quest
ions and practices, the knowledge OF
which Is advantageous fol the lawyer"
Among the studies embraced in the
school are: Modern industrial history,
transportation, present forms OF busi
| ness enterprise, commercial geography
modern tariff systems, commercial
legislation, "a n k n e, corporation
finance, investment, great industries
and the development of business meth
DDS, theory and practice Of statistics,
insurance, accounting.
The central and concrete idea OF the
scheme is to turn out from the institu
ton young men possessed, so far as
| possible OF that comprehensive know
ledge Of business, commercial, indus
trial and financial methods, and the
natural and enacted laws bearing upon
them which otherwise they could only
acquire through long experience, and
thus equip, them for taking hold intel
ligently of great enterprises In their
youth and from the start. What with
the already wonderful development OF
the South In trade, commerce, manu-
featuring, banking and cognate do
mains, and keeping in view the univer-
sal recognition that infinitely greater
development is before us, it will. we
think, be appreciated that Washington
and Lee has wisely decided to meet
what is little, if anything, short OF a
new educational necessity, and has
made a lead some Of our other colleges
and universities might we'll consider
the advisability OF following. The tre-
mendous coming progress Of and vast
undertakings in the South forecaste ed
by the record Of her recent past, argue
incontrovertibly for the policy OF
thoroughly preparing the youth and
vigor of the land for directing the one
and managing the other.