Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1906-02-05
BOYS AND GIRLS.
CAN HE ADDa

become an 6uICicuG DuSluce5 hon
cannot ignore the importar ce of the
elemental units that go to make up |
his training.
"Any one can make figures. 1t
doesn't take an artist to do that"
indifferently replies the juvenile to
the sold fogy," who insists upon per-
lection in this humble requirement.,
and, to illustrate his own dexterity,
dsshes of series of the nine digits
and cipher, which, after the first half
d zen, begin to look, more than any
thing else, like the proverbial ducks
tracks in the mud.
Let me tell you, boys, that there is
one correct pattern for each figure
and the sooner you begin habitually
to copy it, the better your chance will
be for acceptance when you apply for
situation in a counting house. A
certain youth once learned this lesson
by an experience that was costly
both to himself and his employers.
The figure five, in an amount of an
order for stock so closely resembled
the figure nine that it was thus inter-
preted and, standing in the fourth
order, made a difference of four
thousand dollars. The deal, which
the blunder compelled, caused the
company great inconvenience and
loss. More serious still was the result
to the clerk, whose situation was for
feited and reputation injured.
Any ten-year- old boy would regard
it as an affront to be asked, can you
add?8Test him, however, by requir-
ing him to find the sum of column
of numbers and note the errors he
makes in the operation.
When the writer was attending a
business institute, well known bust
ness man of the city, who was in
immediate need of clerk, called and
asked the principal if he had student
prepared to fill the place.
eyes," he promptly replied, glad
that he could accommodate the
applicant, and at the, same time
advantageously locate capable
young man, who happened at the
very time to be taking his final
examination. /. While the principal
was enumerating at length the quail
fications of the youth, the merchant
sat wrigglipg in his chair. At length
his patience being exhausted, he burst
out with the question, which seemed
to the astonished principal an i'm
pertinence, "Can he add?"
scan he addI"' exclaimed the prin-
cipal, in puzzled tone.
eyes," was the sharp rejoinder.
"Could you trust him to add large
amounts representing value without
watching him?'
81 should deem it prudent to run
up the columns myself for while, al
least" said the principal soberIy
looking, not st lis ,interlocutor, but
through and be- ord him, thinking
the while what it really meant tc
trust an employe inexperienced ir
actual business with calculations o.
value, even the mobt ordinary with.
out giving personal attention to the
results. Was he exactipg that fitness
of his pupils which the business pub
lie demanded, he asked himself.
"That's it," said the visitor curtlv
you must pay man for doing you
work. then have it all to do afte.
him.
cts fact,-surprising to you
maybe,n continued he. in bette,
humor, "that more beginners il
Office work fail in addition than in al
: the other operations .of arithmetic
if can get man that adds correctly
/ can trust him to do the rest, and
kC ep him as long as possible"
In Offices where there is much add
ing to be done, accountants are no
:: Allowed to work contiG uously grea
D leDgth.of time, because it is a brain
D exhausting process and one 500
!, loses his grasp on certainty After
brief change of occupation-a chang
is always rest-he can return to hi
figures. with a5clear head.
1t is possible for boys il thei
school days to learn to add, or perforr
a other arithmetical processes wit
unerring accuracy, but it require
: concentration of thought on the worb
The boy owes it to himself to compe
. the calculation bump (Which lies jus
: over the outer angles of the eyes, t
: do honest service. By faithful drill
). before you are aware OF it, the habi
|, of exactness will take such firm hol
!, of you that, though the earth ma
z quake or the stars fall, it canno
: shake your faith in your own work
= Exchange.
y 1 = III &c a % be ich RI OF I, srx