Los Angeles herald., 1907-06-30
BROADWAY PUPILS
TO GET DIPLOMAS
GRADUATE FROM DEPARTMENT
STORE SCHOOL
Exercises Tuesday at Blanchard Hall
Will Mark Closing of Sixth
Successful Wear of
Institution

Closing exercises of the Broadway
Department Store school will be held in
Blanchard hall Tuesday and will mark
the successful completion of the schools
sixth year. Oragnized in January, 1902,
by Arthur Let's, proprietor of the
Broadway store, the school during its
first term had an attendance of twenty
one pupils. This year the attendance
has averaged eighty-six.
With the increase in attendance has
| come also an extension of the school
work along lines especially designed to
be of practical use to the pupils. In
organizing the school Mr.. Let's had in
mind just one thing-the desire to make
the pupils more efficient, to give them
an equipment for the battle of life
which they might otherwise be unable
to acquire.
Consulting with Prof. Foshay, then
superintendent of the Los Angeles city
schools, who gave Mr.. Let's his CO.
operation, the big hearted proprietor of
the Broadway engaged Miss Nora
Smith, an experienced and successful
teacher, to take charge of the work,
and under her efficient direction classes
We're organized, a course of study was
adopted and the actual task of instruc-
tion was begun. Miss Smith found her
pupils apt, and was surprised at the
IdplQlly Will NlllSLl my AA4ASSSA -
their lessons.
Progress Rapid
Progress was rapid, and gradually
the course of study was enlarged and
improved until today it includes the
fundamental branches of complete
business education-arithmeti gram
mar, composition, spelling, writing
civil government and physiology. One
day in each week the entire school time
is devoted to rapid mental calculation
and proficiency in this branch marks a
pupil for speedy advancement in many
| of the departments of the store.
To keep pupils informed of what is
going on in the world about them a
careful study of current affairs is pur-
sued and a course of reading is pre-
scribed. When advancement warrants
and the pupil has proved his aptitude
for such instruction, he is given a
thorough course in shorthand and book
keeping, Mr.. Let's paying all expenses
School hours are from to IL o'clock
in the morning, and classes are divided
into three sections, the second coming
in as soon as the first is dismissed and
being, in it's turn, followed by the third
| In this way one-third of the entire
number of pupils is at study during the
| entire morning.
Equals Public Schools
The work of the Broadway school is
in every way on an equal footing witt
that in the public schools. In fac
many Broadway pupils who have re-
entered the public schools after ar
absence passed in the Broadway ser
vice and in the Broadway school, have
found themselves graded higher thar
would have been the case had they con
la. fN lha
envy of their old classmates.
Prominent educators have manifested
much interest in the school, and from
time to time have visited it to inspect
the work accomplished and to addres:
the pupils
The head of one of the important de.
partments in the Broadway store, dis
cussing the work of the school yester'
day. had this to say:
"Only those in close touch with the
pupils can fully appreciate the influence
for good that our school exercises over
young employees. The lessons learned
in the school room are brought into re-
QUESTION in their daily work, making
them more efficient and trustworthy il
every detail of the service, as every one
knows that a thorough discipline il
any line tends to better discipline il
every lnie.
Graduates Eagerly Sought
"Our graduates are eagerly sought
after to fill various positions in the
various departments of the store, sucf
as cashiers, sales people and so forth
The desire to employ our graduates il
not wholly confined to our own estab-
lishment. Their services are muct
sought after by our own competitors
and, to their credit be it said, they
acquit themselves satisfactorily to al
concerned, in no matter what position
they are placed"
Mr.. Let's himself probably would bC
the last man to regard the Broadway
school wholly as philanthropic insti