The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-01-20
HaFrtmAn's Views of the College Man
 Edward H. Hartman writes to The

Edward H. Hartman writes to The
 Edward A. Hartman writes to The Yale Daily News saying that his ad- vice to college men who. are looking for snap Is to steer clear of raii- college education will not hurt a young man who expects to make rail- roading his life work. MT. Hartman
 "The question which you have ask ed ne-Is college education an essen tial or even valuable preparation for a man who expects to enter rail- and my answer IS both yes and no. A college education will be great help if the man in going through col. school learning firmly fixed.
 On the other hand if he has neglect. ed his handwriting and forgotten his arithmetic aSit eti:,s in higher mathmatics natl no however. he still retains these essen tials he has a great advantage in that he has 8 broader view of the world and a greater knowledge of how to
 "The high school boy has the ad- vantage in that all the first essen. at his fingers ends. For instance, m ; take the making of a simple state ment. A statement should be like a picture. something that can be taken ters and figures that must be traced carefully out and the meaning extract ed from the mass of superfiuous mat
 "A high school boy will draw such a statement with perfect accuracy. and clsarness; .,,,, while nile m q, young college apaae sRst it is w pnsAns STnM s sera% se s%ih
 'Tus college education is in the beginning real disadvantage. and have found that in every cose the than the college man for the first few year. However. as soon as the col- leEe man has overcome these habits will go ahead much faster than his less educated rival. His enind Is nat urally better developed and more cap- able of grasping the fine points of the school boy, as being younger. is more adaptable and has not in most cases the irregular habits of the college man.
 "No matter how well educated a man may be he must start in railroad ing at the very bottom. recall an instance of Yale graduate who did now one of the leading railroad men in the West. He started asIa brake- man in Minnesota, then he went to an assistant station agent. Next he was sent to Arizona then to Califor- mia: from there to New Mexico. then back to California, holding successive ly positions of greater importance un- til ho is now near the top of the pro. fession.
 "That brings to my mind the great difficulty in making a success in rail- roading. A railroad man has no fixed home; he is like a naval officer. al- ways at Ssea. and moreover he is al- ways working to the limit of his en- durance. It Is the hardest life know and yet one of the most pleasant.
 'In the experience it gives 1t is perhaps the best work for a man to take up first as he can go from it in- to any calling and it will he of great assistance to him. It cultivates an insight. 1t teaches a Knowledge of men, and in this way is the best training for any profession.
 Pull" can carry a man far in rail- roadinR It is hard work and applica- tion that count Many a man starts out well. but lacking the stick. to 1t sential. falls into obscurity My ad- vice to the college man expecting to an easy life is don't. but to the man of work. who will not quit under early disappointments and who wishes to have the most interesting sort of a career is. by all means, do"