Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1910-08-24
A BUSINESS TRAINING
The Methods That Are Used In
the Schools of Germany.
CLASS ROOMS AS OFFICES,
The Pupils Are Divided Into Firms
That Carry on an Imaginary Trade
With Each Other-The Course From
Office Boy to Director.

That Carry on an Imaginary Trade
With Each Other-The Course From
Office Boy TO Director.
No one will deny the fact that Ger
mans are among the keeheSt business
men in the world. And undoubtedly
one OF the secrets OF their success lies
in the fact that In German schools
boys are taught the practical details
Of business. The writer recently re-
turned from Hamburg after n years
course Of education. and IN outline of
the system of training boys fin business
may be Interesting
on my first days attendance | was
handed n time table on which appear
cd. set out in formidable array, such
subjects as commercial correspond
ence. laws OF bills Of exchange. cur
rency. political economy and CONNER.
cial law. none Of which at the time
conveyed much 10 me and raised seri-
Gus doubts In my mind as 20 Whether
1 should bc able to understand and ap-
preciate what appeared TO be most
abstruse subjects.
At n. m. sharp on the following day
the course began, prefaced by Il cou-
pie Of hours hard study. for the Ger
mans are gluttons 10 work and think
nothing OF twelve hour day. The
first course was called business train.
ing" We worked IN two spacious
rooms furnished as Offices. each room
representing different business house.
These two firms carried on an imIgi-
nary trade with each other, and the
routine adhered 70 was modelled exact
iy on the lines of first class business
establishment.
Each firm had director. and these
two were the most eminent students In
the academy. They had subject 10
their management and control com
plete staff OF correspondents. short
hand writers. typists. bookkeepers. etc.
The whole was supervised by n mas
ter. 10 whom reference was made I'm
case OF dispute or difficulty.
On making my appearance was In
formed that my services were In re-
quest rs an Office boy. was some
what taken back. not TO say a little
Inundated. by the lowly position as
signed 20 me. and gave the master 70
understand that l considered was
qualified TO occupy a much better post
than that which he had chosen for me
He did not seem 10 the least perturbed
by my remarks. but said: "You have
already made a mlstake-a mistake OF
diplomacy. One Of the great maxims
Of business as taught here is TO do
what you are told. 10 do Il at once and
do it we'll"
With that he handed me n pile Of
envelopes and long list OF addresses
and told me 20 set TO work addressing
them. I did so, but not with n very
good grace. the master coming round
from time 10 time TO inspect my work.
For two solid hours I plodded on until
II n. m, when the course came to an
end Then | took the opportunity or
going up 70 the master again and ask
ing him II he did not really think
had been wasting my time in what
had been doing.
Not in the least" said he. In
everything. no matter how simple or
how difficult. there Is always n good
deal 10 learn. II you have paid atten-
ton while you were working you will
have learned something about the ge-
ography OF the German empire. for
each address contains the name OF
some important town and province in
which it is situated and the name Of
some firm celebrated for some particu-
lar class OF goods"
This gave me food for reflection. As
matter OF fact, ! had not paid the
least attention to what had been
writing; consequently ! had failed to
derive the benefit which it was the
masters intention l should obtain from
what seemed TO me at the outset n
most senseless task. On the following
| day / resolved to follow out the mas
ter's instructions to the letter and !
was surprised TO find how interesting
the work became.
1 continued addressing envelopes for
two hours a day for n whole week. and
the next week ! received promotion
In this way went through the whole
routine. from office boy TO director
and the experience which obtained
in the various capacities has proved
invaluable to me In business.
AS director had to sign checks. die.
tate letters. enter into agreements Will
the other firm with reference to the
sale and purchase OF goods. keep an
eye on the money market. work out ar
bitrage calculations. draw up and IN
dorse bills OF exchange and bills oil
lading, make out periodical statements
OF affairs, allow or dispute amounts
placed to the debit Of the firm on &C.
count Of general average losses and
generally supervise everything.
While we were thus drilled in practi
cal work the theoretical side Of bust
ness was not neglected. Lectures were
given at fixed hours. bookkeeping and
mercantile law. Thus we enjoyed the
inestimable advantage Of acquiring the
theory and practice Of business at the