Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1910-06-18

pie Of hours hard study, for the Ger
mans are gluttons to 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 imagi-
nary trade with each other, and the
routine adhered to was modelled exact
ly on the lines of first class business
establishment.
two were the most eminent students in
the academy. They had subject to
their management and control a COM
plete staff of correspondents, short
hand writer's, typists, bookkeepers, etc.
The whole was supervised by mas
ter to whom reference was made in
case of dispute or difficulty.
On making my appearance was in
formed that my services were in re-
quest as an Office boy. 1 was some
what taken back, not to say little
Inundated, by the lowly position as
signed to me. and gave the master to
understand that l considered I was
qualified to occupy much better post
than that which he had chosen for me.
He did not seem in the least perturbed
by my remarks, but said: "You have
already made mistake-a mistake of
diplomacy. One of the great maxims
of business as taught here is to do
<cl1 <o n NJ nd
do it WELL"
With that he handed me a pile of
envelopes and long list of addresses
and told me to set to work addressing
them. l did so, but not with very
good grace. the master coming round
For two solid hours plodded on until
II a. M, when the course came to an
end Then I took the opportunity Of
going up to the master again and ask
ing him If he did not really think l
had been wasting my time in what I
had been doing.
mot in the least" said he. I'm
everything. no matter how simple or
how difficult. there is always a good
deal to learn. If you have paid atteD-
ton Willie you We're 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
a matter of fact. had not paid the
least attention to what I had been
writing; consequently l had failed to
derive the benefit which it was the
masters intention should obtain from
what seemed to me at the outset
most senseless task On the following
day l resolved to follow out the mas
-ter's instructions to the letter, and l
was surprised to find how interesting
the work became.
continued addressing envelopes for
two hours a day for a whole week. and
the next week l received promotion.
In this way l went through the whole
routine. from Office boy to director,
and the experience which l obtained
in the various capacities has proved
invaluable to me in business.
AS director had to sign checks, die
tate letters, enter into agreements with
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
6orsa hills Of exchange and hills Of
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