The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1910-01-31
R. R. EDUCATION TO
BETTER SERVICE ]
FORMER sTATIsTICIAN FOR LIE
HIGH LINE IN MONOGRAPH
SUBMITTED FOR GOVERNMENT
POINTS TO FUTURE.

POINTS TO FUTURE.
Washington, Jan. 29.-"The time
will come when railroad employment
for every man in the service will not
mean drudgery, nor sinecure, nor &C
cidental opportunity. but an enlight-
ened, stimulating. nightly efficient
service of highest earning power,
least uncertainty from accidental
causes, largest freedom for individual
initiative, entire self respect and
thorough democratic spirit"
With this prediction, j. Shirley
Eaton, former statistician of the Lee
high Valley railroad, concludes a
lengthy monograph for the United
States bureau of education on "Edu-
cation for Efficiency in Railroad Ser
vice. which Commissioner Elmer e.
Brown has submitted to the secretary
of the interior. In his letter of trans
initial, Commissioner Brown says
the subject Of educational prepare
ton for definite occupations in life,
and particularly for the several
trades, is under serious consideration
in the United States The relation of
trade education to general education
is one of the important aspects of
that question This relation was
summed up by President Nicholas
Murray Butler of Columbia univer-
sity, in saying:
What science and practical life
alike need is not narrow men, but
broad men sharpened to the point.
Education and Efficiency.
The advance made in the present
decade in the subject of education
for railroad service is surprising to
those who may not be informed,
says Mr.. Eaton. The relation be-
tween education and efficiency in rail-
road service is coming to be general
| ly conceded The large educational
value of the railroad service itself is
being turned to systematic practical
account, and the value of educational
agencies in preparing for specific in
dustrial efficiency is better under
stood,
"The railroad service in the United
States will shortly reach total of
1000. 900 men. 1t is the largest and
most highly organized example of as
sociate effort in an epoch conspicuous
for industrial and commercial con-
centration. Education in broad
sense must always be a large factor.
THE most practical and efficient
railroad manager today is now
squarely up against the problem
which he is attacking in one form or
another, of education. of himself, his
staff, the individuals in the rank and
file as a whole. This is the last and
highest and most comprehensive stage
of the function of administration.
Railroads as a whole, through a
representative body such as the Amer
lean Railway association, should in a
comprehensive way take up the mat
ter of the education of railroad en-
ployes
Recognizes Efficiency.
LAS they now have committees
devoted to standards of construction.
maintenance and operating practice,
they should also have standing
committee of character to command
confidence. who should sedulously
foster a closer relation between the
railroad and educational agencies.
Efficiency should be recognized by
an efficient wage, stated distinctly
apart from the seniority wage.
Employees should be encouraged
to take outside courses of instruction
or experience without FORGETTING their
tenure.
1.-The educational opportunities of
the service should be utilized to the
utmost by encouragement of perfect
freedom of study and criticism and
interchanging of ideas concerning ac-
cidents. bad work and all the de-
tails of practice. Annual or semi-an-
nual meetings of employees by classes
of work and the preparation and cir
cularization of papers and discussions