The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-01-17
RAILROAD NEWS.
Educational Bureau Of Union
Pacific Is Success.
Employees Have Taken Great
Interest in Work.
COURSES ARE FREE.
But Students Must Be in EN-
ploy of the Road.
Other Items Of General Inter-
est in Traffic World.


road established its Educational Bu-
reau of Information, and inaugurated
its courses of instruction for en-
ployees, says the Railway Review. The
plan was an innovation in the railway
world at the time of its Introduction,
and possibilities for its usefulness were
SO apparent that the results of the
scheme have been awaited with inter-
est. A statement issued covering the
work of the bureau up to the close of
the calendar year 1910 shows success
in at least two important particulars:
the employees have shown apprecia-
ton and support by enrolling in large
numbers, and they have shown dis
position to study and pursue the
courses with diligence.
A total of 1894 students were en-
rolled by the bureau from the begin
ming up to Jan. 1, 1911, covering
period of about fifteen months. OF
this total enrolment, 392 students
road, leaving 1912 enrolled and in the
service. OF this latter number, 228
were delinquent, meaning that they
had failed to make returns on their
work for period of sixty days; but
any of these, by the rules of the
on signifying their desire to take up
the course again.
The students in good standing num-
Der 1914, or 85.2 per cent of those still
perS returned and corrected by these
students number more than six hum
dred per month; and about two-thtrds
of all the papers sent out for return
with answers are duly sent in.
Besides the lessons covered by the
instruction papers, portions of stan
dard text books or technical works are
a part of some of the courses; and in
instances where these books are call
ed for, the volumes are loaned to the
Il 1I.< R-4~x. ~ zf,s
culating library. About six hundred
books were thus loaned during the
year 1910.
Speaking of the course for station
work, which was one of the first ones
offered, since March 1, 1910, 81 stu
dents who were station helpers at the
time of their enrolment have been
promoted to operators by the help
of the course. The same course has
also furnished, since March 1, los
station helpers, the meaning OF TINS
being that an exceptional condition is
provided in this course. in that ap-
pIicants for employment as station
helpers must take the course Of study
before they can be employed in that
capacity.
OF these who have become station
helpers, 35 per cent have been pro-
NOTED to operators; and only IL per
cent of those enrolling in the course
have failed to qualify for or have not
taken employment on the TdllTOdQ
Students must be employees of the
Union Pacific railroad, with the ex-
ception of those applying for the sta
ton course, as noted above. The
courses of study are open to any en-
p1oyee of the railroad, and they are
absolutely free, both as to tuition and
text books. The courses are entirely
voluntary, and no inducement or per-
suasfon is held out to enter the
courses. and no preference is given
to students, either in employment or
promotion, except as the employee
may increase his own efficiency. The
bureau is without authority in employ
ment matters, and it comes In contact
with this branch only through pro-
vision that the record and standing of
any student is supplied if his superior
requests it for reference. The courses
are conducted by correspondence. but
it is a part of the plan eventually to
supplement this by lectures and class
study as the plan develops. The text
for the lessons is taken for the most
part from papers prepared especially
for this purpose under the direction of
the bureau; but in certain instances
these lesson papers are supplemented
by portions of standard books by 9TH
er authors, as mentioned heretofore.
All courses which have been offered
have been prepared SO as to make each
as complete as is possible. With but
few exceptions the courses can be
taken up and completed by anyone
having a common school education.
Some of the courses require some
mathematical training, and where this
is true the course itself supplies the
training leading up to the required
grade of work. The text papers, as
stated, are original for this purpose.
They were prepared by some railroad
official or employee specially qualified
to prepare them. In some instances
they are the work of a single individ
ual, but in other instances a number
of officers or employees OF special
knowledge in the particular branch of
the service elaborated in the produc-
ton of the papers for a single course
AS indicating the idea of fitting the
work to the needs of the common en-
ployee, there are about $50 Japanese
track laborers enrolled in the studies
The lesson papers are printed in Jap
anese for students of this class who
desire to take the work in their own
language. The figures given above as
to the number of students do not in
clude the Japanese students.
The separate courses now number
some 26 or 81 and others are in pre-
paration to bring the total number
up to 29 in the immediate future. In
addition to the regular courses. the
bureau publishes from time to time
and distributes pamphlets containing
special information on various sub
iects. These may be of a timely ma
ture, or on some topic of general in
terest bearing on the general eff
cheney of the corps of employees
RED BAIL FRUIT TRAIN ON S. f.
Eastern Markets Demanding Cali
fornia Products.
las Vegas N NJ Ian 17-Reginrinr