The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1911-02-16

(H ~ like your boy TO become a
y-sS bookkeeper. Well, what
.SN1Aa about an accountant?
49, You don't know about
that exactly? You're afraid
eh. that that's a fob not much bet
ter than that of bookkeeper?
Well, then, listen while | toll you
briefly about the apotheosis Of the for
mer unimportant bookkeeper under
the title OF accountant And first give
heed to the following excerpt from
university prospectus. introducing
talk on It's course In accountancy.
Twenty years ago" II says, most
business concerns OF this country
wcro satisfied If their bookkeepers
could render to them at the close OF
each month an accurate statement OF
cash Income and cash outgo. and could
make up at the end Of the year q bal
nnce sheet which would show the true
condition of their affairs. In other
words, they asked for nothing more
than record OF results.
To-day. the managers of progress
Biyc and successful concerns call upon
accOuntants-not bookkeepers-to aid
them in the efficient administration OF
their business. They demand of the
accountant that he show them the
true cost of every product that they
turn out; that he measure the efn.
cheney OF the men and machines that
they employ; that he trace the effect
nTnfite nf YpnfhnHe In
Vonuons. In short. the accountant ia
expected to analyzo the business and
TO measure accurately all the forces
and factors that are engaged therein.
ITO perform this work successfully,
the accountant must not only under
stand all the complicated interlocking
records Of the business, he must have
a grasp also OF all the essential feat.
ures of its management, and must be
himself an administrator of a high
order. Public accountants particular
ly-inasmuch as they may be called
on to install or reorganize accounting
systems in any line of business
must have n wide and accurate knowl.
edge OF business organizations. Of
finance, and of economies. as well as
OF accounting proper.
Now let me quote n summary of the
high place in modern affairs the for.
morly unimportant bookkeeper has
reached: THE public accountant is
expected to have n knowledge OF the
underlying principles OF the laws that
govern business relations and Of the
practical application OF such laws, n
thorough knowledge of the principles
of modern accounting and of their
scientific application TO the keeping
and stating of accounts In all lines OF
business enterprise and wherever set.
Elements involving money are to be
made. He is expected TO be able TO
solve the most abstruse and intricate
problems that arise In any branch of
accounting; and, as an auditor, he is
expected to have broad general
knowledge of business, with the in.
tuition Of the detective as well as tho
skill OF the accountant"
Well, When casting about for the
tlfework for your boy. and he shows
liking for "Hggers" and business
analysis. don't stick up your nose at
any ideas of bookkeeping as you re-
member it: but let him go on. sure in
the knowledge that he is starting on
road that leads straight into tho
highest and most lucrative positions
IN any and all lines Of commerce. II
ia no exaggeration TO say that many,
many managers Of the bigger bust
nesses OF the country today were ear.
ly in their lives running up columns
OF figures at bookkeeper's desk.
Like most lines of endeavor, ac-
countancy Is not line that requires
a college education as preliminary;
indeed. your boy may start In almost
any time after his infancy in the TN.
hallowed Job OF Office boy. secure in
his confidence that the handle of the
world can be manipulated from that
beginning II he only has ambition and
application. Office boys generally re-
ceive - or S. q week.
As soon as he starts in this humble
place, however. your boy should get
TO work learning things that he will
not be taught In the ordinary details
OF his employment; for his usefulness
will depend upon his increasing his
efficiency and earning more than he Ii
paid. There is no branch of activity
that offers greater facilities to the
energetic young man anxious to ad.
vance; for the country is full Of
schools giving day and evening
corrses of study in business. ranging
FROM special courses in the public
So, snls and those costing very little