The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1914-10-02

iect or has been close TO 1t too long
TO see it in the proper light. One biz
broker who employed Miss Shapiro ac-
knowledged that his expenses were
altogether TOO large, but he could not
see for the life OF him how he could
reduce them. Miss Shapiro looked
over his books and studied his case
! for day. Then she startled him by
/ an explanation so simple that he al
most was ashamed of himself. The
| broker had Offices large enough for a
concern that did TWICE or three times
the business. His lease was about to
expire. She pointed out how. by a re-
arrangement, he would have plenty Of
room with half the space. She con-
solidated the work of some of the
clerks, readjusted the whole establish
ment, and got her pay. One day OF
study on her part meant the saving Of
several thousands of dollars a year
to that broker. Not only that, but
it brought about a better constitution
in the whole establishment. The broker
thinks she is a wonder.
Sample Of Her Work.
A very rich and good man Of Wall
street sent for her He could not I'M
derstand why it was he never could
get the service out of his clerks that
other men seemed to get He paid
them we'll and showed every consider
alton for them, yet, somehow, they
Jagged in their duties The man Is
very charitable. When appeals are
made to him to aid he wants to be
sure that what money he gives is well
bestowed. His employees have a great
affection for him and do their best to
please him.
Miss Shapiro studied this office and
then surprised the kindly gentleman
by telling him that the trouble was
with him
You send this clerk and that clerk
out" she said, ito investigate cases OF
charity, and you disorganize your Of
flee force by your interference with
their work"
Then she gave list of the number
of hours this clerk and that clerk had
been absent. The number of hours
the clerk had been absent did not
measure the real extent of the inter
ference in the Office routine Four
hours absence in one day sometimes
meant the actual loss of the whole
days service of that particular work.
er, and incidentally it tied up the
work of other clerks whose duties
were dependent upon that particular |
person. Usually the person sent on
the philanthropic errand had the direc. |
ton of several other clerks and they
were idle by reason of his absence. |
The kindly gentleman frowned and
said he did not see how to remedy the |
trouble. I1e knows now. Miss Sha.
piro has taken over a large part of |
the work connected with the charity
cases.
A lawyer with big Office staff had
been subjected to no end OF embar.
rassment. He never seemed able TO
have things done to his satisfaction.
He paid out lot of money, but it
was no use 1t did not take Miss Sha.
piro long to find the answer. 1t was
cheap help. The lawyer had a chronic
objection to paying decent wages. He
had lot of incompetents, and paid
more for them than he would for
smaller number Of employees who
would do his work in first class shape.
It was not pleasant for him to be in.
'ormed of the truth, but Miss Shapiro
lad been in lawyers offices long
enough to make him understand how
ar below the average his employees
we're in grade and he commissioned
Ter to reorganize his force He has
/ good office staff now It costs less
han the old one and he is getting ex.
'ellent service. He is cured of the
dea that what is cheap is profitable.
IS Elimination OF Waste. tfYe
These cases are merely typical. Dc
.asionally the trouble in an office is
lue to wel-intentioned but poorly. 3
qualified managing clerk. Miss Sha.
'iro studies each case just as a sci
mist studies a subject The symp.
oms of disorder in an Office are as
to her as the symptoms of
n ailing person who comes before a
MUSICIAN for examination. Once the
rouble Is located, there ID no diff.
ulty in applying the remedy. One
t her greatest values is in the elm.
nation of waste. She knows pretty
Iell what supplies an office should
Sc, whether 1t be bank. brokerage
ouse, a lawyers Office or mining en-.
ineer's, She knows, too. the costs S
supplies. When she goes over the /
counts it does not take her long to 3
I'll If too much money Is being spent, +,
nd what would be a reasonable c
mount to expend /
The range Of her work is remark. /
BILE. Some of her employments are /
nique. She has sort of emergency /
Tearing house. In some small estab. /
shments the whole Office is thrown
ut Of gear if the one stenographer Il
r the one clerk employed is i'll. Miss
hapiro is prepared on a moments
office to supply stenographer
aimed in legal work for a lawyer or
ne trained in brokerage business to !
broker, or one trained in mining af. n
IRIS to miner 1t is the same, too, h