Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1914-11-06
DR.. Marden's
Uplift Talks
BY oRisoN SWEET MARDEN.
90 NOT DISCHARGE THE BOY.
Copyright by Mcclure Newspaper syndicass

Edwin Booth once scolded one of
his supers for the careless way in
which he took his part. Look at me-"
said Mr.. Booth, why don't you do as
| do?" "Ah, Mr. Booth" said the
man, IF I were you ! would not be
carrying a spear for one dollar
night"
Don't scold the employee who
doesn' always do things as you
would do them Remember, he has
not your experience, Judgment or pres
ent ability. If he had he would not
be working for you.
Don't" fire" the boy who has disap-
pointed you. Think how you would
like to have some one treat your boy
who happened to make mistake or
to do some foolish thing. Do not
throw him out. Take all interest in
him. Try to arouse his ambition.
Tell him of your struggles to get a
start in the world and how important
it is to do everything to a finish.
Show him that every letter he writes,
that every well done thing is step
to something higher.
Did you ever think, Mr.. Employer,
what 1t may mean to you to discharge
boy or girl, perhaps in a fit of tenn
per or for trif1ing offense?
1t may seem little thing for you
to discharge employees, but it may
be the turning point in their careers.
1t is most unfortunate thing for
young people, who are very suscep-
tible to encouragement, and who are
the victims OF their moods, to be dis
charged. They sometimes become SO
disheartened they think it is no use
to try to do their best.
Some employers say that their time
is too valuable to spend breaking in
green boys, and they discharge a boy
upon the slightest provocation, for
little instance, blunder, carelessness.
They do not realize that this may ruin
him.
Remember that you can persuade
boy, you can lead him, into almost
anything, but it is very difficult to
drive him, If there is anything in
him.
Perhaps the boy you want to dis
charge has not had the love and
care, the tender influences in his
home, which your boy has had. In
fact, he may have no real home at
all, as you have it. His home may
even have vicious influence upon
him Aro -
in him which you can bring out?
Employers should resort to every
possible expedient before discharg-
ing help. Sometimes just little en-
couragement, little praise, when an
unruly employee does well, will re-
suit in wonderful improvement.
Only recently the manager of a
large department store told me that
he had been so tired with the stu
pidity, the carelessness and apparent
Indifference of a girl clerk that he
made up his mind he must discharge
her He had talked with her and ad-
vised her, but found that it did-little
or no good. He called her into the
Office one morning to tell her that he
would have to let her go. While talk
ing to her, however, he asked her why
it was that she could not do better,
and she told him that she didn't like
the work she was doing; that if he
would put her in the silk department
he would find she would do better.
He made the experiment, and she be-
came a different girl. She took a great
interest in silks; in fact, had an al
most perfect knowledge of silk tex
lures and colors. The girl is now in
charge of the silk department at
large. salary, and her employer says
she has become indispensable to the
concern.
Instead of firing an employee who
has tried you perhaps past endurance,
change him about, try him in different
positions. He may develop genius
He may now be round peg in a
square hole, and after he has found
his place he may prove very valuable
to you; but If you discharge him 1t
may discourage him from trying.
Many men seem to think that they
can treat their help in any way; that
they can scold them, hound them, nag
them, find fault with them, and use
all sorts of slave-driving methods in
their treatment of them, and yet get
their best service.
While there is now and then con-
scientious person who tries to do his
best under all circumstances, there
are a thousand who will give back
what they receive.
Action and reaction are pretty near
~ equal in this world As a rule,
people pay US back il our own coin.
They will pay back kindness with
kindness, hate with hate and ingrati-
tude with contempt.