Payette enterprise. (Payette, Canyon Co., Idaho) 1909-1935, 1914-06-18
A BUSINESS TRAINING
The Methods That Are Used In
the Schools of Germany.
CLASS ROOMS AS OFFICES.

No one will deny the fact that Ger
mans are among the keenest business
men in the world. And undoubtedly
one of the secrets of their success lies
In the fact that in German schools
boys are taught the practical details
of business. The writer recently re-
turned from Hamburg after a years
course of education. and an outline OF
the system of training boys in business
may be interesting.
On my first days attendance / was
handed time table on which appear.
ed, set ont in formidable array. such
subjects as commercial correspond.
ence, laws of bills of exchange, cur.
rency, political economy and CONNER,
cial law. none of which at the time
conveyed much to me and raised seri-
GUS doubts in my mind as to whether
l should be able to understand and APP
preciate what appeared to be most
abstruse subjects.
At 8 a. m. sharp on the following day
the course began, prefaced by a cou-
mans are gluttons to work and think
nothing of twelve hour day. The
first course was called business train
ing" We worked in two spacious
rooms furnished as offices, each ROOM
representing different business house.
These two firms carried on an imagi-
nary trade with each other, and the
! -
ly on the lines of a first class business
establishment
Each firm had a director, and these
two were the most eminent students in
the academy They had subject TO
their management and control COM
plete staff of correspondents. short
hand writer's, typists, bookkeepers, etc,
The whole was supervised by a mas
ter, to whom reference was made IL
case of dispute or difficulty.
On making my appearance was in
formed that my services were in re-
quest as an Office boy. l was some
what taken back. not to say a little |
signed to me, and gave the master to |
that 1 considered l was |
qualified to occupy much better post |
than that which he had chosen for me,
He did not seem In the least perturbed
by my remarks, but said: you have
already made mistake-a mistake Of
One of the great maxims
Of business as taught here is to do
what you are told. to do it at once and
10 1t WELL"
With that he handed me a pile of
envelopes and long list of addresses
Ind told me to set to work addressing
hem. l did so, but not with a very
rood grace. the master coming round
rom time to time to inspect my work.
Tor two solid hours 1 plodded on until
1 a. m, when the course came to an
nd. Then I took the opportunity of
,oing up to the master again and ask
ng him If he did not really think ]
lad been wasting my time in what I {
ad been doing
mot in the least" said he. "In
no matter how simple or | {
ow difficult. there is always a good ;
cal to learn. Ii you have paid atteD- t
on while you were working you will /
ave learned something about the ge- t
graphy Of the German empire, for '
ach address contains the name of Il
ome important town and province in Il
-hich it is situated and the name of h
)me firm celebrated for some particu- |,
r class of goods" 7
This gave me food for reflection. As n
matter Of fact, l had not paid the +,
asst attention to what I had been Is
riting; consequently had failed to m
erire the benefit which it was the "
asters intention 1 should obtain from +,
hat seemed to me at the outset a 81
ost senseless task. On the following Ia
~ 1 resolved to follow out the mas, ~
RS instructions to the letter, and /
as surprised to find how interesting
g work became.
| continued addressing envelopes for
70 hours a day for whole week, and fl
e next week ] received promotion ty
this way l went through the whole OF
utine, from Office boy to director
d the experience which 1 obtained a.
the various capacities has proved I'll
to me In business. 81
As director had to sign checks, die ra
.e letters. enter into agreements with
; other firm with reference to the W
e and purchase Of goods, keep an
2 on the money market, work out ar w
rage calculations. draw up and In ed
rse bills of exchange and bills Of DE-
ling, make out periodical statements
affairs, allow or dispute amounts
ced to the debit Of the firm on ac-
Int Of general average losses and ne
lerally supervise everything. W,
While we were thus drilled In practi. bl,
work the theoretical side Of bust ed
IS was not neglected. Lectures were DID
en- at fixed hours. bookkeeping and in.
rcantile law. Thus we enjoyed the
advantage of acquiring the
DRY and practice Of business at the n
ne time.-Detroit Free Press. :
no
In Bad. sv
I'll never offer any more friendly An
ytoo