Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-08-30

prepare young people for executive
work In the department stores of
sIhall towns. 1t will be conducted by
trained business men who will give
practical instruction in the details of
store efhciency. The course is to be
lour years in length. Its completion
VIII give the degree Bachelor of Busi-
ness Science. Such q course is an in
novatlon for an agricultural institu-
tlon put is intended to meet the in
creaslng vocational needs of the state.
another evidence of the growing
cooperation between the store and the
puplc school systems was the invi-
tatlon extended last month by the In
diana Retail Dry Goods Association
70 the vocational teachers of the state
10 attend the educational meeting of
its annual convention held in Indian
apolis. This was presided over bv
! Mrs. Lucinda Price, of the Woman's
educational and Industrial Union, Of
Boston, who described the vocational
opportunities of the store and its edu-
cational advantages. More than
eighty teachers were in attendance
and took part in the discussion which
followed.
The cooperation with the public
school Is the latest development of
store school work. 1t may not be the
most important. In hundreds of
stores throughout the country such
cooperation has not yet been estab-
lished and the firms, at their own ex-
pense, sometimes with scant en-
lcouragement, are placing educational
advantages within reach of every en-
ploye who will grasp them. These
advantages may include many special
subjects.
A young girl working in the audit
ing department of such a store had
continual trouble with her accounts.
Her hgLres would not come right al
though she was conscientious and
painstaking. The manager of the de-
partment noticed that she occasion
ally made attractive little sketches or
ornamental letters on blank paper.
He brought these to the notice of the
frm. The girl was transferred to the
sign department where she was per-
mitted to make letters upon signs call
ing attention to special sales. A
drawing teacher was provided for her
and she made rapid progress. Now,
after five years, she is a designer,
drawing salary of a hundred dollars
week. All her education has been
secured through the instrumentality
of the store which she entered when
less than fifteen years of age.
The numerous departments of we'll
organized stores afford opportunities
in almost every class of work. An
Ambitious boy or girl should be able
to find specially best suited to in
dividual talent. If a calling is de-
sired which seems to be outside of
the store and a boy has proved him
self deserving, any progressive firm is
likely to make special provision by
which he may acquire the necessary
knowledge without being dependent
while doing so.
A little lad with crippled father
started in a store as an errand boy.
He did his work we'll and attended all
the classes within his reach. BY the
time he was twenty he had been made
salesman and had acquired a good
general education. He had also de-
cided that he wished to become a dem
tist. The firm became responsible for
his tuition at dental college in the
city and arranged for his absence to
attend lectures for certain periods
each day in the same way that
younger boys were permitted to at
tend public high school classes. At
ter his graduation, q dental office was
opened in the store For a definite
salary he kept the teeth of store en-
ployes in order while he was permitted
to secure more remunerative custom
from its patrons who were first at
tracted by the we'll furnished office
provided by the firm. He is now well
upon the road to prosperous inde-
penOenco. Inc STORE gave MIN the
opportunity but he has doubly repaid
the financial investment. The dental
office is an advantage to the store.
1t is better administered because the
dentist has grown up in the store and
is in harmony with 1t.
Another boy with mechanical turn
of mind did not like commercial work
although he was honest and reliable
as a cash boy, messenger and billing
assistant. His deftness in adjusting
some of the mechanical conveniences
was noted by the store manager. He
was permitted to attend the technical
high school until he had completed
the course in electricity and mschan-
ical engineering
He then became assistant to the
store engineer and continued his TECH
nical studies in evening classes. He
was placed in charge of the mechafi-
cal equipment or the store and be-
came responsible for its lighting, heat
and all mechanical service. Within
the past three years. he has made two
inventions of great value to store
equipment. His position in the store
suggested their need and the profits
from them viii give him an assured
Gcompetence. L