Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1915-09-03
HELPS ALL EMPLOYEES
EDUCATIONAL BUREAU DOING A
REALLY GOOD WORK.
Venture Which Was the Idea Of the
Late Edward II. Hartman Is Like
Iy to Spread to All the Lines
of the Country.

AS a result of the generosity and
farsightedness of the late Edward H.
Hartman, a unique plan for the bet,
torment of railroad employees through
out the United States has made rapid
progress in the last two years. This
plan, which Mr.. Hartman conceived
and caused to be put into operation on
the Union Pacific railroad, was the
forming of an educational bureau,
through whose Offices the employees
of the Hartman lines were offered an
opportunity to increase their capacity
to assume greater responsibilities to
fit themselves for promotion.
So successful has the venture
proved that officials of practically all
the railway companies in the United
States are considering the advisable
ity of adopting similar methods for the
benefit of their own employees. AS
there are about 365 such companies,
employing some 100000 men, the pos
sibilities for good, should this educa-
tional work be extended to each line,
are enormous.
Through the agency of the educa-
tional bureau, every man in the EN-,
ploy Of the Union Pacific can, without
mourning any personal expense, avail
himself of the benefits of some thirty
courses Of instruction, covering vir-
tually every branch of railroad work
A central bureau has been established
/ at Omaha, Neb., under the direction of
Mr.. D. G. Buell., who has a score Of as
sistants, including travelling represen-
tatives, instructors, etc.
In the words of Mr.. Buell., the rail-
road is creating a reserve supply Of
better men, which will make it I'M
necessary for the officials of the oper-
ating department Of the road to go out
side of their ranks for men to fill re-
sponsible positions, as was frequently
the case in the past. The interest of
the employees themselves is indicated
by the fact that in the first year of
the bureau more than so per cent Of
them enrolled as students.
All instruction is conducted by cor
respondence, thereby giving each en-
ployee, no matter where he is located,
an equal opportunity to obtain the ben
efits offered. The lessons are special
/ ly prepared and are approved by the
heads Of the departments interested
before they are issued, thus putting
the stamp of authoritative information
on each course.
After a man enrolls he receives a
set of lesson papers, including a
pamphlet that explains just how to
proceed with his studies. Each lesson
contains set of questions which the
student must answer in order to quail
ify on that lesson and proceed with
the next. The answers are corrected
at the central office Of the bureau,
and the report sent to fife student, so
that he can ascertain whether he has
acquired an understanding knowledge
of the subject.
/ One of the best things about the
/ plan is the fact that lack of previous
education does not prevent man from
taking course. Some of the courses
can be completed by anyone who can
read and write, while others require
knowledge of simple mathematics.
In correcting the lessons, writing,
/ spelling, and punctuation are not con-
sidered.
The training of station helpers and
clerks is another important part of the
bureaus work. For this purpose there
has been established in Chicago, in
cooperation with the Illinois Central
railroad, class room where young
men graduates of telegraph schools
are received and given a practical
course in station and other clerical
work. Here they are enabled to ia
miliarize themselves with the actual
work they will have to do when they
enter the service This course aver.
ages about four weeks, and when a
student has successfully completed it,
he is Immediately placed in a position
as station agents helper. Three
months acceptable service in this
work leads to the position Of SEIZED.
uled telegrapher, and from then on
promotion depends entirely upon the
mans ability and attention to duty
The Sunday Magazine.