Evening star., 1915-04-05
STANDARDS ARE URGED
IN BUSINESS EDUCATION
Need Emphasized in Vocational
Education Letter" Sent Out
by q. S. Board.

| The need Of establishing standa rds
| OF business education for employees OF
| business houses in this country is en-
phasiEed IN q Vocational education
letter" recently sent out by the United
States bureau OF education. The bu-
reau is issuing a series OF such letters.
| which have been made possible by ap-
| propriations OF the last Congress in aid
| of vocational education.
| The letter on standards of business
education Is. IN part, as follows:
"A national committee. made up o.
! representatives OF leading organiza-
ttons of business men and educators
has been incorporated under the name.
National Associated Schools of Scien-
tific Business The object Of this COM
mittee is to effect a league OF CONNER
cial schools (public and private1 in CO
operation with local organizations OF
business men for the purpose of plac-
ing commercial education on a more
practical and scientific basis through
the adoption of definite standards.
1T is felt that American commercial
education is not as responsive to the
| needs of American business conditions
the public and private commercial
schools in each Industrial center and
local business men. preferably through
| chambers of commerce and other or
sdIiZdLi LioHs, olIeTS tHe DeSt assurance
OF upward progress. In few places
this has been attempted through the
part-time method, pairs of boys or girls
alternating weekly between the school
and the business office. The great
problem that now confronts business
men and commercial educators is CO.
operation.
Common Ground Is Sought.
"A successful program for commercial
education requires that we find the
common ground on which the business
man and the educator can meet, and
from which they can begin to work. 1t
is suggested that such a starting point
may be found in a series of standard
tests of ability, which the school can
use in determining whether it's gradu-
ates can meet the demands of the com
| mercial world. and which the business
man can use in selecting employees.
Such tests might be given periodically
| under the joint auspices of the schools
and business mems organizations. and
passed on by a national board made
| up of representatives OF educational
| and commercial organizations. result
| ing in lists of eligibles corresponding
| to existing certified civil service lists.
| '1t is proposed to give simple tests
| of ability to perform tasks common to
| the business Office. such as a business
man might give to a person applying
for a position. Several large firms
| now give applicants elementary tests
before they agree to try them out
with a minimum salary for two or three
weeks. The great majority of business
men, however, are merely guessing. by
appearances. or by answers to ques-
tions. In many cases they find out.
| after paying several weeks salary.
that the applicant has neither the nat
| ural ability nor the education requisite
| for the position. In the case OF a re-
sponsible position It often costs s2eo
| to $500 to flnd a capable person. and In
| the lower positions SIS to $50. Com
petent and reliable public school tests
| would. no doubt, save the business
world millions Of dollars"