The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1916-03-03

NdUOnal lily Bank OF view 1OThs IN
operation with seven Of the leading uni
yersities of the East.
The institutions are Harvard, Yale,
Princeton, New York University. Column
bia, Cornell. and the University Of Penn
sylvania.
While these institutions are preparing
to set in motion the interesting plan, six
Western universities are considering the
ACCESSIBILITY Of likewise cooperating IN
the project These institutions are the
University of Wisconsin, Chicago Uni
versity, North Western University, the
University OF Michigan, the University
Of Minnesota, and the University OF Hi
nois
The proposed plan will tend to bring
the universities of the United States into
closer touch with the business needs Of
our country, and will help the university
student to come to an early decision as
to his life's work, at the same time as
surfing him of an opening in the business
for which he has been. especially trained.
In this way 1t will bridge the gap be-
tween the theoretical training Of the col
Iexe student and the needs Of the prac-
teal world in which he must work out
his future success.
VIII Send Picked Men.
The plan, in brief. is this: The va
rious universities where the plan is
to the city bank each year two or
three OF their picked men for one
years practical banking training dur
ing their college course. 1t Is pro-
posed to divide the time between two
summer vacations and a period of six
months, consisting of either the hrst
and second semester of the students
senior year At the end of such period
of time, these men will be given OPP
pOrtunity for advancement.
The progress of each man Will be
carefully watched with a view to de-
termining that phase Of banking TOT
which he is best fitted, and in which
he may be of most service to himself
and to the bank. There will be no
legal obligation on the part of the
student to continue his work with the
National City Bank. although after
he has finished his period OF training
he should give the bank first call on
his services The bank on its part
will pay $50 a month to the young
men during their training period.
The bank proposes the organization
of class made up OF students rec
commended by the universities to begin
between June Is and July 1, 1915, and
to end about August 1, 1917. The Sc
lection of men by the bank will be
based upon personality, character,
scholarship, practical experience and
languages and experience in banking
will receive special consideration.
Required Courses.
Each man accepted by the bank will
be required to pursue certain courses
of study, such as banking, foreign ex-
changes, credits, economies, CONNER
cial geography and a language.
Glasses for this special work will be
held between the hours of S:15 and
a. m, and from to 5:45 p. m, with
forty-minute luncheon class under the
supervision Of a language instructor.
The time between these classes win
be used for practical banking work.
Examinations will be held from time
to time to determine the progress be-
ing made by the individual student
and the class as a whole.
The development Of American foreign
commerce and its advancement after the
war In face Of the keen competition ,
which may be expected demands that
American business interests in the for
eign field be conducted by Americans
Years ago the English and Germans
recognized the principle that a lasting
foreign trade was dependent upon the
expectation of their men fully as much
as the expectation OF their commercial
products and capital Most Of all, the
development Of American foreign COM
merce depends upon the character and
training Of the men who are to carry
on the work, 1t Is universally recognized.
England early realized this, and in
the establishment of her foreign branch
banks that were the forerunners
of her commercial advance, especially
in South America, she instituted a sys-
TEN Of schooling for her junior clerks
and taught them to look forward to 60
ing into the foreign service in the in
terests Of her commerce.
German System Ideal.
Germany trains her young men early
for the commercial service. An elaborate
system of schooling beginning with the
lower grades and continuing through the
higher education of the universities was
worked out to fit her young men for
study are shaped to that end. After
the training period, they are sent to
the countries Of their future activities,
there to grow up with their future Gus
toners and to enter into the life of the
country.
Forty English banks operating in for
eign countries have LBS branches. In
South America, five German banks have
forty branches and five English banks
have seventy branches, all manned by
their own countrymen.
Following the successful example of
the German and English banks, the Ma
tiOnal City Bank, in the establishment
Of its branches in South America, en-
deavored to select only young Ameri-
cans for its service and met at once
with the difficulty of finding young men
properly trained to fill its positions Of
responsibility abroad
Trained Men Needed.
The future success of American foreign
commerce rests with the placing of
American business interests abroad in
the hands Of Americans. Young men are
needed who know the language and the
customs Of the country where they will
be stationed; who can acquire the for
eigner's manner of doing business with
an appreciation Of his point OF view, and
who can still retain their loyalty to the
United States and the development of
American commerce. Heretofore young
Americans have not had the training
which would fit them for this service.
After carefully investigating the situa-
ton, the bank decided that it was neces-
sary to work out certain practical
courses OF study and to create what in
effect is a school of its own, for the
81 Fv,Fy,