The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1916-02-04
BUSINESS
METHODS
ARE USED
BY PAUL II. FEEGER.

inv VI lAO AAO0C CAANACAt uCpoiC-
ments of the Richmond high school
plete in every detail, it offers stud
ents who wish to follow a business
career one of the best opportunities
of securing practical business edu-
cation. Under the supervision of Prof.
E. r. Helman and an assistant corps
of instructors, this department has
been one of the best in the school. Mr..
Helman, guided by well defined princi-
pies, based upon an extended investi-
CATION of the needs of commercial
department, has introduced practical
methods in the teaching of these sub
jects.
More than three hundred students
take advantage of the opportunities
offered by this educational department
every term.
Receives Many Calls.
That Richmond business men know
where to find the best material for
their offices is evidenced by the many
calls that daily come to Mr. Helman
for office help. Especially is the call
for male help great, and at every op-
portunity instructors urge the young
men to qualify themselves in this line
of work THE demand for male stem
ographers is greater than the supply"
Mr. Helman said recently.
A person not familiar with the facts
would be surprised to know OF the
large number of our most important
business men, in the business. politi-
cal and professional world, who have
received their start through some OF
the earlier teachings of the high school
commercial course.
One young man after completing the
high school course last year secured a
position in the office of a local store
as bookkeeper. He received $40 per
month, worked here for about three
weeks and then took a position in a
local bank, where he was advanced to
S65 a month, and is promised SIS next
year.
Firms Employ Students.
That high school students are repre-
sented in nearly every large business
or manufacturing office in the city is
shown by the following list of few
of the larger offices which have at
least two school students In their Of
flee force: Starr Piano company.
Pennsylvania company, First National
bank, Richmond Underwear company,
the Light, Heat and Power company,
National Automatic Tool company.
Jones Hardware company, Westcott
Motor company, F. & N. Lawn Mower
company. It might be of interest here
to note the eighteen high school COM
mercial graduates are employed in the
offices of the Starr Piano company.
Many others are scattered through the
business and law offices of the city.
When the new building was erected
office and bank fixtures were installed.
These enabled the students to get in
closer touch with real business.
The bookkeeping department is in
connection with banking department
and students who have their regular
set of bookkeeping material. that is,
ledgers, cash books, check books.
statements. etc, must 60 through the
regular routine in handling their bust
ness. Each student is given differ
ent price list, and in this way all stu
naturally must be strictly accurate and
careful in order that their books may
balance at the end of the month.
Equipment is Good.
The typewriting department is also
Well eQulppeu 1ypeWTlleFS VI tHe
latest Remington and Underwood
models are in this department Stu
dents soon learn the manipulation of
these machines and they are also in
structed how to clean and take care
of them. The touch system is employ
ed in teaching of this subject. Ad-
vancd students have attained an aver
age of 52.7 words per minute. Speed
tests are held regularly about twice
week. These tests are very beneficial
to the student in developing speed.
Miss Alice Vossler, former graduate
of the high school has charge of this
department.
Under the direction of Prof. F. H.
Gillespie and Miss Marguerite O'Neil
some of the best stenographers in the
city have been developed. The Gregg
system of shorthand is being used at
present in teaching this subject. This
system was inaugurated in 1914 when
it was found to be somewhat superior
to the Pittman system, which was be-
ing used prior to this.
One of the features of this study is
the use of original business letters for
dictation. Mr.. Gillespie told students to
bring all the business letters they
could procure to the class, and in this
way original business letters were
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