Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-07-17
ny FREDERIC s. IAskIN

NEW YORK. July lG.-Cnfortunatc-
~ for TIA" writer's Of human interest
stories and the manufacturers OF stand
ard grades OF chewing gum. the popu-
lar American shop girl typo is passing
out of existence. lr = few more years
She viii hr gone. In her place has APP
pcar"d self possessed Intelligent
young woman. with Il knowledge Of tho
psychology Of customers and pro
f"sSi"uhl training ~ The matter Of
selling goods. ITuc. a ,rcditablc num-
hcr Of Tho old-iimers s'ill lounge over
e variety OF counters aud shout at tho
purchasers. but as a rule the com
petition at the educated stlcswoman
leaves them far behind, and they are
soon forced into another field.
Tho gradual evolution has been
brought about 10y the department stores
themselves. WHO after many years dis
covered that the secret of success lay
in an efficient selling force. The first
educational reform in the store came
ahou, through the children employed
ON its force ~ - estimated that
$1,000 children stop their school work
every year - obtain work in Ncw
York. OF these larG" proportion
enter the city department stores as
messengers. bundle wrappers or cash
girls. Tile law requires that these
children shall be furnished an cduca-
ton by their employers. under tho su-
pcrvision Of the Board OF Education:
otherwise, They are taken away and
marched back 10 school by a trusrt
officer. consequently, there Is now Il
public school in every large depart
ment store in the city, teaching ,irith-
inetic, English. spelling. geography.
pcnmansh.p hygiene ani practical
business methods. and tins school not
only has - day attendance al many
children. hut - nigh, Attendance Of
hundreds ut shop girls anxious to
learn.
In many stores there are also special
training classes. held three nights a
week, in which the employees arc leo
tUrcd in successful craftsmanship. store
methods and the entire national and
international department store syst"rn
Many OF these classes includ" courses
in French 81 German. IN. knowledge
OF which is usually necessary 20 be
como a successful buyer Each girl is
mado To- feel that her promotion into
tn" stores high places is limited only
10y hcr ahlltty aud ambition
Education Increases Efficiency.
the establishment Of these schools
requires q tremendous original outlay
for teachers textbooks and school
facilities but tho stores have more
than made up FOR 1t tn the greater CT
firicncy "t their selling force which
has brought Increased protirs. Adycr-
Using Is tho prime essential in bring
inG Dcopl" to the store, but after that
II Is up I" IN" selling force TO make
them buy the goods And better than
any written ads IS that word of mouth
advertisement which travels from one
customer 10 another and bring people
back again and again to buy at that
particular store. Under these circum-
stances, one indifferent or dISCourtcOuS
sa!"SW oman may hc the direct means
OF losing hVc customers
Not iouS ago an actress bought q
"a ant
store where she hmd an account. and
ordered IL sent to her residence. Upon
trying II on ih. next morning. She dis
covered that II had small white spot
or Tie hem Of the skirt which an
p"arcd 10 have been caused by an acid
81 some sort. As the spot had not been
on the suit when She bought 1t and
since II had not occurred while in her
house, she Immediately took it back
ana showed II 10 the salcswoman.
Inc SUIT HAPPENED TO be the only one
the department had in stock. 50 the
actress explained that she would keep
II II the saicswomhn would have the
skirt altered so ,hat the spot would
not snow. NJ THIS point, the buyer of
the department arrived in a disa gree
able frame Of mind, and told the aC-
trcSS that such "a thing would be i'm
possible unless she paid for il, and
that otherwise the store would simply
send the suit back to the factory. In
other words, according to the buyer,
tho store preferred to lose "A profitable
sale rather than to accommodate a
customer
The actress howcvcr having. a deter
mined disposition. demanded 10 sec the
manager Of The stare IN whom she
described The Incident and that after
noon she went home carving tbe sniff
which had hocu neatly lived as we'll
as q series Of ,,oIo,,;ce from INC on
tirc d.n,rt,,,a,,, IN dis,.ourtcsv If
tbc b,,ycr i'm me ;ns,onno una,.,v lost
Tho store :, vaInohIc account and
rather th,,, nave IL banncn o.,in. tho
,n.,,,,ccr,n,,, ,rofor,.nd "a To-. tho