The Washington herald., 1917-09-08
BUSINESS SCHOOLS
SERVICE in WARTIME
Women Are Being Trained to Take
Mems Places.

by JOHN II. KENNEDY, LIB,
Director of Technical Department.
Pace Institute.
War tests the public service render
ed by schools. During a war In which
teacher is the executive head of this
nation the schools must meet this
test. No wider opportunities for war
service exist than in those schools
teaching business administration.
Three definite steps may be taken by
a business administration school: O
Training women to take the place OF
such men as may be called into the
military and naval service; (2) train
ing men to meet the increased de-
mand for executive ability caused by
the necessity fog increased national
efficiency; (0 extending vocational
service so that the trained men and
women may be placed where their
services will do the most good.
Possibly the best illustration of the
need for women who understand Office
work comes from the United States
government. The government authori-
ties have issued instructions that, so
far as practicable, women are to be
preferred in filling new governmental
positions. In addition to this, business
houses are besieging vocational agen-
cies with requests for women clerks
and women bookkeepers.
Business administration schools have
been awake to this demand. For ex-
ample. Pace Institute at the very out
set OF the war established a course
in war emergency clerical service for
women. Other institutions in New York
such as Columbia University. have
,N,k g.E, rf,
throughout the United States, busi-
ness administration schools are teach
ing thousands OF women anxious to
do what they can to help in the pres
ent emergency. This is even before
| the effects of the Universal-Service
law have been fully felt. When that
law gets into full operation and young
men are withdrawn from business pur-
suits. the demand will be astonishing.
Executive Jobs for Women.
Primarily. these women are studying
| just enough to meet present require
| ments. Many of them, however, are
\ taking complete business administra-
tion courses. Unquestionably some wo-
men will become business executives.
] This Is hardly true Of the majority,
who are only temporarily in business.
Most women who take business admin
istration courses do so solely to under
stand more about business. This in
terest in the professional side of bus
mess has been greatly increased by
the Liberty bond issue. Men and wo-
men are studying corporate securities
and finance as never before. Books are
too technical for them to understand; 4;
hence they are taking complete
courses which teach the subjects from
their very foundations.
Aside from this stimulated interest
in business administration, the war
has keyed UP the desire for business
efficiency. One would naturally sup
pose that the effect of this would be
felt Immediately. This is by no means
the case. Most business men are con-
servative. They let the more venture
some experiment. The fact that an
other concern has installed a system
with success has more weight with
them than all the arguments for
changing which might be advanced. Do
not misunderstood me. Modern sys-
TENS are installed today in many busi-
ness houses. But there are thousands
which have not yet installed them;
thousands of the more conservative
business houses with whom the proc
ess of education has only commenced.
Most of these will be demanding the
modern type of business executive
within the next two or three years.
New legislation concering business
has almost entirely centered around
profits in one form or another. Dis
cussions are constantly being held as
to the precise measurement OF profit,
Government decisions on the income
tax sent out by the Trea sury De-
partment at Washington almost every
week illustrate the many complica-
tions which may arise in connec-
tion with profits of a business. This
is educational, and emphasizes the
need for a closer watch OF the ele-
ments which enter into profit de-
termination. Upon every side there
is a demand for men skilled in un-
derstanding the meanings which lie
behind a statement of profit and loss /;
for men who can advise the action
to be taken to discourage unfavorable
and to encourage favorable ten
denotes as disclosed by these state
ments. Today the supply of skilled
executives does not meet this de-
mand. Business administration schools
who endeavor to supply executives
to business houses will be confront
ed with no small problem when this
demand increases.
In my opinion the services OF the
business administration school should
not end with the training of students.
I conceive 1t to be part OF its duty
to place trained men and trained
women where their service can be
best utilized This is particularly true
in the present situation. As an exam
pie, the vocational work done by Pace
Institute might be cited. Some Of the
women who have completed the spe-
cial course are now actively engaged
In governmental clerical work. 9th
ers are in the commercial houses
whose forces were depleted by enlist
ments. This vocational service has
likewise placed men.
Within few weeks after war was
declared, we were called upon to fur
nish men to the navy and to the Ma
rine Corps. Our vocational records
were consulted, and the necessary
men supplied within a few days. Some
of the graduates of New York's pro-
fessional business schools are now
doing accounting work connected with
the construction of army canton
ments; others are in government en-
ploy. Still others are taking civil
service examinations for special gov
ernmental positions. All this is be-
cause the business trained man or
woman is as useful to the peculiar
conditions of war as to the normal
conditions Of peace.
Another field of the business ad-
ministration school is to contribute
toward national efficiency by increas-
human efficiency 'in business. No
longer can the average young man
or young woman train in the business
organization for positions as business