Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1917-02-01

brother of Mrs W. T. Jones of this
city He is the man who was favor
ably and friendly associated wita
President Wilson's daughter last
year. We are glad to reproduce the
following article about his success
taken from the Banker, Merchant and
Manufacturer published in Chicago.
This article appeared in the January
Is, 1917, number.
Every business man in this coun-
try is thinking, studying, and talking
business preparedness. We realize that
if we are to hold our own in a com
merciaI way after the great war ends,
we are going to need in this country
a degree of business effectiveness
higher than any we have yet attained.
Realizing this fact, The Banker,
Merchant and Manufacturer has been
making a study of the people who
have attained success in several com
mercial lines, with the idea of helping
others by explaining these successes
in a common sense way.
In our investigation of the publish
ing business we heard one name con
stantly mentioned by the paper
houses, the printers, the engravers,
and, in fact, by all the trade, in a
favorable way. Some said that F. E.
Compton & Company was Give com
pany," others that it was a square
company" others, that it did business
on the right basis. Then we began
calling on the publishing companies.
We found that even the competitors
of this large company spoke of it in
the same manner. They said, "Have
you met Compton," and do you
know the way Compton conducts his
business ?"
Business Built on Service.
We were told by 'the trade that the
fundamental idea underlying all that
F, f. Compton & Company did and at
tempted to do was that of service, so
we were looking for something excep-
tional when we dropped into the mag
nifcent offices which occupy a half
floor of the new Garland Building at
Washington and Wabash.
We seemed to feel the very spirit
Of service in the atmosphere as we
entered the office. The good light,
airy quarters overlooking the lake
showed the thoughtfuIness and care
If the company in selecting healthy
working quarters for the executive
officers and the office force.
IN Investigating this company our
interest turned first to its ideals Of
service, and the way in which it has
carried the Golden Rule in business.
Service is necessarily the basic the
Dry of all selling today, but the Comp
ton ideal Of service is broader and
deeper than that attained by most
companies. 1t holds that the maker
and seller of books which are essen
tial to the education of the young
must constantly keep ahead of the
educators in the development of our
educational problems. To carry out
this ideal Of service it has an edi-
torial staff, headed by Francis B. At
kinson, which does nothing but keep
the New Students Reference Work
ahead Of the modern educational
thought and up to the last minute in
current events.
This company believes that it is
rendering the public a genuine service
in bringing out something that is alb
solutely necessary to the work Of the
modern school, and in making that
article the very best that it can be
made; in selling it as cheaply and on
as easy terms as possible
This company is necessarily placing
emphasis on the ideal Of service in
its weekly bulletins, through its sales
literature and sales letters, and by
word of mouth through the sales man
ayers and the officers Of the company.
This House Inspires Loyalty.
After talking with the officers of
this company and with some of the
people who work with them, we were
very much impressed with the loyalty
that seemed to exist for the company
and the work that it is carrying on
When we met the head of the com