The Washington herald., 1920-08-22
FOR
REALTY JOBS
College Course, Says Wis
consin Professor, Will
Give Confidence.

Business in America is rapidly
becoming a professiOns says an arr
ticle by Richard 7. Ely, of the Uni
versity of Wisconsin,. in the Ma
tiOnal Real Estate Journal.
Business as a profession suggests
certain ideals which carry " be-
yond mere dollars and cents. In the
long run il may mean even higher
gains, but it also means. and neces-
sarily must mean, that something
else is being added to the pursuit Of
gain; and that something is service.
"Probably We will all agree that
from the social point of view the
real estate business, while progress
ing. is still in a comparatively prim-
itive condition. so far as organiza-
tion is concerned and so far as
ideals of service are concerned.
There is many a large retail busi-
ness to which one can send lad
to make a purchase and in which no
advantage will be taken OF his i'm
maturity and incXperience. do
mot think many of US would think
lit wise to send a young and mex
, perienced person to make pur-
chase of real estate OF the average
dealer: but the point to be cmpha-
sized is that the spirit of progress
and of improvement has taken hold
| of this business.
Realtors Must Earn Trust.
Progress and improvement there
must be if the real estate business
is to hold its own. There is in this
country an organized movement, di-
rected against private property in
! land, which is the foundation of the
ireal estate business. We live in
new world-a world in which the
bOlshevik agitator- may be as prone
to set a hearing as the person who
CounSCls wisely. 1t is high time
| that We should put our house in or
! der. If the land owners are to avoid
| danger they must recognize that
! they have a social mission.
Land is not a staple commodity
that can be graded and divided into
A few classes like wheat. Because
! land is so infinitely varied in its
! characteristics and qualities. and
consequently value, expert knowl-
edge is needed in dealing with it
/ successfully. The inexperienced
man needs the services Of the eXpe-
Irienced man. The experienced deal
er should feel that he occupies in
peculiar degree a position of trust,
just. as much as lawyer or physi-
| clan of high type.
Suggests Realty schools.
The medical and legal profess
sions have been able to reach a high
standard of social service because
our educational institutions have
come to their aid and are now offer
ing to the future professional men.
not only a high grade training on
the technical side, but also a num-
ber of courses of a general nature,
which are nevertheless essential to
his later success. Why could not
our universities offer a similar
course of studies to the future real
estate man? Such a course would
be general in nature during the
first two years, while the last two
years would be professional. inClud-
ing accounting, principles of vaiua-
ton. etc. Added on to the regular
undergraduate course, there might
be a research department to inves-
tigate unsolved problems and to-
study the best practices in this and
other countries.
In a relatively new field of eco
nomiCs, such as the problems of land
and landed property, the subject OF
original research must occupy an
important place. Why might not
the state legislatures appropriate to
the universities in the states the
comparatively modest sums neces-
,sary to develop courses relating to
real estate and to carry on investi-
cations? If the real estate business
becomes profession, it will get in
to closer and closer relations with
our educational institutions. and, on
the other hand, our educational in
stitutions will do more than they
have ever done heretofore for the
real estate business"