The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1925-03-13
EXCURSIONS IN
CORRESPONDENCE
By THOMAS ARKLE CLARK
Dean of Men, University of Illinois.
Answering Letters


+ THINK l have written more letters
L that have not been answered than
anyone else In the world. Perhaps the
reason of this lies in the fact that
have had to ask people 10 do q great
many things they did not want 10 do.
to pay obligations they had no desire
or intention of paying; ! have been
the purveyor of Ill tidings, the an
nouncement of which they saw no rea-
son to acknowledge.
Most letters require an answer es-
pecially If they are in any way per
with propriety be acknowledged. The
man who gets the reputation for an
swering his letters promptly has de-
velOped q good business asset. When
a man does not answer his letters.
begin to distrust his reliability and his
business acumen. have in mind now
man of prominence and position. I
have written him three times during
the last few years concerning personal
matters with which he was connected
and which involved some financial re-
sponsibility. He has acknowledged
none Of these letters, though know
from other sources that he received
them. His failure to do so shows a
certain weakness, ] feel.
Many people reply only to. letters
which are matter of self-interest or
advantage. If a reply gets them no.
where, earns them no money. why
should they spend time and a postage
stamp on it, they ask. 1t is selfish
point of view.
had special delivery letter a
short time ago from an old acqualnt-
ance of mine whom years ago had
helped out of a hole by loaning him
twenty dollars had written him at
intervals, calling his attention 70 the
fact that he was still delinquent and
that was still needy. but had so far
had my trouble for my pains. This
time he wanted letter Of recon-
mendation to help him to land inb
down in Arizona. wrote him that
would answer his last letter when he
had replied to mine. Immediately l
got reply promising quick payment.
but have never heard from him
since.
/ wrote a letter not long ago TO
Burton, asking for his sons address.
He had been in college the year be-
fore and the letter had sent to him
at the last address given had been re-
turned. got no reply. Then wrote
again saying that found that the boy
in leaving had forgotten to collect his
military deposit. and that If could
get his address would send it to him.
received a letter in the next mail.
It makes all the difference in the
world whether it is your OK or mine
that is gored.
have officially good many I'M
pleasant things to write to the fathers
Of the young men with whom am as
sociated-letters concerning unpaid
laundry bills. and room rent, and vio-
lation of regulations. and scholastic
delinquencies. These are letters
which are not pleasant to receive and
are sometimes not easy to answer. In
more cases than otherwise. they are
not replied to at all, and when do
receive an answer in a majority of in
stances 1t is from mother rather than.
father, who like Adam in the Garden
of Eden has ditched the whole mat
ter, and thrown the responsibility upon
the woman. She usually explains the
fact of her writing by saying that her
husband is very busy man, and so
has not had time TO reply to my letter.
but has asked her to do so. But
know that this Is all bosh; 1t was a
job he didn't like, and so he wished 1t
on her know, too, that 1t is the busy
man who is most likely to reply to his
letters. He has no time to waste; so
he does at once what has to be done.
If letters are to be answered at all
they should be answered promptly.
The prompt reply gives confidence and
satisfaction. Some people do not reply
quickly to letters because they claim
that If you wait while there are a
good many letters that answer them
selves, and so you are saved the
bother, but such people will never be
likely to get far In business way.
There are various reasons why peo-
pie do not reply to letters, though few
Of them are good. They do not always
know what to say, and so, put off the
task, hoping for an inspiration. They
procrastinate until the time Is past
when reply would be fitting They
are selfish and seeing no personal
profit in replying, let it go. Proper
material is not always at hand.
The man who seems to me the most
punctilious in answering his letters
has all his materials at hand. both at
home and at his place OF business. II
a moment of leisure comes he does not
have to look for parer, or ink. or
pens, or stamp; they are all there, and
his only task is to write the letter.
70 1925. by Western Newspaper Union)
Postscripfs