The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1925-11-19
EXCURSIONS IN
CORRESPONDENCE
BY THOMAS ARKLE CLARK
Dean of Men, University of Illinois.
The Business Letter


THE business letter is different from
other letters only in that If is no
to please, or to amuse, or to appeal I,
the imagination, unless, perhaps, on,
is trying to sell oil stock or blue sky
Its object is to give information. tt
present facts, or to ask for them. Its
appeal Is TO the understanding, or the
judgment of those to whom it is
written.
In writing a business letter, there is
no reason for using different language.
or different sentence structure than we
use in friendly letters, or In letters of
courtesy. We should use complete
sentences, and correct spelling. and
put the letter into as good form as if
we were writing a note Of thanks. or
an invitation to a dinner party. 1t is
true, we should be clear, direct. and
to the point, but that does not mean
that we are to leave out subjects of
sentences, and articles, and principal
words, and write as if we were com-
posing a telegram, and were trying to
save money on words. 1t simply means
that whatever is unnecessary, or ex.
%traneous to the subject in hand, should
De omitted. We are writing mainly to
be understood, and clearness and di-
rectness are, therefore, the points to
be emphasized. Terseness does not
necessitate the omission of the main
parts of a sentence.
Certain business firms who do large
ly a mail order business with illiterate
and badly trained people, hold to the
opinion, or once did at least, that &C.
curacy of form in a business letter is
not necessary; that what the average
person wants In such a letter is a
clear statement Of fact, and that it
makes little difference If the spelling
is incorrect, the arrangement of the
matter on the page careless, and the
punctuation erratic. If the reader I'M
~derstands. that is sufficient.
There came into my hands not long
ago, a letter of such a sort which
reproduce here without change ex-
as to names and location. The
was evidently done by one who
learning, the. spelling has the
of originality, the punctuation,
the omission of a single period
makes the weekly rate seem a little !
nigh, but that is a mere detail which !
perhaps did not convey a wrong i'm 4
preston, and may very well be over. /
ooked, since the writer was apparently 1
attempting to follow the prevailing Gus J
ON of cutting the punctuation down to 4
minimum. q
Bentonville, Va. March 20, 1924 I
(or of March The 18th received y
or in quarey for rates & rout to ben &
0nyille received & i will give 70 the \
Dome with 2 beds & make every than b
IS nice for you & yor wifi as psible u
ur rate is $3.50 pr weak & the best 4
way out of casey is to take a motor !
ar at the k&A depo for ~jonesvilIe &
a q we will meet you thare with a X
ar for bentonville, % Miles rail & Ia r
tomobiel if Mr.. Shean is coming you q
I'LL have some one that will take you f.
to see the Mountains. g
ope this will bee satsfacter & YOU will k
ONE for a month are too we have -
find century & good Mountai wat
er fine fishing, ~
yers Truly &
The letter indisputably has original -
Y, but one must feel that if the
riter's hotel is conducted like his cor -
it will be a place full OF
Many people feel that authorizations,
cures instead Of words, and contrac-
ons and elisions of every sort are
gns of efficient business methods In r
riting. These things, more often than
herWise, are an indication of haste.
carelessness, and of a lack of train
g. They suggest shirt sleeves at a
-rty. The only excuse for using fig
es in a business letter is that figures
space, and appeal more di-
city to the eye than do written words.
lie most careful writer's now use them
aringly. i
written by business men who
y any attention to form are not now
lrred by sentences without subjects.
clipped off at one point or another,
suggest conciseness, such as yours
I'd; glad to have order and will see
1t 1t is shipped at once"
a sentence is more like a tele-
I'm than a real letter, and pleases -