The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1925-04-24
EXCURSIONS I'm
CORRESPONDENCE
BY THOMAS ARKLE CLARK
Dean Of Men, University of Illinois.


K \, 4 X
Letters of Recommendation
a LMOST every mail brings me re-
IA quests for letters Of recommerda-
ton of men who have given my name
as reference to some Individual. or
firm to whom they have applied for
position. In only very small num-
Der of cases have these men asked me
for permission to do this, or do they
often acknowledge the courtesy after
1t has been done. The least thing that
one can do, IL he gives yonr name as
reference, is to advise you of that fact.
or if possible to ask your permission
beforehand to do SO. When you 9sk
man to take the trouble to write you
a letter of recommendation (nOt a
recommend" by the way), good man
ners require that you, at least, thank
him, for doing so.
4 A letter of recommendation Is the
easiest sort to get from almost any
one, and the people who should be
most careful as to what they say
teachers, preachers, and public men In
prominent positions-are often the
most ready to write letters of recon-
mendatien of people whom they do not
know personally, or who, at least, they
know very slightly. Letters are
brought to me every September by
young men just entering college, writ
ten by men with whom they have no
acquaintance, and with whom they
4 have no connection, excepting that the
man who writes the letter lives in the
same congressional district, as the
uncle or the father Of the boy, who
presents it to me. Such letter is sell
dom worth a great deal as evidence.
The letter that is carried by the per-
son recommended to the one to whom
1t is written, Is of far less value than
the one that is mailed directly. You
are likely to know the contents of
letter that Is in your pocket, even If It
Is sealed, and If you do know,sit is
quite certain that the writer will have
hesitated to make any statements that
are not complimentary. If the letter
is mailed directly, the writer may be
frank; he may touch on the weak
nesses, as well as sing the praises of
the man Of whom he is writing, and SO
give a more convincing and truthful
estimate Of him.
There are those who hold that If you
are writing letter. of recommends
ton, you are under obligation to say
only coed of the man concerned, or to
keep silent altogether. had very
serious argument with young fellow
few years ago, into whose hands had
fallen a letter which I had written
about him, in which communication, l
had pointed out certain weaknesses OF
his. He held that, having agreed to
write a letter Of recommendation for
him. was, by that agreement, under
obligation to speak only of his good
qualities. There Is no greater nom
sense than this. A letter Of recon-
mendation should attempt to give as
faithful and correct an estimate OF .
mans qualifications as possible, and
this, to be fair, should include, also,
man to fill any position because one
thinks him perfect, but because the
sum of his personal, and intellectual
characteristics seems to be such as to
fit him satisfactorily to fill the position
in question. To know his weaknesses
and unless he is something more than
human, he has them, is more often
than otherwise an advantage.
It ought, perhaps. also to be borne
In mind that a letter Of recommends
ton is the property, not of the one
about whom it is written, but Of the
one to whom 1t Is written. If such let
tiers are to be of any value, they must
generally be confidential and it is
breach Of confidence to give. them to
the man recommended, or even to let
him know Of their contents. without
the consent OF the writer.
A letter of recommendation should.
ordinarily, Indicate the opportunities
acquainted with the person in Ques-
tion, and the length of time he has
known him. 1t should give something
of his training, his experience, ami
should, especially, dwell upon his I'M
usual. or outstanding characteristics.
If he has any qualities which fit him
especially for the position for which
he has applied, these should be men
toned. Integrity, trustworthiness,
willingness to work. and ability to get
on with people comfortably. are all
qualities worth mentioning.
Every one will, at one time or an
other, be asked to recommend man
for a position for which neither his
character, nor his training fit him. The
only reasonable thing to do in such a
case is to say frankly to the man who
asks for the letter, that you cannot
write 1t. In such case 1t would be
unfair, both to the applicant, and to
those who might employ him, to help
him to position which he was not
qualified to I'LL.