White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1931-01-09

CermlnaClOn, Cne BOY QeclQeu 10
win an education and find out
perplexing questions. Hundred
circumstances and with the same set
of conditions merely accepted these
things without once questioning them
just because they had always done
them that way.
The Land Of Education and Success
So penniless immigrant boy from
Serbia at the age Of fifteen landed in
New York in 1874 and, years later,
having worked his way through Co.
lumbia University, concentrated the
wonder and simplicity Of his mind
upon the problem Of sound, which
had puzzled him as shepherd boy.
The results of his thinking he
has accomplished for the long dis
lance telephone and for radio commu-
nication by his inventions-are known
the world over. "If during the past
twenty-five years this company had
been compelled to do without one in
vention of Michael Pupin," an official
of the American Telephone and Tele.
graph Company once said, "and yet
!. give the same service it is giving to-
day 1t would have had to spend at
least $1O0,OO0,000 more than 1t has ex-
pended"
These inventions, in which millions
Of dollars of capital have been invest
ed, were the result Of the thinking OF
a mere country lad who had the sim
plicity to wonder, the determination
to know and. the power to apply what
he learned.
Stimulating the Imagination and
thinking is the greatest purpose of ed
ucation. What American business
needs more than anything else is
young men and women to think-indi-
viduals who are not mentally anchored
to tradition, who do not merely appro-
pirate other peoples ideas, but who
are hard, purposeful thinkers, indie
pendent and unprejudiced, with the
ability to concentrate and strike
straight for the heart Of problem.
Business Needs Folk Who Think
America has astounded the world by
its readiness in casting aside tradi-
tional viewpoints, disregarding tradi-
tional difficulties and pioneering new
shortcut formulas in the realm OF
business. Business Is undergoing
epochal changes.
Business problems are crowding In
upon us 80 rapidly that the executive
knows not where to look for adequate
help or relief. With the enormous in
crease in size and intricacy OF bust
ness affairs the problems have become
30 complicated and the mass Of infor-
nation necessary to their solution so
great that the days are not long
enough" The demand for managerial
and executive ability is rushing ahead
the opportunity for young men and
women who have the professional
training and who develop genuine
thinking power is greater than ever.
All business feels the same crying
need for the men who see clearly and
think conclusively. Wherever we look
manufacturing, wholesaling, retail
ing, banking, financing-new forces
are at work. Vast movements are I'M
der way and executives are seeking
light upon perplexing problems daily.
Let us consider briefly the five es-
sentials Of sound thinker. II were
looking for young man OF exception.
al promise should hope, first, to find
In him the simplicity to wonder. Ev-
cry great advancement in business
has been made by men who dared to
wonder, who had the courage to in
quire into present procedure and who
had the audacity to ask whether some.
thing that had been done a certain
way for long time might not be
wrong. Although the history OF Amer
ica's progress from its very discovery
to the present time has shown the
value of an inquiring mind. there Is
still an inevitable tendency In most
men to accept in docile manner the
opinions, methods. supposed facts,
procedures and processes OF the past.
With due reverence to the effort the
spirit. the accomplishments Of the
past, let us make 1t our rule that ev-
erythinc be looked at with the clear
questioning mind Of the scientist.