The Washington times., 1936-08-28
CLERK SCHOOL
BOASTS 81
COURSES
BY J. EARLE MOSER


Boosting a varied selection Of
almost so different courses of
study, the Department Of Agr1-
cultures Graduate School will
open it's 1936-37 school year Sep
tember IA.
The pride of both officials and
personnel, the school IS once
again under the direction Of DR..
A. F. woods, located in Room
4O9O of the Agriculture South
Building, and as usual is open
to all Government employees who
care to advance their qualifica-
tions by part-time study as we'll
as other qualified persons.
Tuition has been kept within a
scale amenable to the average
Government pocketbooK. accord
ing to the departments announce
ments, the tuition being $12 per
semester for classes requiring
two hours per week and SIS for
those requiring three hours, and
there is a 50 registration fee
which will be returned in case a
class proves too small to con-
tinue. Glasses are to begin at
4:45 p. m. in certain rooms Of
the Agriculture buildings, "or as
soon thereafter as the students
assemble" some workers having
to travel a considerable distance
after office hours terminate.
At present exactly 81 separate
types of courses are planned for
students, to be handled by in
StructorS selected from scientific
and professional staffs Of agricul-
ture bureaus and cooperating col
legeS in the vicinity, those con-
nected with the Government be-
ing almost entirely under Civil
Service and holding their posi-
tions by merit alone. The depart
ment points out that they COM
pare favorably with the staffs Of
the leading colleges and univer-
sites from which most of t h m
were originally drawn"
Among courses expected to lead
in popularity are Survey of Per.
Sonnel Management, Management
and Supervision, Department Per
Sonnel Problems, a Special Series
of Lectures on Agriculture Depart
ment Objectives, Administrative
Law, Federal Jurisdiction and
Procedure, Contemporary Eco
nomic Problems, Principles of Eco
nomics, Principles Of Accounting
and Technical Shorthand Speed
Writing.
Numerous scientific subjects re-
lating to agriculture work also
are on the prospectus, as are most
of the leading foreign languages,
including French, German, Rus
sian, Spanish and Italian. EN-
ployeS desiring courses that haven't
been planned have been advised
to confer with others who might
be interested to see if self-sup-
porting class can be formed. One
dozen students is the usual mini
mum.
The subject matter of the per-
Sonnel management course in
cludes such items as the rise and
development Of unions in public |
service, the technique of testing,
problems of recruitment, transfer
and promotion, lay-offs and rein
statements, efficiency records, dis.
cipline, welfare activities, political
activities and service ethics and
retirement. DR.. Emery e. Olson
will be the instructor.
Director Woods is to conduct the
series of lectures on the depart
ment's objectives, which are not to
be publicity or propaganda" He
declares:
"EmpIoyes have said they
want to know what it is all
about They want to know
and should know the purpose of
the work they are doing-just
how it contributes to public vel.
fare. The stenOgrapher, the file
clerk, the machine operator,
each should know the ultimate
purpose of the work they are
doing and how their work con-
tributes to the desired end.
They should know and feel the
Importance and usefulness of
their particular job and just
how it contributes to the public
good. This develops greater in
terest and satisfaction all
around"