The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1949-09-03

D
dealing with the problems Of
youth seeking to ct themselves
for their life work. - Editors
note).
Remember, the one that is pre-
pared, gets the job! Now that you
are entering a school for higher,
learning, think carefully about
what you want to be. If you are
not sure, it might be wise to take
an aptitude test. Your local "Y'
or social agency win tell you
where. Choose your subjects
wisely, study hard, get some ex-
perience (you may have to give
your services free in order to get
it)) and make as many contacts
as you can. The value Of this
last suggestion cannot be over
emphasized because when you
boil it right down your success
depends upon education, personal
qualifications, contact and luck.
Experience runs education close
second. so take advantage of every
opportunity to get it, Maybe
there's a nearby agency, news
paper, institution or church
where you can become a Volun-
teer Worker. If you have a
friend or relative in business,
learn it! Out of these circum-
stances will come your oppor-
tunity. Be ready for it when it
comes.
The word secretary signifies
person who has charge of the
secrets of his employer The line
between the secretary and the
stenographer, of course, has dis
stenographer is not sharp.
The duties of the two are
closely related, the stenogra-
pher, Of course, has distinc-
tive ability. She knows some
system of shorthand well and can
transcribe her notes on the type
writer. The secretary, while she
finds these abilities useful land
please, do take up shorthand
when you take tipping, it makes
it so much easier to get a job)
knows that they are only a be-
ginning of what she needs. Since
the secretarial range of useful
ness is very wide, more than a
single course of study is neces-
sarry. Consider secretarial edu-
cation under two heads, general
or preparatory and technical or
special.
Whether you have in mind gen.
eral or special training, it is neces-
sary to classify secretarial work.
Distinguish between the private
or personal secretary and the in
stitutional or organization secre-
tary. The latter is person who
records minutes Of meetings of
boards of directors, trustees, COM
| mittees, etc. This type Of secre-
tarry needs little technical train
/ ing but should have a good gen
eral education. The private or
personal secretary may be a So
cial, educational, literary, politi-
cal, ecclesiastical or business sec
rotary according to the person he
or she serves in any of these pro-
LESSONS or occupations.
Secretarial education presup-
poses a thorough high school
course. After this preparatory
training follows liberal educa-
tion W MAJOR emphasis on the
particular field you have in view,
The prospective social secretary
gives major emphasis to philan-
thropy, history, art, literature
The prospective educational sec
rotary centers her major interest
on comparative education, edu-
cational administration, the phi.
losophy of education, history Of
education, etc. The literary sec.
rotary must have literary taste
knowledge of style and wide
acquaintance with the world
best literature. The political sec
rotary will need history, eco
Monies, sociology, law, etc. The
ecclesiastical secretary must add
to liberal education a knowl-
edge of church polity. Business
secretaries concentrate on eco
Monies, geography, industrial his
tory, commercial law, account
ing, sociology and psychology
The general education has to be
aimed at the particular field in
which the secretarial duties are
to be performed to obtain the best
results. Without such general
education, the secretary remains
merely clerk or stenograpner
Secretarial education in its
technical or specialized form is
usually assigned in the public
schools to the last two years Of
the regular high school course
but is much more effective in
grades beyond high school, espe-
cially so with collegiate courses
as a background. This technical
training can. be given in one OF