The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1953-10-01
Corporations And Liberal Arts

Blufton college people and hers of the essentially
liberal arts types of schools whA have had their difficulties
in these days of specialization in Expressing the value of THE
weounded product of the ba education in contrast to
the highly skilled techncan will be interested to know that
corporation presidents ae beginning to with
them.
speech bv John l. McCaey president Internation-
al Harvester which Nwas reprinted Fortune indicates
favorable turn of hinkRg R the numerous "BlufftOn
colleges" MNH
Said Mr. McCatAxi 1.-THE biggest trouble with industry
is that it is full of hehnan beings.
Going on he pointed to some of the changes
that have taken place in Industry long ago products
in their entirety by a\ngle craftsman. Now
nearly every small operaNoA Oh every part every product
is performed by different In other words work has
become extremely specialized and not only it applies to
the jobs of factory workers.
Mr. McCaffreys vew "Ihe specialization of manage
all levels including the executive has Jagged
what behind the specialization of equipment and employees
but is following exactly the same course and giving rise to
the problems. We have lot of people like Ed Wynns
famous painter who only painted boats and not horses and
when customer insisted that he do picture of his horse
the painter said: "We all right But it's gonna look like
boat"
Business needs these specialists of course-needs them
in vast numbers and every scientific chronological field
The colleges and universities have recognized the huge de-
mand and adapted their educational systems to it. The
advantages of such specialization obviousthe smaller the
area, the more quickly man became expert But
there disadvantages too Mr. McCafrey sad The
world of the specialist and it tends to produce
human beings The specialist usually does not
overall effects the business And he tends to Judge
good and evil right and wrong by the sole standard of his
speciality"
What, then, is the soluton2 Mr. McCafrey mentioned
the interest expressed by many well
Others in giving time 70 liberal arts education But
it that top executives generally have been derect in
praccng what they preach this regardthey hire about
all the chemists and engineers other specialists they
find but slow to take te liberal arts graduates One
approach which he personally thinks is promising is for
corporations to send younger executives colleges for train
ing and broadening.
But whatever the taken Mr. McCafrey finds that
ndusys need is Ito produce type of business executive
who after carefully learning all balls round will not
be completely abbergasted e first time he meets that
has square side And he will them for live in
complicated word-a world that has spiritual and moral
problems greater than its economic and technical prob
lens. If the kind of business system have
vive must be stated by who deal with problems
of both kinds"
These the masters whip instruct without rods and
feules without harsh words and anger without clothes
you approach them they be not asleep nvesti-
eating interrogate them they conceal nothing you
mistake them they grunble you ignorant they
cannot laugh at Whosoever therefore acknowledges
himself to be jealous follower of truth happiness WISDOM
science must of necessity make himself lover of books
Richard De Bury
Labor disgraces man; fortunately you occasionally
find men who disgrace labor.-Uysses S. Grant