with the University of Pennsylvania, was the first school of much importance (backed by state recognition) to young people desiring a commercial education. But it was fully twenty years after this before the department received anything like just recognition. This school was followed by departments in other universities. Notably among these are the Universities of California, Michigan, Dartmouth College, New York, Wisconsin, Illinois, Ohio, Chicago, Indiana, and others.

Many of these have been given such authority as to enable them to confer the degree of Bachelor of Science, leading to the degree of Master of Arts, upon completing the full commercial course.

We may also add to these the advantages of the schools in foreign countries. Many of these countries have erected and equipped buildings and are supporting the schools at public expense. Even in Russia there are more than forty commercial schools which are under the direct control of the master of finance. These schools in some instances are supported by the merchants of the cities in which they are located, others by tuition, but many of them by direct government aid. The instructors are regarded as being in the service of the state and have certain governmental rights.

In the school at Tiflis there are more than forty instructors, and these being employed by the government give to the school a recognition which could not be had in any other way. Germany, seeing her best people scattering to all parts of the world, decided that proper attention be given to her young men by preparing them for commercial life, hence she established technical schools. These were placed under the direct supervision of the government and considered a part of the educational system of the country. The prestige thus gained has given their conduct international reputation. The same qualifications are required to enter these schools as are exacted to enter any other department of a university. It also gives social standing, which heretofore has been a serious handicap among business men. These schools have done much to elevate the standard of international ethics, which the marvelous growth of the country has made necessary.

In Japan the schools at Tokio, Kobe, and other places deserve much credit for the thoro business conduct of the affairs of the empire. The first school of Japan was like unto the splendid private schools of our country, but it was looked upon with disfavor by the government because it was feared that young men might be trained away from Japanese interests. But when these graduates took their places in the commercial world the value of their education was seen and the emperor was among the first to suggest increasing, at public expense, the facilities of such schools.

France was among the first to detect the commercial value of schools for the training of young men for business pursuits. Switzerland, like many of the other countries, began early to establish schools of commerce. Notable among these is the commercial school of the city Neunberg, the commercial school of St. Gall, the commercial school of Zurich, the central commercial

college of Bellinzona. There are twenty-seven of these schools, and while there is much room for improvement, yet the country is rapidly solving the problem of the commercial schools. What is true of these schools is true of the schools of many of the other countries of Europe. England perhaps is more backward than any other of the great nations.

These schools of commerce are in reality miniature worlds-eminences, if you please, on which, thru the instructors, the boys and girls are permitted to have a comprehensive view of not one nation only but of every nation of the earth; places from which the commerce of the world may be seen, where not only a knowledge of literature and the sciences may be obtained, but where the products, the means of transportation, the geographical location, the character of the people, effects of labor and capital, may come within the knowledge of the student. While all of these afford available means for excellent preparation, there are yet additional requirements that seem essential.

The preparation necessary for engaging in the work of the various professions has, within the past few years, increased to such a degree that extending the courses of the schools of commerce seems absolutely necessary. During the last year the legislature in my own state raised the qualifications of the teacher so that before he can teach in even a country school he must have completed a course in a commissioned high school or its equivalent, and must in addition to that have one year of normal training in some special school for teachers. To obtain the lowest grade of certificate he must be a graduate of a commissioned, or certified non-commissioned, high school, or have equivalent scholarship, and at least twelve weeks in an accredited normal school. To hold a three-years' license he must be a graduate of a commissioned high school or its equivalent, have three years' successful experience as a teacher and be a graduate of a professional school for the training of teachers.

Now if all this is necessary for the teacher of the public schools, what shall be the requirements of a teacher for the schools of commerce, where young men and women are to be trained to take charge of the great business concerns of the country? What shall be the additional requirements?

I am not speaking of the requirements without which no one would undertake to teach in a school of commerce, such as a knowledge of the science of accounts both theoretical and practical, of commercial arithmetic, commercial geography, commercial law, history of commerce, international law, a knowledge of the laws of one's own country, of their administration, etc. Beyond these, what should be the requirements? I believe everyone will agree with me that no matter what the requirements may have been formerly, the present. requirements (beyond the ordinary preparation) call for at least a college education, a thoro knowledge of mathematics, sciences, literature, language. Because that which has ostracized the business world from the professional world has been the belief that the preparation given in the commercial schools has not given the social standing. It has not been admitted that commercial studies are cultural studies. The teacher in the commercial schools must prove

his own ability and the ability of the students under him that a commercial education is deserving of as high recognition as an education in any of the professions; and that the studies pursued tend to train the mind and give as broad culture as the study of law, medicine, etc. He should be familiar with the fields of work which the student must occupy. Two of these, the most fruitful for some years to come, are the farm and the shop. I would therefore make a special plea that the teacher of commerce be thoroly familiar with agriculture and manual training, because the prosperity of a nation depends largely upon its agricultural resources; and as we are seeking the welfare and happiness of all the people it is of the greatest importance that everything that the arts and sciences and society can bring to the people in any location be brought to the family of the farmer.

Dr. Harris in one of his reports says, "Not more than 3 per cent. of all educated young people can find places in the professions." It must be admitted that almost the whole trend of education as it is now offered is toward these professions. What shall be done with the 97 per cent.? They must find employment in manual labor, for which little provision has been made.

Many a boy or a girl, who sees no beauty or utility or culture in declensions, conjugations, translations, and the extracting of roots, who may be a real drone in the class, might, if the opportunity were afforded him, enter elementary work in agriculture and manual training, and prove himself a genius. His sensibilities aroused, he would realize the necessity of extending his course of study, would turn to the university, and would complete his work.

There has never been a time when there has seemed to be such a necessity for teachers in all kinds of schools to lay formalism aside, as now. Teachers so frequently feel that their position is not one of business, but a profession; not in the sense in which a profession is usually understood, but a fancied notion of it, which prevents them from entering into and becoming factors in the great business world. This results sometimes from a fear on the part of the teacher that his views will not please everyone, and that he may not be able to hold his position. Better lose it than be a mere satellite. Teachers must be men and women of ideas, because the business world needs such. These however, cannot be obtained without broad culture. Recently I was visiting a newly equipped printing establishment where one of the great papers is published. As I passed from department to department and saw the mighty machinery at work and the army of people hurrying here and there, bringing news from all parts of the world, I was forcibly impressed with a brief conversation between our guide and the foreman of one of the departments. The guide said, "Where is Conway ?" "Gone," said the foreman. "What was the cause ?" asked the guide. "No ideas," said the foreman; "Conway was a good fellow and an excellent workman, but he had no ideas and we could not afford to pay for a man without ideas."

Teachers must be men and women who are not afraid to enter into the business interests and share the burdens of the community. They must be

1

known as workers, not merely in the "teacher's sense," but as energetic, enthusiastic forces thoroly imbued with the idea that work, incessant work, is the price of success. "He who saves his life will lose it, and he who loses his life will save it." Teachers must constantly keep growing, because the business methods of ten years ago are not the business methods of today, any more than the textbooks of ten years ago are the textbooks of today.

The world awaits men who are not one-sided, but those who can look intelligently upon both sides of any question, who have a higher notion of the business world than to believe that because one man has accumulated money is prima facie evidence that he is dishonest, or because another has failed is the best reason why he should be called honest. At the present time there seems to be an inclination, even among men of affairs, to try to advance their interests by minimizing the worth of men who have exercised their natural ability and good judgment and have established great industries. In the commercial world some men cannot help succeeding. If the cause, however, were sought it would be found that their success was not the result of mere luck, but that it was the reward of eternal vigilance.

Every effort of young people should be directed toward building up rather than tearing down. They must be willing to share their ability, even to the extent of helping those who do not know their places to find them. So many do not know the particular work for which they are naturally adapted. They may be thoroly honest and willing but may not have the ability to select the work in which they should engage. Why not train business men to be willing to try such people in different kinds of work until they find their places, because every person can do some work better than any other person. In this way specialists will be secured and useful lives saved and made happy.

The world awaits men who are willing and anxious to do something, men who are honest; and by honesty I do not mean a person who will not take money from the till. What I do mean, however, is best expressed by an experienced business man:

Employers want men who combine with ambition and natural talents honesty and the capacity for hard work. The employees whose dishonesty is the most costly are those who would never take a cent from the till, but who defraud their employers by thefts of time, thru half-hearted effort, or thru placing their own interests above those of the firm. Honesty means more than financial integrity. It is the quality which makes men work without watching the clock, or being afraid that they will give their employer more than they are paid for.

The honest employee brings to his work the best effort of which he is capable, and begrudges nothing when the interests of his employer are at stake.

Then there should be a state governing board for the schools of commerce. This should be composed of men who have made their mark not alone in the business world but in the literary world as well. It should be the duty of this board to fix the qualifications of the commercial teacher and the requirements necessary for the completion of a course of study. It might be urged that the state board of education would be sufficient for this. I think not.

The state board of education is composed of men of literary attainments only. Very few, if any, have had extensive business experience. Their work has been almost wholly in another direction. With this state board of control, and the other requirements mentioned, the schools of commerce would be placed on an equal footing and receive the same recognition as the other educational and industrial departments of the state.

METHODS OF IMPROVING COMMERCIAL TEACHERS NOW

AT WORK

F. C. WEBER, POLYTECHNIC HIGH SCHOOL, LOS ANGELES, CAL. Our president has ably shown us the conditions and objects of this discussion. Probably none of our commercial teachers are so perfect that they need not improve. In fact, if we do not improve, we are very likely to retrograde. However, in my limited personal acquaintance with teachers of commercial branches in high schools, I think I can safely say that I have found a large majority of them to have had considerable general educational advantages, and a large percentage are college and university graduates. Undoubtedly many of these have not had training which was especially designed to prepare them for teaching commercial subjects. Let us bear in mind that the teaching of commercial subjects in public schools is not yet of long standing and the opportunities of studying these lines of work in universities, colleges, and higher institutions of learning generally, is of still shorter duration. The private commercial schools have not to any great extent offered advanced work in the preparation for teaching, for it has been their function to prepare for entrance upon business positions and not for instruction in commercial subjects.

Four ways of improvement have been brought out in the previous discussion of this subject. I wish to say a few words concerning each of these, and to add a fifth, which, to my mind, is more valuable than these. First, however, permit me to say that I do not want to be undertsood as being opposed to study in institutions of learning as a means of improving commercial teachers now at work. I most heartily believe in college and university study but I do not believe they are all sufficient for the commercial teacher.

Summer schools.-While much good work can be done in summer schools, their handicaps lie in the brevity of the term, the work coming just after the close of the school year, when the teacher is tired and has no taste for schoolwork, and in the expense of attendance, which uses the teacher's time and his money, the latter of which is generally not too abundant. Courses of study in summer schools for the development of the deficient commercial teachers are not very common and are now largely in the experimental stage.

Correspondence courses.-The correspondence course is of real value but it lacks the inspiration of the class, the recitation, and the flesh-and-blood instructor. Few will carry such a course to a successful issue. Little things, such as social obligations, extra schoolwork, sickness of self or friends or family,