TRAINING FOR BUSINESS. A College Man's Preparations for Commercial Life. By Prof. Hugo Diemer It is a stock phrase among orators to state that excellent business train ing is gained by college students who are active in the management of col lege publications and athletic affairs. This statement should be qualified in order to make it accurate. Only those college men have gained good training for business who have made a record of genuine efficiency and left clear-cut and accurate accounts. The business world is demanding now more than ever the most stead fast integrity and efficiency. From the recent disclosures of dishonesty in high finance and the industrial depression the public has learned that they must be discriminating in their praise of "Success." People are beginning to realize that they must be able to study and interpret business statements of cor porations so as to be able to tell when a statement means real success and when it looks like a juggling of figures to cover up a bad record. The owners of American industries realize that they cannot make up for wastefulness and poor manage ment by further issues of securities. Instead they must depend on greater efficiency of production The man who can produce the best and greatest amount of output with the least amount of waste is the sort of man who will be in greatest demand. The kind of training that develops this type of man is the best training for business. What kind of branches or studies afford this training? It is evident that any branches will do if the stude It bears in mind the fundamental essentials to business success, namely, fidelity, honesty, and thoroughness. Aside from the fundamental character—qualities which have been above enumerated, the successful business man must have the tem- THE STATE COLLEGIAN peramental qualities of forcefulness and activity. Although some peo ple believe that temperament is born into a man, there are others who believe that certain temperamental qualities can be developed by con stant striving towards them, and that they can be at least approached if not attained. In addition to forcefulness and activity the successful business man must be adaptable. He must be able to fit into his surrolindings, and accomplish results without creating hostility. It has been claimed that there is no better training for these last named qualities than the social life of the college, hence it behooves the college man who wishes to be successful in business to be active in a social way. The man who is of the greatest social service, however, is seldom the one who shines most brilliantly as a society leader. I have enumerated so far certain qualities of character, temperament, and enviroment v hich constitute factors in favor of business success. It is needless to say that these qualities must be supplemented by thoroughness in the specialized line of business which the student proposed to enter and for which he is taking special technical studies. In addition to his technical studies, however, he should en deavor, during his vacation periods or at such recreation times as his technical course will permit, to read something about Principles of Eco nomics, Sociology, Commerce, Trans portation, Accounting, Statistics, Business Law, and the systematiz ing and organizing of various kinds of business. Such studies pursued intelligently and thoughtfully will go far towards preparing the prospective business man for the kind of success that will be honored in future; namely, success in conducting the business economically and in the best in terests of the consumers, the em ployers, and stockholders. IT IS TO LAUGH. The following interesting articl appeared recently in the columns of a Pittsburgh newspaper : " The shy boys of State College, who some time ago begged the club wo Tien who attempted to do mission work among them not to send any girls to their school, have not only become reconciled to their fate, but rejoice in it and have sent invitations to a dance at which the girl students will be the guests of honor. There are now 12 gi-ls in the new depart ment of domestic science at State College and 36 girls attended the in stitution where there were but two girl students two years ago." The Woman's Literary club will meet with Mrs. Pond March 3. Mrs. Foss and Mrs. Lawrence have issued cards for a reception in honor of Miss Rust of Cleveland, 0., and Prof. Foss, formerly in charge of Civil Engineering at the college, on Saturday afternoon. Cox Sons,and Vining 262 Fourth Ave.. N.Y ,---,,,- ~ . • -*- • CAPS f , %' 0 14 ~ . . ._, and ) iel . i, GOWNS S J. G. Stoll, Representative
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers