One Thousand Ways to Make a Living; or, An Encyclopædia of Plans to Make Money

by Harold Morse Dunphy

Training

Foundation work in the general business subjects such as bookkeeping, business writing, business English, correspondence, business arithmetic, and commercial law will be followed by instruction in economics, money, banking, and finance. While there are comparatively few business schools equipped to give the more advanced technical instruction required, the Federal Board for Vocational Education will aid any man who is interested in this business, not only to secure adequate training for it, but also an opportunity to enter this field under the most favorable circumstances possible.

PLAN No. 1099. COMMERCIAL TEACHING

Male teachers are in great demand for all kinds of educational work, but in no department is the need for men greater than in that which has to do with the training of young people for business. The commercial teacher must associate himself with the industrial and business activities of his community; he must mingle with business men and keep in close touch with their business methods so far as they affect commercial training. In practically every city and town in the United States having a population of 5,000 or more commercial courses are being offered in the high school. There are over 1,000 private commercial schools giving intensive training for business positions. All these schools, both public and private are in very active competition with each other for the services of capable men teachers. Not only are these schools in competition with each other for the services of men who are qualified for this kind of work, but they are also in competition with business which is constantly recognizing that successful commercial teachers are usually well qualified for important business positions. To the men who are contemplating training for a future career this fact is of the utmost importance. The training that he takes for commercial teaching and the experience that he gains in such a position will not only lead to high-grade educational positions, but also to business openings of more than ordinary importance.

Two Departments Represented

Commercial teachers are naturally divided into two groups, those who teach shorthand typewriting, and related secretarial subjects, and those who teach bookkeeping, business arithmetic, commercial law, economics, commercial geography, and other subjects known as the business group. While it is possible to make a preparation for either of these two departments of teaching, it is more desirable for a man to qualify in both departments in order that he may be qualified for a position as department head where the supervision of teachers in both lines of work will fall upon him.

Qualifications and Training Necessary

A man who contemplates commercial teaching as a profession should possess the following qualifications: Good personal appearance, abundant energy, resourcefulness, cheerfulness, good general health, and the ability to move about easily. It is undesirable for anyone who is to be brought constantly in contact with the public to have physical disabilities that will be offensive or will seriously distract attention. In dealing with young people in educational work it is even more necessary that unsightly wounds shall not be conspicuously apparent in those with whom such young people come in contact in their work. This does not mean that one who has lost a leg or an arm should consider himself in this class. Among the best teachers that have ever presented commercial education to boys and girls are men who find it necessary to use a crutch or a cane.

Commercial teachers should be thoroughly qualified to handle all of the commercial subjects named above. Their training should also include thorough courses in psychology, pedagogy, school management, and history of education. Such courses of training are provided in a few of the State normal schools, and in a number of the best universities. Men who contemplate this profession are urged to be satisfied with nothing less than the complete course of training in one of these institutions. This is of the utmost importance in view of the fact that for public school commercial teaching State licenses are required and the qualifications therefore, are such that graduation from an institution of high standing is the surest way to qualify for such a certificate. It should be said, however, that for private school commercial teaching there is no license requirement in most of the States. Men who have a good general education and are well qualified in the technical subjects named above, will have no difficulty in securing profitable employment in such schools. Training for such positions can be secured in much less time than is required for the full course referred to above.

Length of Course

An intensive course of one year, assuming a good foundation with which to begin, should prepare a man for a position as commercial teacher in a private business school. The same will suffice for training a man to accept a position as commercial teacher in a high school providing he has completed a normal school or college course. For those who have only a high-school education, two years in a State normal school, or from two to four years in the commercial department of a college, will be required to complete the full training for commercial teaching.