SURVEY OF COMMERCIAL JOB

OPPORTUNITIES AND A REVISED

COMMERCIAL CURRICULUM FOR
PORT HURON. MlCHIGAN

Thesin for the Degree of M. A.
MICHIGAN STATE COLLEGE

Howard Richard Sommer
194 I

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PLACE ll RETURN BOX ‘0 remove this checkout «on your record.

TO AVOID FINES Mum on or him duo duo.

‘DATE DUE DATE DUE DATE DUE

 

WRVLY OF COIKLQCIAL JOE OPPOEMUKITIiS

A REVISED aOXYLRCIhL CUHRICULLK
FOR

PORT HUROR, HICKIGAK

by

Howard Richard Sommer

A THESIS
Submitted to the Graduate Scxool of Kichigen
State College of Agriculture and Applied

Science in partial fulfilment of the
requirements for the CeLree of

""fl‘m- 7.1 ivy-3‘3:
inn-QIL'JH C; 11111.)

Department of Education

1941

xylem

‘—

AC:.'..~C,=.'.’ilLDGi;I-..1:I..TS
The writer is deeply appreciative for
the guidance and criticism given by
Dr. H. M. Byram, Chairman
Dr. L. J. Luker
Dr. G. P. Deyoe
of
'The Department of Education

Nichigan State College

140-118

The writer wishes to acknowledge his
Qratitude to the following for their c00per-
ation in this study: The Port Huron Board of
Education; L. A. Packard, Superintendent of
Schools; H. A. HOpkins, Secretary of the Port
Huron Chamber of Commerce; w. R. Cleminson,
Principal of the high school; the members of
the Advisory Committee; and teachers of the

high-school commercial department.

Chapter
LICT OF ”ADLES

LIST OF PIGURES

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a. Number of

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Lew Employees Eired During 1957.

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. Agencies Used in Secaring Employers....

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vii

CHAPTLR I
Introduction

The program in commercial education in Port Huron
has been limited to preparatory training for stenographic
work and for those who would be employed in éeneral, office-
clerical positions. Bookkeepiné was taught more as an
exploratory course in preparation for entrance into the
stenogranhic field, and no courses were offered which
would prepare ior employment in retail stores. It was
felt that the commercial curriculum should be reorganized
and enlarged to meet the needs of office and store workers
on every level.

To intelligently reorganize the commercial curriculum
to fit the needs of the community, it seemed wise to con-
duct a commercial survey. The use of such a survey is an
accepted researcn procedure particularly applicable to
commercial education and it is the most lopical way to
begin a study of the vocational angle of the curriculum.
Purpose

The purpose of this study is to determine the
number of positions coon to high-school graduates in
the commercial field in Port Huron and the immediate
vicinity, and to learn the qualifications and exper-
ience required of beginners so that courses of study
may be offered to help the high-school student find

a position after graduation and to help the business

man find a person for the job available.

Subeproblems:

 

1. To ascertain the rate of turnover for each
commercial position

2. To find the training desired for workers in
each position

3. To determine the sex preferred by employers
for each commercial position

4. To ascertain whether experience is required
of a beginner in each commercial position

5. To ascertain the kinds of office machines
most comnonly in use

6. To determine how effective the existing com-
mercial courses are in preparing high-school pupils
for the positions Open to them

7. To ascertain what positions in the business
field are Open to pupils who drOp out of school at
the age of sixteen

8. To determine what courses should be added to
the commercial curriculum to make it more effective
in meeting the needs of the commercial community

9. To ascertain whether employers obtain high-
school records of students before hiring

10.fm3ascertain whether employers would COOperate

with the hiph school in the placement of graduates if

an employment bureau were established
Hypotheses
1. That the commercial curriculum prior to 1938
in Port Huron Was not broad enough to include training
for office positions which are available to high-school
graduates
2. That more students are preparing for stenographic
positions than the number of such jobs available to them
5. That the number employed as retail and whole-
sale saleSpeOple is large enough to justify adding

selling courses to the curriculum

'0

scope
This study included apwroximately 800 business firms

in Port Huron and an adjacent community, Marysville, all
in the county of St. Clair, Michigan.

The information in this report is susceptible to a
variety of interpretstions--depending upon local conditions.
It is not intended to serve as a basis for determining job
<3pportunities for the country as/a whole:because Port Huron
'was not predetermined as a typical city; however, the
tables in this study,when reduced to a percentage,may
serwe as a guide in other communities when statistics of
enuoloyment Opportunities are not available. The pepu-
laision of Port Huron is approximately 40,000 and

thea community supports 2699 commercial jobs. These

figures reduced to percentage give 6.9 percent which
might be of some use for determining the number of
commercial johs in a community.

Evansville, Indiana cenducted a similar survey
in Lecember of 1935. The number of commercial jons
then totaled 5,8315l which, wncn ba;ee uoon percentage
of population, was 5.8 percent of the pooulation. The
difference of 1.1 percent right represent the difference
in the percentage of firms contacted. The number of
firms contacted in Port Huron was 785 and the return
was 777,0r a percentage of 99.2 percent, whereas, the
return for Evansville was 91 percent. Based upon the
findings in Port Huron and hvansville, 6.9 could be

used with a certain degree of accuracy.

1 Ralph J. Irons, and others. Job Opportunity Survey.
Cincinnati; Southwestern Publishing Co. Monograph

No. as. 1956. Pp. 31.

CKAPTER II
Procedure for Solution
The questionnaire was based upon the technique
established by Brooks1 in his study "A Standard Pro-
cedure for Administering Commercial Occupation
Surveys."

Data secured:

 

1. Minimum age for employees who will be hired

2. Number of employees hired during the calendar
year 1957

o. Minimum weekly salary paid

4. Preference for male or female workers

5. Number of workers currently employed in
each commercial position

6. Experience required of a beginner

7. Educational requirements for employee in
each selected position

Advisogypcommittee

 

Realizing that the survey would be more successful
if the community were represented in its planning, a
group of business and professional men? was invited to

attend a meeting for the purpose of discussing the

1 E. w. Brooks, A Standard Procedure for Administering
Commercial Occupational Surveys. Unpublished thesis,
Library, University of Iowa, 1955.

2 See Appendix.

questions involved, how to conduct the survey, and
how to get publicity.

The committee suggested that the statement Of
salary paid each week be eliminated. It was the
general Opinion Of the committee that a large number
of business men would not give this information,and
that if this item were included they might not co-
operate in supplying the other information desired.
They also suggested that a publicity campaign be
started one week before the survey was started,
that all service club members be asked to COOperate,
and that releases be given to the local new3papers.
The committee was unanimous in the adoption of the
questionnaire in its final form. It further suggested

that each interviewer be given a letter of introduction.1

Procedure for conducting the survey

The survey was directed by the Commercial
Education Department, the principal of the high
school, and the secretary of the Port Huron Chamber
of Commerce. It was started Monday, May 25 and was
completed May 27, l958. Survey was by questionnairez
carried by high-school seniors, trained for the task.

Fifty seniors from Port Huron High School contacted all

1 See Appendix
2 Ibid.

employers oi commercial workers in Port Turon and

Dar SVllle. Ineividual names of employers did not

. 1
(J

Q

QUWGJT in the iinal report; onl; total figures aere

f

"I

used. the list of firms t3 DC contacted was hade from
_the telephone directory. The list was gene over three
times to wage sure that no fi‘ms were left out.

The next oroelem was that of making Out cards
for each ehnloyer. Tre students in tyoin; classes
made out the cares in duplicate so that one card cauld
be g_iven tr, thfi acuuusr a3micnue carmllcept 11;.file in)
be checked when data mere returned. In this way,
it was assured that data were received from every
employer listed. One set of cards was grouped
geographically and the othar set was arranged alpha—
betically. The workers got the cards that were
arranged teograahically.

The survey was conducted according to the pro-
cedure outlined above and the time cansumed was only
three days, except for interviews with a few emwloyers
who had other engagements. However, appointments were
made by the students and these employers were inter-

viewed later.

CHAPThR III
Analysis of the Data

It might be interpreted from Tables I and II
that the Opportunities for employment after 20 years
of age are somewhat limited, but this may not be the
case because the ages given here are the minimum ages
of employees that employers will accept. Whether job
experience is required of a worker cannot be determined
from these tables. An employer might say that he
would hire a person 18 years of age, but that the
prospective employee must have had one year of job
experience.

To facilitate the interpretation of these tables
the reader must keep in mind that an employer was counted
anew each time that he supplied information, so the
tables do not indicate the number of employers.

A person under 17 years of age nas a very limited
field in which to look for employment. For females this
field is retail selling and for males it is in retail
selling and working as delivery boys.

A total of 288 employers (Table I) reported that

they would hire males under 18 years of a"e. A total

of 366 employers would hire males at the age of 15 and
553 employers would hire males only if theywere over the
age of 18. Of the 1204 employers,a total of 916 stated

they would hire only males aged 18 or older.

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11

A total of 201 employers (Table II) reported
that they would hire females under 18 years of age.
A total of 1021 employers would hire females at the
age of 18 and 275 employers would hire females only
if they were over the age of 18. 0f the 1495 employers
a total of 1294 stated they would hire only females
aged 18 or over.

No attempt was made, in this study, to establish
the maximum age of employees that the employer would
hire.

Number 2; Employees in 1958

 

Table III shows that there were 2699 persons
employed in commercial jobs in Port Huron in 1958.
Of this number 1204 were males and 1495 were females.
0f the total number;2699, which were employed, 1205,
or 44.6 percent, were employed in the retail and
wholesale selling fields.

There were 184 persons employed as accountants,
bookkeepers, and bookkeeper-stenographers whose jobs
involved bookkeeping skill. There were 659 persons
employed as secretaries, shorthand stenographdrs,
general office clerks, Dictaphone or ediphone Oper-
ators, and typists whose jobs involved shorthand and
typing skill, The total of the above two groups
account for 825, or 50.4 percent, of the commercial

jobs. There were 671 persons employed in jobs which

12

did not require selling, bookkeeping, shorthand or

typing skill.

TABLE III

 

 

 

 

idnsih Q: BALL; zLD grintis LEPLDY D 1h YALIOJS COT LRCIAL
JOES IN POhI thOh LURI G 1958
Number 0 Employees in 1938

.__Jah_alassification male Female Total'
Accountants 26 12 58
Bill Clerks 17 16 55
Bookkeepers 25 121 146
Bookkeeper-Stenographers 9 62 71
Cashiers 27 47 74
Collectors 6 0 6
Delivery Boys 122 0 122
Dictaphone or

Ediphone Operators 0 28 28
hntry Clerks 2 l 5
File Clerks 2 26 28
General Office Clerks 156 272 408
hail Clerks 9 8 l7
Managers 27 0 27
Order Clerks 12 l 15
Retail SalespeOple 542 597 1159
Secretaries l 61 62
Shipping Clerks l6 6 22
Shorthand Stenographers 5 98 105
Solicitors 26 4 50
Stock Clerks 51 5 54
Telephone Operators 2 81 85
Tellers 15 0 15
Time Clerks 41 5 46
Traffic Clerks 6 0 6
Typists 2 56 58
tholesale Salespeople 66 0 66
Others 51 10 41

Total 1204 1495 2699

 

 

 

 

 

13

Figure 1 shows in iraphic form the percenta_e of

,
I

employees in the sevecal con ercial joes. fhese percent-

a

ages were Comofitufl Tr‘ able III. The field 0 retailing
emo1oged about one—half, 45.0 percent, of all of the
male commercial workers now emologed. The next clasei
of importance for male encloyees is general office clerks,
with 11.2 p rcent.

tales employed as accountants, bookkeepers, and
bookkeeper-stenogradhers account for 5.0 percent of the
male employees. laics employed in jocs involving
typing and shorthand skill such as; general office
clerks, shorthand-stenogranhers, and tyoists accounted
for 11.9 percent.

Figure 2 lists tLe percentage of female workers
now employed. This graph shows that retail salespeople
were employed in greatest numoers, with 59.9 percent of

O
V

all female workers in this field. The next largest
classification according to percentage distribution is
that of general office clerks with 18.2 percent.

Females employed as accountants, bookkeepers, and
hookkeeper-strnogranhcrs, accounted for 15.1 percent of
the fe..~.ale commercial workers. Fen-isles enmloyed as

L‘

eneral office clerks, shorthand stenograwhers,

(It:

secretaries, typists and Dictaohone or heiphone
operators accounted for 55.2 percent of the fa ale

commercial workers.

Accountants

Bill Clerks
sookkeeoers
Lookkeeoer-dtenograohers
Cashiers

Collectors

Deliver; 5033

entry Clerks

Bile Clerks

General Office Clerks
hail Clerks

Lanagers

Greer Clerks

Retail Salesoeoole
secretaries

Shiooinq Clerks
StortLarc Stenographers
solicitors

Stock Clerks
Telephone Operators
Tellers

line Clerk

lraffic Clerks

Tgnists

J

’3

nholessle L‘ e oeoole

(

(.1 titers

Fi are l. -- Distribltion of 12C4 Hales Employed
in Port luron

Percent

(J l
('4 O

 

 

C ”
.(d

0.";

2906

 

 

 

 

)406‘

1" 7"
v'IL/L)

 

 

 

 

Accountants

Bill Clerks

Bookkeepers
Bookkeeper-Stenographers
Cashiers

Dicta. or bdiphone Operators
Entry Clerks

File Clerks

General Office Clerks
hail Clerks

Order Clerks

Retail SalespeOple
Secretaries

Shipping Clerks
Shorthand Stencaraphers
Solicitors

Stock Clerks

Telephone Operators

Time Clerks

Typists

Others

Percent
0.8
1.1

8.1///

4.2

3.1 /

1.9 //

0.1

 

1.7
18.2
0.5 /

0.1

 

 

39.9
4.1
0.4
6.6

0.3

 

 

0.2
5.2
0.4
2.4

0.7
100%

 

 

Figure 2. -- Distribution of 1495 Females Employed
in Port Huron in 1958.

n

"’ ‘Wi; ‘3 c A I: 3" “AV-n- +2 .- 701VU‘JL' ‘ 'x ‘ r"—‘
.. .5. as; V U ~..--\Juu V.-L, v..- V V1.u-~ \_1 \....s.) .. _\.;-\L_-___,‘l_ ‘_ -~¢-—..
_- {"1r' ‘- 1 p . r-‘Y. tw- ‘ ‘- ‘ - . :f ”W'L t qu~q‘q : - . , ‘I ' .,‘
~ 4.-\‘ -L \— 5*» ' -. - .xJ. ; g - C-\.~ ...4. . _ ‘ k . ‘.(.l c. .L _L( g)" . ‘.‘-Ci
J” wfiv “0' ‘ ‘~ . '\ r‘ o 1 K“ ~ o 1‘ “ 5 \‘Lr 3 1
.LMI (I‘d LI v4. CGAAU.» L OJ. \r ._. - O H. b C..I .L?‘ LkA » Q J. K. kx .L...
C‘! ‘l ; TYNCWA-‘I C I_ V {\ t v , ‘- 1‘ l J' T A) 9‘ {‘0‘
th‘wx. ~— v , , ‘14 0(4 Vi CV~A 0 --‘L o-\ \U ..L(A -\ (I\ L - \ k .L

employees wee Lvn~rai OillCG clerks, 1o.1 oe;cc t. :1

O
J
\
(D
(W
J
1
M
f
O
b
5
9'1
C)
0
O
H
*3
C‘
51“
r
(I;
H
O
I J
(D
J
(D
H
U)
M
I)
W

Lcee*‘e1"-steno;rapiers, accounted for tn} oezcezt.
Eerso s emoloyed in jogs involvin' s2\1t aka 5;; t‘o;;f

_ l 1‘

office clerks, secretaries,

F.

1.4
U1
0
p-
{‘1
'J
(D
}J
(D
H
{A

1'.

~' .~. -; 1. ; . , V j t . ‘. - , A .3 . 1 . a -
s.<)rtk-e.ki s L€-JD IR; 1. 1:3, iiictmipi Jne or“ ex ‘1;3-&3 cw Cl“-
r‘ .C' - ‘1‘ IL . ‘ ‘ n. . ‘ “o. '- " i4" ’ "-' '\ 7 a
atlrs, ens -wp1 ts eccotnte ea :or so./ persert 31 all
. ;-. ‘3 ’. .‘ Q o J“ ‘2- ’ ‘Vl " t} (x (u ( g D‘: 4 t ‘. I} - -‘
COJ.-..€‘/IC.LLA.L -'- .1 -‘.C1 301-10 16:8 C4. ‘00111Cc. l.»;.f_'-,
b 11' ‘17 "" ' i —-‘- L""\'Y- ’ «3»: 0‘9“)“ “1 ‘v 4: «'98-‘- l
OO:{—7&ee -J.l.: .::-O”5l CIC‘L (J ’ 9' .LA‘V (.\¢.[I\A. Q..\.a. 4.(AA‘\\ L.)<..——L—L,

I

9 . _, ,. . -0 ,.-' V .r o y ,. 3 .- '1
in_, atcouht ior .o.e oercc.t o1 all co.ie1c1ai

f) ‘I ’f. q (~
w .1

F1:
F4

enr10Lees. It Lust also 1e rcmcnlcred that _cnere1
office clerks need to keep recorcs eat an5 coxl;

L

not re countee twice so they were out nto 1L6

p...

sten :gra nic clas because this skill is used lore

than that of keepin; recorCs.

Furner oi'IECW'incoiojwoes Eilsed.1n1rir;; 1947/

 

 

Table It shots the nunber of new emnlogecs hired

4-“.
3 tools

f—A
O
9‘
c1"
f—q
o
H
P

O

F-
P'J
LJ.

during lsoz in each joo classii

- u - ' ' ' .n ___’ ‘ \ n ‘ J- “ ‘ .- 3‘ - ‘ \ ‘7‘ —. 1 - . J- _ T“ .‘ .
-cr.lt; SBITVG “to _}1itxa til. 5;tucan;to. 31-11 cm;itc,tii_; a

stag; leadir; to a connercial vocation, sirce

.I'X

COLLIER-3 OJ.

". .‘ J . ‘ 71". r. ‘- 'fl 3’» ‘ \" ' 1 V ’ II I 4‘ "’ 'o" 1". I . '
Lt rCVCCiS Lilie XJLlIAL‘-I":Jr‘ _).1. lie-l. (1.1.nlOZC‘ S.) 1:21 .C‘ L.) “’81 U AL.LI 6L4.

Percent 7

 

 

 

 

Accountants 1.5 .1
Bill Clerks 1.2
Bookkeepers 5.4 __,
Bookkerper-Stenographers 2.6 -——
Cashiers 2.7
Collectors 0.2
Delivery Boys h.5

Dicta. or Ediphone Operators 1.0

 

 

 

Entry Clerks 0.1
File Clerks 1.0
General Office Clerks 15.1
Mail Clerks 0.6
Managers 1.0
Order Clerks 0.5
Retail Salespeople h2.2
Secretaries 2.3
Shipping Clerks 0.8
Shorthand Stenographcrs 3.8
Solicitors 1.1
Stock Clerks 1.3
Telephone Operators 3.1
Tellers 0.6
Time Clerks 1.7 __1
Traffic Clerks 0.2
Typists 1.5
Wholesale Salespeople 2.4
Others .112“
100%

Figure 3. -- Distribution of 2699 Males and Females
Employed in Port Huron in 1938

18

during a recent year, and this is probably a fairly
accurate index of employment since that time.

In selecting a commercial vocation, the student
should look for the fields where the greatest Opportun-
ity lies for employment. Table IV shows that during
1937,378 peOple were hired as retail salespeOple, 72
peOple were hired as general office clerks, SO peeple
were hired as bookkeeper-stenographers, 25 peOple were
hired as wholesale saleSpeOple, and 18 were hired as

TABLE IV

THE NUMBER OF NEW EMPLOYEES WIRLS DURING 1937 IN PORT HURON

 

 

 

 

 

lumber of Employees Hired in 1957

— Job Classification Male Female Total
Accountants 2 0 2
Bill Clerks 0 9 9
Bookkeepers 7 ll 18
Bookkeeper-Stenographers 1 29 SO
Cashiers O 8 8
Entry Clerks 0 l 1
File Clerks 2 4 6
General Office Clerks 8 64 72
flail Clerks 5 O 3
Order Clerks 4 O 4
Retail SaleSpeOple 140 238 578
Secretaries - O 7 7
Shipping Clerks 5 0 5
Shorthand Stenographers l 22 25
Solicitors 2 l 5
Stock Clerks 6 2 8
Telephone Operators l 2 3
Tellers 3 0 3
Time Clerks 2 l 3
Typists l 5 6
Wholesale Salespeople 22 O 22
Others 1, 0 1

Total 209 404 613

 

 

 

 

19

bookkeepers. These classifications made ura521 jobs,
cn'84.9 percent, of all new people hired during 1957.
Again, it must be remembered that no attempt was made
to separate the jobs in which the employer required
experience from those in which no experience was re-
quired.

Of the 209 male employees hired during 1957,

(see Figure 4) 78.5 percent were in the field of selling
(retail and wholesale). Accountants, bookkeepers and
bookkeeper-stenographers, whose job involved a knowledge
of bookkeeping, accounted for 4.6 percent of the new
male employees hired during 1957. General office clerks,
secretaries, shorthand-stenographers, and typists,

whose job involved typing and shorthand skill accounted
for 4.6 percent of the new male employees hired during
1957. The total of the above classifications account
for 87.5 percent of all new male employees hired during
1957.

Figure 5 illustrates the percentage distribution of
female employees hired during 1957. As is the case with
man, this figure shows that selling (retail salespeOple)
accounts for the largest percentage of new employees hired,
58.8 percent. Accountants, bookkeepers, and bookkeeper-
stenographers, whose job involved bookkeeping knowledge
accounted for 9.4 percent of the new employees (female)

hired during 1957. General office clerks, secretaries,

Accountants

Bookkeepers
Bookkeeper-Stenographers
File Clerks

General Office Clerks
hail Clerks

Order Clerks

Retail SalespeOple
Shipping Clerks
Shorthand Stenographers
Solicitors

Stock Clerks

Telephone Operators
Tellers

Time Clerks

Typists

Wholesale SalespeOpie

Others

Figure 4. -- Distribution of

20

Percent

0.9

 

5.5
0.4
0.9
5.8
1.4
1.0
67.8

 

1.4
0.4

0.9\

2.8

 

 

 

 

209 Males Hired During
1957

 

21

Percent //

 

 

 

Bill Clerks 2.5’//
Bookkeepers 2.2
Bookkeeper-Stenographers 7.2
Cashiers 2.0
Dicta. or Ediphone Operators 0-5

hntry Clerks 0.5

File Clerks 1.0 '
General Office Clerks 15-8
Retail Salespeople 58.8
Secretaries 1.7
Shorthand Stenograshers 5-5 \\
Solicitors 0-3 \\\\
Stock Clerks 0.5 ;:\ \
Telephone Operators 0.5 \\

Time Clerks 0.5

Typists 103 \\\\\\
ioqz \\\ X

\\:\\
Figure 5. -- Distribution of 404 Females Hired puring
1957 \‘ ‘

 

       

shorthand stenogranhers, Dictaphone and Ldiphone
operators, and typists, whose job involved typing and
shorthand skill, accounted for 24.6 percent of the new
employees (female) hired during 1957. The above class-
ification accounted for 92.8 percent of all females
employed in 1957.

Figure 6 illustrates the percentages of both male
and female employees hired during 1957. Jobs involving
selling (retail and wholesale saleSpeOpla) account for
65.1 percent, bookkeeping knowledge 8.1 percent, and
shorthand and typing skill, 17.7 percent. The three
classifications account for 90.9 percent of all commercial
employees hired during 1957.

Sex Preference

 

0f the 1004 employers surveyed, (See Table V) 667,
or 66.4 percent, preferred females and 557, or 55.6
percent, preferred male employees.

For accountants, employers preferred males at a
ratio of three to one, but for bookkeepers, they preferred
females twa to one. These two classifications are very
similar, with accounting involving a higher degree of
skill. For bookkeeper-stenograohers, the employers
preferred females at a ratio of six to one. For general
office clerks, the preference was four to one for females.
In the field of selling, females were preferred two to

one in retailing, but females are not wanted for jobs in

Accountants

Bill Clerks

Bookkeepers
Bookkeeper-Stenographers
Cashiers

Dicta. or Ediphone Operators
Entry Clerks 1
File Clerks

General Office Clerks
Nail Clerks

Order Clerks

Retail Salespeople
Secretaries

Shipping Clerks
Shorthand Stenographers
Solicitors

Stock Clerks

Telephone Operators
Tellers

Time Clerks

Typists

Wholesale Salespeople

Others

 

Percent
0.5
1.5

 

2.9
4.9

1.5

 

0.2
0.2
1.0

11.7
0.5 ’6
0.6

61.5
1.1 \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
0.5
5.7
0.5

1..\

0.5

 

 

0.5
0.5
1.0
5.6

 

 

0.2
100%

Figure 6. -- Distribution of 615 Males and Females Hired

During 1957

24

wholesaling. For secretaries and shorthand stenographers

females have a high preference with almost no preference

for males

Tath V

Pthhhthh :05 :iLn on FLLALB weakens AJ REPORTBD BY

1004 PORT HURON EMPLOYERS IN 1958

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Employer' Sex Frefer nce
___1Qh_fllassification Kale Female, Total___
Accountants 18 6 24
2111 Clerks 10 10 2O
Bookkeepers 26 55 79
Bookkeeper-Stenographers 8 51 59
Cashiers 7 2o 27
Dicta. or Bdiphone
Operators .1 4 5

Entry Clerks 0 2 2
File Clerks 2 11 15
General Office Clerks 54 157 171
hail Clerks 5 4 9
Order Clerks 6 1 7
hetail saleSpeople 140 258 578
Secretaries 0 56 56
Shipping Clerks l2 2 14
Shorthand Stenographers 5 54 57
Solicitors 6 2 8
stock Clerks l7 2 19
Telephone Operators 2 15 17
Tellers 2 O 2
Time Clerks 8 5 11
Traffic Clerks 5 O 5
Typists 2 15 17
Lholesale SaleSpeOple 22 0 22
"rappers l O 1
Others 2 1 5

Total, 557 667 1004
Job Experience Required.2£ New Employees

 

 

From the data in Table VI
employers expressed exnerience

classification. Table VI also

shows that 551,

it can be seen that 757
requirements for each job

or 47.6

percent, required job eXperience before they would hire,

and 586 or 52.4 percent said that experience was not

required.

TABLE VI
EXPBRIBFCL thUlfiib OF LBPLOYELS FOB LALE JOB CLAEQI-
FICAIIOK, LS RLPOBTED BY PORT EUBOK'IKPLOYBRS IR 1958.

1

 

 

 

 

 

 

Experience Necessary
_.lo.b_Classifisation Yes No Total
Accountants 14 5 17
Bill Clerks 6 11 17
Bookkeepers 44 54 78
Bookkeeper-Stenographers 45 18 61
Cashiers 10 14 24
Dicta. or Ediphone
Operators 1 5 4
Entry Clerks 0 2 2
File Clerks 2 ll 15
General Office Clerks 59 95 164
.kail blerks 1 5 6
Order Clerks 5 4 7
Retail Salespeonle 50 78 158
Secretaries 25 15 58
Shipping Clerks 6 8 14
Shorthand Stenographers 28 27 55
Solicitors 2 5 7
Stock Clerks 5 14 19
Telephone Operators 7 8 15
Tellers O 2 2
Time Clerks 2 8 10
Traffic Clerks 2 l 5
Typists 7 10 17
wholesale Salespeople 12 10 22
Wrappers O 1 1
Others 2 l 5
Total 55111 586 - 757

 

 

 

When hiring accountants, 14 out of 17 employers reported
that they preferred the applicant who had had job experience.
when hiring bookkeepers, 44_employers reported they would like
the workers to have had some job experience, and 54 reported
that no experience was required. As bookkeeper-stenographers,

45 employers reported that they would like the workers to have

26

had some job experience and 18 reported that no job experience

was required.
Educational Requirements
Table VII shows that Port Huron employers consider
a high school education essential, that these employers
are willing to take high school graduates, that there is
TnBLB VII

AKOULT 0F hDUCATICt TEL APPLICART NUST HAVL FOh LACh JOB
CLASSIFICATlCh A5 thOhTLD DY PORT hUhOh LEBLOYLRS IN 1958

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Educational Requirements
Grade High Business
..Jbb_C1assificat1Qn, Schoo School College ollege Total
Accountants 0 11 5 3 20
Bill Clerks 1 15 l O 17
Bookkeepers o 59 18 1 78
Bookkeeper-

Stenographers o 44 14 2 6O
Cashiers l 22 5 0 26
Dictaphone or

Ediphone Operators Q 4 o o 4
Entry Clerks 0 2 O O 2
File Clerks 0 10 2 O 12
General Office Clerks o 140 25 ‘ 1 164
Nail Clerks 1 5 o 0 7
Order Clerks ,1 7 O O 8
Retail SalespeOple 51 197 2 5 255
Secretaries O 25 6 5 57
Shipping Clerks 4 1o 0 0 14
Shorthand Steno-

graphers O 47 8 O 55
Solicitors 1 6 O O 7
Stock Clesks 4 15 o 0 17
Telephone Operators 1 14 o o 15
Tellers 0 2 O O 2
Time Clerks 0 10 0 0 10
Traffic Clerks 0 5 O 0 5
Typists 0 14 4 0 18
Wholesale Salespeople 1 19 1 2 25
Wrappers 1 O O 0 1
Others 0 2 Q, 91 1E.,
Total 47 685 88 17 857
laminae of Totals 45.61 81.85 10.51 2.05 1pc

 

 

 

 

PC}
<1

little oooortunity for a person with only a j'eee school
education to get into a commercial job excedt the field
of retailing, and tnat only 5.6 percent of the enoloyers
will accept persons with a iraee-schooi education.

Kinds of Office Kachires innlogers Use

 

The figures reoresented in Table VIII indicate the
kinds of usehines the employe‘s use, i.e. 201 emologers
use Royal typewriters, lOO use Remington tyoewriters,
and so on. This table should serve as a basis for deter-
minin; wnat makes of :achines to purchase for use in
connercial classes, and the ratio in Wthh they should be
ourekased.

There are more tgpewriters in use than any othar
machines, cal-

'|! . ,,
‘Cllll'

‘._u

,3

kind of nee‘nine, but the number of c

culators, and duplicatiru machines shows that enough

employers are using sues machines to justify the teac in

of business-machine skills if the high school.

Use‘ in Securing meloyees

H-

(D

Agene e

 

 

Table IA shows that 271 enoloyers use oers nal
application to secure employees, 54 employers exanine
want advertisenents, 22 emoloyers secure employees
from the business college, 11 emplogers secure em-
ployees from the high school, and 7 emolo:ers secure
emoloyees from euwloyment a;encies. Three hundred
fifteen emplo;ers expressed interest in a hi h-school

employment bureau. Three hundred e11ht of the employers

28

did not obtain scholastic records of proso*ctive workers.

TABLE VIII

KIKDS OF OFFICL EACHIELS IN

'rr‘ ' ' 7 «- 77m '__-;-r'rf,.v- “.. ‘r. r p :4 3 {a
UQL ll} PUIXJ. iiUAL‘Ji" AUC‘JILLJIBIU

REPOHTJ CF bKPLOlhhS IN 1938

TO

 

 

__Txpe_and Make of Machines

Typewriters

 

Number of Employers Using
These Machines

Royal 201
Underwood 100
Remington 85
L. C. Smith 39
Corona 15
Others 12
Adding Nachines
Burrough 165
Sundstrand 42
Victor 51
Allen-Wales 21
Dalton 11
Others 19
Bookkeeping Machines
Underwood hlliott Fisher 2
Burroughs ll
Calculators
Monroe 18
Burroughs 12
Comptometer 5
Narchant 4
Addressing Haehines
Addressograph 15
Dictaphone or Ldiphone
Dictaphone 15
bdiphone 5
Duplicating tachines
Kimeograph 25
Ditto 8
Others 5

 

TABLL IX

AGLHCIES USLD BY EMPLOYERS, hKPLOYLE INTLAhST IN HIGH-SCHOOL

EMPLOYILNT BUREAU, AND 058 OF oCHOLA5TlC BLUORDS

 

 

Number of Bmploy- Per-

 

Item. ers Reporting, cent
Agencies Used in Securing Employees:
Personal Application 271 78.5
Want Advertisement 54 9.8
Business College 22 6.4
High School 11 5.2
Employment Agency 7 2.0
Total 515

Employer Interest in High School
Employment Bureau: ‘
Interested 515

Not Interested 102 32':
Total XIV '
Scholastic Record Before Hiring:
\\ Do not Obtain Records 508 80 6
Obtain Records ‘ , 75 19°4
Total 385 °

 

 

 

Percentagegf Job Turnover

 

Table X shows the rate of turnov~r per year for each
job classification. The average turnover for all positions
is 22.7 percent.

No attempt was made in this stud; to determine the
cause of turnover.

The greatest percentace of turnover in jobs is for
bookkeeper-stenOgraphers, it being 42.2 percent. The
highly skilled workers, such as accountants, bookkeepers,
and secretaries have less than the average rate of turn-
over; and the jobs in which a person is most apt to find

his first employment such as in bookkeeping, stenography,

50

n v: T" *'
lAth A

PERCELTAGL OF IUHNOVLR FOR LACE JOB CLASSIFICATIOR IE
POhT hUfiOk AS ORPUTED FR;K TArLES III AND IV.

 

 

 

Emplo;ed Newly HireL Percent
Mif_eatiz:n 1938 14357 Tam—luminan—
Accountants 58 2 40 5.2
Bill Clerks 55 9 42 27.5
pookkeepers 146 18 164 12.5
Bookkeeper-

Stenogranhers 71 50 101 42.2
Cashiers 74 8 82 10.2
Collectors 6 O 6 0.0
Delivery Boys 122 O 122 0.0
Dictaphone or

Ediphone Operators 28 1 29 3.6
Entry Clerks 5 l 4 53.5
File Clerks 28 6 54 21.4
General Office Clerks 465 72 480 17.6
fail Clerks l7 5 2 17.6
hanagers 27 O 27 0.0
Order Clerks l5 4 17 50.7
Retail SaleSpeOple 1159 578 1517 55.2
Secretaries 62 7 69 11.2
Shipping Clerks 22 5 25 15.6
Shorthand

Stenograshers 105 25 126 22.5
Solicitors 50 5 55 10.0
Stock Clerks 54 8 42 25.5
Telephone Operators 85 5 86 5,5
Tellers 15 5 18 2.0
Time Clerks 46 5 49 6.5
Traffic Clerks 6 O 6 0.0
Typists 58 6 44 15.8
pholesale SalespeOple 66 22 88 55.5
Others 41 1 42 ‘.4

Total, 26992 614 43513 22.7

 

 

 

 

 

 

shorthand-stenogranhy, retail sales,

general office clerking are above the average rate of

turnover.

hhether this means anything or not could only

be an inference to be proved by a further study oftim

cause of turnover.

wholesale sales, and

In this study, no attempt was made to separate em-
ployees who were hired on their first job from those
employees who moved from one position to another. The
employer was asked to give only the number of people he

hired during 1957.

r.‘._ ..

-11?” x TX:
U-.. A1 ..Lull .g

w--yp1 '1'- "‘1‘ " »"v-

othlnni Or rlvhif‘i
In Port Huron there were 2638 connercial employees

in 1058. Of this number 1204, r 44.6 percent, were
male workers and 1495, or 55.4 percent, were fenale
workers.

Out of the 2639 commereia jobs, 2258 cenld be
filled by persons ape 2o or under. however, no attempt
was made in this study to estailish the maximum age of
applicants whom exployers will hire.

The most promising age for obtaining employment
seems to be 19 years.

A very limited field for emoloynent is open to
people under 17 years.

Of the 2689 commercial jobs it Port Luron, 1405 were
for females and 1204 were for males. Jobs involving
bookkeeping skill accounted for lE4, bookkeeping and
stenographic skill 71, stehographic skill alone 251,
general office routine, nd stenoaraihy and bookkeeping
40?. These total 894, telling both wholesale and
retail, involved the employment of 1205 people. six
hundred joes could be filled by peonle not Lavinfi Special

-.

To

1317211111.

(1"

During 957, in Port Huron, 614 new employees
vere hired; 209 were males and 405 were females.

metail saleSpeople had the greatest Opportunity

Fri

53

for securing employment, followed in order by general
office clerks, bookkeeper-stenograohers, shorthand
stenOgraphers, and bookkeepers.

Of the 1004 employers surveyed, 667 preferred
females and 337 preferred males, the ratio being about
two to one.

Over half the employers of Port Huron indicated
that they would hire high-school graduates who had had
no experience. Seven hundred thirty-seven employers
expressed requirements for new employees in each job
classification. Three hundred fifty-one required ex-
perience and 386 reported that experience was not
required.

Six hundred eighty-five employers required high-school
graduates, 88 required business college graduates, 47
required a grade school education, and 17 required
college graduates.

The following types of office machines were used
in Port Huron offices: Typewriters, adding machines,
bookkeeping machines, calculators, addressing machines,
dictating machines, and duplicating machines.

The following agencies were used by Port Huron em-
ployers when looking for applicants: Personal application,
business college, high school, want advertisements, and
employment agency. 1

Three hundred fifteen employers reported they would

l
n

C-I
b

0 j ,.

.‘ \ ’a ". ’ K‘ " '2 ' ‘ Y . I" !. " r‘ . ’ ‘ f ' ‘Y
be inteiesttu in a high-school 6m 1 ,mcnt abnrc~.
‘- lo (34‘ . Ya ~ 1A . 1;“ f“ (Vy-‘u‘xj 3 r.“ "‘3'” (“7315 Q 1

~'01-0 C‘s] \‘J—C 1L 6L; --‘r(AlJ O; a_' .L-Lr-JC\I.L\JID (A- \. U6L'-g’)

“4L- . t x‘ . . i. '7 ,-. .. . ,‘w , ~ - , q , r.-:- .q, " ., , ,7 ,1

0., ca tried t; I or L. hurrx. e-.. ivy. ers . onli- z. elniov e: s
,1. i if A.“ ' ,4: , ;- - ° - - ' ‘ r , . ' 0 .,,‘4L.,_...
stated the, Obbm neu scholastic recorcs of apolicants

before hlrlns.

-’

ihe averaLe rate of job turnover in Port Lurnn was
in the bookkeeper-stenogranher classification, it being
4;; .2 percent .

The rate of turnover anon; retail salesoeoole was
bo.z percent, for general office cierXs 17.6 percent,

and for shorthand-stenoéraph rs it was 22.6 percent.

'7

CZEPTELJL v
SUGGLSTiU CURRICJLUI EOE Infill? OQIZ;HCIAL
hdehTIM; 70hr.) LEFLCTIVL IR PQiLT E‘lUl‘iOIfi

Bases for Constructing the Curriculum

 

 

The construction of the commercial curriculum is one
of the problems in the field of curriculum making. The
needs of business change rapidly; therefore, the rodern
commercial curriculum should be based on the present day
needs regardless of whether subjects included on that basis
were the first or the last to be recognized by school author-
ities. In constructing the commercial curriculum it would
be a rather easy task to include only subjects which have
a business background. However, the student not only must
be prepared to fit into certain types of commercial employ-
ment but he should also be prepared to take his place in
society. Then, the first step in preparing this curriculum
is to start with the core subjects required by the high
school for graduation. Port Huron high School has a very
lenient requirement for graduation. However, it does
include those subjects which help to make the graduate a
well—informed person.

High-School Requirements for Graduation

 

 

For graduation from high school, the student must have
fulfilled the follow us requirements; three years of English,

one year of American history, and one semester of government.

This is the core around WliCh to work.

Flexible Curriculum

 

Host students, upon entering high school, do not know
'what kiriLcM?<anplogsent tlxqg*sish to “animus; therefore,
the curriculum should start with courses which are desi ned
for exploration and juidance. By having a curriculum
constructed so as to be flexible, and in which therv is
a general starting point for all commercial students with

branchings into accounting, yeneral office training, and

1‘"
V

w

distributive occupations (selling), th student has his
choice of three fields of vocational training. The
teacher can play a very important part in guiding the
training course for which he seems best suited.

commercial Curriculum Prior to 195

 

Prior to makiig this survey, the commercial course in
the high school has a one-way curriculum starting in the
ninth year and continuing through he twelfth year. at the

"I

end 01 the eighth year, the student made his selection of
curriculum to follow. Thus, if the student decided on a
commercial curriculum, there was a one-way curriculum for
him to pursue. The finished product was a stenographcr,
because bookkeeping instruction; had stopped at the end of
the tenth :car, and no student can retain as much knowledge
of bookkeeping as is needed to keep an accurate set of

1 i 1

books with a two-year lay-oil perioo. iypln; and shorthahd

came in the eleventh and twelfth years; consequently, these

L

7

subjects were tne only ones in which the stunent had

any cmxroetence sl;tflxs tins of‘

F‘-

l =

r.
C. '.

e Coraercitl Course Prone

.1—3‘

 

gracuation.

r; I: ‘4 m \\d ' V\ T’r . f. w or; t t A 7~
06C; Ckl. 14; id]: k} '61 Li .1.»in

 

It night be well at this

cornercial course witn tLe new

a flexible ore and not all c~
but whiCn sill be in tgo next

First semester

8 eneral nus ins s s l'rc‘ining
Ln‘lish

Commercial Aritlzetic
Civics

'ter

)1:

first new

,.
“LC

(

hookkeening
sniff l s h
elective
Llective

Lleventh
First semester
bliorti‘.ar‘;d
Tycinfi

United states
elective

w...
p

story

..I.

w...“ .

 

ooint to contrast tne ole

int; 141%.. COUTSB 1.8

C OUTSG o

rriec to cemcletion, as get,

second tenester

1».
LnlL

LOO 80‘1“;

1:12.51; 1 i S 21

Commercial SeO§rafihf
Civics

second semest r

Bookkeeoing
ifinjliSil
Llective
Llective

T

Second senester

shorthand

Typing and Trans-
crihtion

ed state;

tive

.
—\ v
0 v

I‘

(j _ I "
sto .
b

nit
Llec

Twelfth Year
First Semester
Shorthand
Typing and Transcriotion
Government
Elective
elective Subjects
Tenth Year
Biology--One year
French--One year
Eurorean History-~One year
Eleventh Year
English-~0ne year
Clothing-—One year
Cooking--One year
Twelfth Year

Chemistry-~One year
Lconomics--One semester

T If 2:,

PARTIAL OPERATION

Ninth Year

Second semester

Shorthand

Transcriotion and
Tynins

English

Llective

Clothing-~6ne year
Cooking--One year

Physiology--One semester
Sociology--One semester

Commercial law--One semester

COHTEECIAL COULQL A3 PRCPOSED AKD IX

(Recommended but not required course)

First semester

Junior Business Training
Commercial Geography '
English

Civics

Tenth.Yeer

Second semester

Junior Lusiness Training
Commercial Arithmetic
English

Civics

(For all commercial students)

First semester

English
Bookkeeoing
Typing
shorthand

Second Semester

Lnglish
Bookkeeping
Tynins
shorthand

59

After this first year, the student has an opportunity

to make his choice of three curricula.

SECRETARIAL AID GEELHAL OFFICL TRAIKING

eleventh Year

First Semester

History

Shorthand

Tyoing and Transcription
Public Sneaking

Twelfth Year
First Semester

Office Practice%%*
Economics*
Business Bnglishs
Transcription

ACCOUKTIBG
eleventh Year

First Semester
Bookkeeping
History
Public Speaking
Economic Geography%

Twelfth Year
Business Arithmetic%
Nachines*%*

English Grammar
Civics

Second Semester

History

Shorthand

Typing and Trans-
criotion

Salesmanship***

Second Semester

Office Practice**%
Civics

Business Bnglish*
English Grammar

Second Semester

Bookkeeping*
History

Business English
Salesmanship**

Cost Accounting**
Nachinesses
Commercial Law*
Economics*

DISTnlBUTIVE OCCUPATtho

Eleventh Year

First Semester

Bookkeeping
History
Economic Geograohys

Second Semester

Salesmanship*
History
Civics

Public speaking

Twelfth Year
First bemester
Llementary Retail bellin5*
Kerchandise Knowledge*

btore English and spelling%
Store nork*

Thirteenth Year

herchandising and Karketing
Problems*
store Bork*

40

Business Bnglish%

Second Semester

Advanced Retail belling*
Kerchandise Knowledge*
Kiscellaneous detail-
Zing-3*:

a. Advertising

b. Records

c. Arithmetic
Store uork*

herchandising and
Karketing Pnoblems*
Store aork*

The course in accounting has been in Operation since

1958.

Bookkeepine has been take out of the Junior High
g, in;

Schools, leaving only junior business training as a two-

semester course instead of one semester.

greatly expanded, serves as an exploratory course.

This course,

Before

this change went into effect, the basic course in book-

keeping was taught in the ninth grade and the student

who decided, after leaving junior high school, that he

would like to enter the commercial training course, had

to go back to the junior high school for this subject.

This was unsatisfactory.

*Courses added to commercial curriculum

**Courses to be added the second year.

***Courses held up because of lack of finances.

41

The bookkeeping course has been increased from three
semesters,to four semesters and finishes at the end of
the eleventh year. Soon to be added will be coat account-
in; in the twelfth year. When this has been carried to
completion, the accounting coarse will be complete except
for instruction in direct Operation of machines. This
will probably be held up for some time. The initial cost
of putting in the machines necessitates this delay.

The other course which has been added is in the
field of cistributive occupations (retail selling). This
course is organized on the co-Operative plan under the
Federal George-Dean Act of 1936. It conforms with all
of the requirements of the Michigan State Plan. The
student is to supplement his school instruction with em-
ployment in a retail store over a two-year period. This
necessitates a thirteenth year.

The program of nistributive education started with
a few students and with very little instructional material.
A promotional program was started,with personal contacts
with merchants to get their sug;estions upon subjects
which could be included in the course of stuiy and to ask

their aid in euployin; the trainee.

(31in i” 'lvish 'v' I

W’flflCT ‘- Tr a; “Cy ,‘T'ff‘ "1;, :""-"-.‘- q .,;')T: Mfijpi‘ifinlj‘ .r‘! 1"; ,-
L'~_.-l. H-Jvld .4, any ..JKJ\J\-»4L.‘Jo.4-L_L'\/'_‘U J.\.&L iJiLi. nu sol--JJ-

H
Q
*3
5
CD
C,
H‘
<3
CD
"5
U}
H
Cf
c__. .1
- I
0
F13
C'?’
If
(D
O
9
:3
(D
"3
O
P o
m
Ip—J
C J
O
c?)
L“
0 J
3
6
L3

as to show that the curriculum prior to 1938 did not
provide worker3_for all of these jobs.

2. Kore students are preparing for stenoirarhic
positions than the number of such jobs available to them.

r?

o. The number of males and females enoloyed in Port
huron in retail sellin , 1159, was large enoujh to jUS‘lf}
adding selling courses (distributive education) to the
curriculum.

4. students who leave school Lt the age of 16, witnout
graduating, are eligirle for employment as retail sales-
peoole or deliver; boys only. however, apnlicants of this
age would be acceotahle to only a small pronorti:n of
the emeloyers.

5. The number of jobs in Specialized fields of stenog-

aohic and secretarial training, accounting and bookkeeping,
and sellin; shows a need for strong, shill-ouilding courses
along: these, lines.

6. Pour popular asses of typewriters should be considered
b? the hoard of education in the exonange of equioment.

7. There are enough other types of machines in connercial
use to justif; the addition of a machine course, using adding
machines, calculating nachihes, hdinhone and Dictaphone, and

duplicating machines.

suggestions for Further Study
1. There is a need for 336 sex kind of survey in

.‘ ,.,- ° 3 . “91.1,- 74 ° l... ‘0 -2, '.~' ° i 'V:. \ ._,. ‘.
other communities MibJ the VicJ ti CJmell‘nLu: parcentuje

U

r-
» _

of oonulation en,a ed in comnercial occupations, nercentages

n

of hale and female eunloyees, and the distribution of tale

1 job classificatier.

HJ

and female ennlo;ees in eac

d

5. There is a need for a study 0 estgalish the max-
imum aée at which conhercial emnloyees will be hired in
each job classification.
5. A need also exists for a stud: to determine the
causes of turnover in comnercial employient.

4. In order to sake a connercial curriculum fit the
needs of the community, a joo analvsis should he made of
each classification.

0. There is a need for studyin? the nunber of

oersons oer rear securing jobs for the first time.

44

51'ro or‘yvtnPI. r
1.4 1.33.; v‘u.‘ .-3.

Abrams, Ray. A Commercial Curriculum for Postgraduates.

 

Cincinnati: Southwestern Publishing Co. Keno rabh

L

Brooks, L. H. A Standard Procedure for Administering
Commercial Occupational Surveys. Unpublished
thesis, Library University of Iowa. 1953 Pp. 56.

Irons, J. Ralph, and others. Job Onoortunity Surv15.

 

Cincinnati: Southwestern Publishing 60., Konograoh
No. 27. 1956 Pp. 51.

nitson, Barry D. Commercial Education in Secondary Schools.

 

Kew York: Ginn and Comoany. 1959 Pp. 596.

A

Nichols, Frederick a. Cenmercial Lducation in he High School.

 

New York: D. Apnleton Century Co. 1955 Pp. 514.

Orzanc, Jacques. Emplojers' Preference in the Tiringiof

 

Clerical Lorkers. ch York: Lew York UniversitV.

 

‘

Pennell, Eugene D. Or;anization for Commercial Education

 

in the Public Senior High Schools of lichi;an.

 

Cincinnati: Southwestern Publishing Co. Konograoh
to. 39. 1937 Pp. 62.
Report of the National Committee on Advanced CourSes in

Vocational Education. Training for Leadcrthip in

 

Commercial Lducation. Washington: Federal Loard

 

“d
:3
C»)
r 0
O

for Vocational Lducatian. Bulletin to. 158, 1%2J
unite, Robert A. "survey of Commercial Occuoations."

Business Education World, 15: 554-56, March 1 56.

 

APPLIJDIX

LnTThh QT Ilva iTIJn

PORT HURON HIGH SCHOOL 45

PORT HURON. MICHIGAN
W. R. CLEMINSON. Principal

Dear Kr.

'You have been selected as a reprezentative for rour line
of business to attend a round table discuss ion at th
Port Huron fii;h school, Friday, hay E, at 12 o'clock
noon.

The big: sc;ool ritl the cooperation of the Chanbz. r of
Commerce is ola anilin; a commercial survey of Port Luron
and we need your sug cations in outlininj our nroccdure.

The reasons for this survey are:

1. Data are lacking both locally and on a riational
basis on the EunlO-Téhb on orturiities ior the
vario,s tyoes of‘ oi’fice work and sales nositions.
In particular, we wish to know the nunber employed
in the Port nu on area in these various positions
and the turnover.

2. Be wish to know from emnloyers' exnerience with
beginning workars in the various types of countr-
cial emoloyment, the oarticular qualifications,
and training which these neonle should rave. In
narticular, we wisn to know such things as tIe
tyoes of machines used and the eifiiculties wiich
beginners have due to the lack of training or
personal traits.

From the results oi this sur- 216;, the Port iiuron Eligh
School will be in a better no osition to recommend the
nrooer students to tne various types of comutrcial work.
he will also be better orenared to adapt our course of
training, subject nateria1,nachine nractice, office
practice, stud; oi salesmanship and sucn allied work

to meet the actual needs of“ emoloycrs of commercial
workers in Port Huron.

he want to talk over with you the above points and get
your reaction to then. The discussion is going to be
most helpful to us because of your experience and your
helpful interest in th' students who are going out into
he business world.
we are enclosing a copy of a tentative questionnaire
which we rave drawn un for use in conducting the survey.
Please be so good as to study it and recommend changes,
if any, at our luncheon.
Unless we hear fPOm you to the contrary, we will be
exnecting you on Friday, Ray 6, 12:00 noon at the high
school for luncheon.

Sincerely,

I:. R. SOIT Ker
Chairman Of Committee

H. A. Hookins, Secretary
Port Iuron Chamber of Commerce
w. R. Cleminson, Princioal

P. S. Enclosed is also a list of Heoble when we are
invit n3 to oarticioate in this ciscussion.

ALVIfiGRY COKTIT'

Kr. Dan Hayes

LP. (3. 5. Collins
tr. E. L. Fitzgerald
Iir. howard if. Thoraas
hrs. Yercia Beaubien
Fs'rs. Vale Benson

hr. C. S. Conley

Kr. halter bright

Kr. Gordon Tapnan
Kiss. Vary hruetziger
Kr. Geo. H. Kunter
Kr. L. A. Packard

Kr. K. J. Korn

hrs. Viola Jontgomery
Kr. Charles Babcock
hr. Jesse F. hilson
Lr. A. G. Thernstrom
tr. George Ei;;irs
tr. P. b. Lehman

Er. Frank Kerr

47

Detroit Ldison CO.

Chrysler Corp.

Kueller Brass 00.

First Rational Bank

J. h. sherry Co.

Woman's Benefit Association
5. S. Kresge Co.

Koore & Wright Insurance Co.
Watson 5 Tappan, Attorneys
The K. A. Smith harehous store
Port Euron Times herald
supt. of Port Huron Schools
Cunningham Drug Co.

A. A. A. Garage

Bahcock hairy

Grand Trunk Railway
Lins Coal Co.

J. C. Penny Co.

Kerr Lumber Co.

LETTER OF INTRODUCTION

PORT HURON HIGH SCHOOL
PORT HURON, MICHIGAN

W. R. CLEMINSON. Principal

To the Employers of Port Huron:

This will introduce , who is

cooperating with the Chamber of Commerce and the
Port Huron High School in conducting an occupation-
al survey of all the commercial positions in Port.
Huron.

The purpose of this survey is to learn the number
and kinds of positions for which Port Huron High
School students should be trained. When this in-
formation has been found, the High School will out-
line courses in the subjects that graduates must
know in order to give satisfactory service to the
businessmen of this city.

This survey is of value to you because it will pro-
duce the kind of people you want in the right pro-
portion of your needs.

If you will permit this student to talk with you or
another member of your firm.for five or ten minutes
to secure the needed information, it will be great-
ly appreciated and very beneficial to the schools,

and we believe to Port Huron business and industry.

Very truly yours,

H. R. 801111116?
Chairman of Committee

H. A. Hopkins, Secretary

Port Huron Chamber of
Commerce

48

W. R. Cleminson, Principal

QUESTIONNAIRE
COMMERCIAL OCCUPATIONAL OPPORTUNITY SURVEY

Port Huron,

Kind of business you are engaged in (as wholesale, retail, etc.)

and line (as hardware, etc.)

1938 49

 

INSTRUCTIONS: You are asked to answer six questions concerning the different commercial Eositions you have in your business. Note the

sample column already filled in. “M" at the top of the column means male and “F" means female.

duties performed during the day.

Male or female

mployee’s position is determined by majority of

la experience EDUCATIONALJItEQUIBI-ZMENTB

Minimum age
employees
will be hired

COMMERCIAL
POSITION

M. F.
50 m 18

No. of new

employees hired

during 1937

M.

2

F.

workers

preferred
Check—X

M.
X

F.

Numbeiyou
now have
employed

M. F.

I! I?

required of a
beginner?
Check—X

Yes No
X

l.

9

Grade School 3. Business College
High School 4. College
Check X least you will accept.

Accountants

St

Cashiers

Bill Clerks

File Clerks

En Clerks

iwnera ce
Clerks

Mail Clerks

S Clerks

Stock Clerks

Time Clerks

Traffic Clerks

eta
Sale

Secretaries
5 .
St hers
ctap or
hone
elep

( tors
'I‘
W
Solicitors

Order Clerks

List Others

MITLTIGRAPH—How many employees spend all or most of their time
r)pcrating this type of machine?

. tale, .7 female.

List makes of machines used:

 

 

 

 

TYPEVV'RITERS ---How many employees spend all or most of their time
operating this type of machine?
male, female.
List makes of machines used:

 

 

 

 

ADDING MACHINES—How many employees spend all or most of their
time operating this type of machine?

male, female.

List makes of machines used:

 

 

 

 

BOOKKEEI’ING MACHINES~How many employees spend all or most
of their time operating this type of machine
ma e, female.
List makes of machines used:

 

 

 

CALCULATORS—How many employees spend all or most of their time
operating this type of machine.
male, female

 

 

List makes of machines used:

 

 

 

 

 

ADDRESSING MACHINES-How many employees spend all or most of
their time operating this type of machine?

male, female.

List makes of machines used:

 

 

 

 

DICTAPHONE OR EDIPHONE—How many employees spend all or most
of their time operating this type of machine?

ma e, female.

List makes of machines used:

 

 

 

 

 

 

\Vhich of the following agencies do you use to obtain your help?
I’nderscore ONCE the agency you use most often; underscore TWICE
the agency you use next Often.

PERSONAL APPLICATION
WANT ADVERTISEMENTS
BUSINESS COLLEGE
HIGH SCHOOL
EMPLOYMENT AGENCY
{90 you get a student's record Tfrom the high school before employing?
CQ

 

 

If the high schools established an employment bureau for the gradu-
ates, would you be interested no this sen-ice.
'es No

Klirculati on dept .

101.28%?
Augé'a

M535

“2 46 It? 22 .3,-
Mb ‘6' Jul 19 '51
“‘3‘ ‘O I“ ,6 u
“:39 ‘7' 23 Mar 59

M3 4? c: d\ )6
M19 4'! 620M133
9 ’41
27 9‘48

luv 29'4

vim Pdl

m 28 '49. 3”

In 12 '43 M
4. JUL 104963
3qu 49

.q Ml. 379535
. AUG" - 21363 a?-

 

 

 

 

HICHIGQN STRTE UNIV. LIBRRRIES

l

mun 1ng mun“ Ill

2169

 

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