Gem City Business College - Yearbook (Quincy, IL)

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A LEADER From the February 1911 Edition of the Phonographic World of New York City E. N. MINER, Editor The Great Gem City Business College at Quincy, 111., Stands in the Front Rank Among All Like Institutions in the World. OF NONE of her institutions of learning can the United States of America be more proud than of her commercial colleges and none of the thousands of these, located in every one of our states from the Atlantic to the Pacific ocean, from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of Mexico, can she be more justly proud than of the great Gem City Business College, located at Quincy, 111. North America was primarily and is essen- tially the home of business education. In no other country of the earth has commercial education taken such strides, or attained to such proportions in educational interests, as in the United States. And yet, only fifty years ago, the business school, as such, or the commercial department in coll ?es, universities and public schools was an unknown factor in even our work of educating the young. But as America began taking her place in the front rank of the commercial nations of the world she recognized the necessity for specially educating her soldiers for the battle for business, and about half a century ago there began springing up, here and there in different parts of the country, small schools whose proprietors and projectors declared themselves prepared to educate young men for commercial life. The beginnings of these schools were, however, always very modest — they never occupying at the start more than one room, and usually a small one at that, in or near the commercial district of a large city. Business men looked upon them with anything but favor, at first sneeringly, and later only with feelings of toleration, as the schools ' outputs began to prove their value. The writer of this article can very vividly remember the time (and this is only thirty-six years ago) when he was one of the assistant bookkeepers in a large department store in Kansas City (having himself been practically trained by a gray-haired bookkeeper of the old school) and when we of the bookkeeping force would sneer loud and long if we needed extra help and it was merely suggested by somebody that we try one from Spalding ' s commercial college, an institution which had opened its doors only a few years before in that city. But these brave pioneers of business edu- cation have held their own, until today the sneer of the business men for the college graduate has not only disappeared and toler- ance has long since taken its place, but this has in its turn ripened into admiration and perfect trust as the well-prepared product of the well-equipped commercial school has gone out into the business world and has proven himself not only capable and desirable, but indispensable. And where fifty years ago the commercial school graduate was positively an unknown quantity in supplying the needs of business men for trained office help, it is safe to say that today at least ninety-five per cent of the raw material finding its way into the business offices of this country comes direct from the once despised commercial college. Among the earliest of these old-time com mercial school pioneers was D. L. Musselman. the well known founder of the great Gem City Business College, at Quincy, 111. Mr. Mussel- man started in the work, we believe as a teacher of penmanship in one of the first schools of the Bryant, Stratton Bell chain, first teaching for them at Springfield and later at Quincy, where in 1870, forty years ago, he, founded the wonderful institution for business education which has since borne his name. During the year that has just passed the college experienced the most successful in its history, with an enrollment of about 1400 students, and including in its list representa- tives from a majority of the states and terri- tories of the Union. At the head of this great institution of learning now stand D. L. Musselman, presi- dent; W. E. White, vice-president; V. G. Musselman, secretary. These three highly capable, earnest, and conscientious gentlemen are assisted in the successful conduct and up building of the Gem City Business College by a faculty composed of twenty-one experienced teachers — practical educators, each being espe- cially qualified for the department over which he or she presides — who devote their entire time to the school and to the interests of its students. It must not be supposed for a moment that the Gem City Business College relies for its support, or even draws to any considerable degree its patronage, from Quincy, the com- paratively small city in which it is located. Very few, indeed, of its students are natives, or permanent citizens of the town — the college, with its world-wide reputation for good work, drawing its pupils to it every year not only from almost every state of the Union, but from almost every country of the civilized globe. The Gem City Business College is also well known as a graduating school for teachers, as well as for pupils. Upon the occasion of a recent visit to the college by the editor of the World we were shown by Mr. Musselman a great stack of letters from teachers recently placed in positions as such by this college, thanking him for his care in preparing them for their positions and his subsequent kindness in placing them; another pile of letters from teachers desiring positions and changes, and another pile, no less in size, from many of the foremost school proprietors, managers, and principals, asking for competent help in their instruction departments. No less than fifty-nine public school teach- ers were in attendance at the G. C. B. C. in March, 1910, qualifying themselves in the vari- ous courses offered by the school. 4s 49

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RAILWAY GROUP We present herewith a portrait of a num- ber of graduates of the Gem City Business College, who are now holding excellent posi- tions either in railroad work or as book- keepers. Mr. H. A. Schoene is with the Chicago, Burlington Quincy Railway Company, at Sheridan, Wyoming. He writes: I have been employed here with the C, B. Q. R. R. Co. for the last four years as clerk in the division superintendent ' s office. Mr. W. H. Berry, an ex-G. C. B. C. student is located at Billings, Montana. I often hear from him. Mr. William Shade is with the Oregon Railroad and Navigation Company at Le Grand, Oregon. In a letter from him, dated April 27, 1911, he says: I like my work fine as I am in the open air a part of the time checking, while the remainder of my time is spent at my desk getting out reports. I have an excellent position and am in line for promotion. Mr. Fred C. Fullen is holding a position with the Rock Island Railway Company at Eldon, Missouri. He writes: I am getting along fine in my work here, although I have to work pretty hard at times. I wish to take this opportunity to thank you for helping me to get this position. I can certainly recommend the Combina- tion Course to any young person wishing to better his condition in life. Mr. W. T. John, Jr., is in the employ of the Frisco R. R. System, at Chaffee, Mo, where he has made a great success. In a re- cent letter he states: lien WTJohn Wm Habel WFBamar-d SidncyMavo GLPlakn il tJacobs EJBrecht years I have held the position as chief accountant of the maintenance and way department at this point. I have full charge of all the accounts pertaining to our department for the State of Illinois. Sidney Mayo, one of our graduates of about sixteen years ago, is now cashier for the Direct Navigation Co., Houston, Texas. He recently wrote: I am happy to remember the dear old institution and its faculty and the excellent business training I received at their hands. I have been very successful in business, advancing from laborer to cashier of the above corporation. My firm operates a barge line from Houston to Galveston. G. L. Plahn is now holding a good position as bookkeeper and stenographer and cashier for the Baum Coal Company, Omaha, Nebr. He writes: Our offices are in the finest building in the city. The company has a very large business, both wholesale and retail. I am drawing a good salary and have no difficulty whatever in properly performing my work. Mr. A. L. Jacobs has held several positions since finishing his course at the Gem Cit j r Business College. In January he wrote from Chicago: I had no difficulty in getting located after my arrival here and I now have an excellent position with J. W. Butler Paper Company, as private secretary and stenographer for the sales manager. Mr. Moats, one of your old students, who took the position that I vacated with the Northern Express Company, is greatly pleased with it. Mr. F. J. Brecht is employed with the In- ternational Harvester Company of America as bookkeeper. He recently wrote: T am experiencing no difficulty in my work. T started in at 60 a month and have been advanced from time to time. Before accepting a position I was told that I would find the actual work of an office much different from college work, but after having considerable experience I have yet to see the work that T cannot handle. Since leaving your school I have been in railroad work most of the time. I am at present emploved by the St. L. S. F. Ry. Co., as chief clerk to the general foreman of bridges and buildings. My success in the business is largely due to the thorough training received under your instructors. Mr. Elmer McConnell writes from Mar- celine, Missouri: I have a pleasant position in this city as stenogra- pher in the division engineer ' s office of the A. T. S. F. Ry. Co. I like my work and I always recommend the Gem City Business College as the only business college, to any young person desiring a business educa- tion. Mr. William Habel graduated from our bookkeeping and also from the shorthand de- partment. He is at present located at Pierre, South Dakota, and is accountant in the office of the superintendent of the Pierre, Rapid City and Northwestern Railway, a division of the C. N. W. R. R. He writes: I have been employed by the Northwestern Railway for almost four years at different points in South Dakota in both stenographic and bookkeeping positions. My services have at all times been satisfactory. Con- sidering the number of graduates from other business colleges who have proved unsatisfactory in the same positions, I feel that I am to be congratulated on having chosen the G. C. B. C. Mr. W. F. Barnard graduated from our bookkeeping and shorthand department in 1904. We then recommended him to a posi- tion as stenographer in the office of the super- intendent of bridges and buildings, of the Wa- bash R. R. Co.. Springfield, 111. Six months later he was promoted to the office of the engineer, maintenance of way, at Decatur, as bill and voucher clerk, with an increase of $20 a month. Mr. Barnard writes: Since that time I have been promoted at different times with increases in salary and for the past four