New York University School of Commerce - Commerce Violet Yearbook (New York, NY)

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, DEP RTMENTS XACCOUNTING: Founded in 1900, at the fe- quest of the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants, the Accounting Department of the School of Commerce has steadily grown into one of the most outstanding accounting departments in the country. Courses in Accounting, Law, and Economics were first offered at night, subsequently, a day session was added, the curriculum was enlarged, and the Depart- ment organized mainly for the purpose of training accountants. The acting chairman of the Accounting Department at its inception was Professor William H. Dennis, who was succeeded by Professor john T. Wildman and Dean john T. Madden. The present chairman, Professor Arthur H. Rosenkampff, has served in that capacity since 1922. The faculty mem- bers are all men of wide practical experience. The accounting program is designed primarily in two parts: the elementary courses which give the student a general knowledge of the subject and the advanced courses which prepare the student for the Certified Public Accountant examinations. The practice of pre- senting the last four problems in the Advanced Ac- counting Problem course under actual C. P. A. exam- ination conditions is one of the most recent innovations in the Departments methods. The pre-eminence of the School of Commerce, Accounts, and Finance among collegiate schools of business is largely due to the excellence of the Department of Accounting. Both its world-wide reputation and the highly successful business careers of its many former students testify to the success of the Accounting Department. ARTHUR H. ROSENKAMPFF Cbnirnmn of the Accounting Depnrtnzenl BANKING AND FINANCE: Even before the Banking and Finance Department was organized at the School of Commerce, Accounts, and Finance, Dean Joseph French Johnson, the first Dean of the School, gave a course in corporation finance. Because of increased demands of the student body, an invest- ment course was offered by Frank A. Vanderlif in 1904, real estate, by Philip A. Benson, and insur- ance, by Edward R. Hardy, in 1905g and credit and collection, by David Golieb, in 1913. Dr. Charles W. Gerstenberg headed the Department in 1915 and under his direction a course in Federal taxes was added in 1919. Professor Major B. Foster, formerly of the Economics Department, became chairman of the Banking and Finance Department in 1923. In 1936, real estate courses were removed and given 'a special department of their own, and the tax courses were incorporated with the regular program of the Accounting Department. At present, the Banking and Finance Department includes in its offerings courses in corporation Hnance, credits and collections,.commercial and international banking, investments, security analysis, and insurance. New courses have been developed recently. Life Insurance and Estate Management and a timely course in Financial Policies in Time of National Defense and War. MA JOR B. FOSTER Cbnirnnzn of Banking and Finance Department

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1900 1902 1905 1907 1920 1921 1922 1925 1926 1927 1928 1931 1932 1952 1937 1940 1942 1943 HISTORY OF THE SCHOOL OF COMMERCE, ACCOUNTS, AND FINANCE The School of Commerce was founded through the efforts of the New York Society of Public Accountants. Three years of evening work were required for a B.C.S. degree. Alpha Kappa Psi, first commercial professional fraternity, founded on the campus. The first international fraternity, Delta Sigma Pi, was founded on the campus with the express purpose of furthering the principles of commerce being taught by the school. The Graduate School of Business Administration was founded at Wall Street, the Trinity Place building was purchased. Dr. Norris A. Brisco became the first dean of the School of Retailing, the first school of its kind in the country. A memorial tablet to Charles Ezra Sprague, Professor of Accounting in the School from 1900 to 1912, was unveiled in the Commerce lobby. Dean Johnson died, John T. Madden became the new head of the School, which was to attain an enrollment of over 10,000 students and of over 200 faculty members under his leadership. The new School of Commerce building was opened. The B.C.S. degree was liberal- ized by the addition of a full year of cultural courses, a four year curriculum leading to the degree of Bachelor of Science was offered, The Institute of International Finance was founded at the Wall Street Division. The famous owls, now seen atop the School of Commerce entrance and in the Department of Journalism lobby, were taken down from the old New York Herald Building and presented to the School by William T. Dewart, President of the Sun Publishing Company. School of Commerce had more of its students on the National champion N.Y.U. football team than any other school in the University. Freshman Week was inaugurated to give new students an opportunity of becoming orientated to their new environment. Lassman Hall, dedicated to the memory of Alfred Lassman, one of the greatest athletes ever to attend the School of Commerce, was opened where the old North Study Hall was formerly situated. The all-university newspaper was indefinitely suspendedg Commerce Bulletin was established as semi-weekly publication to serve this School. ' Secretarial Studies made a separate department - roused great influx of women into the School. Beginning of Conferences on School Publications, at which the School of Com- merce acts as host to editors and business managers, service inaugurated at School of Commerce. School of Commerce boys went to war, increase in women registration, decrease in men. Quartered soldiers - A.S.T.P. r 14

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A. EARL lVlANVILLE Cbzzimzmz of BZlJf7Z6J.I Efzglirb Depmflmerzt BUSINESS ENGLISH: A pioneer in the field of business writing, Professor Hotchkiss gave the first course in the Department of Business English in 1908. At that time the idea was advanced that stu- dents of business could best learn to write, not by learning the dry theory of rhetoric that had charac- terized college English courses in the past, but by solving practical writing problems, such as those en- countered in an every day business office. This idea has been carried forward by the School of Commerce to the present day, and has long since been adopted by other professional colleges. An important reason for the effectiveness of the instruction in the Department of Business English is the requirement that teachers chosen for the work must be trained not only in English, but in business as well, so that the practical aims of the course will be fulfilled. Another reason is that all forms of busi- ness expression are treated as Business English, so that students are taught not only how to write busi- ness letters and various kinds of business reports, but also how to speak before such audiences as a business man or woman may be called upon to address. ln recent years the English Placement Examination given as a requirement for admission to the School of Commerce, has been used as a means of determin- ing the particular courses in English by which the individual student could benefit most. The examina- tion has served effectively to raise the standards of student English in all the departments of the School. Assisted by a staff of specialists, Professor A. Earl Manville, chairman of the Department of Business English, has been unwavering in his maintenance of standards of English as rigid as can be found any- where. --...L --Qi WALTER E. SPAHR Chtziwlzmz 0 f Ecorzomici' Deparrzfmerzl f ECONOMICS: The economic department of the School of Commerce, Accounts, and Finance is the parent of all Economics Departments and until 1923, there was no other at New York University. At present there are three additional ones-at the Uni- versity College of Arts and Pure Science, Wfashington Square College of Arts and Science, and the School of Education. The first chairman of the Department in this School was Dr. Wfillard Fisher, followed by Dr. James Magee and Professor Wfalter Spahr, the present chairman was appointed to that position in 1928, In nature. the Department is a social science depart- ment in a professional school and covers the conven- tional basic economic questions characteristic of the social sciences. Since Dr. Spahr became chairman, departmental questions have been submitted to all statutory mem- bers of the staff in the interests of democracy of ad- ministration as a change from the early practice of having the chairman act as a departmental head. Greater stress, than in former years, has been laid upon the importance of training in statistics, now three consecutive years of statistics are offered. In peace times the Department staff, comprising usually twenty or more members, is aided by six graduate assistants-two senior and four junior assistants. Witli the advent of war, several changes have been made, including the introduction of certain courses devoted particularly to the economic problems of war-for example, courses on Wait Economy and Price Regulation and Price Policies.