BUSINESS BOYS

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 April 1936, Page 12

BUSINESS BOYS

TELL THEIR GRIEVANCES

LONDON. March 6

Public school boys who have recently entered business discussed their difficulties and grievances last night with employers at a meeting at Dulwich College. Headmasters and careers masters also attended the gathering, which was convened by the advisory committee of headmasters of the Career Advisory Bureau, Public Schools Employment Section.

The chairman, Mr. John Bell, headmaster of St. Paul’s School, said that this was the first time they had invited boys who had passed through the hands of the Bureau and started their business careers.

Speaking as a large employer of labour, Sir David Milne-Watson, chairman of the Gas Light and Coke Company, said that they had for some years recruited employees from the public schools and universities. One great difficulty was the feeling of restlessness and discontent among the boys after two or three years. They saw no results. He suggested employers might assist in the following ways: —

Boys should not be allowed to feel that they have been lost sight of. They should be made to understand the work they were doing, and the history of the business. Encourage them to ask questions; do no tsnub them when they ask. Reduce the time they are pupils from four to two years. Arrange lectures and visits to the works.

A boy who was not naturally fitted for a business career would be better outside it. Sir David strongly resented the suggestion that business was a refuge for those who could not get into the professions. The rewards were just as high and sometimes even higher than in the professions. Most employers ■would agree with him in putting high value on personality. The man who could act tactfully and knew hof to handle his fellowmen was almost certain to succeed. A golden rule was never to despise the job in hand, no matter how lowly. He disagreed with the criticism of the examination system. The man who could not put down on paper what he knew was muddle-headed. It was amazing the amount of trouble caused by the inability of people to write a true picture of what had happened. Reports had to be sent back again and again to be edited. In the discussion that followed one boy said he got into trouble because there were too many masters giving orders. What should he have done? Sir David replied that there must be something wrong with a firm that had too many masters. He sympathised with the boy.

Col. D. McLagan, secretary of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, said that restlessness very often arose from want of mental occupation and a definite aim. It was stated that a Public Schools Business Society had been formed to help boys working in London and provide suitable accommodation and special concessions.