Business English Part 49

Study the life and character of one or more of the following. Have they gained what you consider success? What qualities of character do you recognize in them? Would you care to be like any of them?

Make a list of the habits that you recognize in their life and in the way they worked.

Make a list of the characteristics of the ones that you study.

Florence Nightingale Frances Willard Bismarck David Maydole Ella Flagg Young Gladstone R. L. Stevenson Helen Gould Shepard Marshall Field Booker T. Washington Jane Addams Carnegie Captain Scott Napoleon J. Pierpont Morgan Mary Antin Franklin Edison Daniel Boone Lincoln Roosevelt Mary Lyon Nathan Hale Goethals

=Exercise 148--Debating=

A very great a.s.set in business is the ability to see the truth or the falsity of a statement, and to advance proofs for or against it. This ability we shall try to acquire through the practice of debating; that is, through the making of speeches in which students take opposite sides of the same subject, trying by the presentation of facts and ill.u.s.trations to prove that the side which they represent is the correct one. The statement that is thus argued is called a _proposition_.

Debating is excellent practice because it teaches not only clear-cut reasoning, but also forceful expression. If a debater fails to make any of his several arguments convincing, if he introduces irrelevant matter, or, though he has prepared strong proofs, if he expresses them in incorrect English, the result will be poor. In working out a debate, therefore, observe the following carefully:

1. Know your subject thoroughly. If you have insufficient knowledge, you cannot be convincing.

2. Understand your point of view exactly and explain it clearly. If you and your opponent have different ideas of the word _trust_, for example, you can never argue on a subject that concerns the trusts. Define your position first of all.

3. After you have gathered your facts, study them as a whole. What three arguments, let us say, stand out clearly in your mind as being irrefutable because of the strong proofs you have to back them? These are the ones that you should use; the rest will probably be of little value. Plan to give the weakest of the three first, so that your argument will gain force as you advance.

4. Work out the details of each argument. A mere statement of each is not enough. It must be supported by many facts and ill.u.s.trations.

5. Prepare an outline. It will show you whether your arguments follow each other clearly, whether you have so arranged them as to secure climax. (See Exercise 152.)

6. In talking, follow the plan explained in Exercise 140, being especially careful in conclusion to summarize the proofs that you have presented.

The conclusions that you reach in your arguments must be based upon statements that are true. In the following, some of the statements are false, and therefore the conclusions based upon them are false. Point out wherein the falsity consists. In others of the following, irrelevant matter has been introduced. Point it out, explaining why it is irrelevant.

1. We shall forget a great many facts that we learn at school. Therefore it is useless to learn them.

2. Oil should be used instead of water in sprinkling our streets, because oil does not evaporate so quickly as water, and so does not allow the dust to rise.

Moreover, as the street must be cleaned before the oil is laid, there is less dust to rise. When the oil lies on the streets, it is very sticky, and clings to everyone's shoes. In this way it is tracked into the houses and stores, making everything dirty. Therefore I think the streets should be oiled instead of being watered.

3. Half of the keys would not work on the typewriter that I used yesterday. This machine will work no better, as it is made by the same company.

4. Last year September was very warm, and the winter was extreme. This year September has been very warm, and therefore the winter will be extreme.

5. My cousin never went to high school, and when he went to work he earned eight dollars a week. I have gone to high school for one year. Therefore I shall receive more than eight dollars a week when I go to work.

6. When you are working, your employer will never ask you the definition of a noun. Therefore it is unnecessary to know any grammar.

7. Every one should be punctual in doing his work. If he is punctual, he will be promoted and earn a larger salary. Money is a very important item in this world, but it is not everything. A person must be satisfied with his work so that he can do it cheerfully; otherwise he will not succeed. Therefore I think every one ought to be on time.

8. The day is either sunny or it is not sunny. To-day is not sunny; therefore it is sunny.

9. It always rains when I wear new shoes. I am wearing new shoes; therefore it will rain to-day.

=Exercise 149=

Find three reasons for each of the following propositions. State them concisely, reserving the strongest for the last.

As above, find three reasons against each of the following.

Expand one of the reasons that you advanced for one of the propositions given below. Using your statement as the opening sentence, develop it into a paragraph by explanations and ill.u.s.trations.

1. The high school should have the same session as the grades.

2. The high school session should begin at eight o'clock and close at one, with no recess for luncheon.

3. Final examinations shall be abolished.

4. Every high school should teach manual training.

5. Every high school should offer business courses.

6. Every high school pupil should receive a business training.

7. Stenography (or bookkeeping) is a more important study than wood-working.

8. If a pupil fails in the first semester of a subject, he should be allowed to try the second without repeating the first.

9. A pupil should not be expected to learn a lesson that he does not enjoy.

10. Moving picture shows do more harm than good.

=Exercise 150=

Let three or four pupils write upon the blackboard three arguments in support of the same one of the following propositions. Then let the cla.s.s choose from all the arguments given those three or four that they think are best, giving in each case reasons for their choice.

In the same way let them work out the negative of the same proposition.

1. Every city should have a public park in the business district.

2. The large department stores should be abolished and smaller stores, selling only one kind of commodity, established.

3. The mail order house should be abolished.

4. It is bad business policy to conduct cut-price sales.

5. The newspapers are the greatest educators of the time.

6. Billboard advertis.e.m.e.nts destroy the beauty of a city.

7. Women should be allowed to vote.