ii!ii3p!JiB!jl!|fipi||i!!p|ii!i}{{i!^ NSTRUC DICTATIO liiiP '■mi ill Pi. , it GIFT OF Digitized by tine Internet Archive in 2008 witii funding from IVIicrosoft Corporation http://www.arcliive.org/details/constructivedictOOedwaricli CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION "Plan Your Letter'' BY EDWARD HALL GARDNER, A.M. ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN THE GREGG PUBLISHING COMPANY NEW YORK BOSTON CHICAGO SAN FRANCISCO England: 21 Harrington Street, Liverpool G,3 COPYRIGHT, 191 9, BY THE GEEGG PUBLISHING COMPANY • • • PREFACE The fundamental object of this book is to present a collection of material so graded and classified as to be effec- tive in the development of shorthand speed; and so varied as to give the student an extensive business and shorthand vocabulary, both technical and general. Its additional object, as the title "Constructive Dictation" implies, is to provide the student of shorthand and business correspondence with a means of learning the principles of construction according to which all good business letters are built. It presents a complete method for teaching business correspondence through the medium of the dic- tation class. ' Most business men and women learn how to write letters through observing examples. The beginner studies the letters written in the office, especially those dictated to him; but the first and strongest impressions are received through the drill in the dictation class. It is important, therefore, that all letters used in the dictation class shall be good letters, representative of the best modern usage. It will be extremely valuable also if, while using the letters, the attention of the student can be called to those qualities on which the effectiveness of the letters depends. There are two elements in all writing: language and plan, or as the teacher calls them, style and structure. Of these, style is absorbed by observing good examples ; but structure, or plan, needs to be taught. The watchword which forms the subtitle of this book, 3 4 PREFACE "Plan Your Letter," has been chosen as expressing the idea which should be constantly active in the student's letters. The plan of the letter should be the first object of study. The letter which is rightly planned leads the reader along a path which has been prepared in advance to conduct him to the desired goal. The letter which is planned is concise. The letter which is not planned, rambles and wastes the time of its reader. The well-planned letter is courteous, and increases the good will of the reader for the house which wrote it. The most ordinary letter, however brief, will produce a good impression or a poor one, depending on its plan. The plan of the letters in this book is caUed to the atten- tion of the student by superior figures, which refer to notes in small type at the end of each letter. The letters are classified according to the departments of a business house, and according to subject matter, as will be seen from the Table of Contents. This method brings together for com- parison, in many cases, letters presenting similar problems and employing a similar plan ; in other cases it shows differ- ent possible plans for handling similar problems. The object of most business letters is to secure action, and the plan of the letter is the vital factor in securing this action. It may be that a clear and orderly explanation is needed; it may be that to make a certain statement first and another .second is the most tactful method of handling the subject, and avoids giving offense; or it may be that to present a series of arguments or ideas in a certain arrange- ment will successfully persuade to action, because the reader naturally thinks of those ideas in that very arrangement. Considerable care has been taken to represent a cross section of the regular correspondence of large business houses organized by departments. My warm thanks are due those firms which liave run off for this purpose extra PREFACE 5 carbon copies numbering many thousands, comprising their total correspondence over a period of one or more days. Their generous co-operation has been given in the interest of business education. While lack of space does not permit acknowledgments to all who have aided in the preparation of this book, I must not pass by the substantial assistance of the following: L. A. McQueen, formerly Correspondence Supervisor, now Director of Mail Sales, B. F. Goodrich Company, Akron, Ohio; H. N. Rasely, Correspondence Supervisor, Norton Company, Worcester, Massachusetts; J. W. Morrisson, President, -Fuller-Morrisson Company, Chicago; G. B. Hunt, Office Manager, Butler Brothers, Chicago; C. M. Wynne, Assistant to the Vice-President, and L. P. Walsh, Assistant Superintendent of Correspondence, IVIontgomery Waid & Company, Chicago; L. H. Beall, Correspondence Supervisor, Sears, Roebuck & Company, Chicago; Edward M. Skinner, General Manager, Wilson Brothers, Chicago; C. J. WTiipple, General Manager, Hibbard, Spencer, Bart- lett & Company, Chicago; Hugo Biersach, Sales Manager, Evinrude Motor Company, Milwaukee; and C. L. McMul- len, Sales Manager, Fuller & Johnson Manufacturing Company, Madison. Acknowledgments are also due to Printers' Ink for letters here reproduced. To my publishers, my hearty thanks are due for their kind co-operation in all the phases of the preparation of the book, including most valuable advice and suggestions. In common with the teachers and students who will use the shorthand outlines, I am deeply indebted to Miss Georgie G. Gregg, who is responsible for their preparation. To Hubert A. Hagar I owe thanks for his strong and continued interest in the teaching of business correspondence through the medium of the dictation class, an interest which has stimulated and encouraged me in the present undertaking. 6 PREFACE Finally, may I express my debt to those many teachers, in response to whose request this book was begun, and whose devotion to the cause of commercial education is a constant inspiration to me. Edward H. Gardner Madison, Wisconsin, January, 1919 SUGGESTIONS FOR THE TEACHER Business Correspondence Through the use of this book, the attention of the class may be called to the principles of business correspondence, as pointed out in the footnotes to each letter, even if little or no additional time can be given to the separate study of the subject. The fact that the students have the book in their hands and are constantly referring to it, will impress on their minds the importance of a careful plan for every business letter. The teacher's great advantage in using the dictation class as a medium for teaching business correspondence is that the class receives abundant practice in carrying out the principles involved. Every teacher recognizes the need for constant practice in writing, if students are really to learn to write, but the time is often all too short for this. Such principles as "subject first," "courteous ending," "conciseness," etc., will impress themselves on the minds of the students through repeated observation and will become second nature. The careful plan and the effective phrasing of the letters will make a double impression through the attention called to them by the footnotes. The following suggestions will prove useful according to the varying amount of time at the teacher's disposal. In connection with each day's assignment call attention to the plan of the letters and to other principles explained in the footnotes. 7 8 SUGGESTIONS FOR THE TEACHER Ask the students to explain in more detail the reasons for the plan, the paragraphing, and the phrasing of letters, or, where different methods are represented, to express a pref- erence for one method over the other. Many letters illustrate points of tact and effectiveness too numerous to be covered by the footnotes. Encourage the class to discover these and to discuss them. Discuss with the class the importance of plan as an ele- ment in successful business transactions, asking them to present illustrations, such as planning for a journey, plan- ning for the use of study hours, of spare time, etc. Draw a connection between neat appearance of the letter on the page, and the writer's plan to produce an impression on the reader. Discuss the reasons for position, spacing, form, etc., of the various parts of the letter in the different styles shown in facsimile throughout the book. Discuss the value of good first sentences, contrasting with the wordy type often found in business letters. Discuss the value of good last sentences for leaving a pleasant impression, for summarizing the letter, or for lead- ing to action. Analyze and describe the "human problem" presented by a given letter, so that the class will understand the relations between writer and reader, and will appreciate the mcEuis taken to -secure action under these circum- stances. At the beginning of each section of letters, discuss with the class the nature of the business situation involved, drawing illustrations from familiar experience. Gather from the experience of the class, of their parents, or of local merchants, situations similar to those shown in the letters, and assign original letters to be written on these topics by the class. Place such a topic on the board and ask a student to die- SUGGESTIONS FOR THE TEACHER 9 tate a suitable letter. The teacher, or other members of the class, can criticize the dictation. Assign to the class the problem of writing a reply to a given letter in the text. With the aid of the rules in the Appendix, study the punctuation of letters. Assign one or more rules at a time, asking the class to find and Ust a certain number of examples of each from a given section of the book. When the rules have thus been learned, a few at a time, the class may be required to explain, by reference to the rule, each mark of punctuation in a given letter. Shorthand The letters and articles in this book are to be assigned for practice, while new matter should be given from a book not possessed by the students. In order to get the best results both in the study of cor- respondence and of shorthand, the book should be placed in the hands of the student and the letters should be carefully prepared before they are dictated. Special practice should be required on the technical words and phrases. To prevent students from multiplying their errors, it will be well, before the dictation is begun, for the teacher to place on the board the shorthand outlines for the entire letter", or at least the more difficult outlines and phrases. All notes taken from dictation should be read back, and if possible all letters should be transcribed on the typewriter. This practice will serve a double purpose. It will give the student excellent practice in quickly trans- cribing his shorthand notes, and will also be invaluable in teaching the mechanics of the business letter. After the letters have been duly prepared and have been discussed from the business correspondence viewpoint, 10 SUGGESTIONS FOR THE TEACHER they should be dictated at a rate consistent with the writing speed of the student. The rate of dictation, of course, should be increased with each repetition until the student's limit of speed has been reached. As far as possible all discussions pertaining to the letters and the shorthand outlines should precede the dictation. When the dictation practice is begun there should be no interruption, so that the students may more fully concentrate on the work at hand. Fifteen minutes of intensive and continuous dictation practice is much more helpful than twice that amount of short spurts broken by frequent interruptions. While it will be impossible for the teacher to examine carefully all of the shorthand outlines, care should be taken to see that the necessary preparation is made and that an occasional specimen, both of copy work and notes taken from dictation, should be submitted for criticism. Use of Vocabulary The vocabulary consists of thirty-two pages, a total of about 3000 words, arranged alphabetically. Word signs and words written in full, according to alphabetical char- acters, Eu-e not included. While the words found in the book form the basis for the vocabulary, many other words, including derivatives and words having similar shorthand outlines, have been added. The vocabulary offers the teacher an excellent opportunity of teaching the outlines for all the different forms of the words as they occur in the dictation. The student should be encouraged first to write all words in accordance with his understanding of the prin- ciple involved, and then to check up all doubtful words with the vocabulary, before practicing the outline. In order to facilitate reading, the letters and articles are SUGGESTIONS FOR THE TEACHER 11 counted in sections of twenty words each. Names and addresses are not included in the words counted, and figures are counted as read; i.e., $365.45 is read three hundred sixty-five dollars and forty -five cents, and is counted as nine words. SUGGESTIONS FOR THE STUDENT When preparing each day's assignment, imagine that you are the secretary of the person dictating the letter, and that you are trying to learn how he handles his correspondence. You are looking forward to the day when your employer will give you a simple memorandum, or a brief note, and will ask you to "write that letter." In other words, you, and not he, will some day write most of his letters. Consequently you wish to study and to understand each letter you transcribe. Study each unfamiliar word, re- ferring, for business terms and the shorthand outlines, to the glossary and vocabulary in the Appendix, and to a dictionary for other words new to you. Then ask yourself, "Do I understand the situation covered by this letter.^ What result does it aim to accomplish.^ What impression does it wish to leave, or what action is the reader desired to take.*^" Next inquire what plan it follows, what it says first, second, and third, and what reasons lie behind the plan. Observe carefully its paragraphing, remembering that for the sake of clearness each new topic should be given a separate paragraph, and that for the sake of emphasis important statements may be made to stand out by being presented in very short paragraphs. As a rule, long letters will contain some comparatively long paragraphs; and variety in paragraph length is always desirable. Is the letter clear? Has it omitted anything necessary to the reader's understanding.*^ 12 SUGGESTIONS FOR THE STUDENT 13 Is the letter concise? Does it avoid wasting words? Is it courteous? Does it leave a pleasant impression? Is it tactful? Does it avoid giving offense? Can you see how a clumsily worded letter on this subject might give offense? Would this letter produce good will and make its reader inclined to continue business relations with the house that sent it out? Is the letter persuasive? Does it contain enough to lead the reader to take the desired action? Are there phrases in the letter that seem to you especially effective? Perhaps they are worth learning and trying to practice the next time you have an opportunity. The right use of this book w ill lead to your increased use- fulness and advancement in the business world. Read the letters several times; observe the footnotes; watch for interesting and effective phrases, and by reference to the vocabulary learn the correct shorthand outHnes for all new words and phrases. As you practice to become a skilled recorder and trans- criber of other people's words, determine also to understand the ideas back of the letters you take down. You will take dictation more accurately and rapidly if you understand what you are writing. Moreover, when your chance comes, you will be ready to play a more responsible part in the business in which you have a shaie. TABLE OF CONTENTS LETTERS PAGE INFORMATION ASKED OR GIVEN 9 19 ADJUSTMENTS , 121 24 Information Asked •. . 21 Delay 26 Return and Allowance 33 Cancellation and Correction 34 Out of Stock 36 Goods Short and Lost 45 Goods Over and Wrong Goods Sent 52 Damage 55 Defect 58 Exchange 60 Wrong Charge 61 Allowance 64 Customer's Error 67 Directions for Operation 78 MiscELL.-yvEOus, Including Letters Anticipating Complaint 80 ORDERS 2 84 QUOTATIONS 10 85 CLAIMS AGAINST RAILROADS 9 90 TRAFFIC DEPARTMENT LETTERS 10 94 CREDIT AND COLLECTION (Subdivided) ... 86 ' 99 Requests for Credit Information from the Trade AND from Salesmen . . .' 99 Requests for Credit Information and Other Credit Letters to the Customer 102 C. O. D. Shipments 112 Urging the Discount • 113 First Collection Letters 114 15 16 CONTENTS Second Collection Letters 116 Petty Account Letters 117 Granting Extension 118 Broken Promise Letter 119 Part Payment Letters 119 Third Collection Letters 122 Draft Letters 123 Later Collection Letters 126 Final Collection Letters 128 Collection Agency Letters 132 Discrepancies in Account 133 Discount Wrongfully Deducted 138 Check Protested 139 Correspondence with Attorneys 141 EMPLOYMENT 5 145 LETTERS OF APPRECIATION 5 148 LETTERS TO SALESMEN 22 152 SALES LETTERS 122 164 Letters to Consumers 164 Letters to Dealers -. . 189 Books and Magazines ' 215 Real Estate 221 "Jogging" Letters 225 Financial 229 Letters to Large Users 236 ARTICLES FOR DICTATION 26 251 Importance of Business Letters 251 Motives Behind all Buying 254 Good Will 256 Dangerous Letters 257 Opportunity of Business Letters 258 Social Importance of Good Sale;smanship . . . 262 Arousing Mental Images 263 Efficient Cost Keeping 265 The Dynamic Idea 267 Faith in Self • 268 Organization and Management 270 Studying the Article 270 CONTENTS 17 Basis of Business Rewards 273 The Business Position 274 Guide to Business Success 275 Advertising as a Business Force 277 Interpretative Function of Accounting .... 279 The Retail Store 281 Jobbers Service 282 Capital Saved by Being ConsuxMed 285 Division of Labor 286 Advantages of Division of Labor 287 American Industrial Democracy 288 Knowledge Viewed in Relation to Professional Skill 291 Work of the Planning Department 293 Flag Day Address of the President 295 GLOSSARY OF BUSINESS TERMS 301 RULES OF PUNCTUATION 323 SUGGESTIONS FOR CIVIL SERVICE CANDI- . DATES 336 SHORT-HAND VOCABULARY 345 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION INFORMATION ASKED OR GIVEN 1 Mr. A. R. Carter, 154 Pierce Street, Racine, Wisconsin. Dear Sir: The authority to decide what books are to be used in the schools,^ concerning which you ask in | your letter of November 9,- is conferred by law upon the school board. I believe the proper way to proceed | in this case is for the board to hold a legal meeting, and at this meeting formally decide what books I shall be used. This decision may then be enforced.^ Doubtless there will be no difficulty, but if I can assist | you further, please let me know.* Yours very truly, (89) 1 Subject 2 Reference 3 Further suggestion, to help inquirer 4 Shows willingness to serve 2 Mr. H. G. Skinner, 86 Covington Avenue, Hoboken, New Jersey. Dear Sir:. Your letter of June 12 raises a question about which there is some difference of opinion in official | quarters.^ The Fourth Assistant Postmaster General has modified the rul- ing of the .Post-Olfice Department condemning chain letters so that | it will not affect those chain letters designed to encourage the sale of thrift stamps. Contrary to this, however. Secretary | of the Treasm*y McAdoo has stated that the Treasury Department is in no way re- sponsible for these chain letters and, | instead of encouraging their use, emphatically disapproves of them.- The State Council of Defense has seen no necessity for modify- ing I in any way its action of nearly a year ago vigorously condemn- ing the use of chain letters in any form.^ | Yours truly, (122) 1 Subject, difference of opinion. Note concise first sentence and subordinated reference to date of preceding letter 2 Subject amplified 3 Conclusion 19 20 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES 3 Mr. E. P. ElUs, 101 Delia Avenue, Hamilton, Ohio. Dear Sir: So far as we are aware the Government has not published a Conservation List or Non-essential List, | for which you inquired on June 13.^ It is presumed that some time before the new "work or fight" regulations | go into effect on July 1, such hsts will be pub- lished. As soon as we receive them they will be | forwarded to the County Councils.^ Yours truly, (67) 1 Answers question; note indirect reference to date 2 Promises further aid when possible 4 Mr. Frank Baker, Aberdeen, South Dakota. Dear Sir: I am informing the State Threshermen's Committee of the con- tents of your letter of June 13.^ This committee | is* extremely anxious that the local Thresher- men's Committees in the several counties shall be appointed at the earliest possible date, | in order that ample time may be given for the preparation necessary to insure a minimum of waste in threshing | this season.2 They ask me to urge your council to make its selection of a practical thresherman member of this | committee very soon in order that the work may start in Calumet County.^ Yours truly, (95) 1 Answers request 2 Gives information 3 Urges action 5 Mr. K. T. Connor, 416 Reed Street, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Dear Sir: In response to your inquiry we take pleasure in inclosing copy of our Bulletin No. 10 on Wool.^ | On page one of this bulletin you will note a table giving the wool prices for the various grades on | the basis of clean scoured delivered at Chicago.^ This does not, of course, give you a definite figure for INFORMATION ASKED OR GIVEN 21 Style I. — DOUBLE SPACING (SHORT LETTER) Note also indented address and paragraphs, and typed signature. The Thomas B. Jeffery Company ; and Works - Kei Jeffery Kairt Office and Works - Kenosha, Wis. CharlesTJetfery/Tesjaent ' HW Jeffery- v!c,/vesTd Street, Richmond, Virginia. Gentlemen : We are glad to inform you that we have succeeded in obtaining a settlement ^ from the Adams Express Company | covering the 20 1 gallons R. C. Syrup and express charges which was lost in our shipment to I you of January 23, 1918.2 We are placing the amount $23.18 to your | credit on our books.^ Your claim for damage to the shipment of February 10 wiU be taken | up fully in a later letter, but it is receiving our attention and we expect to be able to make | a satisfactory adjustment.^ Yours very truly, (103) 1 Subject 2 Data 3 Fm-ther action 4 Provisional answer on other subject 92 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES 6 Williamson-Halsell-Frazier Co., 1-7 West First Street, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Gentlemen : We are sending you the freight bill covering our shipment of February 2, and shall appreciate your having the | shortage of one box of Cigars noted thereon by the agent.^ We regret the necessity of troubling you in this | matter, but we wish to enter a claim against the railway company for the loss and need this notation.^ We I shall be glad of any assistance you may give us in this matter and are inclosing a stamped envelope for | your convenience in replying.^ Yours very truly, (87) 1 Refers to inclosure and asks action 2 Explanation 3 Emphasis on action 7 Mr. A. D. Logern, 18 South Lawn Avenue, Everett, Massachusetts. Dear Sir: If you will kindly send us an itemized list ^ of the merchandise contained in the one case of | notions reported short in your letter of January 9, we shaU file a prompt claim with the railroad for this | loss as well as for the broken rocker from the same shipment.- We thank you for sending your noted expense | bill and we shall be glad to have this other necessary information so as to gixe you prompt service.^ Yours I very truly, (8 2) 1 Replies to letter by asking action 2 Shows desire to serve 3 Emphasizes request for action; appeals to self-interest 8 W. T. Kilborn Co., 24 Free Street, Portland, Maine. Dear Sir: As soon as we receive your express bill ^ we shall take pleasure in filing a prompt claim against | the express company for the Rug CLAIMS AGAINST RAILROADS 93 3353-8 reported in your letter of November 11 | as short from our shipment 11917.- W on't you please let us have this document immediately | so that we can get right to work on this claimP ^ Yours very truly, (74) 1 Asks action 2 Refers to data 3 Cordial, informal language 9 Mr. J. W. Beck, Post Office Inspector, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Dear Mr. Beck: I haAe received your letter of January 4, relative to a quantity of parcel post mail having | been damaged by fire in the Chicago & Minneapolis RPO train 55 and turned in to the | Postmaster at St. Paul, Minnesota.^ The two packages you refer to as ha\ing been shipped by us consigned as follows, | Miss Alice Mayer, Red Wing, JMinnesota, Order No. 352899, Miss Margaret Olds, | Rochester, Minnesota, Order No. 306930, have not been complained about ^ as far as we | are able to ascertain at this writing. It may be that the records in the matter have not as yet | been returned to our files. Consequently we are writing the consignees to-day and just as soon as their answers are | received, you will be notified accordingly.^ Very truly yours, (149) 1 Acknowledgment 2 Subject; answers question 3 Further action 94 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES TRAFFIC DEPARTMENT LETTERS Letters of this class which are clear and courteous, and which omit no opportunity for giving the matter individual rather than routine attention, have the best chance of receiving prompt attention. 1 Bradbury Bros. Heating Co., 1219 Stout Street, Denver, Colorado. Gentlemen : Complying with your letter of May 11, we have notified the Adams Express Company that you are still short | one roll from the shipment of seven rolls, cases No. 77125 to No. 77131 [ forwarded under date- of March 15.^ We hope they will be able to find j the missing roll; however, if it is not dehvered soon, we suggest that you enter claim.- Very truly yours, (79) 1 Subject 2 Suggests further action R. D. Lane, Manufacturing Company, 456 Stanley Street, Jamestown, New York. Gentlemen : As requested in your letter of May 9, initials A.E.C.-W. we shall be glad to ask | the Railroad Comj^any to trace ^ shipment of April 3 to the Lone Star Gas Company, Fort Worth, Texas, applying on I your order No. 80205.^ Please notify your customer of our action and ask them to bring | the matter up again, if shipment is not delivered within a reasonable time.3 Very truly yours, (7G) 1 Subject 2 Data 3 Asks action TRAFFIC DEPARTMENT LETTERS Mr. W. S. Dickey, Agent, Wells Fargo & Company Express, Lynn, jNIassachusetts. Dear Sir: SHIPMENT DECEMBER 12, 1917 GREEN HILL FARMS, FOOT OF EAST 26th STREET, NEW YORK CITY FOR | NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.^ The above shipment which consisted of one case, weight 16 pounds, charges collect case No. 79623 | has not been deUvered.- \Ve had a notice from one of your New York | Offices in Decem- ber to the effect that shipment was undehvered on account of bad roads but we have since been | unable to determine just where it is being held.^ Will you please take the matter up at once and let | us know just as soon as possible what disposition was made of the case!'* Very truly yours, (117) 1 Reference 2 Subject 3 Further data 4 Asks action Mr. C. E. Rhodes, Agent, Pennsylvania Railroad Company, Warren, Pennsylvania. Gentlemen : We acknowledge receipt of your letter of May 9 and are sorry to learn that you have been unable | to find any record of the shipment of Insulated Copper Wire forwarded to Oscar Helmar of ^^ arren, Pennsylvania, under date | of July 31.^ We wish to call .attention, however, to our letter of May 9, v.herein we informed you | that this shipment went to Warren, Ohio, and was re-forwarded from there on way-bill No. 545 | of August 21, 1917.2 Possibly this additional information will enable you to find record of the arrival of | this reel. Will you please inform us? ^ Very truly yours, (iio) 1 Subiect 2 Further data 3 Asks action 96 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES Mr. F. P. Burling, Purchasing Agent, VVabash Railway Company, St. Louis, Missouri. Dear Sir: Your letter of May 1, File 2850-M} We shall have to acknowledge ourselves | at fault in sending the shipment referred to by American Express and not by Wells Fargo as directed.- Your instructions | were not noted when the order was entered.^ We shall try to be more careful in routing future shipments.* Yours I truly, (6i) 1 Reference 2 Subject 3 Explanation 4 Courtesy 6 Lee Brothers Trucking Company, Haverhill, Massachusetts. Gentlemen : Haverhill Welding Company} In response to your letter of May 13 we find from our records of April 9, I that the 33 packages weighing 1018 pounds consigned as above were signed for by Irvine or | Iroine, as nearly as we can make out the name.- We presume you wiU be able to tell from this | which one of your drivers receipted for the shipment.^ Yours very truly, (72) 1 Reference to consignee 2 Subject 3 Avoids abrupt ending 7 Mr. C. H. Sterling, General Agent, A. C. & Y. Railway Company, Akron, Ohio. Dear Sir: Under date of April 4 we forwarded in D. L. & W. car No. 35464 | consigned to L. P. Rose & Company, 17 Battery Place, New York City via A. C. & | Y., W. & L. E. cars of N. Y. C." a shipment consist- ing of one case No. 54741 | weigliing 260 lbs. intended for Wilmerding, TRAFFIC DEPARTMENT LETTERS 97 Limited, St. Johns, Newfoundland.^ According to information we | have just received from New York this shipment has not yet been delivered.- \\e request, therefore, that you please start | an immediate tracer after this car and inform us promptly what record you have of delivery in New York so | that we may take the matter up further with our Forwarding Agents.^ Yours very truly, (135) 1 Data 2 Subject 3 Asks action 8 Pacific and Oriental Steamship Compgmy, 81 Broadway, New York City. Gentlemen : Please refer to your letter dated May 2, File A-395 in regard to shipments for | British India points covered by BiUs of Lading Nos. 3003, 3004, 3005, and 3006 ^ | and inform us whether you are now in a position to give us definite advices as to whether | these shipments will actually clear on steamer "Colusa" as stated in your letter.' We are extremely anxious to learn that | you were able to ac- complish this and your prompt advices in this connection will cer- tainly be appreciated.^ Yours very truly, | (lOO) 1 Reference 2 Subject 3 Emphasizes action 9 E. F. ]\Ialfinson & Company, 85 John Street, New York City. Gentlemen : We inclose shipping instructions, shipper's export declaration, and two copies of packing list covering 188 bales | of Rubber Hose intended for Eraser & Chalmers, East London, South Africa.^ This shipment was forwarded to our New York | Branch by Erie Freight on April 30 as a domestic consignment .- The export license covering this shipment has already been | sent to our New York people. Just as soon as an opportunity for for- warding presents itself, we suggest that you | get in touch with our 98 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES New York Branch so that the proper dehvery can be made in accord- ance with your | instructions.^ Yours very truly, (104) 1 Subject 2 Data 3 Asks action 10 Caldwell & Company, 190 Market Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Gentlemen : We wrote you on April 23 and again on May 6 ^ requesting that you furnish us with actual | clearance advices covering our shipments of January 16 consisting of two cases Nos, 43446 | and 47 for the Indies Iron & Steel Company, Havana, Cuba, and two packages Nos. 66936 I and 68133 for Mason Brothers, Limited, Buenos Ayres.^ We regret exceedingly | that it is necessary for us to write you re- peatedly for this information. As we are extremely anxious to close | our file on the subject we must insist upon your furnishing us this information without further delay.^ We have requested | you repeatedly to furnish us with a copy of ocean bill of lading covering each and every shipment forwarded for I our accoimt and we can see no reason whatever why this was not done in tliis particular case.^ Kindly look | into the matter immediately and favor us with a prompt reply .^ Yours very truly, (174) 1 Subject, neglected correspondence 2 Data 3 Asks action 4 Emphasizes annoy- ance 6 Emphasizes action CREDIT AND COLLECTION 99 CREDIT AND COLLECTION Before an order can be shipped, the credit manager must have information, either from the customer himself or from houses that have sold him goods, showing that he has the "character, capacity, and capital" that enable him to pay his bills. Then the customer is given a ''line of credit," that is, he is allowed to order goods up to a cer- tain amount. Changes in his business, or orders larger than the "line" agreed on, require fm'ther investigation to see whether his credit is still "good," or is good for the increased amount. Meanwhile, his orders may be. held, or shipped with a warning. He must pay within the time specified by the terms of the house. He may be able to secure an extra discount by very prompt payment; this benefits both buyer and seller. In credit and collection letters, cordiality, friendliness, the desire to serve, and appeals to good will, co-operation, and self-interest, produce better results than harshness. When severity becomes necessary, it can be used with evi- dent regret. REQUEST FOR CREDIT INFORMATION FROM THE TR.\DE AND FROM SALES.MEN 1 INIr. E. H. WeUeU, Irving Avenue, Zanes\'ille, Ohio. Dear Sir: We have been referred to you by J. G. Pound, 46 Hancock Street, Warren, Ohio, and would | appreciate any information ^ you may feel 100 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES disposed to give us concerning his financial responsibility and business record with your house. | Thia will be treated as strictly confidential.^ We have sold him two small bills which are not yet due and | have under con^deration an order estimated at $100.00 to be shipped on our regular terms.^ We shall appreciate | an early response.^ Let us assure you of our willingness to reciprocate the favor at any time.^ Yours very truly, | (lOO) 1 Subject 2 Shows appreciation of favor, does not take it for granted 3 Further data 4 Courteously suggests action 2 Mr. Hubert Otto, Salesman No. 49, Watertown, New York. Dear Mr. Otto: We are preparing for shipment February first an order you entered for Frank Brothers, 421 | West Street, amounting to $140.35.^ Although we asked for information at the | time the order was entered, the reports we have received are not very flattering.- Before asking Frank Brothers for a | business statement, we should like to hear from you regarding their afl'airs. If possible, give us the names of some I of the houses with whom they are dealing, as this is. the best information for our files.^ If we were | dependent entirely on the reports of the mercantile agencies and the replies to our round of inquiries, the order could | not be passed, but we hope you can get us some information that will show that they are entitled to | a line of credit at least covering the amount of the order in hand.^ Yours very truly, (157) 1 Subject 2 Reason for letter 3 Requests action 4 Shows desire to sell the goods 3 Cooper & Shackman, 970 Bridge Street, Lawrence, Massachusetts. Gentlemen : Some time ago you very kindly gave us information regarding the financial standing of A. B. Young, 126 | Orchard Street of your CREDIT INFORMATION — TRADE 101 city.^ Since that time we ha\ e carried a satisfactory account for him, extending small | credits. He has now placed an order with us of $800 on terms of 2 per cent April | 10 or net June 1.^ We shoidd like to have you inform us whether his business has increased to such | an extent that our shipment of this order would prove to be a good business risk.^ Any information you may | care to give us wiU be greatly appreciated and held in strict confidence, without responsibility to you.^ Yours very truly, (120) 1 General subject; chronological arrangement 2 Special paragraph for important item 3 Requests action 4 Removes objections to action 4 Mr. Horace Armstrong, 513 France Avenue, Utica, New York. Dear Sir: We have occasion to refer again to the guaranty which you for- merly gave us in respect to the | account of J. C. Ritter of your city.^ Mr. Ritter is now owing us $466.00 and | we have pending an order amounting to $188.56 calling for February first | shipment.- Naturally we want to deliver the goods if possible, but we do not care to take any unusual business | risk.^ Noting that you withdrew your guaranty for ninety days dating from November 22, we should hke to know I if you are interested in the handling of the account at the present time, or if you consider that we | are justified in charging this amount of business to Mr. Ritter without security.^ We have to-day written him suggesting that | he send us a check for the order now pending and deduct 2 % discount for cash and also I give us his assurance that the open account of $466.00 wiU be paid promptly when due. Your I reply will be much appreciated, and, we hope, will place us in a position to deliver the goods to Mr. | Ritter on the date men- tioned.^ Yours very truly, (208) 1 Subject 2 Further data 3 Shows desire to sell goods 4 Cash in advance has already been suggested 5 Persuades to action 102 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES 5 Mr. T. L. Davis, Hartford, Connecticut. Dear Sir: We regret that we can give you very little credit information i concerning P. T. Olds at Corning, New | York. He buys an occasional small order from us, so that to give the amount of his purchase would not I be of assistance to you.^ We have no salesman visiting the town, and so know nothing about the conduct of | his business.^ Possibly Jerrems & Coriipany of Rochester could give you more information.^ Sorry to be of so little help.^ | Very truly yours, (83) 1 Subject 2 Explanation 3 Second subject 4 Shows desire to serve 5 Emphasizes regret REQUESTS FOR CREDIT INFORMATION AND OTHER CREDIT LETTERS TO THE CUSTOMER 1 Clawson & Aldridge, 2978 Adams Street, Flint, Michigan. Gentlemen: We wish to thank you for yom- order of June 25. According to your instructions it was shipped | immediately and is now on the way.^ We are gratified to observe youc interest in our merchandise and are especially | pleased to have what appears to be our first oppor- tunity of serving you. We hope and believe that this opening | bill will be the beginning of business relations that will be nmtuaUy pleas- ant and profitable. We look forward to hearing | from you in the near future.^ In this connection and for our assistance in handling your future wants in our | line we should appreciate very much the bank and trade references customary with the opening bill, which were, no doubt, I overlooked. These would be especially acceptable, as the commer- cial agencies consulted seem to have no particular data on file regard- ing I you.^ Any information that you may care to submit will be held in CREDIT INFORMATION — CUSTOMER 103 strict confidence, and used only in aiding | us to supply your wants in our line.* Yours very truly, (171) 1 Acknowledgment and action taken 2 Welcomes new customer 3 Asks credit information 4 Removes objections to action 2 Mr. Lloyd Boxwell, 792 Anoka Avenue, IVlalden, Massachusetts. Dear Sir: We thank you for having furnished us with a statement of your financial affairs.^ You can rest assured | the usual investigation will be completed at the earliest possible date.- We trust the slight delay to your order will I cause you no serious inconvenience.^ Yours very truly, (48) 1 Subject 2 Shows prompt service; avoids dangerous promise that credit will be granted 3 Courteous ending 3 Mr. J. W. Clark, 782 Kendall Avenue, Fargo, North Dakota. Dear Sir: We acknowledge with thanks your business statement of INIay 1,^ but we have been disappointed to observe the | very considerable indebtedness, $1910.00 against a merchandise stock insured for $550.00 only, I while of this indebtedness over $700.00 is for merchandise bills of which a large part is already due.- | Under such circumstances, and taking into consideration also our own rather imsatisfactory experience with your previous bOls, it is difficult I for us to determine the basis for further service on open account. Indeed, we are strongly inclined to urge the | desirabihty of cash terms for your present wants, at least.^ In making this suggestion of a cash basis it is | our hope that at some future time when circumstances are more favorable we may be able to offer more hberal | accommodations.* Yours very truly, (144) 1 General subject 2 Frank statement of basis for judgment 3 Tactfully refuses credit 4 Suggests buying for cash in hope of future credit 104 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES 4 Homer Brothers, 29 Randolph Street, Norfolk, Virginia. Gentlemen : We have proceeded with the shipment of your order Number 21576, sending the | goods on open account.^ We see that you have only recently entered into business and wish to offer our best | wishes for your success. Probably for this reason the agencies do not seem to be equipped with information which would I aid us in assigning to you a line of credit for your future use. Under the circumstances will you supply | us with the information requested on the inclosed memorandum? - Then we shall be able to give very prompt consideration to | your future orders. We trust that the present shipment will be the means of profit- able business for you.^ Yours very ) truly, (121) 1 Grants credit 2 Asks information 3 Appeals to self-interest 5 Joseph J. Burr & Son, 41 Aldrich Avenue, Nashville, Tennessee. Gentlemen: On September 20 we acknowledged receipt of the order ^ you presented us, assuming that you wished the goods forwarded | on open account. We proceeded to make the usual inquiries regarding your financial affairs. Apparently, however, the commercial agencies have I no information that would assist us in completing our records. ^ May we suggest under the circumstances that you favor us | with references, including among these your bank as well as any other wholesale houses which are granting you credit privileges.^ Your compliance with this request will doubtless not inconven- ience you, and we trust that it may be the means of | beginning a series of pleasant relations, commencing with the present order. Yours very truly, (I3i) 1 Subject 2 Chronological arrangement 3 Asks action 4 Appeals lo self-interest CREDIT INFORMATION — CUSTOMER 105 Mr. J. E. Deering, 829-60th Street, Freemont, Ohio. Dear Sir: Your order of January 10 for hosiery was very much appre- ciated.^ We observe you desire the goods shipped | about March 10 and have entered the order accordingly.- We see that you have recently purchased the interest of your ] partner in the business. Please accept our best wishes for the success of the new arrangement. May we not ask | that you provide us with details for this transfer for our files? ^ Your use of the inclosed blank wiU enable | us to complete our records without further delay and will be appreciated.* Yours very truly, (95) 1 Acknowledgment 2 Does not promise shipment; will probably wait for information 3 Under the new arrangement the business might be financially weaker 4 Suggests prompt action V Mr. John P. Ward, 203 Oregon Street, Lejdngton, Kentucky. Dear Sir: We thank you for the order of May 1 just received and we are pleased to inform you | it has been placed with our shipping depart- ment for immediate delivery to you. We acknowledge also receipt of your payment | of $150.00, which has been credited to your account.^ - It is very pleasant, IVIr. Ward, to see | your account grow like this. Of course, we want to offer our very best ser\ice on all of your orders,^ | and so we take the liberty of suggesting that you let us have a more complete report for our credit | files.^ We presume that you have recently completed your inventory, so that if you should feel disposed to mail us | a copy of the figures, it would be appreciated very much, as a direct report of this kind, of course. | is the most satis- factory credit information.* We are going to give you immediate service on the order just received, but | if you will let us have the details suggested, we feel 106 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES confident we can show our appreciation by doing still | better on future orders.^ Yours very truly, (187) 1 Subject 2 Appeals to pride and self-interest 3 Asks action 4 Suggests easy action 5 Summary and appeal to self-interest 8 Millet & Kempton, 142 Akron Street, Decatur, Illinois. Gentlemen : We appreciate your generous order and are pleased to inform you that the shipment will go forward in keeping | with your instruc- tions.^ In placing the credit approval on the order we observe a balance of $ 17.79 I considerably past due arising from invoice of July 13 which, no doubt, has been overlooked by your | bookkeeper.'^ Please give this matter your personal attention, informing us of the result of your investigation at your earliest convenience.^ | Yours very truly, (83) 1 Acknowledgment and action taken 2 Avoids blaming customer 3 Courteously assumes lie will remit if he finds amount is due 9 Mr. John Caine, 1187 Sycamore Street, Santa Fe, New Mexico. Dear Sir: We appreciate your order of April 1 and take pleasure in saying that the shipment will go forward | in keeping with your wishes.^ Your account just now shows a past due balance of $93.99 | to which we have already called your attention without being favored with a response.^ It is customary in | cases of this kind to defer action on current orders pending a settlement of any past due balances. We realized, | however, that you are in a hurry for the goods and so we proceeded with the shipment in this instance.^ | May we not rely upon you to assist us in settling the account upon receipt of tliis letter.^ * Yours very | truly, (I2i) 1 Acknowledgment and action 2 Reminder 3 Courteously shows exception made 4 Ap- peals to fairness in return for favor CREDIT INFORMATION — CUSTOMER 107 • 10 Mr. Grant Callander, 720 Beachwood Avenue, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Dear Sir: While we appreciate your valued order, we rep^ret our inability to ship it in keeping with your instructions.^ | On referring to your account we find ourselves somewhat handi- capped in making credit arrangements owing to a misunderstanding which occurred | in connection with our terms. We were finally coni- peUed to refer your account to the attorney for collection, and there | is stiU a balance of $15.74 which neither we nor the attorney have been successful | in collecting up to date.^ Now we shall be entirely willing to consider further shipments on open account when the j old balance has been satisfactorily retired. If, accordingly, you will let us have a remittance covering the current order or | give us permission to ship c.o.d.,^ we shall be glad to release the order at once.^ Yours very | truly, (141) 1 Order held up 2 Explanation 3 Temporarily refuses credit 4 Positive ending 11 Henry Simonson Company, 675 Jackson Street, Lima, Ohio. Gentlemen : We thank you for your order of January 8.^ Now while we wish to assure you that we do | not in the least question your financial responsibility, no doubt you will remember that the last time we had open I account relations, we failed in our efforts to obtain a direct settlement of the small balance and we were obliged | to place your account in the hands of our attorneys before obtaining the money due us at an expense of | $3.00 for attorney fees.- We are very glad that this misunderstanding is a matter of the past, and that | the way lies open to renew credit accommodations.^ But our invariable rule demands that this httle amount be paid. No | doubt this wiU appeal to you as fair, and you wiU send us your check 108 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES for $3.00. Then we | shall be very glad to reinstate the account imme- diately and make shipment of the present order.* It is going to I be a great pleasure to have many opportunities to serve you in the future.^ Yours very truly, (177) 1 Subject 2 Frank statement of past trouble 3 Emphasis on positive element 4 Asks action and appeals to self-interest 5 Positive ending 12 Mr. Delos A. Dodds, 879 Kenwood Avenue, St. Paul, Minnesota, Dear Sir: While we have on several occasions forwarded merchandise in excess of your cash payment, no definite arrangements have | as yet been completed for the handhng of your orders on regular terms.^ We are very grateful for your generous | order of January 10 and for the payment of $19.93 covering your previous account, but | we feel obliged, since you apparently desire credit terms on this entire order, to ask for some information regarding your | investment. This information can no doubt be best given on the inclosed blank.^ We are very sorry for the unavoidable | delay, but confidently believe you will imderstand our position. We shall look forward to your help, by return mail, in | getting these goods shipped to you.^ Yours very truly, (129) 1 Subject; credit arrangements 2 Holds up order pending information 3 Appeals to self- interest to secure action 13 Mr. Francis Kirk, 567 Brinwood Avenue, Boise, Idaho. Dear Sir: We again direct your attention to your January 2 order for arctics.^ W ill you not assist us with ] the details suggested in our letter of January 5 so that we may complete our credit files.^^ If you prefer | continuing cash deafings, the credit balance of $19.42 can be applied, and you can send | us your check for the remainder.^ CREDIT INFORMATION — CUSTOMER 109 Please write us to-day, as your customers are no doubt asking for these goods.^ | Yours very truly, (83) 1 Subject, order held up pending information 2 Asks action 3 Appeals to self-interest 14 Henry Sippel Company, 298 Jacobs Street, York, Pennsylvania. Gentlemen : , Although we appreciate the additional order you placed with Mr. Shaw a few days ago, we are quite surprised | that you neglected to make a remittance when this order was given. ^ You will no doubt remember that when we | wrote you a few days ago in connection with former purchases, we told you that we should have to ask | for a payment.^ Now just let us have a remittance of $50 or $60, and then we can I ship these goods right out to you.^ Yours very truly, (90) 1 Subject 2 Reminder 3 Asks action; note cordial tone 15 ]\Ir. Henry Parker, 897 Chandler Street, Hoboken, New Jersey. Dear Sir: W hile we were preparing to ship your order for hosiery, our attention was called to your account. I | am somewhat surprised to notice that there is $298.70 past due for October | bills and that not- withstanding the fact that we drew on you on January 8, no returns have been obtained.^ It I is very necessary, of course, that this account be disposed of immediately and it is especially to be regretted that | this condition prevents us from adding further charges to your account for the time being.^ We feel confident, however, that | the matter has been neglected through oversight on the part of your bookkeeper and we are looking forward either to ] a direct remittance or to the prompt acceptance of the draft. ^ Yours very truly, (134) 1 Subject 2 Refuses credit 3 Courtesy; asks action 110 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES 16 Mr. George Diamond, 2000 Aldrich Avenue, Wilmington, Delaware. Dear Sir: We are carefully preparing for February first shipment your good orders for Underwear and Hosiery which you so | kindly gave Mr. Robertson last October.^ We estimated the amount of the two orders as $632.00 | and we note that your account is charged with $1238.15 at | the present time. Consequently we should very much appreciate the favor if you could arrange to mail us a substantial | payment on account before the present orders are charged and the necessary addition made to the amount already owing.^ We I are bearing in mind your courteous letter of January 2, in which you stated that you would be in a | position to send us a good sized installment to apply on your account in the near future; there- fore, we hope | that our request is not untimely. Knowing that you appreciate the spirit of co-operation in which we are writing you, | we are looking forward to a favorable response.^ We thank you for the business you have sent us, and are | ready and wilHng to make the earliest possible delivery.^ Yours very truly, (192) 1 Subject; does not promise shipment 2 Explains why order is held up 3 Reminder; appeals to co-operation 4 Shows desire to serve 17 IVIr. Thomas Dillon, 236 Upton Avenue, Minneapohs, Minnesota. Dear Sir: While we want to thank you for the order left with Mr. N. W. Jones, we regret that | you did not mention intending to place an order of this size, while discussing your account with the writer.^ We I find that the new purchase is estimated at $274.00 and involves a larger fine of credit ] than we have at any time arranged for. While we have the usual commercial reports on file, we do not | seem to be able to secure a complete report of your financial situation. As it becomes necessary to secure this | report before granting the additional credit which this order will involve, we take the liberty of CREDIT INFORMATION — CUSTOMER 1 1 1 suggesting that you favor | us with a financial statement as outhned on the inclosed blank form.- Possibly you would prefer to avoid all delays | on this order by arranging to continue the account on the line of credit we have pre- viously arranged for. If | you can favor us with a payment of about $150.00 to apply on the purchase, it can | be released at once.^ We regret that it was necessary to delay your order, but with your assistance, we feel | confident that shipping arrangements can be completed very quickly.* Yours very truly, (212) 1 Subject 2 Asks action 3 Suggests cash payment 4 Suggests prompt action 18 Mr. Albert Ovis, JNIauston, \Msconsin. Dear Sir: We thank you for your check of $82.01. We are glad to tell | you that the order which we were holding pending settlement of the matured indebtedness has been approved for immediate shipment ^ | on our regular terms. We are sorry you were inconvenienced by oiu* holding up the order and we do not | doubt that, as you say, we should have received the money just the same.^ Do not think for a moment | that we ques- tion your good intentions, Mr. Ovis, but your own sense of fairness will tell you, I am siu^e, | that we must look at this matter in a business- like way. If you should meet with financial reverses it | might be a difficult matter for you to retire your obligations.^ As you remember, we pointed out in an earher | letter that the financial statement you kindly sent us some time ago shows you are operating on a very fight | investment and the amount of credit we are extencfing you is considerably more than is usually given under such circumstances.* | We feel certain that when you have thought this matter o^e^ from the above point of view you wiU agree | with us. We want to assme you that the action was taken in no imfriendly spirit.^ Very truly yours, (219) 1 Subject 2 Answers remark in letter 3 Explains action 4 Further explanation 6 Cor- dial, positive ending 112 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES C. O. D. SHIPMENTS 1 Maring & Cooper, 216 Humborn Street, Omaha, Nebraska. Gentlemen : We had assigned you a line of credit of $50.00 and it was through oversight on our part | that the shipment of January 5 was sent c.o.D.^ We have accordingly asked your bank to release the j B/L they are holding, without payment of the draft. This will enable you to get possession of the shipment | without further delay.- If you will see that your biUs are kept within the crecht limit as above referred to, | there will be no occasion for any delay on future orders.^ A little later on, we shall be glad to | consider increasing this line of credit if it is your desire that we do so.^ Yours very truly, (118) 1 Answers question 2 Action taken 3 Definite reminder 4 Positive ending 2 Mr. B. D. Comstock, 319 Tenth Street, Minneapolis, Minnesota. Dear Sir: We are just in receipt of a notice from the Pennsylvania Freight office, that our recent c.o.d. | shipment amounting to $44.61 has not as yet been accepted.^ Our records show | we have been serving you on a cash or c.o.d. basis, so that, of course, this order was j forwarded C.O.D.- We wiU ask you to caU at the First National Bank, where the B/L was I sent, and take up this draft so that you will be able to secure the merchandise, and thus prevent a | further accumulation of storage charges.^ Please give this matter your preferred attention, as the Express Company is pressing us for | disposition. Yours very truly, (124) 1 Subject 2 Explains c.o.d. 3 Asks action to save expense URGING THE DISCOUNT 113 Dodge Sales & Engineering Company, 598 Rock Avenue, W altham, Massachusetts. Gentlemen: Many thanks for your very good order of January 9 with per- mission to ship c.o.D.^ In making | c.o.d. shipment of small orders to distant points, where the amount of freight is considerable, it is usual I that an advance payment accompany each order so as to insure good faith in each transaction. Consequently may we ask | that you mail us a bank draft or money order, on receipt of which we shall be very glad to | arrange for delivery at once? ^ In anticipation of an immediate response we are preparing the order for shipment which will | go forward at once on receipt of your reply.^ Yours very truly, (112) 1 Subject 2 Asks freight charges in advance 3 Suggests action URGING THE DISCOUNT Mr. O. E. Norman, 661 Seventeenth Avenue, Easton, Pennsylvania. Dear Sir: September Account If your check, covering the above mentioned account has already come forward, just consign this letter | to the waste basket.^ The point is, that we do not want you to lose the cash discount and this | may still be saved if your remittance is forwarded by return mail.- You will understand, we beheve, the spirit of | our suggestion. Yours very truly, (65) 1 Humorous apology for reminder 2 Appeals to self-interest 114 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES FIRST COLLECTION LETTERS 1 Harper Motor Company, ' 2001 Washington Avenue, Kalamazoo, Michigan. Gentlemen : June Account — $45.00 Our account with you for the month of Jime amounts to $45.00.1 j It is a little past due and it would appear that you may have overlooked the matter.- A remittance will | be appreciated. Yours very truly, (45) 1 Repeats subject for emphasis 2 Courteously suggests reason for delay 2 Mason & Nelson Company, 3343 West Forty-fourth Street, Joliet, Illinois. Gentlemen : Your account with us, referred to above, is now slightly past due. In order that we may be at | all times in the very best position to serve you,^ we trust that it may be possible for you to | favor us with an early remittance. Yours very truly, (49) 1 Appeals to self-interest; cannot buy more goods until bills are paid Harrison Brothers, Mayville, Ohio. Gentlemen : February 21 Footwear Charge, $8.39 March 4 Footwear Charge, 1.88 | May 4 Credit Memorandum, 1.24 These items are still open on your Footwear | account. As the charges matured for net payment on May ] they are now past due.i FIRST COLLECTION LETTERS 115 If the charges are | not correctly rendered, will you kindly in- form us, so that we may make any adjustment that is due you? ^ If | the amount mentioned in our letter agrees with your records, kindly forward your remittance, so that your account may be | clear on our books.^ Yours very truly, (107) 1 Careful statements of fact, only 2 Shows fairness; removes possible cause for delays 3 Appeals to pride Mr. Horace E. Harrison, Grand Forks, North Dakota. My dear Mr, Harrison : I think Friday of this week is your day in town. Am I not ri^ht.^ Remember j to make us a call.^ Yom" account is so nearly on a discount basis at present that we are in | hopes that beginning with your ]\Iarch purchases you can arrange to take advantage of discounts.- With kindest regards, we are | Yours very truly, (63) 1 Subject; implies, "Make us a payment" 2 Appeals to pride 5 Mr. A. G. Fehring, 320 Walnut Street, Charleston, South Carolina. Dear Sir: We sent you a second statement ^ calling attention to your over- due account, and not hearing from .you, we | can only infer that our requests for remittance have been overlooked. Please remit ^ $25.00 in settlement or inform | us why you are withholding payment.^ We await your prompt response. Yours very truly, (54) 1 Reminder 2 Definitely asks action 3 Sharp phrase may arouse shame 116 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES SECOND COLLECTION LETTERS 1 Mr. Frank Feeney, 307 Northeast Grand Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri. Dear Sir: We are awaiting remittance in settlement of a balance of'$25.00, payment of which has repeatedly | been requested.^ Please let us have your check for this amount not later than next Monday.^ Yours truly, (38) 1 Shows fairness 2 Time limit set 2 Farnum & Brully, 25 Conklin Street, / Fort Wayne, Indiana. Gentlemen : Our bookkeeper directs our attention to an October 24 invoice of $8.23 which | we are inclined to believe you have overlooked, as we find later bills have been paid.^ W e inclose a duplicate | invoice of this charge and should appre- ciate receiving your remittance covering it. Yours very truly, (55) 1 Shows confidence in customer's intentions 3 Hennepin Auto Company, 922 Fairfield Street, Boston, Massachusetts. Gentlemen : June Account — $126.00 If we are correct ^ in the matter, this account is unpaid and | past due. We wrote you about this matter on August 10, but have not heard from you in reply.^ We I wish again to call your attention to the need for payment.^ If there is any mistake or misunderstanding regarding any j PETTY ACCOUNT LETTERS 117 of the items, we sincerely trust that you will communicate with us without delay.^ Yours very truly, (77) 1 Courtesy 2 Reminder 3 Emphasis 4 Suggests prompt action 4 Hamburger Oil Company, 230 McKnight Building, Chicago, lUinois. Gentlemen : Balance — $91.60.1 We have previously sent you an itemized statement of the ac- count appearing | against you on our books which shows an unpaid balance prior to the first of the current month of $90.60. | We also wrote you regarding the matter only a few days ago. As yet we have | received no reply.^ This may be through some over- sight or possibly your remittance has already been mailed, in which case I we shall promptly credit your account upon its receipt.^ If, however, your remittance has not been mailed, we hope you I will not further delay in sending it to us. If, for any reason, you are withholding the payment, we sincerely | trust that you will inform us of the cause by return mail.* Yours very truly, (135) 1 Subject 2 Chronological arrangement 3 Courtesy 4 Urgency PETTY ACCOUNT LETTERS 1 W. A. Ross «Sz; Son, 125 Juneau Avenue, Evansville, Indiana. Gentlemen : Attention is again called to our small bill of September 13, amount $4.17, duplicate of | which was mailed you on December 4. No doubt you find this agrees with your books. You will of course | understand that we are not at all imeasy in regard to the amount involved, but our experience has shown us | that such small items if neglected are liable to cause misunderstandings 118 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES in the future and entail labor in cofrespondence out | of proportion to the amount.^ We trust, therefore, that we may have your co-opera- tion and assistance ^ in the shape of | a remittance so that we can get this item out of the way. Yours very truly, (116) 1 Appeals to desire to avoid annoyance 2 Appeals to co-operation 2 National Radiator Equipment Company, Jamestown, New York. Gentlemen : We are again taking the liberty of calhng your attention to a small charge of December 31, $3.50, | which is open on your account. As you know, your orders are very small and infrequent | and there is very httle profit in them for us, but as an accommodation we are glad to pass them | provided you see that bills are paid when due.^ Our regular terms are 1 % ten days or thirty | days net, yet you fre- quently allow small items to run sixty and ninety days. Will you kindly give this matter | your attention? ^ Yours very truly, (lOo) 1 Appeals to shame 2 Urgent request GRANTING EXTENSION 1 Mr. Peter Ferguson, 826 Main Street, Rridgeport, Maine. Dear Sir: In your letter of March 14, you explain your inability to take care of the balance on your | account at this time.^ Consideration has been given your request for an extension, and in view of the condition you | describe, we are pleased to be of assistance to you on this occasion by consenting to payment on April 10.2 I We hope that you will find it convenient to pay accordingly, and look forward to hearing from you.^ Yours very | truly, (8i) 1 Subject; chronological arrangement 2 Extension granted 3 DeOnite reminder of agreement PART PAYMENT LETTERS 119 BROKEN PROMISE LETTER Mr, Harry Paulson, 127 Oakland Street, Scranton, Pennsylvania. Dear S^r: You will undoubtedly recall that as an accommodation to you^ an extension was granted on the balance of | $230.00 that you are owing with the understanding that this bill would be paid not later than | January 15. We were disappointed,^ accordingly, upon referring to yoiir account, to find that remittance has not reached us. It | is possi- ble that the matter really ^ escaped your attention and if so a payment by the next mail will be | very much appreciated. We are inclosing a stamped envelope for your convenience in responding. Yours very truly, (97) 1 Appeals to shame Note chronological arrangement PART PAYMENT LETTERS Henry Feinberg & Company, 1505 Hawthorne Avenue, Charlotte, North Carolina. Gentlemen : Please accept our thanks for your payment of $52.40, inclosed in your letter of | July 8.^ We are very sorry, though, that you were unable to make this check cover the entire overdue amount, | and it is unfortunate that you have failed to give us any definite idea as to when the remainder will I reach us.- Please let us hear from you in the inclosed envelope. Yours very truly, (75) 1 Acknowledgment 2 Frank, courteous phrasing 120 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXEBCISES 2 Grove Heating Company, 332 Elliott Avenue, Indianapolis, Indiana. Gentlemen : June Balance — $14.68 We wish to acknowledge the receipt of your check for $75.18. | The balance due on your past due account has, by this payment, been reduced to | $14.68.^ As you are well aware, this balance is long past due,- and we tfust I that there will be no delay on your part in sending us another check for this amount.^ Yours very truly, | (80) 1 Facts stated first 2 Strong reminder of obligation 3 Asks action Fire Brick Construction Company, 687 25th Street, Council Bluffs, Iowa. Gentlemen : Your promise to send us a check as soon as possible is rather indefinite,^ and because the amount is | so long past due we feel that we should be informed as to just when we may expect your payment.- | It may be impossible for you to pay the entire balance at just this time, but we suggest that you | make weekly payments on ac- count until the entire balance has been paid.^ You will, undoubtedly, find this method convenient, and | we would thank you to make your first payment at once, and at the same time let us know if | this ar- rangement is agreeable to you.^ Yours very truly, (lOO) 1 Blunt, definite beginning 2 Asks information 3 Suggests plan 4 Asks action Federal Printing & Advertising Company, 223 Columbus Street, Haverhill, Massachusetts. Gentlemen: June Balance — $215.16 We have received your letter of October 3 asking | that we PART PAYMENT LETTERS 121 grant a further extension of tliirty days on your account now overdue which amounts to $215.46.^ | Your letter has had the fullest consideration, but we cannot agree to your request.^ In I order that you may not tliink us unreasonable, we wish to call your attention to the fact that we have | already granted you an extension of ninety days beyond the date when these charges became due and we feel that | this is the utmost which we can fairly grant.^ While we are very willing to meet our customers half way | in adjusting difficulties and troubles incident to business matters, we are convinced that you can, without very serious effort, make | payment of either the whole amoiuit due or at least fifty per cent of it, and we ask, therefore, that | you send us your check within the next ten days.^ If you make only a partial payment, we shall expect | the bal- ance within twenty days thereafter.^ We shaU await the favor of your reply .^ Yours very truly, (197) 1 Acknowledgment 2 Refusal 3 Explanation, shows fairness 4 Asks action 5 Emphasis 5 ]VIr. E. L. Everett, Dayton, Ohio. Dear Sir: Over two months ago you bought $18.00 worth of goods from me. I sent you a statement | for this when I noticed that it was not paid in due time, but as yet I have received no | response from you.^ I was very glad to extend credit to you, but I did so in the firm belief | that you would be prompt in your payment. All of my prices are on a cash basis; I cannot afford | to give any long-time extensions.- If it is impossible for you to settle the entire bill at once, I | hope you will pay part of it now, and then inform me when I may ex- pect the balance.^ I hope I that you will visit my store often so that you will notice the many fine things which I am constantly | offering. Membership in the great R. C. U. enables me to offer better goods for your money than you can | find anywhere around here."^ But first of all, please remember to pay up your account.^ Very truly yours, (17S) 1 Chronological arrangement 2 Explains basis for retail credit 3 Asks part payment 4 Re-sells the store's service 5 Emphasis 122 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES THIRD COLLECTION LETTERS 1 Interstate Securities Company, 1805 Dupont Avenue, Haverhill, Massachusetts. Gentlemen: Account $68.21 Unless we are greatly mistaken, the amount quoted above is correct | and represents the balance which you owe us upon charges prior to June 1.^ Frankly, we are wondering ^ why we | have neither received a check nor an answer to our letters. Don't you think ^ we are fairly entitled to some | word from you? Let us assure you that we shall be glad to find a check inclosed in your next j letter. At the same time, if there is any discrepancy or misimderstanding about our account, we should be equally glad | to have information from you on the subject.^ In any event please write to us just as soon as you | receive this letter.^ Yours very truly, (126) 1 Subject 2 Phrases appeal to fairness 3 Asks reply, even if no payment is made 4 Em- phasis 2 :Mr. H. W. Parker, Lawrence, Massachusetts. Dear Sir: We are still without a reply ^ to any of our recent letters in regard to your account. We | are always glad to take care of our customers with a little extension of time when there is any particular | reason for it,2 but inasmuch as we have not heard from you we must assume that the only reason this | old balance has not been paid is because it has been overlooked or neglected.^ We feel that ordinary business courtesy ^ | would suggest a reply to our letters at least. Won't you kindly make it a special point this week to | check up the past due bills open on your account and send us a remittance to cover them? ^ Yours very | truly, (I2i) 1 Subject; unanswered letters 2 Shows fairness 3 Sharp phrases make stronger impres- sion 4 Asks action DRAFT LETTERS 123 3 Mr. Oswald Ramsey, 913 iVIarquette Avenue, Montgomery, Alabama. Dear Subscriber: Are you receiving your mail? ^ We have written you two of the nicest letters we know how to | write about your account — for we felt that your failure to make your regular payment was due only to an | oversight on your part.'- But you haven't ever repUed to our letters. Now you realize that such a condition cannot | continue.^ Our principal income is from monthly payments made under our convenient " Use-while-you-pay " Plan — and that makes | it abso- lutely necessary that your payments be made when due.^ We cannot afford to keep writing you letters about your | ac- count. This is expensive for us and an annoyance to you.^ Our rela- tions have been very pleasant and we want | to keep them so — BUT You must do your part.^ Your payment is three weeks overdue and another will soon | be due. So you must send us the overdue payment at once. Vs e expect to receive it by return mail.® \ Yours very truly, (163) 1 Sharp beginning 2 Shows firmness 3 Arouses shame 4 Shows determination 5 Asks co-operation 6 Demands action DRAFT LETTERS 1 Mr. Lems Clasp, 542 Farwell Street, St. Paul, Minnesota. Dear Sir: We were quite surprised upon referring to your account this morning to find you have not as yet | paid the balance of $366.18 that is now considerably past due.^ We are | wondering if it was your desire that we make a draft through your bank for the amount in question. If I we fail to hear from you favorably within the next few days, we shall assmne an arrangement of this kind | will be agreeable.^ Yours very truly, (86) 1 Subject 2 Courteous mention of unpleasant action 124 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES 2 Johnson Stock Food Company. 833 Palace Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Gentlemen : Account $102.30 We find it hard to account for your failure to let us ] know that our account is at least having attention.^ We wrote you on June 22 and again on July | 2, but at this writ- ing we do not appear to have received a reply. It appears to be the custom | with some of our friends to settle bills only when sight drafts are drawn upon them. Is this your preference? 2 | Ordinarily we do not assume this to be the case, but unless we hear from you by return mail, we | shall assume that it is so. We shall draw upon you, and shall expect you to be good enough to I take care of our draft.^ If you do not wish us to draw upon you, you will kindly favor us I with a reply to this letter, and if possible send a check for the amount of our account.^ Yours very | truly, (I6I) 1 Courteous unwillingness to believe neglect is deliberate 2 Courteous reference to un- pleasant action 3 Gives warning 4 Suggests alternatives 3 Mr. John Roberts, San Diego, California. Dear Sir: Do you want us to write your banker about this account.^ ^ Will you make it necessary for us | to make draft on you through your local bank.^^ A man puts himself in an unfavorable light when he is | drawn on by means of a collection agency draft. No business man wishes, or can afford, to lose the esteem | or confidence of his banker.- Your reputation for promptness is one that concerns you most closely. NOW is the time | to justify our confidence in your unques- tioned integrity.^ Send your remittance TO-DAY and avoid the unpleasant experi- ence of having your | local bank call on you for payment.^ Yours very truly, (no) 1 Arouses fear 2 Emphasizes unpleasantness of action 3 Appeals to pride 4 Asks ac- tion; reawakens fear DRAFT LETTERS 125 Park Street National Bank, 24 Park Street, Jersey City, New Jersey. Gentlemen : Please present for payment the attached draft to yom- order.^ ^^hen sending remittance, kindly return this memorandum. It shows I the subscriber's name and other necessary information. - This subscriber has failed to answer numerous letters regarding an account with us. | If this draft is returned UNPAID, we should appreciate knowing whether we have the proper address and if so, what I reason our subscriber gives for nonpayment.^ We inclose presentation fee and request that tliis draft be pre- sented personally. If there | is a charge in excess of the inclosed fee, we shall be glad to pay it.* Yours very truly, (79) 1 Subject 2 Point likelj' to be overlooked 3 "What to do in case of nonpayment 4 Re- moves obstacles to action IVIr. James Halton, New Lisbon, New Hampshire. Dear Sir: We have received your letter of May 11 referring to our draft of the ninth for $21.10, | covering the balance on your account. Tliis includes the two charges of February 4 and April | 6 for $7.20 and $15.90.1 We sincerely trust that our draft has | not been misconstrued as an CAddence of our uneasiness in regard to this outstanding accoimt. Let us express our appreciation 1 of the very satisfactory manner in which your bills have always been taken care of.^ We very deeply regret to | learn from your letter of the apparent carelessness in your last order.^ This has been referred to the proper department | for inspection and they will write you promptly in re- gard to it. Yours very truly, (135) 1 Answers question 2 Courtesy, but no apology 3 New topic; shows desire to serve 126 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES 6 Gorham Tea Co., 23 Taylor Arcade, Cleveland, Ohio. Gentlemen : Your letter of March 14 has just reached my desk. We are sorry, indeed, that your Christmas trade did j^not come up to your expectations and we want to thank you for your expression of appre- ciation for the service | we have given you.^ We are always glad to serve you in any way possible, but we know you reahze - | it is hard for an organization as large as ours to handle the accounts of om' good customers without having | a definite understanding regarding date of settlement. We are somewhat confused regarding your account, for the draft which we sent | on the ninth to the Farmers and Merchants Bank has also been returned to-day bearing the indorsement that the account | has been paid.^ As we have no record of receiving yo\ir remittance, it may be that this has gone astray. | Will you not write us at once concerning this, for we are particularly anxious to have your balance of $487.75 | ruled off on our books before our ledgers are opened for the | new year. Let us assure you that we wemt to serve you to an even greater capacity than we chd j in 1917, and for this purpose we hope it will be convenient for you to nicLke the necessary arrangements j for settle- ment.^ Yours very truly, (225) 1 Courteous beginning, to worthy customer 2 Appeals to fairness 3 Courteous mention of delicate topic 4 Positive ending LATER COLLECTION LETTERS 1 The Olney Mercantile Company, Camden, New Jersey. Gentlemen : We are at a loss to understand ^ why this past due account of yours has not been taken care | of. We haven't any doubt of your ability to pay all obligations which you may assume, but the fact is | that you are now owing us for purchases running from the first of October to date, and as our regular | terms are thirty days, the greater LATER COLLECTION LETTERS 127 part of your account is dccidetlly past due.- If there are any errors or | claims we shall be glad to know of them and make any corrections necessary.^ If not, won't you please make | it a point to send us a remittance at once? "* For your convenience we are inclosing a stamped return en- velope.5 I Yours very truly, (123) 1 Sharp beginning 2 Plain statement of fact 3 Shows fairness 4 Asks action 5 Makes action easy 2 John R. Abbott Company, 252 Pillsbury Avenue, Huntington, West Virginia. Gentlemen : April Account Will you kindly favor us with a check by return mail ^ in settle- ment of the above-mentioned | account? We have now written you on several occasions regarding this matter and have sent you numerous statements. It seems | hardly possible - that there is any inaccuracy in the statements themselves, or we should undoubtedly have heard from you on | this point before now. We are assuming, as we think we are entitled to assume, that the account is correct | and we beheve that you will agree that we have carried it quite as far past the date of maturity | as you can reasonably expect us to do.- We trust, therefore, that there will be no delay on your part | in sending us your check by return mail.^ Yours very truly, (131) 1 Sharp beginning 2 Shows fairness 3 Definitely asks action 3 INIr. Edward Ramsdell, 2131 Plum Avenue, Everett, Wasliington. Dear Subscriber: Our Collection Department has turned your account over to me. My work is to handle all accounts that | are being prepared for our Attorney.^ You have already received FOUR LETTERS about your fail- ure to make your payments, and | you know all the facts that I do.- There are just two ways to collect debts if people don't seem | 128 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES willing to pay. One is to appeal to a man's reason and sense of fair- ness; the other is to force | him to pay. We much prefer the former method. Don't you.^^ ^ You owe the money. Why not make your payments | as you agreed in the contract, instead of getting involved in a lawsuit with the added expense and hard | feeling that it would cause .'^ ^ Think it over and then send us the two payments overdue. We want to be I fair, but we want you to be fair also. I shall allow ample time for this letter to reach you | and for your payment to get back to us. If at the end of this time I have not heard | from you I shall send you a draft in care of your local bank. Of course, I should rather NOT | do this, and you can prevent it by sending a payment as your answer to this letter. Use the form | below when replying. I expect to hear from you by return mail. Yours very truly, (135) 1 Account referred to special adjuster 2 Summary of past action 3 Shows alternative 4 Applies it in this case FINAL COLLECTION LETTERS 1 Iron Store Implement Company, 1121 Fifteenth Avenue, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Gentlemen : July and August Account, $260.18 We have written you so often in regard | to the above-mentioned account that we feel that there is nothing now which we can add to our previous | correspondence.^ It is always our endeavor to retain the good will and friendship of our customers and we naturally regret | anything which would tend to interrupt our pleasant relations with them.^ At the same time, we do not think that | there is any other course open to us but to refer this matter to our attorneys ^ for immediate attention, unless | your check is here within the next few days. We believe that your own sense of fairness will prompt you | to forward this check within the time specified.^ Yours very truly, (I3i) 1 Summarizes past action 2 Shows good will 3 Threat 4 Final appeal FINAL COLLECTION LETTERS 129 Iowa Paint Manufacturing Company, East Twenty-fifth Street, Fitchburg, IVIassachusetts. Gentlemen : October Account, $67.10 It is a matter of serious regret to us ^ that notwithstanding | our various letters regarding the account which you owe us as hsted above, it still remains unpaid. Should you make | no response to this letter, we shall be reluc- tantly forced ^ to the conclusion that it wiU be necessary for us | to adopt more effective measures to obtain payment of this balance than oiu- letters to you seem to be. Accordingly, | if your account is un- paid on iVIay I it will be placed in the hands of our legal representatives for I attention. 2 We wish frankly to state that we are reluctant to adopt such measures, in fact we do not care | even to mention them in correspon- dence, but we cannot grant a further extension and are forced to find some means | of obtaining settlement of this account.^ Yours very truly, (149) 1 Shows fairness and good will 2 Threat 3 Final expression of regret; shows determination 3 Mr. S. E. Gillit, 213 Orchard Street, Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Dear Sir: We observe with no little surprise that you have completely ignored our wire of January 11 concerning your | accoimt. This latest attitude of yours leaves nothing open for us other than to place the account in the hands | of our collectors.^ You will remember, Mr. Holloway, that we have frequently gone out of our way to accommodate you | with extra time, feeling that perhaps our Atlanta Office had fallen down in gi^^ng you serv- ice on adjustments, etc. | The latest turn of alfairs, however, convinces us that this delay is not caused by unadjusted matters only, for our | Atlanta Office informs us that all of your claims have been settled upon a reasonable and just basis.^ We cannot, | of course, carry you indefinitely, and we now feel 130 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES forced to bring matters to an issue by stating that if | we do not receive fuU settlement of the account of $520.27 by return | mail, instructions will be forwarded to our local collectors to take action in co-operation with our legal department.^ You will I understand that we dislike very much to be com- pelled to write you in this manner, yet we certainly feel justified | under the circumstances,^ Yours very truly, (206) 1 Threat 2 Shows fairness 3 Specific statement of subject 4 Shows determination 4 Mr. A. R. Cole, York, Pennsylvania. Dear Sir: We cannot understand why you ignore ^ our repeated requests for a remittance in payment of the overdue balance | on your account of $206.28. It is not our desire ^ to take any | action in the collection of this amount which may be unpleasant to you. We cannot, however, wait indefinitely for settlement | and must insist upon a remittance or information as to why you are withholding payment by not later than the I 27th. Otherwise we shall be left no alternative but to take other steps ^ towards collection. We trust you will | not compel us to take this action, which we should very much dislike,- and that your remittance in payment of | this amount wiU reach us promptly. , Yours very truly, (129) 1 Sharp beginning 2 Shows regret 3 Veiled threat Mr. A. I. Marx, Easton, Pennsylvania. Dear Sir: I have written you several times asking you to settle your ac- count of $35 which was | due a long time ago. I am surprised that you have given me no answer or explanation.^ The only explanation | that I can find for your action is that you must be in such a situation at present that you | could not make FliNAL COLLECTION LETTERS 131 a payment to me without causing those near and dear to you great suffering.^ Is that correct? | Your account must not appear on my register after the first of next month. If it is not paid in | full or in part by that time I shall transfer it to my list of "Poor and Doubtful Accounts." This | will mean that you will get no further dunning letters from me until I hear that your financial condition is | improved.^ It will also mean that all further credit is withdrawn from you.^ I do hope, however, that you will | be able to pay me before the end of this month so that your name need not go on that | list.^ Very truly yours, (184) 1 Subject; retail collection 2 Appeals to shame 3 Threat 4 Final appeal 6 Mr. R. Ramsey, 150 Malcolm Street, Holyoke, Massachusetts. Dear Subscriber: Our draft was returned UNPAID.^ Does this mean that you are going to force us ^ to sue you ? | We do not want to, but you should clearly REALIZE that we will, if you won't pay according to the | contract you signed with us. Have you considered this carefully ? ^ We know the law — we know we are fully protected | and that if this matter goes to court, we shall secure a judgment against you. Then you will have to | pay the amount due us, plus the court costs and attorney's feeA I want to feel sure that you have | had every opportunity to settle this account without the extra expense and hard feehng a law suit always causes. So | I am going to hold the record of your account on my desk until you have had ample time to | send me a reply — which must include a payment.^ If I do not hear from you I shall forward the | account to our local attorney in your town, with instructions to bring suit against you immechately.^ This is my last \ letter to you.^ Send a payment while there is still time.^ Yours very truly, (194) 1 Subject 2 Shows unwillingness 3 Emphasis 4 Appeals to desire to save expense 5 Offers last chance 6 Threat 132 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES COLLECTION AGENCY LETTERS 1 Mr. S. Roach, - 19 North Ithas Street, San Jose, California. Dear Sir: This claim was placed with us for collection not because of any less confidence in your word of | honor or integrity,^ but because our client is desirous of getting the matter settled and charged off the books. Is J there any valid reason why we may not expect from you a prompt settlement.*^ Is the amount in dispute? Where | is the misunderstanding.'^ WiU you caU at our office and tell us about it.*^ Or write us fully the exact j circumstances.-* '^ We sincerely wish to adjust this matter for you and with the least possible trouble and inconvenience to you. | Will you, therefore, bring it speedily to a head by writing us at once what the trouble is and what | you can do for us.** ^ Just use the bottom of this page and write us by return post. Yours very | truly, (I4i) 1 Appeals to pride 2 Pointed questions 3 Asks action 2 Mr. G. E. Ripley, 115 Chicago Avenue, San Antoijio, Texas. Dear Sir: We are puzzled to receive from you no reply to our letter.^ Are we correct in assuming that | you do not dispute the justice of the debt; that you acknowledge you owe the money? ^ Possibly you have just | made payment direct and we have not been advised of it? If you have not, will you inmiediately write us | when you expect to be able to meet this charge? We repeat: It is our wish to accomplish, with your | ready help, DISCREPANCIES IN ACCOUNT 133 a quick and satisfactory settlement of this bill without causing you any additional trouble and annoyance.^ Can you | not pay the bill within three days? Is there any misunderstanding? When will you call at our office? | Or will you write us the exact circumstances? We are strong behevers in a mutual Square Deal, We know you I are. Just turn this sheet over NOW' , and write us frankly and fully.4 TJL\NK YOU. Yours very truly, (158) 1 Subject 2 This is likely to draw a reply 3 Shows desire to serve 4 Appeals to fairness; makes action easy DISCREPANCIES IN ACCOUNT 1 A. X. Komhall & Company, 897 Cedar Avenue, W orcester, Massachusetts. Gentlemen : Your good remittance of §58.40 has been received ^ and placed to your credit. You | have employed also a credit of §5.92 issued November 1, We find, gentlemen, that you ] have previously used this credit. There appear on our ledger two charges of $5.92, one | of October 20 and the other of the 25th. The credit deducted from your remittance was used to off'set | one of these.- Please include the amount, therefore, when making your next payment.^ Yours very truly, (96) 1 Acknowledgment 2 Explains error 3 Asks action 2 Mr. G. R. Ingersoll, Waterford, New York. Dear Sir: Thank you for your remittance of §101.30. There are some dis- crepancies in I your account to wliich we would call your attention.^ For our invoice of August 30, 1917, you remitted the | amount 134 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES of 28 (^. Our invoice of this date was $3.28, leaving the amount | of $3.00 still open.2 You did not include payment for our invoice of November 6, and we are taking | the liberty of inclosing a duplicate of this for your attention. 2 The credit of 90^ dated November 7 which | you deducted in this remittance had already been used in your remittance of January 15. ^ You will see from this | that the amount of $4.24 is still open on your account. Please include it with | yoiu- next remittance.^ Yoiu-s truly, (145) 1 General subject 2 New paragraphs for each new topic 3 Summary; asks action 3 Mr. A. R. Curtis, 263 Central Avenue, Dubuque, Iowa. Dear Sir: It seems our credit is correct ^ for the clocks and watches men- tioned in your letter of February 12. J Your letter of December 14 states that you returned 21 clocks and 24 watches. We credited you with | this number at the price which you will see on your invoice was $.95 each for the clocks j and $.92 each for the watches, a total of $42.03.^ On rechecking these | figures you no doubt will see that your account has been properly credited.^ Yours very truly, (96) 1 Subject; refuses claim 2 Explains 3 Appeals to fairness 4 W. E. Morse & Company, Galena, Illinois. Gentlemen: We acknowledge with thanks your remittance of $61.69. We believe there is a | misunderstanding ^ in regard to your deduction of $1.70 as an overcharge on one gallon Tincture of | Iodine wliich we shipped and invoiced to you on February 13. We sent you one gallon of Lilly's Tincture of | Iodine in accordance with the turn- over order received from the manufacturer. A credit of $8.50 is | DISCREPANCIES IN ACCOUNT 135 correct for their goods and is noted on the co{5y of the order which we received. A special price of | $6.75 per gallon, which we quote, is for Tincture of Iodine put up under our | own label which we should be very glad to supply on receipt of your order. - If you find this statement | to be correct you will no doubt wish to include a remittance of $1.70 with your | next payment. Yours very truly, (165) 1 New subject 2 Detailed explanation 5 Baxter & Johnson, 129 Larry Street, Enid, Oklahoma. Gentlemen: We have not as yet received a reply to our letter of January first, regarding the check of $33.55 | which you inform us was sent us on October 10 to balance your account.^ | May we ask you either to send us your paid check for our in- spection, or to give us the date j of our indorsement, and the names of the banks through which the check passed.'^ ^ This information, we assure you, wiU | place us in a position to check up our records promptly on this apparently missing credit.^ If you will use | the inclosed stamped envelope in your reply, it will come direct to the writer's desk for his personal attention. Yours I very truly, (122) 1 Subject; neglect of correspondence 2 Repeats preceding letter 3 Shows desire to serve 6 Healey & Gorrey, 982 Westcott Street, Charleston, South Carolina. Gentlemen : We find the difference on your account cannot be adjusted without your assistance.^ Our cash records have been rechecked | and we find no record of your check for $6.55. Will you not, therefore, refer | to your records and let us know the date on which it was deposited by us and the bank of I deposit.^ 2 Or if your investigation should show that the check has not been 136 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES presented to your bank for payment, kindly | instruct them to stop payment on the original check and send us a duphcate.^ Yours very truly, (97) 1 Courteously asks co-operation 2 Alternative suggestions for action 7 Mr. 0. E. Gronke, 425 Huston Street, Richmond, Virginia. Dear Sir: We wish to thank you for your remittance of $15.78 which has been | placed to your credit.^ We £ire, however, experiencing a httle difficulty in locating a corresponding charge and would appreciate it | if you would tell us under cover of the inclosed stamped envelope just the charges you intend this remittance to | pay.^ We shall appreciate any information which will place us in a position to make the proper notation on your | account.^ Yours very truly, (84) 1 Subject 2 Customer should have given this information; note tactful phrasing ; asks action 8 Mr. G. J. Burnley, 654 Maryland Avenue, Spokane, Washington. Dear Sir: Your letter of August 12 has had the careful and personal atten- tion of our adjuster.! The goods which | you inform us were returned on January 29, 1917, were not received by us, but on November 14, | 1917, we gave you credit for $7.94, the value of all the goods we | did receive.2 We are sure that you appreciate our position in this matter; as we have absolutely no record of | the items you mention, we must insist that the balance on our books is correct. If you cannot prove that I such is not the case, please favor us by making a prompt re- mittance.^ We have spent considerable time in checking I all of our corres- pondence in connection with your account and we are satisfied that our figures are correct. You will | also find numerous letters from us on the subject. We hope that you will do us the courtesy of recon- DISCREPANCIES IN ACCOUNT 137 sidering | the matter, for we feel that we have given you every accom- modation possible. We should take much pleasure in making | the allowance you state, if we felt there was any occasion for doing so, but without the goods or any | evidence that they were received, certainly you cannot expect us to credit your account with this amount'^ We shall look | for an early remittance from you. Yours very truly. (229) 1 Shows desire to serve 2 Refuses unjust claim 3 Demands action 4 Emphasizes fair- ness, courtesy, and service 9 A. P. Frey, Fulton, New York. Dear Sir: We acknowledge with thanks your remittance of $12.16.^ We note your deduction of | forty-six cents as error in the price of one pound of Halls Cotton on our invoice of February 18. ^ | Our records indicate that we sent you one pound of this cotton in quarter- pound packages and the price of | seventy-five cents should be correct,^ If you chd not receive the amount as charged, kindly inform us and we | shall be very glad to make a further investigation.* Yours very truly. (92) 1 Acknowledgment 2 Deduction 3 Correction 4 Shows desire to serve 10 Mr. B. O. Logue, 124 Belair Place, Galveston, Texas. Dear Sir: There seems to be some mistake in your settlement of Novem- ber 30 in your deduction of S3. 30 | covering the return of 10 packages of Phonographic Needles.^ No doubt this is merely a slip in | setting down the figures, as these needles were charged you at 33^ only on our invoice #10928 | of October 18. On their return we credited them to your account for 33C.2 I Will you not, therefore, please send us at once the balance due of $2.97 I so as to avoid further annoyance to you in this matter.^ ^ Yours very truly, (ii-i) 1 Subject 2 Explanation 3 Asks action; appeals to self-interest 138 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES 11 Mr. James Pierce, Saugerties, New York. Dear Sir: When you remitted $111.97 on October 24 you deducted $3.00 | which we presume covers D4497 Comfortables.^ If the price of these Comfortables was [copied $3.25 on your invoice it was an error, as the extension of $22.50 | for the 6 only you received was entirely in accordance with our catalogue price which was I in effect when your order was received.^ Please therefore remit this $3.00 deducted in error. Should we be mistaken j in our contention and this deduction does not cover this item we should appreciate a full explanation concerning the | amount on the inclosed sheet. ^ Yours very truly, (128) 1 Subject 2 Explanation 3 Asks action; shows fairness DISCOUNT WRONGFULLY DEDUCTED 1 W. L. Fauser & Company, 915 Lyndale Avenue, Houston, Texas. Gentlemen: We thank you for your check, but it cannot be accepted because of your error in deducting 2 % j discount.^ We assume that you are familiar with our terms 1 % 20 days, net 60, and that | this was an oversight.- As the discount period has expired, we must suggest your remit- tance in full.^ Yours very truly, j (60) 1 Subject; refusal of check 2 Explanation 3 Asks action 2 E. B. Graham & Sons, 189 Jackson Street, JoUet, Illinois. Gentlemen : Thank you for your remittance of $201.17 covering your invoice of October 30 | for $205.27. We find, however, that you have used CHECK PROTESTED 139 the shipping date of | December 31 and have taken 2% discount from that date.^ We believe you will find that our | invoice states terms of 1 % November 15 or net December 31. In fact, we did not send | you the statement until the invoice was due net; therefore this deduction is not in accordance with our new terms | and applies only on deliv- eries made after December 26.- We shall appreciate your courtesy if you will refer to | our origi- nal invoice. If you find we are correct please mail us an additional remittance for $4.10.^ | Yours very truly, (144) 1 Subject; acknowledgment and wrongful deduction 2 Explanation 3 Asks action 3 Lawrence Laundry Company, 876 James Street, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Gentlemen : We acknowledge with thanks receipt of your check September 18, $389.41, I sent in payment of our August account $397.33, less $7.92 I discount. We are placing the amount of the check to the credit of your account, but at | this late date we are not in a position ^ to credit you with cash discount. You, of course, can appreciate ^ | the necessity for having definite hmits to the period for allowing cash discoimt. If the delay in remittance is due | to anything for which we are responsi- ble, kindly let us know and we shall be pleased to place the amount | to your credit.^ We assume, however, that in case the delay lies at your end you are as wilHng to | refund.^ Yours truly, (143) 1 Courteous phrase 2 Appeals to fairness 3 Assumes mutual fairness and good will CHECK PROTESTED 1 Feeley and Crocker, Portland, Oregon. Gentlemen : Much to my surprise your check, dated February 9, amounting to $26.19, has been | returned with protest fees.^ I cannot beheve that you would intentionally issue a check with- 140 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES Style III. — BLOCK STYLE ADDRESS AND PARAGRAPHS Note also single spacing, position of reference for reply, and repetition of name and date at top of second sheet. The B.F. Goodrich Rubber Company Rubber '^^^ Goods ^VKROf. Ohio Juno 25, 1919 LAM- 114 The Phillip Randall Company, 3242 West Market Street, Akron, Ohio. Gentlemen: Attention of Stenographers. The oompllmentary address at the beginning of a let- ter Is called the salutation. In buolness letters, it Is practically limited to four forms: Dear Sir, Gentlemen, Dear Madam, and Ladles or Mesdames. Dear Madam la used In addressing a woman whether married or unmarried. More formality Is shown by the use of the salutation My dear Sir or My dear Madam. (Note that the first letter of the second word Is not a capital.) If the writer is personally acquainted with the addressee or has corresponded with him before, he may use My dear Mr. Jones or Dear Mr. Jones. The salutation should be written flush with the left- hand margin and in alignment with the first line of the address. The salutation Dear Friend or Dear Miss is not good form, nor should the abbreviation Messrs. be used as a salutation. Dear Sirs has of recent years become obsolete. In the addressing of such firms as, for example, John Wanamaker or John Butler, Inc., the correct saluta- tion is Gentlemen because these names are the names of firms and not of individuals. Gentlemen is also correct if the firm is composed of both man and wo- men. The salutation is followed by a colon or comma. Never by a semicolon . The dash is unnecessary. CORRESPONDENCE WITH ATTORNEYS 141 The Phillip Randall Co. -2- 6/2&/18 Before the letter is typed or written, the typist should Judge the amount of material to go on a sheet and plan for the space accordingly. The stenographer, before beginning to type, should always glance over his notes and Judge the amount of space that will be required. If such a plan is followed, the typed matter can be placed to best advantage on the sheet. The margins at the sides of a letter ahould b« deep, provided the letter is short. Very truly yours, THE B. F. OOCSBICH BXSBWSR C0MPA1I7 Correapondenoe Superriaor. iroz out having arranged for payment upon | presentation at your Bank, and prefer to be under the impression that there has been a mistake.^ I hope that | this will be confirmed by your making good at once.^ Yours very truly, (73) 1 Subject 2 Suggests gravity of offense if intentional 3 Appeals to pride CORRESPONDENCE WITH ATTORNEYS 1 Mr. J. P. Diamond, Attorney, 503 Woodland Avenue, Columbus, Ohio. Dear Sir: I shall appreciate your assistance in determining what disposi- tion was made of the Chair and Table shipped to | Mr. A. Blum of 29 First Street, your city, on July 20.^ You will see by the inclosed copy | of our letter of December 21 that we requested this customer to return these items to us by freight | 142 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES and it seems we made shipment after he had asked us to cancel this part of his order. We have | not, however, received a reply nor have the goods been returnel.^ There is $17.00 outstanding against this man | for these items. Will you not try either to secure their return or, if he has returned them, to get | him to send us the bill of lading.^ I shall greatly appre- ciate your help.^ Yours very truly, (137) 1 Subject 2 Explanation 3 Asks action 2 A. E. Huddlestun & Brothers, Chicago, lUinois. Gentlemen : We to-day succeeded in collecting the full amount due from the Bates Street Pharmacy to your firm in the | amount of $565.50. W'e inclose State Bank of Springfield draft on Chicago, No. | 472240, payable to your order for $565.50, | and also inclose you our bill for services and expenses.^ From the time that the Johnson Brothers' mortgage was | good against bankruptcy, we took the matter up with them and told them of the situation that existed. A few j days later Mr. Penn called Mr. Brown and told him that he was trying to arrange to meet us on | Saturday, but was unable to' do so. He met us to-day and delivered the money and pedd off both our | mortgage and the Johnson Brothers' mortgage.^ We hope this is closed to your satisfaction.^ Yours truly, (156) 1 Subject 2 Explanation 3 Courteous summary 3 James, O'Connor & ReiUy, Akron, Ohio. Gentlemen: Attention of Mr. James. We attach for collection a statement of our claim against F." A. Sarles, Hartford, Connecticut, amounting | to $53.95.^ This account has been in the hands of another forwarding agency, but I we are not satisfied that a sufficient effort has been made to effect collection. 2 CORRESPONDENCE WITH ATTORNEYS 143 At one time the debtor informed | our Philadelphia Branch that goods were being returned for credit. The goods never Eurived, how- ever, and the debtor could not | produce evidence that the goods had actually been sent back.^ Yours very truly, (93) 1 Subject 2 Elxplanation 3 Further explanation 4 Fulton, Felder & Company, Lumber Exchange Building, Minneapohs, Minnesota. Gentlemen: RtHNIELY GRAIN COMPANY, MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA. We observe that the report from your attorney quoted in your letter of May | 11 does not state whether all of the creditors have agreed to the extension asked for by Mr. Paul; and | since in January your attorney reported that all but a few of the creditors had agreed to this extension, we | should be pleased to know whether any of them are still holding out.^ Are we to understand that the property | of the rumley grain COMPANY, listed in your attorney's recent report, is still in Minneapolis.^ If it is, and if | your attorney cannot get something definite out of Mr. Paul in the early future, what do you think of trying | the effect of a suit and levy? ^ Yours very truly, (iso) 1 Subject 2 Asks opinion 5 Hoyle & Spooner, Findlay, Ohio. Gentlemen: LAMONT GARAGE, LAMONT, PENNSYLVANIA. B-14800 Our file indicates that the claim against the lamont garage | was reduced to judgment on the recommendation of your attorney to the effect that a judgment would be collectible on | execution.^ There is nothing in the correspondence to indicate that execu- tion has ever issued on our judgment, and nothing to | indicate that if execution did issue, the amount of our judgment would not be real- ized. According to your last report, | your second attorney has re- 144 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES turned the claim stating that the firm has been out of business for a long time.- | Perhaps we are to infer from this that the judgment is not collectible. But before we close our file, we | should like to have an attorney tell us in so many words that the judgment cannot be col- lected, and we | should hke to have something definite as to the debtor's present condition.^ Yours very truly, (155) 1 Subject 2 Explanation 3 Asks action 6 Mr. Walter Saunders, Wells Building, Atlanta, Georgia. Dear Sir: ROYAL GARAGE, RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA.^ #29 You will remember from your attorney's report that the debtor | claimed before the Justice not to have accepted all of the goods shipped, and to have returned some of what | he did accept.^ Now it occurs to us that before handing down judgment on the debtor's testimony, the Justice should | at least insist upon the debtor producing a bill of lading or an express receipt showing that he returned some | of the goods. Or if su€h a paper cannot be produced, the debtor should show by the records of the | Transportation Company that they were re- turned. ^ We are instructing our Branch to prove delivery of all of our shipments, so | as to show how much goods he returned. And we beheve that he should submit actual proof, and that his | mere unsup- ported testimony is not sufficient.* Will you kindly instruct your attorney to have the case ^ con- tinued for a month | or two to enable us to get the proof of deUvery.^ ^ Yours very truly, (174) 1 General subject 2 Previous facts 3 Subject of this letter 4 Repeats for emphasis 5 Asks action EMPLOYMENT 145 EMPLOYMENT Both the employer and the employee are benefited if letters on the subject of employment are well handled. The employer desires to put the right man in the right place, and the employee desires to give intelligent service. Both desires should appear in the correspondence. 1 Mr. George W. Connelly, 4926 Rice Avenue, Akron, Ohio. Dear Sir: You have been named as a reference by Mr. Frank E. Fisher, in making application for a position | in our Sales organization.^ Any information that you may be able to give us in regard to his experience in | sales correspondence, or in regard to his personal characteristics, initiative, habits, and integrity wiU be appreciated and considered confidential.^ Yours I very truly, (62) 1 Subject 2 Specific request; courteously avoids taking reply for granted 2 Mr. C. B. Feist, Quincy, Massachusetts. Dear Sir: We have received your letter of May 7 with reference to a posi- tion with our Company.^ We have | nothing to offer you at the present time in the sales department, but should you be interested in a general | office position we should be pleased to give you careful consideration for any of the positions now open which we | might find suited to your capabifities.^ If you will kindly fill out and return the attached application blank, together with | your photograph, we shall be able to consider the matter more intelligently, and thus determine whether or not it 146 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES would I be worth your while to come to Lancaster for a personal interview.^ Very truly yours, (115) 1 Acknowledgment 2 Subject 3 Asks action 3 Mr. C. J. Riley, 415 South Grand Avenue, South Bend, Indiana. Dear Sir: We have not yet heard from you in reply to our letter of April 24, suggesting that | you call at our office for an interview at your early convenience.^ We should be pleased to have you inform | us if it is your intention to call on us any time in the near future, in order that we I may make our plans accordingly.^ We have a number of desirable positions open now, and can undoubtedly use your services | to advantage if you can qualify.^ ' Very truly yours, (89) 1 Subject, failure to reply 2 Asks action 3 Further inducement to action 4 Mr. T. Lee, 94 Carry Street, Quincy, Illinois. Dear Sir: Under date of May 1, 1917, you made application for a position with our Company, but at | that time we had nothing of interest to offer you.^ We now have a number of positions open in our | various de- partments, and if you are still desirous of being connected with our organization, we should be pleased to hear | from you.^ In the event that you are interested at this time, wiU you kindly state the salary you would | expect at the start, just when you could report for work, and the classification you have been given in the | Federal draft, in order that we may give the matter proper considera- tion.^ It would also be advisable to send us | a photograph of yourself.* Very truly yours, (127) 1 Reference 2 Subject 3 Asks action 4 Emphasizes important item EMPLOYMEiNT 147 5 Mr. R. Wheeler, 109 Fair Street, Waukegan, Illinois. Dear Sir: We have carefully gone over the application blank which you sent us on May 13, and would suggest | that you call on us as soon as possible after the expiration of your present school term.^ We of course | are unable to determine definitely in just what line of work we could use you to the best advantage, as | you did not send us your photograph, but we believe we can use you in connection with at least one j of the positions we now have open.^ It would be necessary for you to meet the requirements of the physical | examination required of all people entering our employ, but if you have no physical defects and are in perfect health, | you should have no difficulty in coming up to our standard in this respect.^ You may be interested to know | that we maintain a Housing Bureau in connection with our Employment Department and are glad to assist new employees in | getting satisfactorily located.^ Very truly yours, (166) 1 Subject 2 Note cautious beginning and positive ending of these paragraphs 3 Induce- ments to action 148 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES LETTERS OF APPRECIATION The ability to say "Thank you" cordially and sincerely, and the willingness to say it frequently in return for cour- tesies, are matters of primary importance to the writer of business letters. My dear Mr. Daniel: I have asked the secretary of the Executives' Club to send you a guest card.^ I | hope that you will have frequent opportunity of using it.- It is an especial pleasure to return in this way | the courtesy you showed me on my visit to Pittsburgh.^ Sincerely yours, (52) Mr. Bernhard Daniel, Hotel Belmont, New York City.^ 1 Subject 2 Courtesy 3 Appreciation 4 Note permissible position of address in letter to personal friend from individual, not from company 2 The Sugar Trade Journal, 239 West Twenty-eighth Street, New York City. Dear Mr. Bell: Attention of Mr. E. R. Bell. I appreciate the copy of "Sugar Refining and Merchandising" which you | sent me.^ I have read it often and with much interest, and it contains considerable information that while known to | me had never im- pressed me just the way it would the outsider. I was accordingly very glad to note Mr. | Dodge's treatment of the subject.^ I beheve it will prove of interest and be of real practical value LETTERS OF APPRECIATION 149 tx) the I man who wants to perfect himself along general lines in the sugar business.^ W ith best wishes for the continued success | of your enterprise,* Very truly yours, (106) 1 Thanks 2 Personal benefit 3 Benefit to others 4 Cordial ending 3 My dear IVIiss ]\Iorse: You know already how strongly I feel about the service which you did us in your | talk Friday, so that any further words of mine are unnecessary.^ I do want to say on paper, however, that | your coming was a great service to the cause of education and to the cause of improving the position of | women in the United States.^ Your promised address at the Vocational Conference will intensify that service as well as give I us another great pleasure.^ You will find inclosed * a check for fifteen dollars from the school, the honorarium which the | directors voted. We do not look upon this as compensation for your service, and it may, perhaps, not even cover I your actual expense, although I hope so. It merely represents a much larger sum which we should like to give | in recognition of what you have done for us. With warm regards. Very faithfully yours, (155) Miss Ahce L. Morse, R. A. Havens & Company, Chicago, Illinois. 1 Subject; thanks for an address 2 Subject amplified 3 Indirectly reminds reader of future engagement 4 Inclosure less important than the "thank you," and so does not come fii-st 4 My dear Mr. White: I think that you have a perfect right to ask to be relieved of your labors | in the Shipping Board ^ and I feel obliged by the argu- ment you have used to accept your resignation from the | board.' In doing so, however, may I not express my appreciation of the sense of public duty with which you | have served and thank you for the time and labor you have devoted to the important business of a great | instrumentaUty of government.'^ ^ Cordially and sincerely yours, (87) 1 Agrees with spirit of letter received 2 Subject 3 Appreciation of service 150 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES Style IV. — TWO FOLD LETTER SHEET Folded twice fox envelope insertion; this was written on a sheet 7t X 11. Note also reference to inclosure. OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MuSniiii!! Agioennllks! ®i! MsHaal CS®ll!iai®!r^ OFFICE OF SECRETARY Des Moines. Iowa. August 5, 1918. J. H. Hartman & Co., Moline, Illinois. « Gentlemen: Three thousand of the leading retail clothiers of the United States are members of the National Association of Retail Clothiers. Do you want to know why these three thousand progressive, aggressive clothiers find it to their advantage to keep up their membership in this Association? Just tell us on the enclosed card that you want to know, and one of our field men will call to explain in fullest detail. We really expect to hear from you by return mail. Very truly yoxuyi Secretary, RATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF RETAIL CLOTHIERS. CSW:IW Enc. LETTERS OF APPRECIATION 151 5 My dear General Goethals: Your letter of July 20 does you great honor. It is conceived in a fine spirit | of public duty, such as I have learned to expect of you. T^iis is, as you say, a case where | the service of the public is tlie only thing to be considered. Personal feeUngs and personal preferences must be resolutely | set aside; and we must do the thing that is most serviceable.^ It is with that thought in mind that | I feel constrained to say that I think that you have interpreted your duty rightly .^ No impartial determination of the | questions at issue can now set the ship building program promptly and effectively on its way to completion and success. | It is best that we take the self -forget ting course you suggest and begin again with a fresh sheet of | paper, — begin, not the ship building, but the further administration of the program. The ship building is, happily, in large | part begun, and can now readily be pushed to completion if the cdr be cleared of the debates that have | unfortunately darkened it.^ With deep appreciation, therefore, of your generous attitude and with genuine admiration of what you have been | able in a short time to accomplish, I accept your resignation, and feel that in doing so I am acting | upon your best judgment as well as my own.^ I hope that you will feel the same undoubting confidence that | I feel that the people of the coimtry, for whom you have rendered great service, will judge you justly and | generously in this as in other tilings, and that all personal misunderstandings and misjudgments that have been created will pass | in a short time entirely away.^ With warm regards. Cordially and sincerely yours, (293) 1 Interprets spirit of the action 2 Subject; accepts resignation 3 General considerations 4 Subject made specific 5 Appreciation of service 152 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES LETTERS TO SALESMEN The manager's task in writing to salesmen is to help them sell the amount of goods that has been determined on in advance as the proper volume of business for the year. He gives his help by showing appreciation, giving constructive suggestions, distributing praise and blame, and smoothing out misunderstandings. Enthusiastic co- operation should be the keynote of his letters, though often a sharp inquiry will stir a slow-going salesman into action. 1 Baker, Van Zandt Company, New Haven, Connecticut. Gentlemen: AUenlion of Purchasing Agent. If you have already met Mr. Lewis A. Walton, no further intro- duction from us will | be necessary — he can speak for himself! Hav- ing succeeded Mr. R. W. Means in New York State and a portion | of Connecticut, Mr. Walton will hereafter be our "ambassador" at your "court." ^ Having had both oflice and factory training, in | addition to his experience as a salesman of folding boxes, Mr. Walton is weU quali- fied to render very practical assistance | to all users of lithographed products. Please feel at liberty to meike use of his helpful advice and suggestions.^ You I wiU be interested in the beautiful new assortment of samples which Mr. Walton will carry with him. These samples repre- sent I our entire range of products, such as lithographed stationery, boxes, show cards, labels, etc.^ Of coiu-se you know how ] much we will appreciate your giv- ing our Mr. Walton a hearing when he arrives in your city.^ Cordially yours, (159) 1 Announces a new salesman 2 Personal qualifications 3 His goods 4 Pleasantly suggests action LETTERS TO SALESMEN 153 2 Mr. Walter Steele, Harrisburg, Pa, Dear Steele: You are certainly not leaving any gaps in your territory. I was especially pleased to see you get | that order on Monday from the Johnson Shoe Company, amd then when you got over to Waterford get an additional | order and still another order at Warren.^ I certainly agree with you that from the report you give as to | the different places, your business should be good during the coming month. It would be well to do considerable studying, | Steele, in order to line up your territory and find your work so as to avail yourself of every opportunity, | and cash in while the going is good.- We shall follow up your visits with special letters from this office. | Without question, these letters will help you very materially on your next trip and in all probability will bring in | good mail orders.^ Keep going — keep your health — keep up your record.^ Very truly yours, (155) 1 Appreciation 2 Suggestion 3 Assistance 4 Summary 3 Deal Mr. Mason: What do you think of the inclosed as a letter to be mailed out to your Peoria | customers? We drew it up as soon as we received your letter telling us you intended to call on several | people there next Saturday and regularly in the future.^ We are very glad to notice that you have found time j to take on a few of these customers at Peoria, and hope you will be very suc- cessful; we shall try | to assist you in every way we can.- We have not heard from you further concerning your giving up any | of your towns on account of soliciting the trade at Peoria. If you wish to do this, please inform us | so that we can take it up with another sales- man, and arrange with him to take over these towns.^ With I kind regards, we are Very truly yours, (U7) 1 Inclosure; assistance 2 Appreciation 3 Further willingness to help 4 Dear Frazer: Thanks for your good report for the week ending June 29.^ I note that you spent a | portion of this week in expert work; however. 154 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES I saw at a glance that you cashed in on this to | fuU value by lining up five orders at Bush and two at Oil Creek. This gives you a fairly good | week in sales and at the same time gave you an opportunity to educate your dealers on the sale of | our goods. ^Yithout question, while you are now on your trip west, these fellows will be working in good shape | and will probably send iis in a number of mail orders. No doubt you will be able to get some | nice orders from them on your next trip around when you get back from the West.2 I was mighty pleased | to see that the crop conditions continue very, very good. Without question, this means more business. By working along the | lines you did during the first half of the year, you wiU without doubt be able to make the quota | set by yourself, which you in compau^ing will find considerably above that given you from this office.^ I trust this I finds you well. With best wishes from here, we are Very truly yours, (213) 1 Appreciation 2 Intelligent analysis of salesman's plan 3 Encouragement and appre- ciation 5 Dear Hanks: When checking /up the sales column in your report for week end- ing June 29 I was pleased | to find that it shows considerable improve- ment, although aU -the orders are for the small assortments.^ This, however, should give | you encouragement, Hanks, to go after it, because the next time around you can get orders for the large assort- ments. I The main thing is to get a start, for when you get your feet on the ground, it is a | very much easier matter then to get moving and to show some good business.^ From the report that you have | made out, we wiU write special letters to the dealers according to your suggestion. No doubt co-opera- tion in this way | will assist you very materially in your next visit and in all probability will bring home some good orders through | the mail.^ Your report this week is gotten up in very nice form. That's the way we like to see | them.* I trust that the coming week will help you considerably more. With our best wishes, we are ^ Very truly | yours, (I8i) 1 Appreciation 2 Suggests a plan 3 Co-operation 4 Appreciation of a detail 5 Cordial ending LETTERS TO SALESMEN 15; Salesman J. H. Nelson, Dear Nelson: I was pleased to see you get those nice mattress orders, and the good variety sold on each.^ j The Credit Department is giving special attention to the order from Richmond, but we hope their report will be favorable | so that we can make prompt shipment.^ In making out your reports, George, please fill in the last column on I page 1, so that your report will be entirely complete. In this, answer the questions as given at the head | of the column. These reports are referred to very frequently here at the office, and unless your report comes in | complete, it is very embarrassing to have a record and still have none, on account of the failure of the | person making out the report to have it complete.^ It takes but a few min- utes to make out your report ; | do this daily, — each evening. Then, when Saturday night comes, your report is complete and you simply fold it up I and put it into the mail and send it on to the factory.^ Here's believing that the coming week will | bring forth good results. Very truly yours, (187) 1 Appreciation 2 Warns of a possibly "weak credit" 3 Friendly criticism 4 Suggests easy action 7 Mr. S. E. Carr, Salesman No. 60. Dear Sir: Mr. A. W. Rose writes us from Cairo, Illinois, that he is about to open a general store 1 there and wants one of our general catalogues. We sent this to him.^ He tells us that he is acquainted | AArith you, and although Cairo is on Mr. Westkott's supplementary list, if you beheve you can get any business from | Mr. Rose, we believe you had best make an effort to see him. If you secure an order we shall | be glad to transfer the town to yoiu" list.^ We want you to decide about this,^ but let us know | at once. Yours truly, (104) 1 Information 2 Co-operation 3 Confidence in salesman 156 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES 8 Mr. P. E. Forgan, Salesman No. 19. Dear Sir: We have just learned that the Saratoga Dry Goods Company, Saratoga, New York, have had a fire loss | of about $7000. It seems that we have never done anything with them, yet this seems a splendid | opportunity to get started, for they will need a great deal of new stock.^ We suggest that you look them I up at your first opportunity and see if you can't get a wedge in somewhere.'^ If you need any assist- ance, I please let us know and we shall be glad to help you all we can.^ Yours very truly, (98) 1 Information 2 Suggests action 3 Co-operation 9 Mr. Harry Van Stein, Salesman No. 75. Dear Sir: The Jackson Hardward Company, Jackson, Michigan, have an ammunition contract with us which expires June 1, this year. | They have bought $350.50 worth of goods to apply on this contract and should I purchase $149.50 worth still before the contract is completed so that they can | receive the advantage of the low contract price.^ Suppose you take the matter up with them on your next visit I to Jackson and see if you can't get an order sufficient to make up the balance due on the contract, j Let me know what you are able to accomplish.^ Yours very truly, (112) 1 Information 2 Asks action 10 Mr. E. C. Orton, Salesman No. 125. Dear Sir: Upon going through the various carloads for distribution at Bangor, we note that the car of sleds, coasters, | velocipedes and wagons has apparently been overlooked by several of our salesmen.^ You can use this point so well, we | were in hopes you would LETTERS TO SALESMEN 157 have a great many orders for ttiis car, but we do not find you have | contributed. - It is our desire to complete this car at a very early date and, there- fore, we request you to | bear this in mind when calling on your cus- tomers during the next two or three weeks. Velocipedes and wagons | can be included with their orders for sleds and coasters. We should have no difficulty whatever in securing a nice big | car for distribu- tion at Bangor. There are a dozen men working on this car and we are confident that you | can be depended upon to furnish us about 1500 pounds of weight.^ Please acknowledge receipt of this letter, and | tell us that we can load a nice lot of these goods for your customers.^ Yours truly, (177) 1 Information about goods tliat must be sold 2 Shows confidence in ability 3 Urges ac- tion 4 Cordiality and emphasis 11 Dear Judson: On looking over your report for the week ending May 10, I was very sorry to see that | you were obhged to travel the entire week without making a score.^ This is surely a streak of hard luck; | how- ever, I hope that you secured sufficient information from your visit to enable you to get right down to business | on your next trip and get some orders in with at least a portion of the dealers that you have | called on. 2 If you get in a few and carry out your work as outlined to you in a letter | I wrote you a few days ago, it will surely put you in a posi- tion to get some real business, | especially in view of the fact that you are backed up by an enormous crop coming on and the fact | that you have a product unexcelled by anyone and manufactured by an exclusive manufacturer of this one line.^ ^^ ith best I wishes therefore for some good deals this coming week, I am Very truly yours, (174) 1 Sympathy, not censure 2 Suggests a plan 3 Further plan, and reminder of reasons for expecting success 12 Dear Jamison : Your letter of May 26 reached here in due time, and though you did not receive a | prompt reply, you may be sure it received proper attention.^ This past month your sales have been very much better | and 158 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES look very much more encouraging. I wish to advise you, however, to take the orders and get them clean | out without any "riders" so that there is no possibihty for any discussion after the hghting outfit has been shipped | and the payment is due. When you have sold a man it is reaUy easier to get your order straight, | clean cut than it is to have some little "if" on it which gives the party a chance to open | discussions. This, of course, is bad business because it takes an addi- tional amount of your time without producing any results.^ | Please, therefore, give this point very careful consideration and see if you can't, in the future, arrange to take all | your orders with- out any provisions in them.^ Then we can arrange to accept the order promptly and by so doing | your customers will get very much better service.^ I have arranged to place you on the basis of $150 | per month. Doing this necessitates raising your volume quota from $18,000 to $30,000 and | changing your cost quota from 13.65 % to 11 %. Please, therefore, arrange to acknowledge | this by return mail, as the new schedule goes into effect July 1. Very truly yours, (256) 1 Acknowledgment 2 Appreciation 3 Friendly criticism 4 Emphasis, with appeal to self-interest 13 Dear Hugo: I received your letter with reference to Jacobsen Brothers at Green Bay, telling us that Mr. Arthur Jacobsen | is coming there to assume charge of the business.^ I have personally known Art Jacobsen for a great many years. | He measures up very well with Jacobsen Brothers. He is a very nice gentleman to meet, but not altogether easy | to do business with. He is a shrewd buyer and always looking for a little extra inducement of some kind. | If my memory serves me right he has been quite a steady customer of our competitors for a number of | years, no doubt owing to some special arrangement that he has there, and for this reason, as long as your | friend Eastman is calhng on the trade out there for these people, I do not believe getting this business will | be any easier for you than it has been in the past.- It wiU require some courage on your part | to go after him gootl and strong until you become better acquainted with him; then you will know better how | to handle him.^ You are quite right about the sales report; we have both been LETTERS TO SALESMEN 159 somewhat disappointed in the amount | of business we have been able to do in your territory, but I know mighty well that you are right | when you say you have done your best. I am now trying to figure out some way by which I | can help you to improve your territory, and as soon as I get a little further along with this, I | shall no doubt want you to come into Chicago to go over the matter with you. I believe we can | make an arrangement by which we can take on some towns that would be more productive, and drop some of | the non- productive ones. This wpuld enable you to secure a larger volume. I shall let you hear from me more | definitely a little later.^ With kind regards, I am Very truly yours, (332) 1 Subject 2 Information 3 Encouragement 14 Mr. F. H. Clark, Salesman No. 31. Dear Sir: It seems you are not getting started very well at Peru, Illinois, with A. C. Jackson.^ Are you | caUing regularly,^ and what are our prospects of getting a liberal share of his business.^ We shall be pleased if I you will write about this. Yours very truly, (48) 1 Criticism 2 Suggests action 15 Mr. Paul Verstigen, Salesman No. 348. Dear Verstigen : How do you account for the decrease in the account of M. L. Mantel, Morristown, New Jersey? ^ They | bought about $1200 in 1915, but taking into consideration the advanced prices it looks as | though they had bought only about one half this amount in 1916.^ Can we look for an increased business j with them this year.^ Write us a good strong letter about it.^ Yours very truly, (75) 1 Criticism 2 Information 3 Implies that the writer wants evidence of good intentions 160 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES 16 Mr. Frank O. Brooke, Salesman No. 8. Dear Sir: It seems that they are making up carloads of roofing in every other state but Ohio.^ We certainly | do not want to be a back number in the good old Buckeye State and I am wondering what you [ and Mr. Miller could accomplish over there for a car for shipment from Cleveland. If not a car of roofing, | could we not make up a car of velocipedes, sleds, and wagons .►^ 2 The latter three items can be shipped together. | The minimum weight for one car is 10,000 pounds. Come back at me strong and show what you can | do. We're right behind you with the goods.^ Yours very truly, (ill) 1 Arouses competition 2 Urges action 3 Co-operation 17 Dear Mr. Perrine: You will no doubt remember that we told all the boys at our annual meeting that the | Buck Company had given us the State of Vermont exclusively for their lines. If we expect to keep this terri- tory, I we shall, of course, have to get some business, or they will feel compelled to terminate this arrangement.^ So far I this year we have done very little business in Vermont in the fixtures lines, and we must get busy right | away. We would suggest that when you call upon your trade you improve your idle moments to look over the | stores carefully and if, in your opinion, a customer needs a new set of fixtures, a special display case or | a cigar case, or in fact anything in the fixtures line, report it to us and we will have the | promotion department of the Buck Company start some advertising matter at once to interest the customer. Make a note of I this; the next time you call upon him take the matter up again. Often a procedure of this kind will | lead up to a nice sale.^ Our fountain and fixtures department has been doing a wonderful business. The month of | March this year will undoubtedly be the largest month we have ever had in this department, but very little LETTERS TO SALESMEN 161 of [ it comes from Vermont, and we are very anxious for all of om* Vermont salesmen to make a special effort | on these goods.' This deserves a lot of your attention, — it will more than repay you.* Very truly yours, (259) 1 Information 2 A plan for action 3 Encouragement 4 Appeals to self-interest 18 Dear Mr, Goldberg: We note on your order for L. P. IVIacdonald Dry Goods Com- pany, Marinette, Wisconsin, six dozen House | Dresses priced at less 10% discount.^ Unfortunately for us and fortunately for them, this discount escaped the notice j of the scanners and the order was filled before we discovered it. Otherwise the order would have been de- clined, but I as the goods have gone forward we shall, of course, have to bill them at the price specified.^ We simply | cannot understand how you came to give ' this discount of 10 % on this order, for it does not | leave us a sufficient profit. We thought we would call your attention to the matter so that you would not | give this discount to anyone in the future. As before stated, the fact that this order was filled was due | to an oversight, and we wish it understood that this does not estabhsh a precedent for future transactions.^ Very truly | yours, (iGi) 1 States fact 2 Consequences — a loss for the house 3 Censure 4 Emphasis 19 Mr. C. Brady, Salesman. Dear Mr. Brady: We have received your letter of INIarch 11, relative to the Rail- road Claim which we have made | for A. C. Densmon.^ The Government in taking over the railroad assumed only the control and not very much of | the responsibility, especially with regard to paying freight claims. We, therefore, do not anticipate any sudden inrush of checks covering | claims that we have made. I am doing my best to separate the railroad company from enough of their cash I to settle our claims, but I have not yet been successful.- We shall keep up the good work, however, imtil | a check is received, when the claims will be adjusted with the customers.' In 162 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES the meantime the accounts must be | left open on the books as matter of record. With best regards, I am Yours very truly, (137) 1 Acknowledgment 2 Humorous reply 3 Promises further help 20 Dear Weyman: With reference to the engines that the people at Orient, Illinois, have refused to accept, I note that | you expect to see these people very shortly.^ In view of the fact that we are a couple of thousand | engines behind order, you can readily see the importance of getting prompt action, because while hundreds of our dealers are j waiting patiently for shipments of engines, we cannot afford to have any tied up at a freight station because a \ dealer has refused to accept them.^ Inasmuch as the engine season is opening up wonderfully well, I believe that you | will be able to take care of this very nicely and get quick action. If, however, they insist on their | original stand, get busy and sell the engines to some other dealer and get them into motion so that we | can bill them and have this amount appear on the regular billing.^ Very truly yours, (155) 1 Acknowledgment of information 2 Explains need for action 3 Urges action 21 Dear Mr. Pratt: We are mighty sorry that your order for Colorite for the Badger Drug Company was not filled. | Evidently it must have been misfiled, as we are unable to locate it.^ When we entered another order for one | gross to go forward to them to-day, we found that our stock was almost completely exhausted, so that we are j unable to fill the order until we obtain further supphes. The manufacturers carry a stock of Colorite here in Chicago, | and they have a car on the way, which has been delayed.- As soon as this car reaches us and | we obtain further supplies we shall fill the order for the Badger Drug Company. This is the very best we | can do. Please explain the matter to them.^ Very truly, (130) 1 Regret 2 Remedy 3 Shows desire to serve LETTERS TO SALESMEN 163 22 Dear Mr. Warren: We have your letter of August 17. We are certainly sorry that we did not give you | credit for all sales made of Rapid Fire. The facts are that we have been keeping account only of orders | taken for future delivery.^ We notice that these orders were specified to be shipped with first drug order. They were, | therefore, attached to the entry cards and did not come to our department, and so we did not have a | record of them. We are glad to notice that you were giving these matters better attention than we thought you | were, for we are very anxious to have our salesmen give us the best possible co-operation on these items, which | we are trying to seU.- We notice you refer to oitr letter as a complaint; it was not intended as | such, but we thought it would be perfectly right and proper for us to call your attention to these matters, | as they are of mutual interest.^ We are sorry that you have returned your price list and we believe it | would be best for us to send this back to you and have you return the one we sent you, | as it would not look very well for us to send out to some other salesman an old price fist. | You are used to this one and it is probably in good shape, so that you can get along all I right with it until we get out our new catalogue. It will be some time before the new catalogue is | out, although the appropriation has been made and we will get to work on it as soon as possible. We | know it will be a great help to all our salesmen.* Very truly yours, (294) 1 Regret to resentful and discouraged salesman 2 Explanation and appreciation 3 Ex- plains position taken in letter i Positive ending 164 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES SALES LETTERS Sales letters present the greatest range of opportunity afforded by the field of business letters. Their methods vary widely, but the basis of all good sales letters, even the simplest, is a logical plan. A letter thus planned leads to action more surely than one in which the plan is less clear. In addition, it secures confidence by winning respect. Ap- peals to emotions and instincts, carefully selected to apply exactly to the subject and the reader, "touch the springs of action." Vivid, specific language arouses interest and helps the reader to visualize the action suggested, together with the pleasant consequences to himself. At the begin- ning, the letter must establish a "point of contact" with its reader; at the end, it must open the way to action, both by explaining how to take the action, and by removing obstacles or objections to it. Suggestion of action can be made anywhere in the letter; often very effectively at the beginning. The writer should remember that his letter must attract attention, arouse interest, create desire, and lead to action. He should ask himself, "What are the reasons that really lead people to take the action I desire.^" and, "Has my letter given those reasons?" Enthusiasm and imagination shown in the letter arouse similar feehng in the reader. LETTERS TO CONSUMERS The writer of sales letters addressed to consumers should show a thorough knowledge of his subject from the point of view of his readers. He should use specific language that displays close analysis of his goods, not general claims of excellence, or vague phrases that might equally well LETTERS TO CONSUMERS 165 describe any merchandise on the mcirket. He must make his readers feel that he has carefully studied the benefit and pleasm'e they will derive from ownership and use. He must remember that while he knows much about the sub- ject, they know little, and his information must be vital, simple, and explicit. If much information is necessary, it should be put in a booklet or left to the salesman or dealer; the task of the letter is to persuade to some action. 1 Mr. H. A. ^en, 54 Kimbark Avenue, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Dear Mr. Allen: In accordance with our conversation of this morning/ we have sent you samples of wallboard and literature | in reference to each.* We quote you as follows: BEAVER BOARD $30.00 Per thousand feet. UPSON BOARD $28.00 NEPONSET BOARD $25.00 " " " 3 As we told you, we have just ordered | the car of Beaver Board and could not deUver orders of this until the shipment arrives. The other two boards | we can deliver at once.* You will understand by the descriptive hterature how the wall- board is put up. It is I always necessary to strip the joints with a sort of panel strip, two to two and one-half inches wide. We can furnish these with the Neponset Board of the same material, but with the other boards wood strips are | usually used to match the trim of the room. The wood strips give the better effect and make a neater | appear- ing job.^ Upson, or Beaver Board, ought to be painted with two coats of flat paint. Patton's Velumina is a | very suitable paint for this purpose.^ We shall be very much pleased to answer any furlher inquiries relative to this | material, and, of course, most pleased to secure your order. ^ Very truly yours, ('^13) 1 Refers to interview 2 Samples sent 3 Quotation of prices 4 Delivery 5 Shows how to use 6 Further directions 7 Asks action 166 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES 2 Mr. Oscar Gronner, 200 Maryland Avenue, Newark, New Jersey. Dear Mr. Gronner: We have your inquiry of September 30, and take pleasure in furnishing you with information concerning our | "Desk with Brains" line.^ As we have furnished quite a number of our sectional desks through our Newark representatives for | use in the Academy, you have in all probabihty noticed some of these desks in certain of the departments.^ If I so, you know just about what "The Desk with Brains" will accomplish. Under separate cover we are mailing you a | copy of our minia- ture catalogue, together with a chart. All sectional liling equipment that can be embodied in "The Desk | with Brains" is illustrated on the chart.^ You will notice that this filing equipment comprises various sizes and combinations. Aiijong | this selection you will find fifing equipment that is admirably smted to care for the particular class of records that | you are using.^ Now to build up a combination of "The Desk with Brains" to meet your incfividual requirements, you | have but to select the parts, or rather the fifing equipment that best answers your needs. By combining this with j a top and suitable bases you will have a complete outfit, offering all the desirable features of the ordinary style I of desk — an outfit offering a definite place for all of the records in which you are interested, and- with | which you are anxious to keep in touch. Owing to the convenient position of your fifing equipment in the pedestals | of your desk, every one of your records wiU be within easy reach where you can consult them freely without | being obliged to get up from your desk.^ If you find that you need our assistance in selecting the parts | that are most suitable for your desk, feel free to caU on us.^ We shall be pleased to assist you | in any way you suggest. Yours very truly, (308) 1 Answers inquiry 2 Refers to reader's knowledge of article 3 Booklet sent 4 Shows how to read booklet 5 Shows how to secure desired results 6 Offers further aid; assumes favorable action LETTERS TO CONSUMERS 167 3 Mrs. H. A. WeUs, Nashville, Tennessee. Madam : We are very glad to comply with your request and are inclosing a copy of our booklet, "Doing J the World's Work." ^ It will show you the many ways in which a small Robbins & Myers Motor will save | you time and labor at a cost of but a few cents a week.^ Before you get an electric motor | it is very essential that you know exactly which type and size you should use for your particular services. To | enable you to medte absolutely sure that you are get- ting exactly the right motor we have prepared a blank form | on page 15 of the book. If you will fill this blank in and return it to us we shall I be glad to send you a catalogue and complete information on a motor to meet your requirements.^ You will probably | be surprised to learn how Uttle one of these labor savers will cost you: Robbins & Myers Electric Motors are | much less expensive than most people think.^ Just fill in the blank and return it to us, and we wiU | tell you exactly what a motor for your particular service will cost. This will not obUgate you in the least.^ | Yours truly, C202) 1 Reply to inquiry 2 Time and labor saving, low operation cost 3 Asks further informa- tion 4 Low initial cost 5 Asks action, shows result, removes objection 4 Mt. D. W. Smith, Madison, Wisconsin. Dear Sir: As requested, we are inclosing the booklet ^ which describes our CORONA Typewriter; also a leaflet illustrating the difl'erent | type faces with which this machine can be equipped. Choice of t^fP^ is optional with you, but for general purposes | we recommend Pica.- For over a year the Western Electric Company tried out one of our stock machines in their | experimental department, at the end of which time they contracted with us to furnish all their portable typewriters. Upon the | estabhshment of the General Supplies Committee (for the purchasing of all suppHes used by the U. S. Govt.), the CO- 168 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES RONA I was the first writing machine contracted for and 80 CORONAS have been purchased for the Pension Service alone.^ We mention | these two instances simply to show you that the CORONA is a thoroughly practical writing machine. It has all the | features of the best office machines, yet it is the hghtest and most compact standard typewriter on the market.^ As I it happens, you are located in the territory of one of our agents and since we feel that you can | obtain quicker ser\dce from this agent, we have taken the Hberty of referring your inquiry to the Milwaukee Typewriter & | Inspection Company, Broadway & Mason Streets, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, from whom you will receive immediate attention.^ Very truly yours, (218) 1 Inclosure 2 Skillfully suggests order 3 Testimonials 4 Summarizes selling points 5 Refers to agent 5 Mr. I. J. Shumway, Madison, Wisconsin. Dear Sir: In compliance with your request, we are forwarding our book- let "Table Glass," and we trust you will find | therein a few helpful suggestions.^ Should you be interested in purchasing Heisey's Glass- ware, we take pleasure in referring you to | J. F. Schadauer & Company of your city through whom we feel sure you will have no difficulty in procuring | our goods.2 In case you are unable to obtain what you desire from them in Heisey's Glassware, let us know. | We shall be most happy to ship .direct from the factory, as we spare no efforts in supplying our friends.^ | Yours very truly, (103) 1 Answers inquiry 2 Refers to dealer 3 Offers further service 6 Mr. Walter Grobben, 334 Wisconsin Street, Somer\dlle, Massachusetts. Dear Sir: Your recent request for our "Modern Plumbing" booklet indi- cated that you were considering the purchase of plumbing equipment.^ | LETTERS TO CONSUMERS 169 Did you find fixtures in "Modern Plumbing" suitable to your requirements? ^ Perhaps you would fike us to suggest fixtures best | suited to your purpose — to tell you why certain designs and materials are more desirable than others in some places, | or other details that may not be clear to you.^ Any information you may care to gi\ e us concerning your | pres- ent plans will be much appreciated. Yours very truly, P. S. If you have already made your selection, we suggest j that you send us a list of the plate numbers and the name and address of your plumber so that | we may quote him our lowest trade prices on your requirements.^ (131) 1 Follow-up 2 Suggests further inquiry 3 Offers aid 4 Suggests action in case of favor- able decision 7 Mrs. Arthur Cobb, 2308 Wells Street, Passaic, New Jersey. Dear Madam: By parcel post you will receive a sample of Purina Whole \Yheat Flour, sufficient to try one of | the recipes given in the inclosed folder.^ The entire family wiU enjoy and benefit from the bread, muffins, and biscuits | made from Purina W hole W heat Flour, because of its delightful flavor and healthfulness.^ And in addition you will be help- ing I in a substantial way to conserve the wheat supply, for more of the wheat is used than in milling white | flour.^ Your name was given us by the grocer who is mentioned on the bottom of this letter, with a | request that we mail you a sample.^ Yours very truly, (HO) 1 Announces sample, refers to folder, and suggests action 2 Awakens desire 3 Appeals to patriotism 4 Refers to dealer 8 Mr. George Cummings, 24 Main Street, Salem, Massachusetts. Dear Sir: The inclosed card will guide you to that individuality of style which marks and explains the supremacy of I STEIN-BLOCH SMART CLOTHES.i 170 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES It is to be regretted that the accompanying sketches cannot show the SUPERIOR TAILORING, on which | is dependent and from which comes the leadership of Stein-Bloch.- The Stein-Bloch label is in every Stein-Bloch | garment, and stands for FIFTY-EIGHT YEARS OF KNOWING HOW.^ Yours very truly, (73) 1 Directs customer to dealer and shows result, individuality 2 Refers to inclosure and shows cause, superior tailoring 3 Reliability; removes objections 9 Mr. Max Wellington, Cohoes, New Y ork. Dear Sir: You are getting this copy of the Style Book because we believe you want to know the things | about clothes that it shows and tells. ^ You may get some pleasure out of looking at it; it's rather pleasant | to look at. But the real value of the book to you, is in the clothes it teUs about; they I are worth looking at, too.^ We hope you will go that far at least; the advantage is yours as much I as anybody's; they are that kind of clothes.^ Go and see Johnson Brothers, Cohoes; it's a store where you will I find good service and good merchandise; we are glad to recom- mend it.^ Ask for our goods; show the salesman what | you want in the Style Book illustrations; try the clothes on.^ Yours truly, (133) 1 Awakens interest in booklet 2 Awakens interest in merchandise 3 Suggests an easy action 4 Refers to dealer 5 Suggests action 10 Mt. E. B. Cook, 123 South Hancock Street, Chicago, lUinois. Dear Sir: Do you remember when you were preparing for your vacation last year? Sure you do.^ You also remember | the plans you made for fishing and boating. But perhaps you have forgotten the results. Did you come back with | blisters on your hands from rowing,^^ LETTERS TO CONSUMERS 171 Did you paddle out and around the lake in the hot sun only to | be- come more and more fatigued? ^ Why not profit from that this year? Take an Evinrude with you to the lakes | and make your trips a total success, full of pleas- ure and comfort. Let each day's close bring you home cool | and refreshed with pleasant memories of the day's trip.^ The 2 H. P. Evinrude weighs only seventy pounds. Two or | three vacations will bring you its full value in added rest and the motor will last many years.* You will I want an Evinrude this summer. There is an order blank in the catalogue we are sending you. Return it at | once so that you will have your E\inrude next week.^ Yours very truly, (173) 1 Makes contact with reader's experience 2 Predicament 3 Remedy 4 Additional argu- ments 5 Suggests prompt action and shows resuh 11 Mr. J. C. Raleigh, 314 Granger Street, Hartford, Connecticut. Dear Sir: The Evinrude Motor can be run very well in ten to twelve inches of water, although, of | course, if the water is deeper, it is much better. The lower construction is built thoroughly enough so that if ] the obstruction consists only of weeds or the like the Motor will pass through them without any difficulty, but if | it should be that a sand bar is to be passed over or the bar comes very close to the | bottom of the boat, we have devised a built-up attachment which permits the entire Motor to be tilted so | that propeller is clear of the water. ^ When such an obstruction is to be passed all that is necessary is to push I down on the steering handle and the ]\Iotor is raised clear of the water until the obstruction is passed and | then the propeller is lowered once more.^ We have a special attachment by means of which the regular rowboat | INIotor can be installed in a canoe. This arrangement is considered an accessory and sells for $12.50. | With an arrangement like this, however, you have a Motor that is universal in the full sense of the I word.^ The catalogue we are sending you shows the Motor installed on the rowboat and in a canoe. Either one | makes a satisfactory 172 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES arrangement, as the Motor will carry the rowboat at the rate of 6 to 8 niiles I per hour, and the canoe at from 8 to 10. It is a very efficient power plan, consumes but httle | gasoUne and is very simple to operate.* Just look over the catalogue and imagine for yourself what com- fort and pleasure | such a motor will bring to you and to your family. I know that you will want to take advantage | of the full sum- mer's season. If you will just fill out the order blank which is inclosed in catalogue and | return it to us, we shall be very glad to wait on you. I am going to watch the mail | the next few days for a letter from you. Yours very truly, (352) 1 Answers inquiry 2 Shows operation 3 Answers second question 4 Removes objec- tions by allowing choice 12 Mr. Clarence Barlow, 1139 Newberry Street, Geneva, New York. Dear Sir: You are denying yourself a necessary comfort and pleasure.^ Since you received our catalogue, has any particular question | come to your mind that we might answer.^ ^ w ^ ^re unable to dis- cover why you did not write to us. | If there was any question in your mind as to the power of the motor, we will say that it | has success- fully hauled pretty heavy loads, pushing the | average sixteen-foot boat with seven and eight people in it without any difficulty. If it's compactness you desire, the | motor weighs only seventy pounds and occupies very little room. It can be strapped on the running board of an I automobile. Should you desire the Evinrude motor of the 2 H. P. type, it wiU propel the average sixteen-foot | boat, loaded, at a speed of from five to thirty miles per hour, and from twenty-five to thirty miles | on a gallon of gasoline. If there is some particular phase of its operation that you are interested in, which | has not been definitely explained, it would cer- tainly be a pleasure to hear from you, and in that way we | could give you the information particularly suitable to your requirements. If it is for pleasure you are contemplating this purchase, | Mr. Barlow, we cannot urge you to buy too soon, for the pleasure of own- LETTERS TO CONSUMERS 173 ing an Evinrude lies not only | in possessing it, but in operating it as much of the time as possible. If it is for commercial purposes | you require the Evinrude, the same argument holds good.^ Your motor will be forwarded to you as soon as you | specify how. Write us to-dav. ,^ , , Yours very truly, (268) 1 Suggests prompt action 2 Follow-up 3 Outlines talking points in order to remove objections 13 Mr. Earl Klinker, 180 Hackett Avenue, Erie, Pennsylvania. Dear Sir: When I arrived at the office this morning,^ and found a copy of my letter of April 29 | on my desk, I knew that you did not purchase an Evinrude, and that last Sunday while ninety thousand | and more were traveling various waterways, in this and other countries by means of an Evinrude, you were deprived | of this pleasure.^ Had you been with us Sunday when six persons took a most dehghtful excursion up the river | by means of an E\dnrude, I am siu-e you would have de- cided to purchase one at the close of the j trip, if not before.^ We started out late in the morning and had an all day trip and picnic and | all that it cost in the way of Evinruding was two gallons of gasoline and a pint of oil. W^e made | about forty miles altogether and when we got through, there was still gasoline in the tank.'* Send in your order | to-day, won't you.^ Then you too will know the pleasure of Evinruding.^ Yours very truly, (175) 1 Specific language arouses interest 2 Shows universal satisfaction with article 3 Specific instance 4 Low cost 5 Asks action and shows result 14 Mr. B. D. Robertson, 415 Greenbush Street, Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Dear Sir: The nice weather for which we were so long looking has finally reached us, and I am sure | that you would enjoy a nice E\dnrude trip next Sunday up the river, or at one of the lakes. ^ I I tell you, the sunshine, such as we have been ha%dng, makes 174 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES you long for the great out-of-doors, and | what is a better companion than the Evinrude? It cannot be the efficiency that is holding you back, nor can | it be the speed, for the Evinrude will develop a speed of eight niiles an hour, nor can it be | the price, for when you stop to consider the price of an Evinrude, its annual cost is very small indeed.- | We want you to have an Evinrude now, so that you may enjoy the full summer's benefit. Surely you will j be able to use the Evin- rude any time that you purchase it, but wouldn't it be better to buy it I now and in that way receive its full benefit .^^ ^ For fishing and hunting trips, this motor has proved most de- sirable. I Being simple in construction, there is no difficulty experienced in its operation. The advantages and uses of the detachable motors | are im- limited. Hunting trips, fishing trips, or just a cruise around the lake, are all made with much more pleasure | and less exertion by having the Evinrude always present.* Just now, we wish to urge upon you to make your | reservation by placing your order, so that the motor wiU be on your boat the first day you want to | make a trip.^ Yours very truly, (226) 1 Timely argument 2 Follow-up; appeals to desire, and removes objections 3 Urges prompt action 4 Repeats sales arguments 15 Mr. Russell Roxley, 654 Aldrich Street, Covington, Kentucky. Dear Sir: In advance of this letter we sent you one of our Two G's Booklets.^ Two G's stands for | Glass Gardens. The booklet itself is a sort of peep into their defights. If you are a gardening enthusiast, a | greenhouse wiU extend your pleasures right through every winter.- It gives you a perpetual summerland. Wouldn't you fike to | have some home-grown strawberries in January, and violets or roses straight from your own greenhouse garden any time you | want them.^ ^ If you don't find in the Two G's Booklet just the house you LETTERS TO CONSUMERS 175 want, we have a large | hundred-page catalogue showing some fifty or more different subjects.^ It has twelve pages alone devoted to growing fruit under | glass. Glad to have you send for it.^ Yours truly, (130 1 Booklet 2 Genertal argument 3 Specific illustration 4 Offers further aid 5 Suggests action 16 Mr. Harry Livingston, 422 Central Avenue, Camden, New Jersey. Dear Sir: Has it ever occiu'red to you what an economical arrangement it would be to attach direct to your | garage that greenhouse you have so long wanted .•^ ^ Such an arrangement would be decidedly compact. Part, or perhaps all, of j the expense of building a speciaJ work- room could be overcome. One boiler would heat both garage and greenhouse, with a | saving for both.^ The inclosed circular shows two subjects so linked up.^ Why not send for one of us to | come and look the situation over with you, and see what can be done, and what the probable cost will I be for doing it? ^ Yours truly, (106) 1 Suggests easy action 2 Proves low expense 3 Inclosure 4 Asks action 17 ]\Ir. Walter Maynard, 893 Monroe Street, Meriden, Connecticut. Dear Sir: Next best to possessing a greenhouse is having some cold frames.^ They will make it possible for you | to have a goodly supply of flowers and vegetables all winter, besides boosting your garden along at a lively pace | this spring. The smaller frames can be easily toted about yoiu- garden or grounds, wherever yon want them.^ They are | very inexpensive. Sixteen of the smaller size, for example, cost as little as $13.00.' Anticipating your probably wanting to | know all about Frames, 176 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES their possibilities and cost, we mailed you, yesterday morning, an interesting booklet, called Two P's.^ It ] tells of the Pleasure and Profit of Cold Frames. If it has failed to reach you, drop a postal to | this office, and we will gladly send along another copy. Yours very truly, (133) 1 Follow-up; offers lower priced article 2 Shows advantages 3 Low price 4 Booklet 18 Mr. R. C. Avery, 879 Emerson Street, Findlay, Ohio. Dear Sir: The main requirements in buying a new automobile top are these: 1. It must wear a long time. | 2. It must fold readily and without injury. 3. It must be sun proof as well as moisture proof. 4. I It must be made right. 5. It must look the part of a good top. 6. The price must be | right.^ Our written guarantee makes numbers one, two, and three cer- tain for you. Please read the inclosed wording of our | guarantee.^ You probably know one or more of the men whose names are on the inclosed printed hst of men | who purchased a new top from us longer than a year ago in each case. Ask any one of them | about the workmanship that went into his new top.^ We now have a new and even better material at only | a shght increase in cost. A sample is inclosed. Fold it, try to tear it, put it in water. Give | it the acid test if you care to. The leaflet inclosed tells all about it.^ A combination of such good | material and such good work- manship gives you a top that looks as well and acts the part of a good | top — as good as you could get.^ And the price is now $ for your Buick Six. | But we can guarantee this special price only for two weeks from this date. Take enough time to compare — then | come in.^ Yours truly, (244) 1 Outlines ideal requirements 2 This article fulfills them 3 Testimonial 4 Urges test of sample; suggests an immediate action 5 Summary 6 Low price; urges action LETTERS TO CONSUMERS 177 19 Mr. John Groop, 309 Loomis Street, Newton, Massachusetts. Dear Sir: Thousands of dollars are lost every year by milk dealers and farmers through sour milk.^ The loss of I spoiled milk does not represent the greatest drawback to poor cooling — spoiled milk results in a permanent loss through loss I of patronage.2 Milk does not necessarily need to be sour to be spoiled, but it can very easily be spoiled | by setting in cans which do not allow the stable odors to escape.^ Are you going to be one | of the many who contribute annually to make up this great loss — or are you going to be prepared for the | first warm weather? ^ The best insurance you can have against sour milk is a Chilly King Cooler.^ You are not | taking any chances when you order a Chilly King. An order is merely an opportunity for the Chilly King to | sell itself to you. There is no sale — no obligation to pay for it until you have used it in | your dairy and are satisfied it is the cooler for you.^ Why not act right now while you are thinking | about it? To make it easy for you we inclose order blank. Just fill in the size cooler you want | — sign and mail this to us and we'll ship the cooler.^ Yours truly, (123) 1 Predicament: loss of money 2 Loss of patronage 3 Cause 4 Suggests action 5 Rem- edy 6 Removes objections 7 Makes action easy 20 Mr. E. B. Erickson, 402 Jefferson Street, Syracuse, New York. Dear Sir: If a man absolutely knew, without depending on any salesman's bluster — Or pinning his faith to any sugar-coated | advertising talk — THAT HE COULD POSITIVELY GET A BIGGER "SKIM- MING" OF CREAM FROM EVERY MILKING OF HIS HERD THAN I HE EVER GOT BEFORE — WITH AN ACTUAL BIG, BONA FIDE SAVING IN TIME 178 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES AND LABOR AT EVERY SKIMMING AND EVERY | "WASH- ING UP" OF HIS SEPARATOR — And a bigger and steadier income from every "milker" — to- gether with the biggest market price j of butter from every churning — And on top of aU this — If he knew he could increase the capacity of | his separator (by simply changing the bowl for a bigger one) instead of having to buy a new separator when | his milk "crop" got bigger — And then — if he knew how, with all these big, money's worth advantages, he could | get with that separator a signed and sealed certificate of test showing exactly whai the machine had done in an | actual test with whole milk at the factory — And finally — if you were that man — and you knew you could | get that separator under the double-barreled contract of an iron-clad guaranty and a FIFTEEN DAYS' FREE TRYOUT IN | YOUR OWN DAIRY BEFORE PAYING A CENT — wouldn't you con- sider it well worth your while at least to investigate that | particular proposition? ^ Just thumb through the Sanitary Milwaukee Cream Separator Catalogue that we are sending you.- It gives you the j "how's" and "why's" of every one of these never-before achieved results — ex- plains to you in detail the brand new | principles of construction and operation that makes the "Sanitary Milwaukee" a twentieth century triumph in the art of cream separation. | To show you that we do not ask you to take our mere "say-so" — we have arranged with our | dealer in your neighborhood to give you a free demonstration. Drop in on him some time — it won't cost you I a cent — it won't obUgate you a particle — and it will be worth money to you just as sure as | you are a foot high.^ Yours most earnestly, P. S. It is the simplest thing in the world for you j to prove or disprove anything we have said in this letter. All you have got to do is to drop I in on Thompson & Bro. and see the Sanitary Milwaukee in action. Its downright unquestionable points of superiority will be I apparent to you almost at a glance. W'hat is more, this dealer who represents us down your way — who is | practically your next- door neighbor — whose honesty and business standing you can easily look up — who knows us and knows | our methods, "like a book" — LETTERS TO CONSUMERS 179 can set you right on that iron-clad guarantee of ours — and that Certificate of | Test and 15-Day Free Trial Offer. Just ask him and see. (-171) 1 Outlines ideal requirements 2 Suggests use of catalogue 3 Removes objections and makes action easy 21 Mr. W. V. Ramsburg, R. F. D. #2, Johnson's Creek, Indieina. Dear Sir: You are surely planning to come to Millersville for the County Fair in September.^ It is going to | be a great show; there has never been one anywhere around that promised so well. You are within easy reach; | and we are going to make all our out-of-town visitors especially welcome. You can count on that.^ There | will be lots going on here besides the Fair; of course, all the folks in Millersville are exerting themselves to | make it agree- able and interesting for our guests.^ We are "doing our bit." We have on hand our complete fall | display of clothes, hats, and furnishings. This will give you a chance to get "posted"; also to see whatiyou | want to buy for fall and winter.^ Hart, Schaffner & Marx are sending us an exceptionally strong showing of their | famous suits and overcoats. You will surely want to see them.^ Memorize the dates; September 10-12.^ Yours truly, | (160) 1 Assumes action 2 Promises welcome 3 Suggests visit to store 4 Specific ofiFering 5 Asks for an immediate action 22 Mr. J. P. Rains, Evanston Ruilding, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Dear Sir: Our plan for showing our appreciation of an order is not merely to thank our customer, but to | try to fill the order better than was expected.^ We are always careful to check over and inspect every order | before shipping, but regardless of ±he fact that we are operating the 180 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES best inspection system we can invent, errors will | occur in a busi- ness which handles hundreds of orders daily, as we do.- We therefore suggest that you examine your | flowers as soon as received, and make sure they are satisfactory. If not, notify us at once, as we desire | every recipient of Penn's flowers to be a little more than satisfied.^ It is this desire that has built our | business.* (121 ; 1 Shows appreciation 2 Service 3 Offers adjustment 4 Slogan 23 Air. F. C. Augustine, Fairchild Block, Los Angeles, California. Dear Sir: A young man's outing suit special at $25.00 — and what a suit of clothes.^ Tailored correctly i to your measure out of imported fabrics in the latest and best shades — a hundred more different pieces from which to I choose this week — like the samples inclosed.^ The young man who has his outing suit correctly tailored is out- witting I his friends who think they need not be particular concerning the cut and fit and workmanship in their outing suit | — forgetting that the summer outing suit is also a business suit and that it must fre- quently serve for dancing | and other hot-weather events.^ The outing suit is worn as much as any other suit in a wardrobe, and I the best outing suit obtainable is none too good. // {/ looks right, it may be used more than any | other apparel during the three hot months that a e sure to come.* If you will come in before June first, j we offer you a pair of tailored trousers in white flannel at $5.00 with your order for an out- ing I suit. These trousers are regularly priced at $10.00. But by coming early you will help us avoid some of | the rush we always experi- ence at the beginning of really hot weather.^ You may have an extra pair of trousers | from the outing suit material, if you prefer, at the same price. Because this is a special offer to a | selected Ust of young men, will you please bring with you the card inclosed.^ Yours truly, (256) 1 Summarizes letter 2 Tailoring and fabrics 3 Removes objection 4 Enforces argu- ment 5 Special offer 6 Suggests prompt action LETTERS TO CONSUMERS 181 24 Mr. Wm. Stevenson, *318 North Avenue, Bath, Maine. Dear Sir: You need Hot AVater practically every hour of the day and nearly as often by night, and the | lack of it or an insufiicient supply causes inconvenience.^ Banish all Hot Water bother by installing a "Pittsburg" Auto- matic Gas I Water Heater.- Its cost is comparatively small when you consider the service it will render to every member of the | family.* We want you to know the saving and service of this wonderful self-hghting instantaneous water heater. Will you | try it in your own home with our guarantee that it will perfectly perform in just the way we promise.*^ | Or will you come to our show room and let us give you a demonstration? ^ Which.^ Use the inclosed card. | Very truly yours, (123) 1 Predicament 2 Remedy 3 Removes objections 4 Asks action 25 Mrs. E. F. Anderson, Cedar Hills, New Hampshire. Dear Madam: "Whe-e-w! Shut that door, — my! but it's cold. It's hard to heat this house anyhow." ^ Did you ever ] say that? Are there parts of your house that are hard to heat when there is a cold wind blowing | outside, when it's blustering and stormy — or in the early fall days before it's really time to start the furnace | and stoves.^ ^ But, oh, what fun it is wh^n it is cozy within and all the family can gather around | and enjoy each other's companionship, and the companionship of that best of friends, a good book.^ We don't know of | anything that will add to your comfort very much more than the Nesco Perfect Oil Heater.* Here's a picture of | a fine little heater, No. 15, for only §3.25. If you would like to have ] one with nickel-plated trimmings that is a little more aristocratic, ask for No. 1600 at $4.50. | The most hand- 182 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES some of all is one with Blue Enameled Body and full nickel-plated trimmings at $7.50.^ | Just look at one, in your dealer's window this week.^ Yours very truly, (195) 1 Conversation arouses interest 2 Predicament 3 Remedy 4 Price 5 Refers to dealer 26 Mr. James Abbott, 69 Chapel Street, New Haven, Connecticut. Dear Sir: It is with confidence rather than modesty that we come to you crying our wares as the holiday | time approaches, — a confidence born of certainty in the power of our stock to please you.^ During the last few | months we have grown ambitious. Our aim has been to gather together the most select and attractive display of pictures | and frame moldings in New Haven, and we feel con- vinced of our success in both endeavors. We are in direct | touch with the various art publishers, and can furnish any picture you want on short notice.^ Furthermore, we have equipped | our workshop with modern framing devices.^ Now we stand eager to show you all this, whether you come as a 1 purchaser or an observer. It may be, indeed, that if you approv^ you will pass the information forward. But in | any case we shall be proud to have you come to see us.^ Respectfully yours, (i55) 1 Unusual phrases arouse interest 2 Announces new service 3 Additional service 4 Sug- gests easy action and removes objections 27 Mrs. Oscar Johnson, Orange, New Jersey. Dear Madam: We don't know of a more interesting store than this for the Mothers of Boys, and we want | you to know it better than you do.^ While economy of cost is a prime consideration both with you and I with us,^ we do not permit ourselves to lose sight of the attract- iveness of style and proper fit ^ in making | clothing for Children. We don't know of any other house that has so happily struck LETTERS TO CONSUMERS . 183 the exact balance between what | a boy ought to wear and what his clothing ought to cost.^ It will be a great pleasure to show | you what we have done for the little fellows if you will giv^e us the opportunity.^ Very truly yours, (ii9) 1 Class appeal, arouses interest 2 Economy 3 Style 4 Repeats arguments in different form 5 Asks action 28 Mrs. Grace Vilett, 895 Walden Avenue, Schenectady, New York. Dear INIadam: If the men in your family are hke many men we know, they have left the purchasing of | their underwear, hosiery, handkerchiefs, etc., to you.^ There's a good reason why they should; women know more about the | quality in these things than men do. And because women are quickest to appreciate value in these accessories, we are | especially glad to call your attention to our service.'' We have the finest grades and makes of underwear, hosiery, etc. I on the market; not the most expensive, but the most value for the mortey you want to pay. The | men in charge of these depart- ments are experts — they can be of great help to you in choosing.^ Though we | sell only men's wear, we are especially equipped to serve women; you will hke our courtesy, our expertness — and our 1 values.^ We hope you will give us a chance to serve you. Yours truly, (154) 1 Good-humored, conversational style 2 Appeals to pride without impertinent familiar- ity 3 Suggests service and removes objections 4 Additional persuasion 29 Mr. Daniel Vincent, R. F. D. #7, Bowling Green, Kentucky. Dear Sir: The idea used to be that a farmer hadn't much use for "dress-up" clothes; work clothes for | him.^ But we sell a lot of Hart, Schaffner & INIarx clothes here every 184 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES season; and if we didn't sell | them to fanners we wouldn't be able to sell them at aU.^ The fact is, these are the logical clothes | for farmers; they represent better than any others the fuU value of every dollar they cost.' We've got just what | you want for this fall, in suits and overcoats. Whenever you are ready.^ Yours truly, (95) 1 Class appeal attracts attention and arouses pride 2 Result presented first 3 Cause presented second 4 Avoids insistence 30 Mr. E. A. Wild, Geneseo, New York. Dear Sir: No two men are alike.^ You have individual requirements in dress. You want clothing that will add to | your appearance, not detract from it. Here is where tailoring skill comes in.- The designing in our shops is under | the personal direction of a member of the firm, who devotes all his time and energy to this work. He | has an enviable reputation for producing clothing of rare distinction. 3 Making — not selling — clothing is our business. If a garment is I made right it sells itself. If we make you one suit you are sure to come to us when you | want another.^ If you desire to have the best there is, come in to see us. Yours very truly, (119) 1 General statement 2 Particular conclusion shows ideal requirements 3 Shows this firm meets the requirements 4 Assures of satisfaction 31 Mr. E. W. Griffith, Baltimore, Maryland. Dear Sir: The inclosed booklet on plate glass gives you some information that may be of value to you at | some later date.^ The best homes to-day are glazed with plate glass and the difference in the appear- ance of a I house glazed with plate and ordinary window glass is sur- LETTERS TO CONSUMERS 185 prising.2 The difference in cost is a small item when you | consider the difference in appearance.^ We are prepared to furnish plate glass in any size, shape, or design at prices | that will interest you. Send us your Ust when in the market. We shall be very glad to quote you.* | Yours truly, (102) 1 Avoids insistence 2 Simple statement, easily believed; appeals to pride 3 Removes objections 4 Urges action 32 Mr. A. D. Banks, 415 South Summit Street, New Britain, Connecticut. Dear Sir: As one man to another — as a bit of friendly advice — I say to you, eat more fish | and less meat during summer, and your health and pocketbook will benefit.^ The simple fact that I happen to be | selling fish does not weaken the force of my suggestion. Ask any doctor if what I have said is not | good ad\-ice. Compare the price of a pound of my choice codfish steaks with that of a pound of good | beefsteak. There's evidence. You know from past experience that the kind of fish that I wiU send you is I the kind with the real sea flavor — the kind that tastes good and is good — that never disappoints.' Wouldn't a | nice lobster salad just "hit you" most any day.^ How about some rich, steaming clam chowder made the way we | folks here on the seashore make it at home.^ I tell you, you don't know half you are missing if | you are not enjoying some good Davis fish at least twice a week.^ Spend a few moments looking over the | inclosed folder.* If you are not hungry for some good fish now — you will be when you have finished reading | it. And it is the easiest thing in the world to satisfy a sea food appetite. That is, if you | let me do it. Show me on the inclosed blank how your taste runs and I will guarantee to please | you.* Very truly yours, (244) 1 Arouses interest by assertion 2 Secures belief by evidence 3 Specific language awakens desire 4 Suggests action and removes objections 186 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES 33 Mr. J. P. Dawes, 424 Brisbane Avenue, Everett, Massachusetts. SUBJECT: — SOMETHING FOR NOTHING Dear Sir: You are buying some of our best products for your table now.^ To make | you acquainted with others equally as good, I propose to furnish you at least a few packages free.- To induce | you to try the goods now, in hopes that you will find new things to use for this fall, we | are making the offer only during the next ten days. Because we pay delivery on the samples too, we can | send free packages only with orders above FIVE DOLLARS.^ There are no other conditions. If you send in your order j dur- ing the next ten days for at least five dollars, you wiU be entitled to some full sized packages of | regular goods free. If there is a special article or two among our products that you want to try, we | will put them in together with our own selection. I purposely make the num- ber and kind of samples somewhat indefinite | so that we can give personal thought to each order. I am sure we can both surprise £ind please you | in this way.^ We've had to limit the number of people to whom we could make this offer, so we | want you to take it as a personal invitation to sample our goods without cost. I feel quite strongly that j this will be of mutual benefit, so I hope you will decide to take advantage of it at once.^ Very | truly yours, THIS OFFER EXPIRES August 23. (248) 1 Refers to previous satisfaction 2 Announces free trial offer 3 Explains offer 4 Re- moves objections 5 Suggests prompt action 34 Mr. F. Farley, Station B., South Superior, Wisconsin. Dear Sir: Do you get your batteries tested before it is too late ? Or do you wait until they have | become a kill-joy? ^ In five minutes and without charge we wiU test your batteries, LETTERS TO CONSUMERS 187 if you will just drive | to our factory, corner Third Street and Grand Avenue.2 You now have right at home a modern battery plant, prepared | to take care of all battery, ignition, lighting, and wiring troubles in your automobile. And the GOULD BATTERY, which has | stood the severe tests of the Pullman Car service for eleven years, is here for inspection,^ We will store your | battery for the winter and guarantee monthly recharging at rates adjusted to size of battery. We make the old battery | come back and RETURN IT ALIVE IN THE SPRING. All customers may be sure, in these small jobs, of the | same efficient service that we are giving on our big contracts.^ Insurance and storage for the winter free.^ Our car j collects batteries every Thursday.^ Telephone 1123. Very truly yours, (i7i) 1 Predicament 2 Remedy 3 Announces new service station 4 Explains offer 5 Addi- tional offer 6 Suggests action 35 Mr. Prescott A. Myers, Lowell, Massachusetts. Dear Sir: Your inquiry has been very gladly received, and we hope that you will be interested in reading carefully | the booklet "Defeating Rust" which is being sent out under separate cover to-day.^ In recent years, steel, in the form | of sheet metal, roofing, etc., has come into very bad repute, because it rusts so destructively. ^ In fact about | ten years ago, complaints became so numerous that the U. S. Department of Agriculture investigated the problem.^ They found that | the impure and imperfect, un-uniform structure of steel was responsible for its failure. They learned further that pure iron, \ similar to the genuine, old-fashioned iron, would solve the problem, if it could be produced in commercial quantities, and | at a reason- able cost.^ Acting upon this suggestion, our Company attempted to work out a process for producing pure iron, \ and the result is ARMCO. It is the purest iron manufactured to-day, made with the strictest care from specially selected | material. In buying ARMCO Iron 188 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES you are always certain of securing the same uniform, dense material — the highest purity and | best quahty.^ These various reasons adapt ARM CO for service wherever a rust-resisting durable sheet metal is desirable. The uses | for such are numerous and are partially hsted in the booklet "Defeating Rust." ^ If you will let us know just | which of these uses interest you par- ticularly, we shall be glad to give you definite information about them.' Very truly | yours, (241) 1 Refers to booklet 2 Explains predicament 3 Quotes disinterested authority 4 Shows problem 5 Solution 6 Reawakens interest in booklet 7 Offers further service 36 ]\Ir. B. Franklin, 1450 Jarvis Street, Amsterdam, New York. Dear Sir: Every once in a while one of our customers comes to Pittsburgh and spends a few hours in | the factory. After he has seen one or two floors he says, "Why, I never thought the cork business was | so far-reaching, or so interesting to the outsider." ^ And that is the impression most people have, because they don't I know how many things can be made of cork. But after a visitor leaves our factory, he generally has a | different viewpoint. If he buys cork in any of its many manufactured forms, he remembers how Armstrong makes it; the | wonderful machines employed in its making; and the way every bit of waste is utilized and made into something that | isn't waste. As a result, he knows that what he- buys from Armstrong is going to be high in quality, | reasonable in cost, and backed by an organization whose motto is, "The cus- tomer first." 2 For the sake of the | thousands of buyers of Armstrong prod- ucts who cannot see these things for themselves, we are printing the most vital points | for them to read. A small folder is inclosed. We beheve it will be worth your while to read it. | There are others com- ing in a few weeks. If you wish copies of them as they are pubUshed, to give I to your friends, we will supply them gladly.^ Yours for co-operation, ('231) 1 Awakens interest in the business 2 Shows cause of customer's satisfaction and suggests purchase 3 Refers to folder and suggests action LETTERS TO DEALERS 189 37 Mr. Russell Warner, 6356 Farwell Avenue, Bayonne, New Jersey. Dear Sir: Human nature makes all of us more or less selfish. We are apt to take a keener interest | in the doings of other people if we are af- fected by them ourselves.^ While it is not natural for a | customer to care about the details of an organization from which he buys goods, it is almost essential for him | to know the policies which regulate that organization. 2 In dealing with this company, you are protected by pohcies that were | formulated for your benefit — policies under which none but high grade products can be made — policies that assure you of | a dollar's worth for every dollar you spend.^ Some people have said that cork is cork, but those who have | purchased from more than one source know the value of the Armstrong name. We are inclosing a few reasons for | the good will which exists between our customers and ourselves.^ Even if you are one of those who seldom see a | representative of this company, but go on buying from us just the same, there must be some satisfaction in knowing | some of the things we are trying to do. We want you to know us better. If there has ever | been cause for complaint, tell us about it now and we will find the reason and correct the trouble. Very | truly yours, (222) 1 Generalization 2 Particular conclusion 3 Applied to the present case 4 Refers to inclosure LETTERS TO DEALERS Letters to dealers take a different point of view from those addressed to consumers, for the dealer buys to sell again, not to use. New ideas that will help to sell familiar goods, or new goods that can be handled at a profit, form the subject matter of most letters of this class. Usually more urgent persuasion is necessary here, because each letter must compete with the great number of others re- 190 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES ' ceived by the dealer. Thorough understanding of the dealer's needs and a genuine spirit of co-operation for their common interest, should be shown by the writer. 1 Mr. Charles Clinton, 1230 Murray Avenue, Quincy, Illinois. Dear Sir: We have your recent request for our General Dry Goods Cata- logue. As market conditions have made a season | catalogue imprac- tical we issue every month the Field Quality News. This monthly catalogue, we find, best serves the interests of | our customers.^ The merchandise shown in this monthly catalogue is, in many cases, specially purchased for that particular number, so | that you are getting the very newest goods, which, if you buy them and display them and advertise them, will | give your store the reputation of being up-to-date and alive among the women who are continually shopping for | new things.^ Keep this circular throughout the month and refer to it con- tinually, as it gives you the means for | the very quickest possible turnover on seasonable and novelty merchandise. By thus using it you will find that you are | creating a demand for a greater variety of goods and in that way expanding your business.^ The advertising, merchandising, and | window trimming sug- gestions in the Field Quality News will help you materially.^ If you have some particular requirements at this | time, either staple or novelty, which you do not find in the Field Quality News, please write us describing your | needs and we wiU fill your order promptly and at the lowest price the market permits.^ Yours very truly, (219) 1 Subject; monthly catalogue and frequent buying best serve the dealer 2 First service 3 Second service 4 Incidental service 5 Will supply deficiencies of monthly catalogue 2 Mr. W. A. Kjnsman, Terre Haute, Indiana. Dear Sir: In compliance with your request of April 4 we are very glad to send you to-day by parcel | post a copy of our #61 catalogue, which LETTERS TO DEALERS 191 is our latest. On account of the extremely unsatisfactory conditions | now existing £aid the difficulty many manufacturers are experiencing in securing raw material, which in turn has resulted in restricted j manufacture of many lines, we have postponed the issuance of our #62 or 1917 catalogue until maniifacturing j conditions are more stable.^ In spite of these unusual conditions our stock is quite complete and on a great many | items we are considerably under the market, owing to large contracts made sometime ago which are still in force.^ | Under these circumstances we feel that we are in much better position to take care of your orders than any | other concern in the JNliddle West, and we sohcit your orders on this basis. Mail orders are handled by expert | hardware men and will receive the same prompt attention and low prices as if they had been placed through our I traveling salesman.^ If we can be of a sistance in any way in making up your ord t for hardware items for | your new stock, kindly use the inclosed en- velope to address the writer personally.^ Yours very truly, (217) 1 Explains sending old catalogue 2 Complete stock and low prices 3 Removes objec- tions to ordering by mail 4 Suggests action 3 Mr. A. P. Speare, Norfolk & Portsmouth Belt Line Ry., Portsmouth, Virginia. Dear Sir: In accordance with the request of our representative, Mr. S. A. Lewis, who called at your office a | short time ago, we are sending you under separate cover a copy of our Galvanized Goods Catalogue designed especially for | raUroads. This includes practically every item which you may have occasion to order, and we should hke to have you | consult it when in the market for any class of galvanized goods.^ Our depot located at #223 | Water Street, Norfolk, Virginia, aims to carry a stock of our general items. We should hke to have you caU I upon them when in immediate need of auAi^hing in our Hne, and if there is any information which you would | hke to have regarding galvanized goods, we feel sure that they can take care of you at that point. - We I trust that we may have an opportunity to serve you in the near future.^ -v ^ i . . Yours very truly, (157) 1 Introduces catalogue 2 Recommends local agent 3 Suggests action 192 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES Young & Jordan, Grand Rapids, Michigan, Gentlemen: Attention — Mr. W. C. Young. Our Mechanical Goods Department has referred to us for atten- tion that part of your | letter of May 10 relating to tires and tubes. ^ We shall be very glad indeed to give you any information | you may wish pertaining to the handling of our product, and as a step in this direction we are making | our branch, The B. F. Goodrich Rubber Company, 51 Division Avenue, N. E., Grand Rapids, Michigan, acquainted with your | request.^ This branch has been established for the sole piu-pose of giving quicker service and is equipped to give better | service to our cus- tomers in your territory than would be possible were matters pertain- ing to tires handled from here.^ You I win hear from them very shortly, for they appreciate the opportunity of serving you as much as we do. Yours I very truly, (142) 1 Reference 2 Refers to branch office 3 Recommends it 4 Courteously suggests giving order 5 W. R. Benedict Lumber Co., Albuquerque, New Mexico. Gentlemen : When we sent you a copy of our General Hardware Catalogue last year, we hoped that we might have | the pleasure of supplying a share of your builders' hardware, but our records do not show that we have made | you a shipment.^ We are selhng builders' hardware and kindred goods to the lumber trade throughout the western states, especially | in Idaho and Utah, where a great many lumber yards buy our goods exten- sively.2 We should like to fill a | share of your orders. If you prefer to have us quote prices before shipping, please make up your memo- LETTERS TO DEALERS 193 randum and | we will quote you our best wholesale figures by re- turn mail.^ We hope you will give this subject favorable consideration | when ready to stock up. If you are handling other goods in our line and will give us a list I of them we will quote you low prices.^ Yours very truly, (I5i) 1 A "jogging" letter 2 Proves ability to serve this customer 3 Asks action 4 Suggests orders in other lines , 6 The J. C. Buck Company, Lincoln, Nebraska. Gentlemen : May we take up with you your order of February 26, kindly given Mr. Otis, for April 1 | shipment of one-half gross Rapid Fire insect powder, with one and a half dozen free.^^ These goods are packed | fifteen dozen in a case, one gross at $9.00 per gross, with three dozen free goods, and we are | not permitted to break these cases or give free goods with orders for less than one gross. ^ Rapid Fire is | a very qmck seller and we thought possibly, if we called your attention to the matter, that you would be | willing to increase the quantity to one gross, in order that you may obtain the free goods.- If this is | agreeable to you, kindly inform us in the inclosed stamped envelope by return mail, and we will give the order | immediate attention.^ Very truly yours, (Uo) 1 Explains special offer; simply states facts 2 Suggests larger offer 3 Asks action The Holt Shoe Company, Portsmouth, Maine. Gentlemen: Attention — Mr. Chas. J. Holt. Undoubtedly you have examined the Textan Sheet sample submitted with our proposition of April | 29.^ If you use Sheet Sol- ing, we would like to put you in a position to demonstrate that Tex- tan I sheet is your best buy. In fact, we presume you want to do this yourself.- Therefore, we shall be glad | to handle a trial order, the 194 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES results of which we believe will be unusually satisfactory. May we be of service ] to you right now? ^ "Use Textan — it is better," ^ Very truly yours, (92) 1 Follows up the sample 2 Assumes customer's desire to give thorough test 3 Urges action 4 Slogan 8 Mr. Kendall Darrick, 410 Oakland Avenue, * Aurora, Ilhnois. Dear Sir: Are you interested in well sprayed Grimes Golden apples — those big spicy yellow fellows that store so well — | the kind we will dehver to you for $.85 a bushel, bulk car lots — the kind you can | readily sell for $1.00 or more a bushel and make a good profit? ^ We have 2500 bushels | Grimes Goldens, free from worms and diseases, which we will pick off the trees and ship in car lots or | less in bulk, barrels, bushel baskets, or in crates. Ry the single barrel, we quote fancy, minimum 2 J | inches, ^3.50; commercial tree run, $3.00; #3 $2.25; | less than car lots — f.o.b. Campbellsburg, Indiana.^ Can you not come down here to the orchards, pick out | your trees, oversee the job, and take them home with you.*^ It will only take one day. If you are | interested but cannot come, write or tele- graph collect and I will come up with samples and talk the proposi- tion I over with you.^ In the meantime, look us up; get acquainted. We sold through Simpson Fruit Co., Flora, Illinois, and | stored at Ebner Storage, Sey- mour, Indiana, last season. Ask them about the quahty. Write to the State Rank of Campbellsburg, j Indiana, or any business house there - — ask them about our honesty and business methods.^ Rut let us hear from you — | these apples should be advertised at once.^ If you cannot handle a car, maybe we can fix up a partner- ship I arrangement; you know the town and farmers and we know the apples.^ Let's get together. WiU you not write or | telegraph collect — Orleans, Indiana — right now.^ Time is money; we will ship the day your order is taken and you | will get them two days later.^ Very truly yours, (309) 1 Interesting summary of whole letter 2 Explains offer 3 Urges action 4 Removes objections. Note description, and action suggestion LETTERS TO DEALERS 195 9 Mr. Don Appleton, 405 Aldrich Street, Chicago, Illinois. Dear Sir: Now is your chance to get something better than those big spicy Grimes Goldens which created a demand | three times as big as we could fill ^ — even when we bought up all the available fruit possible. Big red | Rome Beauties, Winesaps, Ben Davis, Indicuis will be picked starting Monday, October 2 and straight and mixed cars will start I rolling immediately. We quote these Romes and Winesaps — nice orchard run apples carefully sorted and containing no soft rots or | injuries which impair the keeping qualities '■ — at $1.80 a hundredweight, $.90 a bushel. jVIinimum size, | 2 inches. Ben Da\ds and Indians are being sold at $1.55 a hundred in bulk car | lots — prepaid delivery to wherever you specify on all varieties.^ By all means come down and pick out your apples ] on the trees; see what beautiful color these three frosts have given the fruit. ^ By the single barrel, we quote | Romes and Winesaps #1 fancy pick, minimum 2| inches, $3.50 bbl.; #2 | fancy pick, minimum 2| inches, $3.00; #3, minimum 2 inches, $2.50 bbl. | The Ben Davis and Indians are $.75 less a barrel, f.o.b. Campbellsburg, Indiana.- The #1 I and #2 contain only perfect apples guaranteed under all state and national regulations in writing. The #3 contain | apples with no injuries such as soft rots which will impair their keeping.^ Again we ask you to look us | up. The Produce Reporter Co., Chicago, has thoroughly investigated us. Will you not ask them what they found out.^ ^ Use I the Bell telephone and Western Union telegraph, both at Campbellsburg, Indiana. Will you not let us know when you are | coming or when you want your apples shipped.^ ^ Yours very truly, (3ii) 1 Refers to former success 2 Explains offer 3 Urges personal action 196 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES 10 McKey & Felden, 124 Center Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee. Gentlemen : Big sales made by actual demonstration — that's the result accomplished by one store in two weeks last year on | Nesco Safety Christmas Tree Holders.^ Because — They showed the advantages of having a metal holder to hold water, to keep | the tree fresh and green, to give less liabihty to fire and to make setting up easier. The holders went | Uke hot cakes because they were what people really wanted.^ There is a great scarcity of merchandise this year; hence | it is absolutely the part of wisdom to consider right now what you will want.3 The two weeks before Christmas | can be made two great, big weeks, if you want to do so, by actually demonstrating the fea- tures as mentioned | above. How many holders shall we enter for you.*^ ^ $4.00 a Dozen for the No. 12 — to sell for | 60^ each. 5.00 a Dozen for the No. 14 — to sell for 75^ each. 6.50 I a Dozen for the No. 16 — to sell for $1.00 each. We will furnish some folders | hke the inclosed with every order if desired.^ Yours very truly, P. S. One word of caution: Immediate booking of orders foUowed by quick shipment is absolutely essential to prevent your being disappointed.^ (^^^3) 1 Shows result 2 Explains cause 3 Urges prompt action 4 Specific request for action 5 Additional offer 6 Emphasizes prompt action 11 Wheeling & Lawrence, 708 Dunning Street, Montgomery, Alabama. Gentlemen : The grocery store is the place where most of us buy our Christmas Trees,i and it would be very | natural and easy to buy a Christmas-Tree Holder right at the same time if it were there, being shown, I in plain sight.^ The fact that thousands of dozens of Nesco Safety Christmas- LETTERS TO DEALERS 197 Tree Holders were sold last year with | a tremendous increase in the sales over previous years is evidence enough of the fact that men and women alike | are eager for the right sort of Christraas-Tre^*Holder.^ There is opportunity for you to sell these to the | grocery trade.^ The attached circular gives a little of the details. You can have some of these if you want | them for your own distribution to your grocery trade. The folder is intended for consumer use.^ It isn't too early | now to consider booking orders for fall de- livery; in fact, disappointment lurks around the corner. Shall we quote you with | the purpose of booking your orders now.*^ ^ Yours very truly, (170) 1 General statemant 2 Particular conclusion 3 Reinforced by facts 4 Subject; shows jobber's opportunity 5 Additional offer 6 Requests action Morris & Sons Co., 209 Brady Street, Saginaw, Michigan. Gentlemen : Questions will pop up, especially about a new article. And so we have answered quite a number in the | inclosed folder "Why.^" ^ Esther AA ing Pie Plates are a result of a new idea in baking pies ^ and they promise | to revolutionize the work required of our stomachs. We men do like good pies — here's something that will produce them. | One can't eat his pie and keep it too. Nobody wants to keep pies cooked in Esther Wing Pie Plates; | neither will you want to keep the pie plates — sell them.^ These are the prices : — #709 — $22.00 I per Gross — $2.40 per doz. to retailers, sells for 306 each. $710 I — $24.00 per Gross — $2.75 per doz. to retailers, sells for 35 d I each. Yours very truly, (146) 1 Calls attention to inclosure 2 Subject 3 Cleverly suggests action. Note conciseness, epigram, and humor 13 T. Lewis & Sons, 487 Whitefish Bay, New Bedford, Massachusetts. Gentlemen : Did you ever have a lamp that you had to keep fussing with all the time — watching it and | turning it back and down to get it burn- 198 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES ing just exactly right? Pretty nearly everyone of us can answer, yes. | So we are pretty nearly on common ground.^ But here's a lamp that you don't have to do that with.^ | The holes in the burner are counted so that there shall be just exactly the right number — the size is | just exactly right and they are punched at just the right places to give combustion as it ought to be. | There's a lock so that the frame cannot burn up too high, and when it is turned down it goes } out automatically. It's the nicest, most correct sort of burner one could wish for. And the burner part combined | with the fount as a whole — shape, size and everything — affords the greatest economy of burning. That's the lamp that | goes in Nesco Perfect Oil Heaters.^ And that's the sort of satisfaction you would like to sell, and you can | sell when you seU those heaters.^ Another feature is the Nesco Perfect Wick which means profit for you in reselling | and makes it wonderfully easy to the consumer for rewicking. The wicks come pac ed in a carton all ready to j mail without any trouble at aU.^ Yours very truly, (229) 1 Appeals to common experience; the predicament 2 The remedy 3 Explanation 4 Sug- gests actioii 5 Additional subject 14 Mr. Donald Roe, 254 Cedar Street, Racine, Wisconsin. Dear Sir: Are you selling as many chairs as you would like to.^ ^ If not, NOW is the time to | mow hay. The cr p reports are good, and the farmers are bound to buy. We are mailing you, to-day, a | copy of our latest illustrated catalogue containing cuts of the 900 chairs which make up our large and complete | staple line. We are also including a copy of our de- scriptive price list. Take advantage of the opportunity to stock | up on chairs which will give such complete satisfaction to your customers that they will continue to favor you with | their orders.- You no doubt have heard of the Sheboygan Chair Company's " DIAMOND LINE" of chairs which are the product | of 44 years of actual experience in chair designing — all successful dealers have. Why not place an order for | a trial shipment of them to-day? The LETTERS TO DEALERS 199 high quality of the goods you would receive would please both you and I your customers.^ First-class lumber, well dried and seasoned before being put into the chair; good, uniform varnish; superior workmanship; | and A-#l trimmings are characteristic of our entire "DIAMOND LINE." These essential features combined with extreme comfort-making | qualities, shapely designs, and REASONABLE PRICES, make our chairs the best that the market offers.^ Moreover, our interest in our | customers does not end with the sale. We are looking for second orders. Therefore, we not only ''CONFINE OUR SALES TO | DEALERS ONLY"; but manu- facture chairs that give such complete satisfaction to the users that they in turn will "CONFINE THEIR PURCHASES TO THE DEALER WHO SELLS OUR ' DIAMOND LINE.' " ^ We hope that we may hear favorably from you. We | assure you that all of your orders, however small, will receive our prompt and careful attention.^ Very truly yours, ('•zga) 1 Suggests predicament 2 Shows remedy 3 Asks action and shows result of action 4 Ex- plains value of article 5 Additional inducements 15 Mr. D. L. Harley, 54 Prospect Avenue, Hartford, Connecticut. Dear Sir: YOU want more customers, and so do WE.^ That is why we mailed you a copy of our | latest catalogue about a week ago.- Ever since our business was estabhshed back in 1868, we have kept I in close touch with the thousands of dealers throughout the entire Union who sell our "DIAMOND LINE" of chairs, have | carefully watched the demand in order to ascertain just which of our chairs were universally the best sellers; have made j our chairs with the strictest observance of first-class workmanship and high grade material.^ That is why we stand ready | to offer you, to-day, a line of chairs which are correct in every detail; chairs with which we know we | shall be able to satisfy you, and with which you in turn will be able to satisfy yoiu' customers so | that they will come back, not to com- plain, but to ORDER AGAIN.'' Moreover, we stand ready to offer you SERVICE. | Not only 200 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES do we confine our sales strictly to dealers; but we keep in such close touch with our many | friends and customers that we are enabled to adjust all differences which may arise to their complete satisfaction.^ We wish I that you would favor us with an opportunity to fill your orders. We know that the goods we would send | you would meet with your complete satisfaction.^ Let us hear favorably from you. Place your order with us; and in | return, we shall demonstrate how well equipped we are to serve your interests to your best advantage, and to please | you in every respect.^ Very truly yours, (267) 1 Suggests common interests 2 Follow-up 3 Reason for ability to serve 4 Result 5 Ad- ditional argument 6 Asks action 16 Mr. Victor Johnson, Auburn, New York. Dear Sir: The Hoosier Kitchen Cabinet is the fastest selling article in the furniture store to-day.^ Here's the proof — The | Okmulgee Furniture Company of Okmulgee, Oklahoma, a town of 4000 population, writes as follows: "We received the car of | cabinets. In only four days, we have sold thirteen. We are confident we wiU need another car soon and kindly | advise us how quickly you can make shipment upon receipt of order." Exactly ten days later we received their order | for a carload of 64 cabinets. These people have ordered 204 cabinets this year. They have | been making money because they took advantage of ripe conditions for selling Hoosiers.^ You would be interested to know that over | 50% of our in- creased business has come from the small towns. We were wondering just why this | was — until Mr. E. A. Grubitz of G. R. Grubitz & Sons Co. of Elk City, put us on the | right track. He writes: "Our Hoosier sales this fall have been mostly to farmers. The farmers have more money than | they ever had before. I am simply calling your attention to a fact that might have been overlooked by you | and possibly by some Hoosier Agents." ^ This company has made a wonderful record this year. Up to LETTERS TO DEALERS 201 date they have | given us orders for 98 cabinets. They have a Profit Sharing Rebate contract too. This has been the greatest | Hoosier Kitchen Cabinet year in our history. Conditions seem made to order for Hoosiers. More cabinets are being sold now | than ever before, because they do for the people what the people are asked to do — conserve food supphes and I energy.^ Every move for greater kitchen economy helps to sell Hoosier Kitchen Cabinets. This idea can be just as big | as you want to make it. If you capitalize it for all it is worth, your Hoosier business is bound I to leap ahead. The approacliing hohday season will increase the demand for Hoosier Kitchen Cabinets. People are not going to | waste their money this year on fooUsh, expensive gifts. For this reason the Hoosier Kitchen Cabinet is a 100% ] economical buy.^ I should be glad to see you go in for this Christmas business hard and am | urging you to buy at least six cabinets now, in order to take advantage of our present low prices. Up | to date only the Hoosier Wonders have advanced, but on December 1 all other styles will go up from $1.25 | to $2.00 each. On an order of six cabinets, you will make a sa\dng | of $10.00 or $12. 00.^ At the same time I shall be glad to divide your bill, making it | payable one-sixth every 30 days. Under this plan your monthly payments are no larger than when paying for one | cabinet under our regular terms.^ Cordially yours, (486) 1 Assertion 2 Proof through testimony 3 Suggests opportunity 4 Timely arguments 5 Price argument and request for action 6 Makes action easy 17 Mr. E. O. Houston, 176 Newberry Street, Hamilton, Ohio. Dear Sir: This letter contains suggestions and ideas of other dealers about Christmas business. It will pay you to read | it.^ The Christmas spirit is going to be just as big as ever this year — but more economical. People are j not going to spend their money foolishly on luxurious and expensive gifts.^ The Hoosier Kitchen Cabinet is a logical gift I — it does for the 202 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES people what the people are being asked to do — that is, save time, steps," labor and even food | suppUes. This idea — which will sell cabinets — can be made just as big as you want to make it.^ Milton I Marx, of Louis Marx & Brothers, Newport, Kentucky, says: "Early in December I am going to cover the floor of | both of our stores with Hoosier Kitchen Cabinets, because I know that this year above all years, Hoosiers are going | to seU fast. We believe it will be the biggest Hoosier Kitchen Cabinet year we have ever had." A. Dirkson | & Sons, Springfield, lUinois, write: "The Hoosier is a one hundred per cent Christmas gift. We sold a lot last | year for Christmas gifts. We will sell more this year." ^ You have the greatest opportunity to sell cabinets to-day — now — I that you ever had. Every newspaper, magazine, and bill- board in the country is pointing an accusing finger at the | people and telling them to conserve food supplies and energy. This is wonderful advertising for all of us. It ties | up per- fectly, to 19 years of consistent Hoosier advertising.^ Many of our dealers, taking advantage of present conditions, are cleaning | up. Some of them who a year ago were only selhng one or two cabinets, have jumped to 25 | or 30 and are writing in for more as fast as we can ship them.^ <« Have you prepared for your | Christmas demand.^ ^ Cordially, (303) 1 Offers unprejudiced testimony 2 General statement 3 Particular application 4 Sup- ported by testimony 5 Timely argument 6 Suggests action 18 Mr. E. Barnes, 198 Clarke Street, Peoria, Illinois. Dear Sir: We have been digging through our ledger lately and we have uncovered some mighty interesting facts ^ — some in | particular that we want to ask your opinion about.^ Doesn't a gross profit of $465.65 | on one month's separator business sound mighty good? ^ That's the record for May, 1916, | of one Sanitary Milwaukee dealer, W. H. Soule of Scotts. He bought 15 separators. They cost LETTERS TO DEALERS 203 him $606.85 — | figured at list less the usual trade discounts. He sold the entire lot between May 8 and | June 1. He took in exactly $1072.50 from those sales. His profit was | $465.65.^ This is the beauty of handhng the Sanitary Milwaukee. Every sale I pays you a good, big, legitimate profit. Sales are easy to make, too. The farmer is quick to see that | the Sanitary Milwaukee means bigger cream checks for him.^ Can you use some Sanitary Milwaukee profits in your business .^^ With I your methods you can certainly duplicate Soule's success.^ We are holding your territory open for you. When do you want | us to make that first shipment to you.»^ Sincerely yours, (loo) 1 Specific words present interesting visual image 2 Asks dealer's opinion; appeals to his pride 3 Result 4 Cause 5 General conclusion, applied to reader 6 Suggests imitation of success 19 Mr. Paul Terry, 142 Linus Street, ]\Iemphis, Tennessee. Dear Sir: Here's a deal that started in a barber shop at Raxter, Iowa. Mr. C. S. Rishop has since | reafized some generous profits out of it and the other fellow is still telfing about the opportune buy he made.^ | Seeing that you are interested in the whole story, here it is: Mr. Rishop felt that there was no great | market for cream separators there at Raxter. He wa§ satisfied to let what fittle business \v'as actu- ally stirring go to | his competitors. Retween trains in that town, oiu* salesman stopped oxer to get a shave. While waiting for "next," he | paged through his catalogue. A man at his elbow spoke up, "I have been reading about that separa- tor in my | farm papers. I am going to get one. My wife and I have both decided it's the separator for us. | Does my friend Rishop over here handle 'em.^" "No, he doesn't. I just came from there. I couldn't inter- est him." I Well, the upshot of it was that they went back to Rishop and Rishop agreed to have one shipped out | for his friend. That was last February. Since then, Mr. Rishop has ordered a total of 18 204 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES Sanitary Milwaukees. The | average amount of money he has had tied up in those separators has been $93.20. | His profits total $596.89. Now he is thinking | of taking on more territory and going after the business harder than ever.'- The Sanitary Milwaukee advertising sold that first | machine. It created the demand. Mr. Bishop's personal efforts coupled with Sanitary Milwaukee advertising is still pulling business his way, | The personal letters we have been writing his customers have helped a lot, too, and that same salesman has found | more prospects for Mr. Bishop.3 That's the same combination we put behind every dealer. It's a sure business | getter. Your firm has been suggested for member- ship in the circle of the elect. Inclosed is an apphcation card.* Yours I very truly, (342) 1 Introduces story 2 Testimony in story form 3 Enforces conclusion 4 Humorous re- quest for an order 20 Mr. Lewis Marrow, Newport, Kentucky. Dear Sir: Just read that memorandum Mrs. "Farmer" Jones handed to Henry, her better half, when he started to town. | Here's what it says: "5 Lbs. granulated sugar, 1 can 35i coffee, a package of allspice and, I don't forget to bring back one of those Sanitary Milwaukee Cream Separators, hke Mrs. Brown's. I'm tired of | tussling with that big, overgrown bowl on our separator. Mrs. Brown can wash her separator in about five minutes and | do it thoroughly. I have to fuss a lot longer with ours and then I don't think we | ever manage to get it real clean." ^ Mrs. Jones got her Sanitary Milwaukee that very day. She was tickled when j Henry unloaded it. She's been happy ever since. She's told several of her neighbors she wouldn't be | without it for twice what it cost. It reheves her of hours of drudgery .^ When Henry is through skimming, Mrs. | Jones washes the bowl in a dish pan of soapy, warm water, and has it ready for the next skimming, I all in five minutes.- No cumbersome wire holder to bother with. No prodding of inaccessible holes or crevices with a | brush. Every part of the bowl is right at her finger tips — easy to get at. She washes the smooth | aluminum disks just hke she washes LETTERS TO DEALERS 205 her table dishes and just as quick. Now she has only twelve disks to | care for. After washing up she slips them back on the bowl core in any order. They are interchangeable.^ There | are a lot of Mr. & Mrs. Joneses right at your doorstep. They are looking for the same cream separator | advantages that Mrs. Jones insisted upon having. Is the next Mr. Jones who calls for a Sanitary Milwaukee going to | be disappointed and turn away, because you can't serve him? ^ Yours very truly, (314) 1 Language of conversation attracts attention 2 Pictures action and result 3 Pictures satisfactory use 4 Applies the illustration to the reader 21 Mr. School Supply Man: Did you ever happen to think what a help Beaver Board for walls and ceihngs was | in selling Beaver Greenboard and Bea% er Blackboard.^* ^ Years of National Advertising have made people famihar with Beaver Board and The | Beaver Board Companies. Beaver Board has made friends. Thousands of people have used it and are enthu- siastic over it. These | people always have a good word to say for Beaver Board and the Beaver Board Company.^ This uniformly good opinion | helps you to sell Beaver Green- board and Beaver Blackboard. Beaver Greenboard and Beaver Blackboard are hnked to Beaver Board both | by name and trade- mark. Beaver Blackboard is particularly mentioned in all Beaver Board ads as these reproductions show. Peopl | naturally connect Beaver Board with Beaver Greenboard and Beaver Blackboard and are much quicker to buy Greenboard or Beaver Blackboard | because they are backed by a nationally known company.^ You know that goods won't sell on reputation and name | alone. However, Beaver Greenboard and Beaver Blackboard have the win- ning combination of reputation, name and quaUty which help the sales I wonderfully.^ Yours very truly, (184) 1 Argument summarized 2 Statement of established fact, "Our company has good will of public" 3 Draws conclusion from fact 4 States additional argument 206 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATIOxN EXERCISES 22 Dear Sir: The big Goodrich service flag now has over 2500 stars on it.^ This means that so | many of our salesmen are selling Democracy to the Kaiser that we have no one to cail on you.^ Rut I we want your business and we want you to know that our service here in Cleveland is just as good [ as ever in spite of war conditions.^ And we have the tires. Last feJl and winter the factory made tires I three shifts a day for months so as to be prepared for our dealers' wants, and we can ship you | a supply on a moment's notice.^ Our dealers' price list gives you a bigger margin of profit than almost any | other company. You make 25 % on Fabric, 30 % on Silvertown Cords and 50% j on Grey and Red Tubes.^ Look over your stock, and see if you are not low on one or two | popular sizes. Don't delay, because delay means lost sales.^ Put the inclosed order blank to' work. Yours truly, (178) 1 Interesting fact, arouses 7 '.riv^tism 2 Explains result 3 Reassures dealer as to service 4 And as to stock 5 Price argument 6 Urges action 23 Dear Sir: You know how business picks up between Friday and Monday.^ It is during these week-ends that motorists | flock in. They have been planning on using the "bus" and they need tires. They have been thinking tires the | first part of the week — then from Friday until Monday they buy them.^ On Monday when you look over your | racks you will always find that you are very low on some sizes. Then you must order addi- tional stock at I once to take care of the next week-end rush.^ Start Monday, July 1, by ordering the Goodrich tires you | will need for the week. Then continue to do this every Monday — it is a habit easily formed. This will | prepare you with a supply of Good- rich in aU sizes so that you wiU not. have to turn away customers.* | Make up your sorting order to-day. And don't forget the acces- sories. This is a big driving season, and the | profits come to the dealer who has the stock.^ Very truly yours, (172) 1 Appeals to common experience 2 Detailed explanation 3 Reminds dealer of predica ment 4 Urges action as remedy 5 Asks action and pictures results LETTERS TO DEALERS 207 24 Dear Sir: In the window of a prominent Chicago tire dealer is a card bearing this inscription: ^ "Naturally we | push the tire that gives our customers the greatest amount of service and the least trouble in ad- justments. We recommend | Goodrich tires, and we have built up a big permanent business by pursuing this friendly policy." 2 Read that again — "the | tire that gives our customers the greatest amount of service and the least trouble in adjustments." ^ Last year 99 | out of every 100 Goodrich tires piled up extra miles and never came back for adjustments. And the dealer | profits are big. Compare our prices with those of other standard makes — the comparison is interesting.^ Goodrich tires are in | harmony with the spirit of the times. They are practical tires, big mileage producers, and are fair Usted.^ Send in | the inclosed order blank to-day. Yours sincerely, (U7) 1 Secures attention by word picture 2 Testimony 3 Emphasis 4 Reason for satisfac- tion 5 Epigrammatic summary 25 Dear Sir: Before you can decide upon profits in tires, you must have a standard of comparison.^ COST is what | you pay for tires when you get them from the manufacturer. Price is what you charge your customers when they | come into your store to buy. * PROFIT is the difference between your buying and seUing price.2 Compare ^ the profit you | make on Goodrich tires with those of any other standard make. Check up ^ your profit of 25 % j on fabric cases, 30% on Silvertown Cords and 50% on inner tubes and see if there | is more money in any other well advertised tire. Goodrich tires are sold to users on very fair terms and | need httle or no selling effort on your part. A good many of our dealers turn their money six times | a year.^ You are now in the middle of a busy tire seUing season. Get 208 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES a good assortment of Goodrich | on your shelves and make money along with our many other satisfied dealers.^ Yours truly, * It never pays to cut | prices — you don't have to on Goodrich tires. (188) 1 General statement, easily agreed to 2 These paragraphs draw attention to the next state- ment 3 Verbs that suggest action 4 Reminds dealer of easy sale 5 Summarizes appeals and urges action 26 Mr. C. Nash, 24 Bismarck Street, Columbus, Ohio. Dear Sir: Hope you received that letter we wrote to you a week ago.^ We are ready for business now | — big or little,^ You know we maie every part for the greenhouse but the glass; and sell any part. So | no matter whether it's only some simple little fitting you want, or are ready to talk about a Pipe Frame | or Iron Frame house, write us just the same. In planning and deciding upon a new house and its construction | or heating, take it up with us.^ Get the advantage of our half a century's experience in the business. It I gives us a good chance to get you better acquainted with Lord & Burnham Co., and their way of doing | things. This getting acquainted, we find, is more than half of getting the business.* Need anything just now? Or do I you want us to run down and see you? Write to our nearest office.^ Yours truly, (156) 1 Follow-up 2 Suggests action 3 Reminds of ability to serve 4 Suggests that further inquiry will bring satisfaction 5 Brief sentences stimulate action 27 Mr. Wm. F. Hawes, Lansing, Michigan. Dear Sir: You have had some important letters from us lately; they were important to you as well as to | us. They did not try to tell you all about our line; that can come later.^ But we did ask | if you would like to see it; and that is where LETTERS TO DEALERS 209 the importance comes in. We want you to see | it; and after you do see it, you will wonder why we have not kept after you harder.- Because you will | learn then that we are offering the retail merchant a means of increasing his sales, not simply a chance to | buy goods.^ This season especially, what you buy is important.^ Do you want to see our line? Yours truly, (iio) 1 Follow-up 2 Repeats previous question 3 Shows merchant's advantage 4 Timely argument 28 Coddington & Welch, ^ 286 Godfrey Avenue, Flichmond, Virginia. Gentlemen : Want to sell more Nesco Perfect Oil Heaters? "Yes," you answer quick — just hke that. And so we say | we will help you. And here is what we will do: ^ We will run on your letterheads, to be furnished | by you, a letter like the inclosed with a handsome picture of the Nesco Perfect Oil Heater tipped right on | it.^ Then we will furnish some little folders — "You can Buy Per- fect Comfort" — attractive little die cut folders that a | woman will notice and see, and they tell her something definite about what com- fort she will get out of the | Nesco Perfect Oil Heater. Then there are newspaper electrotypes which we will furnish you.^ Look over the inclosures and write | us.^ You are going to sell more Nesco Perfect Oil Heaters this year if you let us help you in | this way, and if you will do your share.* Can we get together? ^ Yours very truly, (156) 1 Predicament and remedy 2 Offer of "dealer helps" 3 Asks action 4 Pictures results 5 Appeals to co-operation 29 Mr. E. G. Walton, 982 Wilson Avenue, Bayonne, New Jersey. Dear Sir: Last year we had the pleasure of sending you free newspaper electrotypes on the subject of electric washers. | According to our records you are still selling G.-E. goods and 210 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES are receiving our monthly publication, the "Electrical Advertiser." | You have not, however, availed yourself of our service this year.^ If this is through any fault of ours we | would appreciate your writing us frankly, in order that we may adjust the difficulty .^ If not, kindly let us know | whether you desire to remain on our hst.^ We have made up some particularly attractive cuts this year on the I subject mentioned above and feel sure that you can use some of these to advantage. Won't you make out a | list of your require- ments on the back of this letter, or let us know why you do not care to I avail yourself of our services further? If you wish an extra copy of our issue featuring the material of special | interest to you, we shall be glad to supply you.^ We await with interest your early reply. Cordially yours, P. S. I — For your convenience the reverse side of this sheet has been prepared for your reply. (196) 1 Simple statements of fact; imply desire to serve 2 Offers adjustment 3 If dealer is not interested, they will discontinue writing 4 Urges favorable action 30 Mr. Fred Hinds, Hyndman & Park, Reading, Pennsylvania. Dear Sir: We are sending you herewith galley proofs of a little book en- titled "Clothing Selling Hints" which we have | prepared, to give your salesmen some inside pointers in selling.^ This is not intended as a sales manual, or an | attempt to tell your salesmen how to make sales. All we can hope this little book will be is a I primer of hints.- If it will- help your salesmen, it will have served its purpose. Our object in sending you | these advance proofs is to ask you to read this and give us your opinion of it. Let us know | whether you do not believe it will add to the selling efficiency of your salesmen.^ The plan we have in | mind is to get this book out in a handy size — about i of an inch thick, 4^ 1 inches wide and 7^ inches high — to fit the pocket. We will print your salesmen's | names on the front cover if you will give us a list of their names. We inclose a blank for | your con- venience.^ We have had some prominent clothing men read over the manu- LETTERS TO DEALERS 211 script of this proposed book, and they have | passed upon it very favorably. It was impracticable to send you the manuscript, so we are sending you these advance | proofs. We will greatly appreciate your candid expression, together with the names of your salesmen. May we have both at | your early convenience;* ^ Yours very truly, (246) 1 Inclosure and its purpose 2 Removes possible objections 3 Asks opinion; this enlists dealer's co-operation and arouses pride 4 Explains plan 5 Skillfully suggests favorable action 31 Mr. Leon Rrown, 273 Hanover Street, Springfield, Illinois. Dear Sir: A week or so ago, Air. Brown, I sat talking to a steam fitter, down Philadelphia way, when | his 'phone started ringing merrily.^ After answering it, he turned around smilingly and said, "You folks certainly knew what you | were doing when you sent me that Business Booster Book. What do you think that 'phone call was.^ You know^ I that job we have for Morris up on Front Street? AA ell, we had one of those Burnham banners you sent | us, tied up on the front of the house, saying we were installing the heating there. This fellow saw it | and now he wants me to come up and figure a job for him." 2 From that Burnham Boiler Business Booster | Book, the same as we sent you,^ this fitter, Mr. Brown, was among the first to order a banner, along | with four lantern shdes. In sending in his order blank for them, he wrote on the back, "If you people | are wiUing to furnish these things to us fellows en- tirely free, it looks as if we are mighty slow if | we do not do our part and use them." ^ And now, how about your case.^ = Ten chances to one. there are | opportunities to figure, getting away from you, that might just as well be yours, if you would do something to | let people know you are doing something. We have hberally done our part to help you. Why don't you | do yours? — Shall we send you a banner? — Some Slides? — Or some Ads for your newspaper? In ordering, kindly use | the order blanks in back of the Booster 212 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES Book. If you have mislaid the Book, let us know and we | will gladly send you another. (284) 1 Word picture arouses interest 2 Shows benefit of "dealer helps" 3 Suggests applica- tion to reader 4 Implies reproach for failure to act 5 Applies the illustration to reader 32 Mr. Leon Brown, 120 Boylston Street, Boston, Massachusetts. Dear Sir: Your selling problem, Mr. Brown, being similar to ours,^ I know you will be interested in the rest | of this letter. What we are going to talk with you about, starts way back in the nineties and comes | right up to here and now. One morning seventeen years ago, I found on my desk a letter from Japan. | It asked for information and prices on Burnham Boilers. Of course, we sent them; but did not really expect much | to happen. Six weeks passed and along came a nice, cosy order; and we have been sending boilers to Japan | ever since. So much for instance Number One. Now for Number Two. One hot summer afternoon, there walked into our | office a man from Holland. He could not talk English, so a friend he had along, did it for him. | He was in this country investigating boilers, and wanted to see ours and the way we made them. Every year, | since that day, we have been sending Burnham? to Holland.2 Both the Japanese and the Hollanders saw our advertisement in I one of the American trade papers, which they take to keep up with things. If these men, thousands of miles | away, will buy Burnhams through advertisements, isn't it reasonable that people right in your own town will do the | same, provided you advertise to them in an interesting, attractive way? ^ Two or three weeks ago, we sent you one | of our Burnham Boiler Business Booster Books, containing reproductions of advertisements, lantern slides and banner; any or all of which | we offered to send you entirely at our expense.^ This morning, I was looking over the long list of dealers | who LETTERS TO DEALERS 213 had sent in their requests for them, and was rather surprised not to find your name among the number.^ | If it pays these other dealers to advertise, it will pay you. Why don't you himt up that Booster | Book, and select some Ads, or slides, and send us an order for them? Use them the way we suggest | and you will find them digging up business where you never imagined it could be dug.^ Truly yours, (357) 1 Arouses interest 2 Instances given 3 Conclusion drawn 4 Simple statement of fact 5 Implies reproach for failure to act 6 Urges action and shows results 33 The Fuller Garage Co., 1890 Grand Avenue, Worcester, Massachusetts. Gentlemen : We think it worth while to send you a personally dictated letter, not a form,^ because we understand that | you might consider adding a popular priced truck to your present fine of cars. If this is correct, may we j call your attention to the FULTON one-and-a-half ton chassis, which fists at $1090.- We I are building just one model — at a price several hundred dollars lower than any other truck of fike quafity and | capacity, and we have estabfished this price by standardizing, buying and building in quantity.^ Our Company is amply financed. Our | factory buildings are single story, and constructed for production efficiency. Our schedule calls for 2500 chassis for this | year, and we are increasing it in order to turn out our full quota of 5000 chassis for 1918.^ | We are offering you, first, a truck with selHng resistance reduced to a minimum, and second, a truck on | which you can get defivery.^ We are frank when we say that we would fike to have you take on | this truck. Some one in Seattle is going to handle it within a month.^ Is there any reason why we | cannot get together.^ We await the pleasure of your reply. Yours very truly, (213) 1 This sometimes appeals to readers prejudiced against printed or multigraphed letters 2 Subject, offer of agency 3 Standardization produces low price 4 Company is reliable 5 Summarizes arguments; shows what they mean to the dealer 6 Suggests prompt action 214 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES Style V. — PERSONAL STYLE ADDRESS November Third Nineteen Eighteen Dear Ur. Adeas: In my judgment, the succees of the campaign 'or the Fourth Liberty Loan in thie city haa been due in large part to the unsparing efforts of the comiidttee of which you are chairaan. In a ser/ice where everyone has put forth the best that was in him, it is not fitting to compare one group of workers with another, and I do not mean to do so; but in my position I have had special cause to appreciate the spirit and enterprise of your com- mittee, and it is a genuine pleasure to say so. Faithfully yours, it K ?eiZ^ Ur. 0. P. Adams, 231 North Hancock Street; Uilwaukee, Vr'isconsin. BOOKS AND MAGAZINES 215 34 The M. C. D. Garage, 290 Sheridan Avenue, M aterloo, Iowa. Gentlemen : You will be interested in learning that the Willys-Overland Com- pany will in all probability adopt Pierce Governors as | standard on their various models of trucks and dehvery cars.^ In fact, their Chief Engineer, Mr. McKinley, has already O. I K.'d installations on practically all models, and is now doing the final testing. This means that owners of Overland cars j now in service will immediately want to avail themselves of the protection that Pierce Governors will afford them, by ehminating | all possibihty of fast driving.- As a distributor of Overland cars, this is your opportunity to add a comfortable sum | to the profit side of your ledger.^ The in- closed folder briefly explains the features and operation of Pierce Governors, but | you really should possess a copy of our book "Speed Control," in order that you may be prepared inteUigently to | handle the inquiries you will receive. We wdll gladly send this book gratis and quote prices on the various Pierce | -Overland Governor installa- tions, upon request.^ Your reply is being awaited with much interest. Yours very truly, (178) 1 Announces news item 2 What tliis means to users 3 What it means to dealers 4 Asks action BOOKS AND MAGAZINES Interesting descriptions that awaken desire, offers to send books on approval, and special reminders and induce- ments for the renewal of magazine subscriptions, charac- terize these letters. 1 Professor C. IVI. Earle, University of \Msconsin, ]\Iadison, Wisconsin. Dear Sir: It has occurred to me that you, having heard E. St. Elmo Lewis speak at the Wisconsin Commercial | and Industrial Congress,^ might 216 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES like to look over his notable business book — "Getting the Most Out of Rusiness." In this I book, which contains the conclusions from years of careful study of different business policies, he points out what certain principles | of organization and management can accomplish for men keen enough to apply them intelligently.- You can learn more from carefully j studying this book, than experience can teach you in years, simply because it does not spin theories, it presents facts. | It spurs you to buck up for larger suc- cesses and it shows you the way. You may be sure that | it will prove a real business tonic to you.^ The inclosed circular will give you a very good idea of | what the book contains and what big business men think of it.^ It is not necessary to write a letter | to secure this book; just write on the margin of this letter, "Send book," sign your name and return it | to us. I wiU see that a copy is sent to you.^ You can keep the book for five days | and if you do not find it worth many times the price, return it. Otherwise send us the $2.50 | it costs.^ Very truly yours, (229) 1 Special point of contact 2 Contents 3 Effect 4 Introduces circular; testimony 5 Easy action 6 Trial offer * 2 Dear Friends: No longer need you be embarrassed when one of your friends asks you the name of some attractive j garden flower; it is possible to know them all through a most imusual set of garden guides.^ It is the I Pocket Garden Library, the most authoritative series of garden books that has ever been pubhshed.- This set has been in | preparation for over a year. There are more than 800 superb illustrations of every cultivated flower found in the | American gardens reproduced in their natural colors. There were fourteen of the best known flower artists at work on the | color iUustrations at one time, and each iUustration has been verified by experts so that the results would be true | to fife. There are more than 800 pages of descriptions, and that the text might be exact, the experts | of the New York Rotanical Gardens and the Rrooklyn Rotani- cal Gardens were called upon to verify them.^ The Pocket Garden | BOOKS AND MAGAZINES 217 Library is complete in four handsome volumes, one each for Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. They are issued in pocket | size, and are in a most attractive dark green binding with cover decorations in gold.^ You need no longer guess | at the names of the flowers you do not know; they are classified according to the seasons in which they | bloom and are carefully indexed that you may identify any flower immediately. They show you how to plan your garden | intelligently, how to grow the flowers, how to choose them — how the rare ones should be planted, etc., etc. | These volumes will be of special interest to children. They will gain a knowledge of a wonderful subject that | will be of value all their lives.^ These httle volumes are so attractively bound, the illustrations are so beautiful, and | the subjects are treated so interestingly, that you will immediately fall in love with them. We want you to see | them. If you will sign and return the inclosed post card, we will send them to you for ten days. | If, after examination, you decide to keep them, you may remit to us in small monthly installments or in a I small cash payment. You must act NOW, as the edition is limited. Simply sign and return the card at once.^ \ ery truly yours, (383) 1 Predicament and remedy 2 Subject 3 Authoritative quality 4 Description 5 Uses 6 Urges action and removes objections Professor J. P. Fra\Ties, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois. Dear Professor Fraynes: Dr. Charles W. Ehot, forty years President of Harvard Uni- versity, has put his advice on Books and | Reading into a chatty, thoughtful booklet describing his Five Foot Shelf of Books. ^ The booklet is not merely a catalogue | of titles and authors, but a most interesting resume containing Dr. Eliot's best thought on how and what a busy | person should read.- We are distributing it free by mail to make the Five Foot Shelf of Books better known. ^ | Please indicate on the stamped card the address to which you would like the booklet sent, whether to your home | or office.* You 218 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES may accept it with our compliments and with no obligation what- soever. Very truly yours, We suggest you | note particularly that page of the booklet which is headed "Fifteen Minutes a Day with Dr. Ehot." '" (137 ) 1 Introduces booklet 2 Contents 3 Purpose 4 Avoids wasting booklets on uninterested persons 5 Induces reader to open booklet 4 Mr. H. E. McCumber, 125 Winnebago Street, Lima, Ohio. Dear Sir: What a privilege to see history in the making, to possess as priceless souvenirs the precious mementos of | the most eventful episodes in the history of the world in the incomparably soft tones of rotogravure! ^ We offer you | the ONLY 24-page rotogravure illustrated pub- lication of current events ISSUED IN THE WORLD, presenting each week what is | most historic, most beautiful, most thriUing, and most interesting on sea and land in Europe, Asia, Africa, and America.^ THE I MID-WEEK PICTORIAL is issued every Thursday by The New York Times. It is not part of the newspaper, but | an auxil- iary. Each of the twenty-four pages is a work of art and every page is framable.^ We mail | this publication weekly for the entire year, postage prepaid, to £uiy address in the United States, on receipt of $5.00.^ | Or, as an introductory offer, on receipt of $1.00 we will send you the periodical for three months, feehng | sure that you wiU be happy thereafter to continue indefinitely.^ We await with interest your early reply. Very truly yours, | P. S. If you are a subscriber, this letter reaches you through inadvertence; in that case will you favor us | by handing it to some acquaintance!^ (206) 1 Arouses desire 2 Contents 3 Further explanation 4 Price 5 Special offer BOOKS AND IMAGAZINES 219 5 Mr. E. F. Jaeger, 852 Booth Street, Salt Lake City, Utah. Dear Sir: As your subscription to PRINTERS' INK expires on September 13, you have only three more issues coming to | you.^ For your convenience and in order that you may not miss any copies, we have taken the liberty of | filling in your name on the in- closed renewal order card.- Simply signify whether you wish yoiu* subscription extended for one I or three years, and mail the postal. PRINTERS' INK will then continue to reach you without interruption. Bill will be | ren- dered in due course.^ Thank you! * Yom-s very truly, (89) 1 Notification 2 Inclosure 3 Easy action 4 Assumes action 6 Dear Sir: Miss Nixon has just given me your name ^ as one whose subscrip- tion to THE GARDEN MAGAZINE has not | been renewed. She is anxious about it at this time because the stock of the Annual Novelty Review — the March | number — is almost exhausted.^ As you wiU need THE GARDEN MAGAZINE during the next few months, I have -asked Miss | Nixon to set aside a copy of the March nmnber for you. We will hold this for a week to | give you time to return the inclosed Renewal Blank, which we are sending along for your convenience.^ There are several | new features in THE GARDEN MAGAZINE for ]\Iarch. One is the "Novelty Re\iew." Everything that is new in seeds, plants, | shrubs, etc. is illustrated emd described. This March number, by the way, is the biggest number of THE GARDEN | MAGA- ZINE we have ever pubhshed.^ In April comes the regular Planting Manual. I am sure your not renewing is only | an oversight, and as we will undoubtedly have orders that will exhaust the small number of copies we have in | stock, we trust you will return the renewal card promptly. Cordially yours, (192) 1 Arouses interest 2 Suggests prompt action 3 Time limit 4 Awakens desire 220 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES 7 Mr. B. D. Lowell, 709 Anton Street, Burlington, Vermont. Dear Sir: We want to gamble with you.^ Congress is discussing zone rates for publications. The postage on The Nation | may cost us thousands of dollars more in the next twelve months than in a pre%d- ous similar period. The paper | mills have increased their prices. Everything is going up and it may be necessary to increase the sub- scription price of | The Nation — but we hope not.^ Before any such thing is forced upon us, we want to increase our circle | of readers.^ You know as well as we do, that it requires a certain mental equipment to read and enjoy | The Nation every week. You know better than we who among your friends will make good Nation readers.* For your | help in extending the circulation of The Nation, the offer is made that for $5.00 we will renew your | own subscription for one year in advance of the present expiration date and send The Nation for one year to | a new subscriber. Of course we cannot accept two renewals or a two years' subscription for $5.00 because this | offer contemplates a reward to the regular subscriber for securing a new subscriber.^ All that you need to do is | to send us $5.00 and this letter and put in the postscript the name of the new subscriber who | is to receive The Nation for one year.^ Yours very truly, P. S. Insert here the name and address of | the new sub- scriber: (243) 1 Arouses curiosity 2 Situation explained 3 Subject 4 Appeals to pride 5 Explains offer 6 Makes action easy 8 Mr. Pierce Smith, 4018 North Mason Avenue, Elizabeth, New Jersey. Dear Sir: The fight for Truth in Advertising develops big men.^ The Tribune has one of them — Samuel Hopkins Adams. | It is getting another — Richard H. Lee, Special Attorney to the Vigi- REAL ESTATE 221 lance Committee of the Associated Advertising Clubs of the | World.2 War-time prosperity brought a lot of potential Wallingfords out of their caves. Mr. Lee has been busily engaged | in clubbing them back in, as the record on the next two pages shows very clearly.^ Richard H. Lee comes | to The New York Tribune September 1. We Uke him. We like the things he has done. We like the | things we know he will do on The Tribune. And you will too ! * The field of Truth in Advertising is | broad. Adams and Lee have covered considerable of it. They are going over the rest together. Watch their progress in | The Tribune.^ Cordially, (143) 1 Generalization 2 Illustration 3 Proof; induces reader to turn page 4 Announcement 6 Arouses desire to subscribe REAL ESTATE The object of the letters here presented is to arouse desire, to show the ease with which purchase may be made, and to picture the satisfaction that will result from ownership. 1 Mr. B. D. Camden, 413 Wisconsin Street, Columbus, Ohio. Dear Sir: Every prospective home owner will be interested in the remark- able plan briefly outlined in the inclosed pamphlet.^ It I is a "Garden" plan because it permits you to plant your own ground to garden, shrubs and fruit trees, and j thus not only helps to pay for it, but permits you to make it beautiful for your own home. 2 It I is a "Home" plan because the moment you make your first small payment you have settled the home problem. The | plan in- cludes the building and financing of your house. You choose the time when you move into your finished house. ^ | It is a "Savings" plan because when you have your lot paid for 222 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES you may have your choice of the | cash or the lot. Assuming that you purchase an $800 lot, you may either take the $800 | in cash when your contract is complete, or you may take the lot and start building your house for j which we provide the money.^ Inasmuch as you are undoubtedly interested in either a garden, a home, or a savings | investment, or possibly all of them, may we ask you to read the inclosed pamphlet? Then if you would hke | more detailed information as to the plan itself, or if you wish to know whether lots in the neighborhood in | which you are interested can be pur- chased under the plan, or if you care to be convinced that in spite | of the terms offered lots can be had at an unusuaUy low price, you need only sign and mail the | inclosed stamped postal card. It will bring you all the information you desire without placing you under any obligation.^ A I number of people have bought the lot next to their home, using our plan. Perhaps this will interest you.^ Yours I very truly, (302) 1 Introduces booklet 2 First point 3 Second point 4 Third point 5 Urges, action 6 Appeals to those who have already built 2 Mr. L. T. Lyons, 49 Canyon Road, Berkeley, CaHfornia. Dear Sir: If you could buy an acre within twenty-five minutes' walk of the University, accessible to car line | or automobile, for $1750 or $2000 — $100 or more cash and $20.00 | or less a month, would you do it.^^ ^ This is a villa site that we are putting on and | doing all in our power to sell to University people. We have already sold to ten, including Dr. David P. | Smith.^ If you are interested, call at this office or ring us up at Berkeley 4280, and | the writer will call and take you out to the property .^ Very truly yours, (114) 1 Subject 2 Explanation and testimonial 3 Asks action REAL ESTATE 223 3 Mr. D. O. Berry, 401 Main Street, Hollywood, Michigan. Dear Sir: Sometime since we wrote you about Highlands. We regret to note we have not heard from you.^ | We have no disposition to trouble you if you are not interested, nor do we wish to neglect you if | you are interested in tlie suburban country life - and the wonderful environ- mental attractions ^ which Highlands presents as a residence com- munity. I If you have not seen Highlands you cannot imagine the charm of the landscapes and the waterscapes, many square miles | of them, which you buy when you buy your acres. Highlands is in a class by itself, and is for | those who cherish the freedom of spacious grounds, commanding views,'* and the ad- vantages of country hving with none of its | disadvantages. High- lands is so located and so planned that these advantages wiU be permanent and unimpaired irrespective of the future | development of Hollywood.^ If this appeals to you, let us make an appointment to show you Highlands. If it does | not, tell us so, and we shall not press the matter further.^ A reply wiU be appreciated. Very truly yours, | (180) 1 Follow-up 2 First point 3 Second point 4 Develops sfecond point 5 Develops first point 6 Asks action 4 ]\Ir. K. S. Gross, Kingston, New York. Dear Sir: What would you do in a case like this.^ ^ A widow owns a property — to be exact, two | apartment houses, rented out to families. A person renting one of the flats and paying regularly, suddenly fell behind in | his rent. Ten weeks went by, and no money was forthcoming. The owner did not want to turn the ten- ant I out, for that would mean a certain loss, neither did she want to risk losing more money. She came to | us.- This is what we did.^ We not only kept her tenant, but obtained all the money owing, 224 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES and better | than that, kept the good feehng between both in- dividuals.* That kind of management makes the renting of property profit- able, and I that is the kind of business we do.^ Property renting is a business with us. We have studied it in | detail. Our equipment and facilities are perfect. We take the course that will result in greatest profit to each of | our chents.^ Twenty years in business are sufficient recommendation to justify your giving us a cheuice to prove out with | you.^ Yours very truly, (184) 1 Arouses curiosity 2 Story awakens interest 3 Emphasis 4 Shows service 5 General conclusion 6 Amplifies conclusion 7 Suggests action and removes objection 5 Dear Mrs. Pickett: Recently I was asked "if the Lakewood Bus was to be the regu- lar means of transportation to | Lakewood." I wonder if you, too, will be interested in knowing about this.^ ^ The Bus will be the regular means | of transportation until such time as we find something more fitting or better adapted to the pur- poses of an exclusive j neighborhood. When one analyzes the plan under which Lakewood is being developed and compares bus serv- ice, which wiU be exclusively | for this property, with the ordinary street car service which, if we had it, might develop an undesirable element, we | are led to beUeve that bus ser\dce is reaUy the most desirable.2 Certainly it is dependable. For two years now \ we have main- tained an uninterrupted service. There has been comparatively no variation in the running time. Over 55,000 | people have been carried. Experience has shown that we can give adequate transportation sum- mer and winter by this method beyond | the possibihty of a doubt.' Abroad, the motor bus is gradually taking the place of the street car for all | kinds of service, city and suburban. London now has over 3,000 busses in operation. Many American cities are taking it up."* Frankly, for the kind of people there will be at Lakewood, this form of transportation seems ideal. It | is dignified — private. It takes but twenty minutes from the Square to Lakewood.^ Of course the present service will be | much improved. The plan is, more busses — more frequent trips. A schedule for early in "JOGGING" LETTERS 225 the morning and late at | night. All of this will come as de- manded. ^ So, after all, when one compares it with street car service (for | our purposes), isn't it really the best.^ ~' In any event, there will be adequate transportation to Lake- wood, always.^ Respectfully, | (300) 1 Awcakens curiosity 2 Desirability 3 Dependability 4 Testimonial 5 Summary 6 Additional features 7 Asks reader's judgment 8 Assumes satisfaction "JOGGING" LETTERS Letters of this tY9^ inquire, "Why haven't you bought from us recently.^" Sometimes they ask, "Is there any dissatisfaction that has put a stop to yoiu* orders.^" or they invite criticism of service. Ahvays they assume that past relations have estabUshed mutual good will 1 Mrs. E. H. Atkinson, Helena, Montana. Dear Madam: About one year ago, it was our pleasure to make you a shipment of our " NO PROTEST " Hosiery.^ | Of course we should like a duplicate order,^ but more than this, the writer feels a personal interest in this | transaction, and wishes to say that if there were any pairs which went wrong or proved defecti\ e, we shall be | glad to include replacements, free of charge.^ The usual or customary returning of defective socks is not neces- sary in this I instance. Just your "say so" is sufficient.'* Yours truly, (89) 1 Refers to past service 2 Suggests order 3 Offers adjustment 4 Makes action easy IMr. R. O. Stark, Camden, New Jersey. Dear Sir: Recently we had the pleasure of serving you in our clothing department.^ Possibly our furnishings, hats and shoes | escaped your notice ^ — 226 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES we are mighty proud of them, and hope you will give the inclosed folder a moment's attention; | then when you come again we shall be glad to show you how complete these departments of ours are. We I hope you will find it convenient to stop in soon again.^ Yours truly, (73) 1 Refers to past service 2 Mentions other lines 3 Invitation avoids insistence 3 Mr. H. K. Morris, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Dear Sir: In looking over our books we find that your watch has not been here for cleaning for twenty-three | months.^ Every watch should be cleaned and freshly oiled as often as once in every eighteen months.- A watch I is a very delicate piece of machinery — the balance wheel makes 300 beats or vibrations each minute, or 18,000 | beats per hour; there is less than one drop of oil used in oiling it, and when this oil I is exposed to the atmosphere and necessary wear for a period of from twelve to eighteen months, it becomes dry | and hard and commences to cut and wear the pivots and steel parts; therefore it should be cleaned and oiled | again.^ We hope you will favor us with the work.^ Yours very truly, (133) 1 Reminds of past service 2 Assertion 3 Detailed proof; shows knowledge 4 Suggests action 4 ]\Ir. B. W. Forbes, Purchasing Agent, Trenton Brass Company, Trenton, New Jersey. Dear Mr. Forbes: Are you not making a big mistake ^ by deferring the placing of orders for your requirements in | Valve Disks during the coming months? I fear that you are building towards a serious situation for all of us j later on. Manufacturing conditions both with respect to materials and help are becoming more and more uncertain, and if you | delay your ordering until the last minute, I am very much afraid later on in the summer we may be | unable to respond in the way you will need.2 I have no right to be too insistent with you upon | this point, "JOGGING" LETTERS 227 but at least I wish again to urge that you go over your stocks right now and get | specifications into our hands as soon as possible cover- ing your requirements during the period of the next four to six | months.^ Very truly yours, a44) I Boldly challenges attention 2 Supports statement; assumes intention to buy sometime 3 Suggests specific action 5 Mr. John Chalmers, 24 West 72d Street, New York City. Dear Sir: I hope you \\i\\ not think I am encroaching unduly upon your time if I call the «r=ollowing matter | to your attention.^ Has it yet been brought to your notice that the price of electricity throughout this Company's entire j territory is to be reduced this morning from II cents to 10 cents per kilowatt hour — a drop of nearly | ten per cent? 2 Have you any fault to find with the Edison service? Is there anything I, personally, can do, ) or this Company can do, to improve our service — to satisfy you better? I would esteem it a pri\dlege to | hear your criticism on your electric supply, or your criticism of any representative of this Com- pany with whom you come | in contact.^ I am inclosing a stamped addressed envelope for your conveni- ence. I earnestly solicit an expression of your A-iews | or suggestions, or any helpful advance to the end that the serA'ice we render may, if possible, be improved, or | that your relations with oiu- employees may be made more pleasant.^ Yours very truly, (174) 1 Awakens curiosity 2 Announces reduced price 3 Invites criticism 4 Makes action easy 6 Mr. Alex Moore, Macon, Georgia. Dear Sir: In looking over our sales cards the other day I noticed that your purchases from us were very small. | The more I looked at that card, 228 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES the more I wondered what I had done that you should buy practi- cally I nothing from us.^ Finally I decided I would drop you a Hne and ask you whether you were willing to | teU me personally, frankly, just what the trouble has been and whether there is something we have not done that | we should have done and whether there is anything we can do now to get you back on our hst | of regular customers. If we can, we surely want to do it.^ Won't you write me personally on the back | of this letter and teU me just how you feel about trading with us? Please use the in- closed stamped envelope, | as I want your reply to come to my desk unopened.^ Why not send an order with your reply? I j wiU see that it is filled just right.^ Yours very truly, (171) 1 Descriptive language arouses interest 2 Invites criticism 3 Specific request for action 4 Asks for order 7 Kinnett & Son, Bloomington, Pennsylvania. Gentlemen : Thank you for the order given Mr. Ross. We are preparing the goods for prompt shipment and trust they | will reach you without delay.^ We note that this is the first order you have favored us with for some I time and we are wondering why we do not get more of your business.^ We have splendid facilities for handling J your mail orders be- tween Mr. Ross' visits and can, we believe, make it of advantage to you to send such | orders to us. They will always receive my personal attention; I will see that they are hurried through the house | and priced at the very lowest prices we can make. You will appreciate, we know, ha\dng your orders filled promptly | and completely and this will be more of an advantage to you right now, as we are getting into the | season when you will actually need the goods you are order- ing. Our stock is very complete and we are always | glad to hear from yoii.^ If it is not asking too much of you, will you not write us in | a day or so and let us know just what we must do to get more of your FINANCIAL 229 business? Be | critical, gentlemen, because we shall appreciate your candid opinion.* Again thanking you for this order, we remain Yours truly, (219) 1 Acknowledgment 2 A "jog" 3 Shows ability to serve 4 Invites criticism FINANCIAL . Investment houses, insurance companies, and banks, find it desirable to awaken confidence through the conservative tone of their letters. This does not mean, however, that such letters cannot adopt a friendly and personal style. The last letter of the group affords an interesting contrast, as it evidently presents a speculative rather than an invest- ment opportunity. 1 Mr. Ralph Hanks, 112 Raymond Avenue, Canton, Ohio. Dear Sir: May we call your attention to the inclosed list of our bond offer- ings, and bring before you a | few facts regarding the class of securities which we handle.^ We would ask you to stop and think of the | following state- ments: aU bonds offered for sale by this Company are purchased, in the first place, for the investment of ] our own funds, and you may rest assured that we have investigated thoroughly before purchasing them and offering them to | the pubUc.^ We have been careful to buy issues which should appeal to this locality, having, as you will note, | several local issues, an issue of short term notes yielding a high rate of interest, a block of railroad bonds I and several other attractive offerings.^ All of these we can recommend as what we beUeve to be absolutely safe investments | and on a par with the many excellent mortgages which we carry at all times.^ We solicit inquiries regarding the | issues on the inclosed list and should be pleased to have you call; the ser^^ce of our office and benefits | of our investigations £ire at your disposal.^ 230 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES We are now in a position to act as brokers and would act promptly | and efficiently as your agent in the buying or selling of stocks and bonds.^ Come in and get acquainted, | — we believe we can be of serv- ice to you.® Yours very truly, (233) 1 Subject 2 Security 3 Local appeal 4 Offers service 5 Further service 6 Suggests easy action 2 Mr. K. O. Aldrich, 2.22 Beaver Street, Council Bluffs, Iowa. Dear Sir: Since forwarding you, in May, information and booklets descrip- tive of our various bond offerings, we have not j heard from you, and consequently are desirous of knowing whether our list of bonds inter- ested you, or whether you desire | any additional information.^ It is possible that you are not ready to invest at this time, but may desire to j do so later on. If this is the case, we wish you would kindly inform us so that we can j send you additional offerings when you are ready to make your investments.^ We also wish you would inform us as | to which of the bonds, descriptive circulars of which we sent you, is best fitted for your needs.^ We hope | you will favor us with a reply by means of the inclosed self-addressed envelope.^ Very truly yours, (138) 1 Follow-up 2 Seeks to avoid expense of useless letters 3 Seeks to discover customers' real needs 4 Easy action 3 Mr. Or\ille Orcutt, 122 Lancaster Street, McKeesport, Pennsylvania. Dear Sir: This letter is an appeal for your assistance in increasing the efficiency of the service rendered you. I | recall numerous occasions on which we have not been able to furnish the exact issue and maturi- ties desired by our | chents, and to overcome this difficulty we need your co-operation.^ The momentous events of the past three years have resulted ] in the decline of many highly regarded securities, causing great losses FINANCIAL 231 to investors.^ Naturally this has increased the demand for | our securi- ties, which have never fluctuated in value. As they successfully met the tests of these war times, investors realize that | these bonds can never depreciate. More and more, attention is drawn to our record of thirty-five years without loss | to any investor, and in the future the demand for our offerings may be greater than we can fill.^ So I I inclose a " Future Requirement " blank and stamped re- turn envelope. If you will be so kind, fill out this blank, indicating j the type of bond you prefer and the maturity, also approximately the amount and date of your next investment.* This I information will help us to fill your requirements and to submit for your consideration the exact type of security you | prefer. Tliis will save you the reading of a good deal of correspondence now being sent you when you are | not in the market, and when you are, it will insure you absolute satisfaction with your investments.^ No doubt you | appreciate the advantage of letting us have this information, and we earnestly sohcit your co-operation, the result of which will I operate to our mutual advantage.^ Yours very truly, (268) 1 Shows desire to serve 2 Timely reference 3 Shows security of investment 4 Asks action 5 Shows advantage to customer 6 Repeats request for action. Letter has same purpose as preceding letter * 4 To our Clients: As you are aware, our Government wiU shortly offer for sale its bonds to bear interest at | 3% or 3|%.^ These bonds are sold for the purpose of raising funds | with which to carry on the work required of this Government in its war for democracy and right.^ It behooves | every loyal American citizen to put his shoulder to the wheel and do his national duty. Some will do it' | by personal ser\ice and others will and can do it by assisting in the Government's finances.^ We place at the | disposal of the Government and the public, our services in assisting in the subscription for the bonds.* Our services are | rendered without charge either to the Govern- ment or to the pubhc.^ If we can serve you, kindly inform us on | the inclosed post card,* Yours very truly, (147) 1 Announcement 2 Object of bond sale 3 Appeal 4 Offers aid 5 Removes objection to action 6 Asks action 232 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES 5 OUR JULY 1918 LETTER TO CLIENTS Why the Present Is Preeminently the Time for First Mortgage Real Estate Investments \ You are in a position as a client of ours to watch the notable trend of the investing pubhc toward | the oldest safe investment — the first mortgage bond — and to see that present conditions have only in- creased the desire of | the most conservative investors for securities of this type.^ Our customers live in every part of the United States and | in- clude people in every walk of Hfe. Ry the extent of their investments and by the increase in the number | of our customers may be judged the need that the people as a whole feel for investments fitted for these | times — for investments combining safety with an income that is satisfactory now and will remain so in future — and their | decision as to what constitutes an investment that fills their need.^ Our national fife is founded on befief in the | good judgment of the people as a whole, and noting the growth of this business year after year, how we | retain old customers and the constant influx of new, it must be very evident to you that the American people | — our most intelligent classes in fact — have put their stamp of approval on First Mortgage 6 % Ronds Safeguarded | under the STRAUS PLAN.^ Our business and the number of our new customers have continu- ally grown, and adverse investment conditions | only seem to give us a larger, more loyal clientele. From this you may see both the need and the | judgment of the people and confirm your own conviction of the security of our offerings and of the responsibifity of | this House — a conviction which, if consistently followed, can only result in in- creased comforts, prosperity and security for your coming | years.* To thirty-six years without loss has been added another half year, so that our record now includes over | a year in which our coun- try has been engaged in the world war. Yet the stabihty of a single STRAUS I PLAN Rond has not been shaken nor a dollar's loss occa- sioned to any holder of securities purchased of us.^ There | was, indeed, never a time when the properties securing the bonds purchased of us were in a more prosperous condition | — buildings filled at rentals exceeding our estimates and industrial proper- ties enjoying exceptional business.^ The shortage of apartment and hotel room | in New York and FINANCIAL 233 Chicago is acute. In other of the larger cities conditions of available housing, storage facihties and | industrial space are practically the same, and a crisis in the shortage is inevitable unless relief is afforded by investors | in securities such as we offer that provide for the erec- tion of buildings which are a necessity." This is a | most satisfactory condition for our customers whose bonds are secured by such properties and a profitable one for those who I have funds available for investment.^ Our chents will therefore find the bonds of the Shortland Apart- ment Building, Chicago, Princeton Apartment j Building, New York, the Sisson Hotel, Chicago, the St. James Hotel, Atlantic City, and the Hamilton Apartment Hotel, New York, | particularly attractive, as the properties supply immediate requirements and the income from them will be constant and lasting. An investment | comprising all of these bonds would give you a diversification made up of securities of 'great natural strength — as they | fill a primary need of the people — fortified by all of the protections of the STR_\US PLAN. . . .^ For your order | a convenient blank is inclosed. Dehvery will be made at once on cash purchases. Orders for future delivery gladly received. | In every case we urge that reservations be made before the rush of July first. ^° Your instructions now, as at | all times, will be appreciated, and your investment will be Aigilantly protected from to-day until the day of maturity. Constant | purchases of STRAUS PLAN Bonds mean lasting investment satisfaction.^^ Yours sincerely, (651) 1' Appeals to reader's judgment 2 Shows basis for opinion 3 States opinion 4 Sum- marizes and applies to reader's own action 5 Security 6 Reason for security 7 Reason for prosperity 8 General conclusion 9 Specific ofl'er 10 Urges action 11 Assumes sat- isfaction 6 Mr, Charles Hulburt, 4204 Park Avenue, Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Dear Sir: We have been thinking about you and have often wondered if you carry a bank account in Eau | Claire.^ If you do not we would like to have you for our customer.- Within the next few days you | wiU receive from the Sugar Company a check in part payment of your best crop. This check, no matter upon | which bank drawn, we 234 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES want you to deposit with us, and then pay your accounts with your own check on | this bank.^ Even if you expect to pay out immediately the entire proceeds of tliis pay check, deposit it with us | anyway, for we firmly beUeve that if you once start doing your banking business with us, you will always do j a banking business, and will never care to go elsewhere in the future.^ When we organized this bank, eighteen months | ago, we did so with the intention of making it distinctly a farmers' bank. We still have the same idea. | It is the farmers' business we want. It is the farmers' business we are getting and we are doing it | with the feehng on both their part and our part, that we can take just a little better care of | their needs than anyone else.^ Feehng confident of our abihty to please you, we invite your patronage. Respectfully yours, (219) 1 Courteous introduction 2 Subject 3 Specific suggestion for action 4 Removes objec- tions 5 Class appeal 7 Mr. W. G. Iverson, 618 Boston Block, Long Island City, New York. Dear Sir: Mr. R. C. Irish, representing the First National Bank of Brook- lyn, of which I am a director, teUs | me that he has called upon you regarding the services and facihties offered by that institution.^ Naturally, I am much | interested and would be pleased to learn that you have decided to become a depositor at the First National, as I I know the connection would be mutually advantageous to you and the bank.^ You wiU find the officers and staff | cordial and efficient. The institution is strong in men, experience and financial resources, as well as in the fact that | it is a member bank of the Federal Reserve System, backed by the National Government.^ Again let me assure you | that you would make no mistake at all in starting an account at the First National and, personally, I am I hoping that you will decide to do so.* Cordially yours, (150) 1 Subject 2 Personal recommendation 3 Summarizes talking points 4 Emphasizes rec- ommendation FINANCIAL 235 8 Mr. E. H. Miller, 1924 Kendall Avenue, City. Dear Sir: FIFTEEN DOLLARS and forty cents is the priced— of Mental Security to you. Have you given sufficient thought | to protecting your greatest asset — YOUR EARNING CAPACITY.^ Statistics show that you have six chances in seven of being secure. | Are you prepared to meet the SEVENTH CHANCE? ^ FIFTEEN DOLLARS and forty cents paid once in fifty-two weeks assures | you of a check for $25.00 every week if you meet with an ordinary accident, $50.00 if | you meet with an accident in a public conveyance or burning building, and $62.50 if | you meet with an acci- dent of travel. THIRTY-FIVE DOLLARS added to the S15.00 protects you from illness to | the amount of $25.00 weekly, $37.50 if you are confined to the hospital, | plus stipulated sums for certain operations, if that is necessary .^ By returning the inclosed card you do not pave the | way for a siege of sohcitation. I make but one call and submit my proposition in ten minutes; then, I | let FACTS influence your decision. If you are not interested you will not be approached again. ^ Yours very truly, (199) 1 Arouses curiosity 2 Predicament 3 Remedy 4 Removes objections 9 Mr. George P. Barr, Yonkers, New York. Dear Air. Barr: If you have a moderate amount of money with which you would like to make a splendid | profit,^ I wish you would write to me as soon as you receive this letter.- I know this is out | of the usual fine of investment. But a most remarkable opportunity has just developed here in the Badium fields of | southwestern Colorado for making a lot of money.^ I won't bother to write the details until I hear from you.^ | But when you do get the whole interesting story, you will certainly agree 236 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES with me that this is for you, | as it is proving to be for me, the great opportunity which is said to present itself once in a | lifetime." Very truly yours, (124) 1 Appeals to money-making desire 2 Asks action 3 Subject 4 Arouses curiosity 5 Per- suades to action LETTERS TO LARGE USERS Included in this group are letters to purchasers of office and store equipment, to large builders, to engineers, and to manufacturers. Some of them are addressed to impor- tant officials, and consequently are concise, conservative in tone, and free from urgency or persistence. 1 J. T. Berkeley Co., Burlington, Vermont. Gentlemen : We have your letter of September 6 and take pleasure in inclos- ing a circular descriptive of the Fasterfeed.^ The I Fasterfeed is standard for all typewriters of the general construction of the Underwood, Remington, L. C. Smith, Royal, Monarch, and | Noiseless. The typewriter is placed under the Faster- feed and the blanks to be addressed are then fed at the time | the typewriter carriage is returned for the writing of the next piece. As there is no connection between the feeder | and the typewriter the action of the latter is in no way changed. ^ The Fasterfeed in your office will save | you money and your typist time and effort in such work as "Filhng-in" form letters, "Head- ing-in" statements. Addressing | envelopes. Card work, etc. Any device which saves is worthy of attention at present when help is scarce and | wages high.^ The price of the Fasterfeed is $40.00. This sum should be con- sidered as £in investment paying | a high rate of interest, not as an expense.^ We shall be glad to place one of these machines with | you on trial if you will write giving us permission to do so.^ We thank you for your interest in | the Fasterfeed and LETTERS TO LARGE USERS 237 Style VL — HANGING INDENTION ^^ea^K^K^?^ December 13, 1918 The James Roberts Company, 4 John Street, Chicago, 111. Attention of Mr. James Eobertc "Gentlemen: I am glad to comply with your request of December 11 for a brief statement of our ejnployment policy. In applicetlonfi received by mall, »e give first con- sideration to clear thinking as it is evidenced by clear writing. Good English is a first requis- ite for any position demanding good mentality and ability to advance. I need not list the other obviously necessary qualifications — such as integrity, experience, accuracy, Judgpient, initiative, and airbitlon. How an appllcenl spends his spare time is an important point for or against him. Other things being equal, an applicant who devotes part of his tiire to ser- ious study is always our first choice. In Interviews with applicants we consider chiefly, and in this order, appearance, manner, attitude toward work and life, brains, and special qual- ifications. As you request, a copy of each of our several kinds of application forme is enclosed with this letter. A note attached to each form indi- cates the circumstancee in which it ie used. We hope these suggestions will be of service to you In the organizing of your own employment de- partment. Very truly yours. RSButlertVA 238 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES hope that we may soon have the privilege of demonstrating it to you.^ Very truly yours, (219) 1 Subject 2 Explains new device and removes objections 3 Saves money 4 Price 5 Trial offer 6 Asks action 2 Dear Sir: At the end of last month you had less money than you expected. How do you accoimt for | this? Where did it go? ^ You know how much you are spending for such things as rent, taxes, light, heat | and clerk hire. But you do not know how much you are losing through carelessness, mistakes, poor memory and temptation.- | A National Cash Register will keep track of your money. You will know where your money goes.^ It will enforce j correct records showing exactly how much money you take in and how much you pay out and what it is | for.^ At the end of each month you will have all the money that is rightfully yours. You will get j all your profits.^ Mail the card now and get the details. Yours very truly, (134) 1 Predicament 2 Contrast 3 Remedy 4 Explanation 5 Result 3 Dear Sir: You want to make more money. We can show you how you can do it.i Our registers have | been indorsed by more than a million mer- chants. They have stood the test of thirty-three years in businesses of I all sorts and sizes.- An average of 11,668 merchants are adopting them every month. They | are used in 291 different kinds of stores, restaurants, cafes, and offices. Wherever they are used they | increase profits, make employees more valuable to their employers, and attract trade.^ It will cost you nothing and place you | under no obhgation to have us submit our strictly business proposition. You can adopt it or not as you choose.^ | Mail the card for more information. Yours very truly, (i^o) 1 Appeals to money-making instinct 2 Testimonial 3 Testimonial concluded 4 Removes objections LETTERS TO LARGE USERS 239 4 Dear Sir: Last month you figured that you should have made a certain amount of money. But when you made | up your balance you found that you had less than you expected.^ Carelessness is costing you money. Poor memory is j costing you money. Temptation may be costing you money. These things reduce your profits.- IVIail the inclosed card and we | will explain, without cost to you, how you can stop the losses £md get all the money to which you | are en titled. ^ Yours very truly, (85) 1 Predicament 2 Causes 3 Suggests remedy 5 Mr. F. A. Tobett, Office Manager, American Glass Co., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Dear Sir: Does your fihng system ever go on a strike? ^ Does it ever refuse to give up instantly the | information that you know it holds? - Unless your filing de\ices minimize the moves necessary in trans- acting and recording business they | make you a victim and not a master of details.^ Your valuable papers and records must not only be safe, | but must be instantly available in order to facihtate and accelerate the dispatch of business.^ Our cabinets are built for | usefulness and you can select and arrange a cabinet to suit your exact requirements, and not have to adjust your | requirements to suit the cabinet.^ The inclosed card filled out and mailed to us will bring informa- tion helpful to you. | Yours very truly, (123) 1 Predicament; metaphorical statement 2 Explicit statement 3 Wrong conditions 4 Right conditions 5 Remedy. Note balance and contrast in this letter 240 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES 6 Mr. W. Nelson White, Wells Ruilding, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Dear Sir: As an executive it goes without saying that if two men came into your office, and one could | show you how to reduce part of your expenses — — and the other was big enough man to show you how | to • double your business,^ you would unquestionably interview both.^ Within the next ten days one of our representatives will be | in your city.^ He can positively show you how to save 40% on your printing. I will not j say he can positively show you how to increase your business, or even reduce your selhng expense, but he can | show you some mighty good business producing ideas worked out by other Wisconsin business houses. You can return the inclosed | card without obhgation. Yours very truly, (124) 1 Condition 2 Conclusion; theoretical case 3 Actual case; suggests interview 7 You and a Thousand Times You — To You — Of You — For You: Suppose a day had 48 hours instead | of 24 — and you had four hands instead of two — and you could be in two places at the | same time instead of one — ^ You would be a superman, wouldn't you.^ ^ But it has not, and you | have not, and you cannot! There is only one YOU. If you could give a thousand men YOUR knowledge of | the business — YOUR ambition — YOUR personality — then ^ It would, and you would, and you could! 2 The thing that makes you | YOU is not the way you comb your hair or wear your clothes. It is not your person — but your | per- sonality.^ If you want to know how to cash in on that personality — make YOU a thousand times YOU — turn | the page and read on.^ For YOU, sincerely, (U8) 1 Condition proposed 2 Conclusion 3 General assertion 4 Applied to reader; arouses curiosity LETTERS TO LARGE USERS 241 8 Mr. A. D. Schultz, 709 Summit Avenue, Superior, Wisconsin. Dear Sir: Opening doors — Closing orders — The beginning and the end of sales work — whether in person or by mail. | But the mail salesman has the "inside" — for he travels on the prestige of Uncle Sam — And nobody turns down | the postman. Save distance, time and money on your way from the opened door to the closed order. Learn how | to pick locks — pick prospects — pick orders. The inside pages have a suggestion or two — and there are more where | these came from — How receptive are you.^ Yours truly, (89) Note epigram, balance, and appeals to curiosity in this letter 9 Toledo Investment Co., Toledo, Ohio. Gentlemen: Re: Department Store, Toledo After a most thorough investigation, many of the finest and most modern department stores in | the country have installed Standard Plunger Elevators. A few of these are the following: The new Lord & Taylor Department | Store, New York City, the Wanamaker Stores, New York and Philadelphia, the Robert Simpson Stores, Toronto, Canada, and the May | Department Store, St. Louis, ^lissouri.^ Realizing the necessity of absolute safety in elevator serA-ice, their decision in this matter was | largely influenced by the fact that of the thousands in operation, not one has ever fallen.- The plunger machine we | manufacture has many advantages over electric types, especially for department store service: Smooth Riding Efficiency of SerAice Low Cost of I Operation 242 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES Low Maintenance Cost Simplicity in Construction Durability.^ The exclusive merits of our elevators have induced their selec- tion for so I many of the most representative buildings in the country that we believe them worthy of your most careful consideration.* We I should like to have the privilege of submitting a proposal and presenting the facts. Will you not furnish us with | the necessary data so that we may make up an estimate.^ '" Yours very truly, (194) 1 Testimonial 2 Reliability 3 Other talking points 4 Conclu-ion; applied to reader 5 Asks action 10 Toledo Investment Co., Toledo, Ohio. Gentlemen : • That new building of yours — have you decided what kind of floors you are going to put into it.^ ^ | You want them DUSTLESS, WATERPROOF, and SANITARY, of course. You want floors with the minimum upkeep expense.- The easiest and ] surest way to secure such floors is to lay them of concrete by the " STANDARD WAY." ^ A hfe of a | Concrete Floor is fixed in the making. Once it is down, it is down for good.^ " STANDARD WAY " floors take ] the risks and hazards out of the job. It is the assurance of a reaUy WEARPROOF, DUSTPROOF, and WATERPROOF concrete | floor.^ Get the complete facts and figures about " STANDARD WAY " floors before you make a decision on the floors for | your new building. Return the attached card and get information without obUgating you in the slightest degree. Yours for better concrete | floors, (ui) 1 Predicament 2 Ideal requirements 3 Remedy 4 Durability 5 Prevents annoyance 6 Urges action and removes objections 11 Mr. Oscar H. Richardson, President, Toledo Investment Co., Toledo, Ohio. Dear Sir: We are addressing you personally relative to the advisability of your instaUing a Spencer in your new University | building, as we LETTERS TO LARGE USERS 243 believe that were you aware of the special merits of our boiler, you would install no other. | While operating under like conditions with any other boiler on the market to-day, it will enable you to produce the | following results: It will save from $2.00 to S3. 00 on every ton of coal consumed. It will enable | the janitor to devote twice as much time to his other duties about the building, because he will not be | forced to fire the boiler so often. The magazine feed will hold a 12-to 21-hour supply of I fuel. It wiU cut the labor of attention in half. The magazine feed requires coaling only once a day in | ordinary weather and twice in severe.^ These results are made possible only by the two distinctive features of our boiler: | the water jacketed magazine feed and the patented sloping grates, which combined give it the ability to burn cheap fuel.2 | The Spencer burns the fine cheap sizes of coal, such as Pea and Buckwheat jfl, any non-coking soft | coal. Pea sized coke, Lignites, etc., which all cost $2.00 or $3.00 less per ton than the | larger sizes used in surface feed boilers. Therefore, when purchasing anything but a Spencer you are simply signing a contract | to buy the expensive sizes of fuel. It will also burn soft coal more efficiently than any surface feed boiler, | although when using this fuel you do not secure the advantage of the magazine feed.^ Our Chicago Office, Railway Exchange | Building, will take pleasure in giving you further details. Will you not avail yourself of their expert advice on this | most important question of heating.^ ^ Yours for successful heating, (309) 1 Effect 2 Cause asserted 3 Proof 4 Makes action easy 12 Illinois Coal Co., 284 State Street, Chicago, Illinois. Gentlemen: Attention — Mr. F. A. Homewood. We are interested to learn from your letter of July 1 that you expect I to use a Gasoline Engine to operate your power pmnp at the coal mine.i If the vertical hft does not | exceed 31 ft. and the suction and discharge pipes are 2" and the total chstance the water is | to be discharged is not over 200 or 300 ft., then with a capacity of say 30 244 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES to I 35 gallons per minute a 3 H. P. Engine would be ample size to take care of these conditions.- | For prices, please refer to page 10 of our price list No. 32, copyof which is inclosed. You, ] of course, have special discounts -applying to the list prices therein.^ At the present time we can make delivery of j a 3 H. P. Gasoline Engine with magneto ignition in about two or three weeks.^ If you decide to order | this, Mr. Homewood, it would be well to inform us as to the speed of the power pulley so that | we can equip the engine with the proper pulley to operate the pump at the correct speed.^ Very truly yours, | (200) 1 Subject 2 Answers question 3 Prices 4 Delivery 5 Aska further specifications. Note conciseness in letter to important ofBcia! 13 Mr. J. C. Helm, DeUa, Idaho. Dear Sir: We have your letter of Jime 24, and we shall take pleasure in supplying you with special information | in regard to the proper in- stallation of a pumping outfit, suitable for pumping water for irrigation.^ You have given us | a very good. description of your problem, but there are a few points on which we would hke to have | additional information. Just how many acres do you wish to irrigate and what crops are you growing in the different | tracts; about how many times do you wish to irrigate during the season and about how long do you figure I it will be necessary to set aside for irrigation, i.e., one, two, three, or four days.^ - After giving us | this additional information, we beheve that we shall be able to submit to you one or two outfits for consideration. | We think your suggestion of a portable outfit is a good one; however, this is with the understanding that the | water does not get lower than twelve feet from the surface so that the suction is at all times very | good. If the pump is provided with a large suction hose, then of course you can take care of the | discharge by using either canvas hose or metal pipe.^ I trust that you wiU be able to give us this | additional infor- mation by return mail. It will certainly be a pleasure to outline for LETTERS TO LARGE USERS 245 you specifications of a suitable portable | pumping outfit to meet your conditions.^ Very truly yours, (249) 1 Subject 2 Asks further information 3 Answers question so far as possible 4 Assures of willingness to serve. Note longer letter to small and less well-informed customer 14 Mr. T. B. Oliver, c/o Barney Co., Omaha, Nebraska. Dear Sir: We have recently been in touch with your Purchasing Depart- ment and your engineers and find you are erecting | Grain Elevators in Omaha, Nebraska, and that you will have charge of the electrical construction.^ We shaU be very much | interested in hearing from you on the matter of circuit breakers for your motor driven ma- chinery.2 \Yg understand there will | be some fifteen motors in tliis installation and that circuit breakers wiU be necessary.^ Our own experience has showTi that | conveying machinery of any kind is subject to overloads that are often disastrous to motors due to the failure of | fuses.^ Owners and operators of motor driven eleva- tor machinery are very heavy users of our circuit breakers. They find the | use of circuit breakers insures operation, gives sure protec- tion and does away with the uncertainty and losses occasioned by fuses.^ I We hope we may be of service to you under this heading. Yours very truly, (155) 1 Refers to source of information 2 Subject 3 Shows knowledge of situation 4 Con- servative statement 5 Testimonial 15 L. T. Gehring & Co., Scranton, Pennsylvania. Gentlemen : Your letter of February 26, addressed to the Wagner Electric Manufacturing Company, St. Louis, has been forwarded here | for attention. The Wagner Company decided to go out of the instru- ment business and turned over the production of their | instruments to us, so that all instruments bearing their name that have been shipped out for some Uttle time now, [ have been manufactured in our plant. Your inquiry is essentially a duplicate of the one we 246 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES received and we have | already Quoted you on suitable instruments in our letter of May 31.^ A significant fact that may be of | interest to you, is that the majority of manufacturers of automobile lighting and starting systems have adopted instruments of our | manufacture as standard with their equipment.^ We look forward to being of service to you. Yours very truly, (138) 1 Explains forwarding of letter and makes follow-up suggestion 2 Takes opportunity to cite testimonial 16 Mackon & Herley, 284 Cramer Street, Orange, New Jersey. Gentlemen : While the writer was recently at the Iroquois Iron plant, of this city, he was favored with information about j magnet wire which he thought would be of interest to you. He learned that the larger sizes of this wire | are in many instances used in winding armatures as well as magnets.^ As explained to you, the armature is practically | the only part of the motor that is subject to overloads. Should your Mr. Phillips be following this practice of | winding armatures with magnet wire, this would probably explain the reason for the large quantity used, in which event a | Circuit Breaker would give the proper protection and ehminate this expense. - It is a pleasure to be in position to | tender this information.^ Yours very truly, (126) 1 Courteously offers information as part of follow-up 2 Shows how to reduce expense 3 Courteous ending 17 Mr. T. O. MarshaU, c/o T. B. Field Co., Newton, Massachusetts. Gentlemen : We appreciate the interest you have shown in our Signal System Direct Reading Ohmmeter.^ As you noted from your | inspection of the instrument,'- it is very compact, self-contained, and capable of giving very quick results. LETTERS TO LARGE USERS 247 It has proved | itself especially adapted for measuring the resistance of contacts in signal work.^ This Ohmmeter which is described in bulletin #100 | inclosed is a modification of our Standard Ohmmeter described in bulletin #300 also inclosed. The latter | instrument you may recognize as one that has been on the market for a number of years. The instruction bulle- tin I inclosed gives a complete description of the various uses to which it may be put.^ We trust the above information | fits your purposes and we assure you we shall be glad to furnish you any additional information you may desire. | Yours very truly, (143) 1 Subject 2 Compliments reader's judgment 3 Talking points 4 Further information 18 Winters & Coleman, Norfolk, Virginia. Gentlemen : The writer wishes to express his appreciation for the friendly interview given him on his recent visit to your j plant.^ We are for- warding you, in accordance with your request, a complete set of our latest condensed bulletins covering circuit | breakers and electrical measuring instruments. ^ We should like very much to quote you on breakers for some particular motor or | motors that you think advisable to protect in this manner. As stated to you, this form of protection is becoming | more universal all the time and especially so in the steel industries. We understand that machines, in rolling mills are | in a measure de- pendent upon each other for continued operation and that a delay on one machine affects several others. | Also, a shutdown often re- quires reheating a billet before rolUng can be continued.^ We presmne this is the reason | why steel manufacturers adopt this sure form of protection rather than trust to the uncertainty of fuses.* We trust we | shall receive the ratings of some of your motors and shall be allowed to estimate on at least one motor | as a matter of trial .^ Yours very truly, (188) 1 Puts letter on phine of friendship rather than sales solicitation 2 Subject 3 Shows knowledge of business 4 Testimony 5 Asks action 248 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES Style VII. — UNIFORM LEFT MARGIN STYLE 111 N.'Mi^kef Street ^/*tiSSC£*^££C£ MadlsonT'wi^ondn CHICAGO, ILL., January 3rd, 19 18 Gibson Handolin-Cultar Co. 521 Harrison Court, Kalamazoo, Uich. The Fastarfeed will Increase your typist** output from 25^ to 50;t. Watch one of your operators addressing envelopee, fllling-ln form letters, heading statements or Index cards, and you will see that half of her tlm» and effort Is devoted to picking up the paper, In- serting It in the typewriter, and adjusting it to correct position. The rasterfeed saves the operator all of these non- productive operations. A hundred envelopes, or several hundred sheets of paper, as the case may be, are placed in this device and the simple tap of a lever causes them to be fed Into the typewriter; always in the same position, always straight; a new piece ready for the next address Just as soon as the finished one Is removed. Today the Fasterfeed Is working in hundreds of the largest firms, cutting the typing costs from one- . quarter to one-half. Let us show you, in your office, what the Fasterfeed will accomplish. Send the enclosed card back to us and we will be glad to demonstrate. Very truly yours, DAVIDSON MFG. CO. ^ ^ LETTERS TO LARGE USERS 249 19 Albany Locomotive Works, Albany, New York. Dear Sir: ' Attention Mr. S. K. Holt. Have you any work similar to the castings shown on the inside of I this folder? ^ If yom" time is longer than ours for doing this work, let us go over it together.^ ^^ e I will gladly have one of our men make a study of your chucking problems with you. He can spend as | much time with you as you can use to your mutual advantage.^ Just write or wire when you want to | see our man.^ Yours very truly, (86) 1 Introduces printed pages 2 Suggests action 3 Offers assistance to action 4 Final suggestion of action 20 ]\Ir. A. W. Ellis, President, A. W. EUis Mfg. Co., S>Tacuse, New York. Dear Sir: A new idea on an old subject has just been developed in the business world.^ This idea has | such surprising possibihties that it merits your most serious and personal consideration.^ Turn this leaf and you will find the | whole story in boiled-down form.' Yours very truly, (49) 1 Arouses interest 2 Appea s to curiosity 3 Introduces printed pages 21 Mr. W. A. Crane, Chicago Printing Co., Chicago, Illinois. Dear Sir: We are supphing some of the largest printers in the United States, principally in Chicago and New York | City, with Simmonds Paper Cutting Knives."^ Are you buying through manufacturers of the cutters, or direct from knife manufacturers? ' We I judge that a firm of your size would need exceptionally 250 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES good knives, and would be buying every once in a | while.^ If this letter should find you in need of anything at this time, will you give us the opportunity | to figure with you on Simmonds Knives? Yours very truly, (90) 1 Testimonial 2 Suggests predicament and remedy 3 Shows knowledge of customer; appeals to pride 22 Ontario Printing Co., Toronto, Ontario. Gentlemen : It is your problem to produce printed matter capable of convey- ing your ideas or arguments to others without loss | in the transmission.^ Rare wine from a tin cup would lose its charm. Telling thoughts delivered by a poor orator | lose their effectiveness.^ In all times influence has been just as potent as argument.^ That Hampshire Bond Covers will help | to influence those who read your arguments has been pretty definitely settled^ — still that is left to your judgment. When I a man buys a page of magazine space the circulation governs the price. When a man buys printing and paper, | too often nothing governs the price but the price itself.^ It is what a piece of printed matter does, not | what it costs, that establishes its true value.^ If you decide to use Hampshire Bond Cover and your printer seems | to have any difficulty in securing it, will you kindly write us.^ ^ Yours very truly, (155) 1 Problem 2 Specific illustration 3 General conclusion 4 Solution 5 Asks action ARTICLES FOR DICTATION THE IMPORTANCE OF BUSINESS LETTERS A salesman can average perhaps six or eight calls a day. The writer salesman can average from thirty to forty | calls a day and each one of these letter calls is extremely important. Our written representatives are performing duties which | are in many ways identical with those per- formed by our personal representatives. Letters are employed to initiate and complete the | greater number of business transactions. Though this is true, it should not be taken as an indication that the sales- man I is becoming less important in our scheme of dis- tribution. Not at all. The letter is the salesman's ally. Rightly written | it can be an effective aid to him. Letters are gradually relieving the salesman of many details. Consequently, the salesman | is fmding new oppor- tunities for development. He is devoting more time to intensive cultivation work, and more thought to the | needs of those located in his territory. Letters can destroy business faster than salesmen and advertising can build it up. | This destructive work may not be intentional on the part of the letter writer. The possi- bility for salesmanship in everyday | letters is not realized for the most part either by correspondents or heads of otherwise progressive business houses. Training | is as necessary for letter writers as it is for salesmen. There are a few exceptional letter writers, it is | true, but the need is too great to depend upon these excep- 251 252 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES Style VIIL — HOUSE CORRESPONDENCE Spaces for data indicated at the top of the sheet; salutation and complimentary close omitted. Foim«i6-2l»M-2-18- JOM- i» INTER-ORGANIZATION CORRESPONDENCE Thi* form i« for all eoxreapondaice between the fieU org&niiKtioD atnd the !»AaTy. To Attention , J^nRe^y^Rrf^ LAM - MAIL SAI£S DEPT. Subjed: From Akron, Ohio. Date June 25, 1918. A MONDAY MORNING CALL BY LETTER Attached are saleslettera No. 13 - 14 - 15 - 16. Far the next four weeks we want every dealer In your territory not seei by a salesman to receive a letter from you. These letters should arrive on the dealer's desk on Monday moming» This means they will have to be mailed out the Friday night or Saturday morn- ing preceding. You will have to rush back your order for these letters because we want this campaign to be worked out as follows: Letter No. 13 mailed July 5. II n 14 " "^ 12, " " 15 " " 19. " 16 " " 264 We will multigraph letters, furnish order blanks, special letter heads, etc. Please hurry your order back telling tis the number you mill need. One order will be sufficient. ttAIL SALES DEPARTMENT. ARTICLES FOR DICTATION 253 tions. The greater part of the work "in business | is carried on by people of only average ability and upon them we must of necessity depend. Ability to write | effective letters is often merely a matter of training. Experience alone does not suffice. Several firms in this country which | have caught a vision of the things brought out in these preliminary remarks have employed supervisors, critics, and specialists to | make an analytical study of their correspondence needs. This report not only reviews their work but also shows that up-to-date | educational institutions are adjusting their courses of study to keep pace with what may be aptly termed a | vital need. Business houses and educational institutions can learn much from each other, and both will progress faster when they | have a definite understanding and appreciation of each other's needs and aims. The information contained in the following pages has | two applications: It concerns the executive heads of organizations. The success of their institutions is to a large extent in | the hands of their letter writers. A firm's history is written in its letters. How important it is, then, that | the letters of every fii^m should be real sales builders. How necessary it is that they create the right impression | and perform the right service among the men and women at the other end of the bargain. Good will, a | firm's most valuable asset, is largely shaped by correspondence. For the individual, letter writing offers opportunities for advancement in any | institution that will compare favor- ably with any other line of endeavor. For him this report will contain many important suggestions. | The thoughts herein expressed will never do any good unless they are put to work. If what is brought out | is instrumental in awakening in the minds of those who read 254 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES it some idea of the importance of the subjects | discussed, then the energy expended so far will be repaid, at least in part. (554) E. P. Cramer H. R. Rasely G. R. HoTCHKiss Chas. R. Wiers L. A. McQueen Committee. From Report of First Annual Convention, Retter Letters Association, October 15-16, 1917 MOTIVES BEHIND ALL BUYING Rehind every human action there is a motive. We all have a reason for buying — even the woman who is | "just shopping." Some of these motives are instinctive and elemental — the aforementioned woman "just loves shop- ping" — others are the fruit | of careful reflection and reasoning. The study of salesmanship begins with an analysis of the various motives which may prompt | or produce the desire to buy in one case and may lead to a refusal in another. Rehind every purchase | there are two conflicting mo- tives: an instinctive desire to possess the article proffered if it gives pleasure, renders a profit, | or serves some useful purpose; and an instinctive reluctance to make the pur- chase because it involves drawing upon our reservoir | of power, symbolized in money. The more limited this reser- voir of power the more cautious we are in drawing upon | it. If we are by nature extremely cautious, then we "just hate spending." If we have the means to spend | and refuse to do so we may be dubbed "tightwads" or be de- scribed as "stingy" or "mean." Money is the | token we exchange for necessities, com- forts, luxury, leisure, and the labor and service of others. The art of the salesman | is to convince the buyer by means ARTICLES FOR DICTATION 255 of graphic description or reasoned argument or both, that the offer returns full | value in comfort, luxury, or utility for the expenditure involved. He creates in the mind of the buyer a strong | and vivid mental picture of the benefit to be derived from the purchase so as to overcome that instinctive reluctance | to draw on his reservoir of power which all experience when faced with a purchase of any moment. Thus the | motive behind every purchase is the satis- faction of one or more instinctive desires. A merchant buys goods for resale to | satisfy the money-making in- stinct; an automobile is bought because it gives pleasure by satisfying the instinctive desire for luxury | and com- fort, or because it appeals to the pride of possession, or perhaps because both instincts enter into the transaction. | The aim of the salesman is to present not only the advan- tages or attractiveness of his goods in a convincing | manner but to arouse in the mind of the buyer as many motives as possible for making the purchase. If | a particular motive seems stronger in its appeal than any other he will, of course, lay increased stress upon that. | From the many arguments in favor of his goods, which shall the salesman select.^ If he is selling an automobile, | shall he base his appeal on the fact that the prospect will derive great pleasure from motoring.^ Or shall he | lay stress on the fact that the car is economical to operate or that by its use the prospect will | be able to conserve his time? Or presume that the commodity in question is a suite of expensive mahogany office | furniture. Will it be well to emphasize the pride to be derived from its possession, or will it be preferable | to argue that the elaborate furniture will reflect its owner's prosperity and sound business stand- ing to his customers cuid consequently | pay for itself in 256 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES the profits derived from prestige? The salesman must con- sider these questions in the preparation of his | various sales arguments no less than he must analyze his proposi- tion so as to make clear its advantages from every | view- point. (561) Whitehead. Principles of Salesmariship Copyright, 1917, by the Ronald Press Company GOOD WILL What is good will? Probably the best definition is that which has been placed upon it by the courts. The | United States Circuit Court of Appeals once gave this definition: "When an individual or a firm or a corporation has | gone on for an unbroken series of years conducting a par- ticular business, and has been scrupulous in fulfilling its obligations | and careful to maintain the standard of the goods dealt in, and absolutely fair and honest in its business dealings, | so that customers of the concern are convinced that their experience in the future will be as satis- factory as in I the past; where such customers' good report of their own experience tends continually to bring new customers to the concern, | there has been produced an ele- ment of value quite as important — in some cases perhaps far more important — than that | of the plant or ma- chinery with which the business is carried on. "That it is property is abundantly settled by | authority and, indeed, is not disputed. That in some cases it may be very valuable property is manifested. The individual | who has created it by years of hard work and fair business dealings usually experiences no difficulty in finding men | willing to pay him for it if he be willing to sell it to them." All classes of courts in | the United States have recog- nized the fact that good will is an asset; the injunctions which have been issued and | the damages which have ARTICLES FOR DICTATION 257 been assessed for unfair competition are founded on the doctrine of good will. For instance, a | trade name — not a trade-mark — may have acquired a great value through long years of business; the courts protect | that name from use by a competitor, terming such practice "unfair com- petition" because the competitor seeks to go forward by | the theft of one of the most important assets of the original trader — his good will. (316) What Is " Good WiU" Worth.^ From System DANGEROUS LETTERS Can letters destroy business.^ My answer is, much easier and quicker than they can build business; and I can prove I it. I could recount several instances. In one case an account amounting to some twelve thousand a year was lost | be- cause of one letter. The letter was an innocent-looking thing, not more than eight lines, but it was enough. | The presi- dent of the other concern in his reply made the statement that never in the history of his connection | with the funi would they ever make another purchase. That was some three years ago and so far as I | am able to learn he has kept his promise. Where this fellow took the trouble to write in and air | his feelings a score of others would not have taken that trouble. They drop quietly by the wayside and no | one knows the reason why. There are many firms who, a year ago, were on the books of the firms | represented here and are not here to-day. Why not.^ I'll guarantee that if we knew some of the reasons we | would be surprised. Many of them perhaps have just been frozen to death by the worse than zero letters they | have received. I can tell you of a men's furnishing store right here on i\Iain Street that 258 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES lost two accounts | simply because of a tactless letter. This will show that business destroying letters are not confined to manufacturing firms alone. | If it is worth an expenditure of time and money to get a prospect on our books, it is worth | an effort to keep him there. (266) H. N. Rasely. Correspondence Supervisor THE OPPORTUNITY OF BUSINESS LETTERS The increased importance of letters in the business field has made it necessary for every business man to understand how I to write and to use them if he is to keep abreast of modern methods. Until a few years ago, | most letters were written with small attention to their appearance or their composition. They were loaded with errors and with | a strange jargon of "stock phrases"; they had the awkward brevity of telegrams, omitting pronouns and every word not con- sidered I vital to the meaning. To-day a retail customer dealing with a good house may well be surprised if the letters | he receives are not courteous, tasteful in appear- ance, and clearly written in good English. When he writes such a house | he usually receives such accurate and intel- ligent correspondence, and any difficulties are smoothed out so tactfully, that he may well | feel more at ease when buying by mail than when buying in person. What are the reasons for this general | reform? First comes the enormous increase in the number of routine letters caused by the distance between buyer and seller. | The growth of commerce and the improvement of com- munication by railroad, telephone, telegraph, and post- office systems have made it | possible for wholesaler and retailer, manufacturer and jobber, retail customer and mail order firm, though living at great distances, to | do busi- .\RTICLES FOR DICTATION 259 ness successfully with each other. Letters perform nearly all of this service. They are the shuttles that fly back | and forth to weave the web of commerce. The fundamental qualities which the reader demands in every letter are clearness, | conciseness, completeness, cor- rectness, and courtesy. Behind the need of all these lie good reasons which can best be understood if | you think first how the letter is read by the man at the desk. The usual business letter is read | rapidly or only glanced through. The eye runs down the page catching at the out- standing words and phrases, looking | for a key to the meaning of the whole. It is read as one of many letters. The morning's mail | of a business man may bring to his desk from twenty to one hundred letters, or even more. Each of I these presents a different problem, so that his mind must adjust itself afresh for each. For these reasons the first | requirement of every busi- ness letter is clearness. There must not be a moment's doubt as to its meaning. A letter | that is thoroughly clear at first reading will save mistakes, delays, and the writing of other letters. To secure clearness | for the reader, give each idea a separate paragraph. The eye gi'asps a group of words as a unit, separated | from other groups by its indentations. However, a number of short, simple sentences, each in one paragraph, are monotonous and | so unconnected that often they are harder to read than longer ones; there- fore, when simple ideas are of the same | nature they are best joined in a paragraph which may still be of one sentence and treated as one idea. | Overparagraphing is almost as bad as underparagraphing. A general rule for ordi- nary letters is that a paragraph should | not be over six lines long and that most paragraphs should be shorter. This depends somewhat on the nature of | the letter. Begin 260 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES with the subject of the letter, and take up the material in a definite arrangement. If there | is more than one subject, begin with what is most pleasing to the reader. A chrono- logical arrangement is a natural | one. In a letter con- taining both facts and comments give facts first, then comments. Conciseness is next in importance to | clearness, to save time for the busy reader. Do not waste a word. Make every letter as short as is | consistent with clearness and courtesy. A letter which is so short that it gives too little attention to each idea | is harder to understand than a longer letter, and therefore really takes more of the reader's time. If it is | so short as to omit courtesy, it neglects its opportunity. A few words extra or another sentence add little or I nothing to the cost of the letter and may add to its effectiveness. Completeness is a requisite to be borne | carefully in mind. Many costly blunders are made because the writer leaves out necessary statements or simply forgets to say | all he intended. He may think some topic too obvious to need attention. For example, he supposes that he does | not need to refer to a previous agreement between himself and the reader, but the busy man at the desk, | turning his attention from other letters to this one, has not time to think of subjects that do not stand | on the page before him. Correctness in spelling, punctuation, grammar, and sen- tence construction, as well as in all the rules | relating to the appearance of the letter, are first of all necessary to pre- serve the writer's dignity and to make | the letter a worthy representative of his firm. But there is a more important reason than this. As the reader | glances through the letter, striving to understand it as quickly as possible, his atten- ARTICLES FOR DICTATION 261 tion will be distracted from the subject matter | by an error of any kind. It is not safe to rely on his ignorance; even men who make | mistakes themselves notice them in others, and the most intelligent customers are those you care most for. And though bad | grammar, punctuation, and spelling will be forgiven by the reader, you do not want him to take the time to | forgive them — you want him to read your letter. To economize the reader's attention, be correct. Courtesy is at least | as important as any other requisite. In this direction lies a great opportunity of the modern letter. The business correspondent | can never allow him- self the luxury of losing his temper; no matter how irri- tating the letter he receives he must | write a courteous reply ; no matter how monotonous is the succession of the letters he writes, all nearly ahke, he | must never weary of saying "please," "thank you," "we regret," "we take pleasure," and other similar courteous phrases. Remember that [ the reader does not grow tired of them. Courtesy should stand out emphatically in your letter, considering how rapidly letters | are read. Use definite words that show your desire to be of service, or your con- sideration for the reader's position. | Let such words show up strongly at the begiiming and the end of the letter; let the first and last | sentence contain positively cour- teous words. Often the addition of a half dozen words will transform an unintentionally sharp letter into | a pleasant one. Unless you translate your cordial feeling into words on the page, the reader of your letter, a | thousand miles away, will never know how you feel toward him. (1131) Edward Hall Ga"rdner. Effective Business Letters Copyright, 1915, by the Ronald Press Company 262 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES THE SOCIAL IMPORTANCE OF GOOD SALESMANSHIP The question may be raised whether the work of the salesman is in the interest of the consumer and of | society at large. In answer it may be pointed out that desires had to be aroused and intensified to introduce | into general use practically every article of modern convenience and comfort. It was salesmanship which put the sewing ma- chine, range, | gas stove, electrical appliance, musical in- strument, washing machine, and vacuum cleaner into the home. Salesmanship has introduced practically all great | improvements and devices into every line of business and industrial life. Without salesmen our present material development would be inconceivable. | Salesmen are the modern teachers of the people in the arts of progress, and as such, rank with the schools | and the press. The social importance of good salesmanship can be pointed out very well by showing the failure of | salespeople of the past generation. As one goes through homes and notes the incongruous furnishings, lacking both in art and | in useful- ness, one cannot help but think of the wasted opportunity of salesmen to point out to purchasers how — and | gener- ally without additional expense — they might have im- proved their homes. Much of the waste of American cookery in the towns | and cities could be eliminated by a word of advice given by skilled grocers' salesmen now and then. It is | said by shoemakers that at least seventy-five per cent of adults have trouble with their feet — corns, bunions, ingrowing | toe nails, broken-down arches, and so on. Most of these troubles are directly due to poor shoe fitting; in | other words, poor shoe salesmanship. ]\Iuch of the waste, inefficiency, and even suffering due to badly furnished homes, poor clothing, | badly fitted garments and shoes, wrongly selected foods, and so forth, are chargeable ARTICLES FOR DICTATION 263 to a very large extent to bad | retail salesmanship. One should not overlook the responsibility of the consumer for being in the plight he is often in, | but the work of the retailer and his salespeople as purchasing and distributing agents for the community might well include | such edu- cation of the consumer in the use of materials as the retailer and his salesmen are best fitted to | give. (361) Paul H. Nystrom. The Economics of Retailing Copyright, 1915, by the Ronald Press Company AROUSING MENTAL IMAGES The worthiness and the desirability of an article depend, among other factors, upon a clear, distinct idea of what the I article is like; and a clear idea of the nature of the object depends upon the illustration and the descriptive | phrases used concerning it. The most vivid idea of an article can be obtained by seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling, touching. | or handling the article itself. In advertising, the article can be represented only by proxy. The best substitute for the I article is a good picture of it. The next best substi- tute is a good, brief, vivid description of it. A I vivid description should produce mental pictures of the object in the mind of the reader. By a mental picture or I image is meant the recalling in the mind of just how the object looks, or feels, or tastes, or smells, | or sounds, depending upon which sense or senses are stimulated by it. We have as many different kinds of mental | images as we have sense organs. Thus you may recall in your mind's eye how your mother looks. This picture | may be so vivid that you can almost see her stand before you. Likewise, you may recall exactly how her | voice sounds so that you can almost hear her speak. You may recall the odor of coffee so vividly that | you can almost smell it. You may recall 264 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES the taste of an orange so clearly that you can almost taste | it. Or, you may recall the touch of velvet so distinctly that you can almost feel it. These are mental | images. They are the most realistic representatives of objects when they themselves are not present. This particular phase of the | advertiser's work requires the use of much thought and ingenuity. Concreteness and defmiteness in phrases are always preferable to glittering | generalities. An apple might be described as "The Michi- gan Apple, the finest in the world." Or, it might be de- scribed I as a beautiful red apple with a delicious flavor. The latter description, carried out more fully, arouses a picture in | your mind of the appearance and the taste of the apple. It appeals to the same sense as the apple | itself does. The former description is vague and exaggerated. Some one has said that an advertisement of food is not | good unless it makes your "mouth water." It should appeal in a most lively manner to the sense of taste. | In the writing of copy, two rules should be borne in mind: (1) Use words and phrases which will arouse | concrete mental images in the minds of the readers. (2) For arti- cles which appeal primarily to a certain sense, use | words and phrases that will emphasize the images of that par- ticular sense. For example, descriptions of foods should arouse taste | images, descriptions^ of musical instruments should call up sound pictures. Advertisements of clothing may make strong points of appearance and | style. Adver- tisements of shoes may emphasize touch and comfort to the feet. Each advertisement should appeal to the sense or | senses to which the commodity itself appeals. In the case of direct, personal salesmanship, the article itself can be seen. | heard, touched, tasted, or smelled according to the nature of the article. The customer knows exactly what it is like. | In salesmanship through print, the advertisement must ARTICLES FOR DICTATION 265 stimulate the customer's imagination so that in his mind he can see, hear, | touch, taste, or smell the article. (566) Daniel Starch. Advertising Copyright, 1914, by Scott, Foresman & Co. Used by permission EFFICIENT COST KEEPING Referees in bankruptcy will tell you that half the failures that occur in periods of good business occur because the | bankrupts didn't know what their outputs cost them; they hadn't preserved the proper distance between cost and price. I Too many prices are made on the basis: "Well, if he can sell it for that we can." Of course, | that does not follow at all. "The advantage that knowledge of production costs gives a manufacturer when making prices is | easily seen. His prices are made intelligently. He can cut to the lowest possible figure when necessary without fear of | in- curring losses, or if the conditions justify a loss on certain lines, he will know exactly how far he can | go without exceeding the justifiable and intended loss. "On the other hand, without a knowledge of costs he is absolutely | in the dark in fixing prices — so much so that his only safety lies in prices so high that he | is abso- lutely sure he is above production cost — a happy-go-lucky method of pricing that, while safe from the | standpoint of direct loss, is not, in this highly competitive age, conducive to large success." — From Factory Costs, by F. E. Webnes. One western mill recently found | that the old day-wage system was losing money for the firm, because the price of the goods was fixed | by the consumer and the workman fixed the cost. A piece-work wage system was introduced. A hmit was fixed I on the cost of the goods with an eye to meet the 266 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES price fixed by the consumer. The system created | a com- fortable margin between cost and price, and by the system the tendency was for the margin to grow gradually | bigger as the management found places where economies of materials and time could be effected. It is such simple things | as these that work the revolu- tions in profits. The American business man has long neglected his office, his internal organization, | in favor of his selling organization. Times are forcing a change. We have, in the world's greatest and wealthiest nation, | more failures than in any other nation. The vast per- centage fail for "lack of capital," "for want of knowledge of I the business," so Dunn and Bradstreet tell us. The commercial lawyers tell us that the principal "lack" is a practical | knowledge of what it costs to do business. If there is any place where the old adage, "Be sure you | are right, then go ahead," means something, it is in the matter of fixing prices. That without accurate costs you | cannot intelligently and accurately fix prices, is as plain as a pikestaff. The principal difficulty, however, has lain in | the hand- ling of the time and materials. The records required so many hands and heads that the manufacturer preferred to I chance it and dismissed the whole idea with the futile pun: "It costs too much to know what it costs." | Like most generalities, however, this is dangerous. Again, it is no longer true. Since the introduction of the time clock | for recording the gross hours of labor; the elapsed time recorders by which each workman records in plain figures on | each card the time he has actually been at work; and finally, the Burroughs Cost Keeping Ma- chines by which the | time, the value of materials, and the costs may be added and listed on wide sheets from the individual records, | and all other handling of figures done ARTICLES FOR DICTATION 267 at a speed of three to five times greater than the most expert | clerks could formerly do it by hand, the expense of maintaining a cost system has lost most of its terrors. | Business men are now turning to the subject with a renewed interest further energized by the thought that it is I better to be safe than sorry. (626) E. St. Elmo Lewis. Efficient Cost Keeping Copyright, 1914, by Burroughs Adding Machine Company THE DYNAMIC IDEA Ideas gained from the environment do not rest in the mind as so much baggage. They are dynamic; each one | of them tends to realize itself through action, and it will do so if not opposed. Hence an idea of | a peculiarly com- pelling sort enlists energetic action and leads to tangible results. Such an idea we may say is luminous. | It shines and lures. To Napoleon it was his star of destiny, seen on all great occasions. "It commands me | to go forward and is a constant sign of my good fortune, and led by it, I be- hold the world | beneath me as if I were being carried through the air." To Garibaldi it was Italy, to O'Connell it was I Ireland, to Pitt it was Parliament, to Webster it was a united country, to Clay it was a glowing conception | of national destiny. To Lord Nelson, it was the service of king and country, which, born in a period of | despair, ever afterwards was suspended, as he said, "before my mind's eye as a radiant orb that courted me onward | to renoAvn." Such terms as "our country," "democracy," "equality," "freedom," "social justice," have stimulated generations of public men, and without | doubt will continue so to do. But the luminous idea itself is universal. The merchant finds inspiration in business efficiency, | the editor in the reforms he espouses; the teacher sees in the youths before him splendid men of to-morrow ; and | among the test tubes 268 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES and compound microscopes the research worker has visions of germ conquests. The luminous idea is merely | one with power to draw men onward, and each may possess it. Its Characteristics. — This idea should, for one thing, | be Clear. The idea which has a power within the mind is one sifted from the maze and clearly | perceived. The mental process, at first thought, would seem difficult, since evolving central notions requires high order of intelligence. Yet I the idea need only seem clear to its possessor. Prac- tically any mind, by ruminating on the materials with which it I is stocked, yields generalizations later held as self-evi- dent truth. A recent presidential aspirant, for instance, states that "after twenty-five | years' study I fmd the su- preme issue, involving all others, is the encroachment of the powerful few upon the | rights of the many" — and he continues to wage war with this as a slogan. (395) E. B, GowiN. The Executive and His Control of Men Copyright, 1915, by the Macmillan Company FAITH IN SELF Men of capacity often have that sublime faith in self which in little minds is mere arrogance. "I am sure | that I can save this country," said the Earl of Chatham, "and that nobody else can." His son possesses a | like confidence; "I place much dependence on my new colleagues," said Pitt; "I place still more dependence upon myself." Witness | also Bismarck at thirty-six, seemingly undip- lomatic and unskilled, offering to undertake "anything which the King felt strong enough to | propose to him"; Mohammed, branded as a pretender and threatened with death, declaring "though they should array the sun against | me on my right hand and the moon on my left, yet until God should command me or should take | me hence, would I not depart from my purpose"; Louis XIV, for a time ARTICLES FOR DICTATION 269 after the peace of Nimwegen, believing | he was permitted by God to undertake any scheme, no matter how daring; or Webster's pubhc declaration, "I am quite | aware that I am a man of considerable public importance, not only within the boundaries of Massachusetts, but without her | boundaries, and throughout the length and breadth of this continent." Such faith in self, a compound of strong desire and | belief in one's ability to attain it, makes men of iron resolu- tion. . . . It is one thing to yield intellectual assent | and another to believe with conviction. In the latter, mere "assent" is intensified by emotion. "A hot flash seems to | burn across the brain," as Bagehot puts it. "Men in these in- tense states of mind have altered all history, changed | for better or worse the creed of myriads, and desolated or re- deemed provinces and ages. Nor is this intensity a | sign of truth, for it is precisely strongest in those points in which men diff'er most from each other. John | Knox felt it in his anti-Catholicism, Ignatius Loyola in his anti-Protes- tantism ; and both, I suppose, felt it as | much as it is possi- ble to feel it. . . . "We should utilize this intense emotion of conviction as far as we | can. Dry minds, which give an intellectual 'assent' to conclusions, which feel no strong glow of faith in them, often | do not know what their opinions are; they have every day to go over the arguments again, or to refer | to a notebook to know what they believe; but intense convictions make a memory for themselves, and if they can | be kept to the truths of which there is good evidence, they give a readiness of intellect, a confidence in | action, a consistency in character, which are not to be had without them." (433) E. B. GowiN. The Executive and His Control of Men Copyright, 1915, by the Macmillan Company 270 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES ORGANIZATION AND MANAGEMENT While it is true that experiments have shown that a man power is equivalent to about one-tenth of a | horse power, there are elements in calculating labor power that do not need to be considered in determining mechanical efficiency. | A man is spending his own energy first for himself and then indirectly for the benefit of the manager. When | the fatigue point is reached in a man, the consequences of continued labor are something more than slackened produc- tion ; he I is robbing himself of his health — the storage battery of his working power. It is at this point that em- ployers I of labor need more knowledge of the relationship which should exist between the periods of rest and relaxa- tion for "different | volumes of load" carried by the labor- ers. They should be able to see how to adjust these periods in the | predetermination of industrial operations so as to obtain the maximum of work without exceeding the "elastic limit" of the employee. | It was along this line that Mr. F. W. Taylor conducted some of his most impor- tant investigations. He not only | recognized that the work- ing-time units must be separated from the resting-time units, but he first pointed out that | different kinds of work require different percentages of rest, depending upon the kind and nature of the work done. (219) Lee Galloway. Organization and Management Copyright, 1913, by Alexander Hamilton Institute STUDYING THE ARTICLE The editor of a great newspaper was once asked if it were possible for all persons to learn to write. | "Yes," was the reply, "if they all had something to write about." Without something to write about, he who hopes | to construct advertisements is in the predicament of the man ARTICLES FOR DICTATION 271 who stood in a crowd and said: "My friends, I | am here because I wish to be a speaker, but as there is nothing I can think of to say, | I shall sit down." A few sentences, though arranged grammatically, do not constitute a good advertisement unless there is something | in the language to command the attention of prospective buyers, to develop interest, and to produce conviction. The first essential, | in starting out to write an adver- tisement, is to collect all the information available about the article or service that | is to be advertised. As Irvin S. Cobb says, it is one of the mysteries of the writing busi- ness that, I in order to make the deepest impression on your reader, you must know what you are writing about. Some clever | but superficial work may pass the test, but sooner or later the man who knows nothing about paints or painting, | but who tries to write advertisements that aim to influence people to buy certain paints or do certain kinds of I painting, will betray himself. There is a great deal in this big world of ours to know, and nobody knows | a very large proportion of what there is to learn. Consequently, it is not so very difficult, when one concentrates | on a given subject long enough, to dig up interesting things about it that few people are familiar with. Genius, | said Helvetius, is only concentrated atten- tion. Ordinary raw cotton may seem to be a subject to which there is little; | yet a cotton expert can see so much to cotton that he can grade it in more than thirty difierent | grades. Pig iron seems to be too staple a product to be advertised in any distinctive way, but an enterprising | iron man was able to discover that his product had an unusual percentage of vanadium in it, which ingredient gives | iron greater strength; the use of that point made possible iron- advertising of unusual interest . . . An ice cream manufacturer, who | for yeeu's had contented 272 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES himself with a "standing card" in the local newspaper — which standing card, like the standing army | that Kip- ling wrote about, "just stood" — employed a trained ad- writer to get up some copy. This ice cream maker had | said in his standing card that his ice cream was "rich and pure." This statement was concise enough to please | the worshipers of brevity, but, unfortunately, the claim for richness and purity was stated in such a hackneyed way, having | been said in perhaps just those words by thousands of different advertisers, that it made httle or no impression on | the reading pubHc. The ad- writer began to dig. He was not long in finding out that this maker's ice cream | was, by several per cent, richer in butter fat than any other ice cream made in that city. He unearthed | the fact that this ice cream man made tutti-frutti and hickory nut flavors, but never gave any publicity to | these things, thinking that housekeepers knew them. They didn't. It was comparatively easy for this man with a "nose I for news" to get ice cream items that made inter- esting reading. He wrote a "Sunday-Dinner-Dessert- Suggestion" advertisement and | others that were equally interesting. Not long ago the advertisers of Trinidad Asphalt brought out the point that asphalt could | be made that seemed chemically exactly like the South American product, but went on to argue that the Trinidad material | had baked for years under the broiling sun of the tropics. Here was a vital fact that appealed to the | interest and reason of the readers. (646) S. Roland Hall. Writing an Advertisement Copyright, 1915, by S. Roland Hall ARTICLES FOR DICTATION 273 THE BASIS OF BUSINESS REWARDS What is the thing for which employers are willing to pay the highest maiket rate? I believe it is judgment. \ And what is judgment? Webster says it is "the faculty of de- ciding rightly, justly, and wisely." If Webster had tried | to frame a definition specifically for business, he could not have done better. The faculty of deciding rightly, justly, and | wisely! That, my friends, is what the em- ployer is most willing to spend his money for. Why was Judge Gary | made the head of the United States Steel Corporation? Because he knew intimately all the details of steel-making? No. | It was because he had proved that he possessed judgment — the faculty of deciding rightly, justly, and wisely. ... Judgment is | the biggest asset a business man cgui have, with the single exception of honesty. Every other quahty for success may | be present, but without judgment they do not carry a man far. And what is the basis of judgment? I I do not know what the psychologists would say, but I imagine that there are three things on which it is | founded. First comes knowledge. A problem is presented: the man who is to solve it must first divide it into | its factors. What are the proved principles applying to each part? ... If you have learned the right principles, and if | your mind works logically, you can line up the arguments for and against, and you C£ui apply the necessary principles | to the given statements of fact. But does your mind work logically? That, I am afraid, is where some of | us are weak. The analysis of problems — the clear-sighted tearing apart of situations in order to get at the | nub of the matter — that is the second basis of judgment. . . . There is still a third foundation stone in the j structure of judgment. It is experience. Knowledge and logical 274 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES thinking may be obtained and developed largely in the university. Experience | is bought more dearly. Theo- retically, one set of arguments for a proposition, when bal- anced against another set of arguments, may | lead infallibly to a certain conclusion. Actually, the decision may not be so easily rendered. Only long contact with similar | prob- lems, only thorough knowledge of men, only long acquaint- ance with people, with methods, and with results can justify close judgments | on many of the big problems of business. . . . If you plan to go high in the business world — and all | of you do — you will consciously set about teaching your- self to reason. Even in the small things of life you | will try to avoid acting on impulse; you will analyze, balance, and reach decisions so far as possible on the | basis of careful judgment. And you will learn to do all this rapidly. . . . Most business decisions must be quick decisions. | To decide quickly, and to decide rightly a fair proportion of the time, is the universal characteristic of big business | men. Do not be impatient if large salaries and important positions do not come at once. In the long run | salaries are pretty well adjusted to services rendered, and the services that you render can never deserve the maximum compen- sation I until brains and years have brought to you judg- ment — the faculty of wise decision — the rarest and most valuable faculty | in business. (542) R. S. Butler. The Basis of Business Rewards, Commerce Magazine THE BUSINESS POSITION When you take your first business position, it will prob- ably be at a low salary and the most valuable thing | you will get for your first few months' work will be experience. Put in extra time on the job, but | don't drop the study of ARTICLES FOR DICTATION 275 your shorthand or bookkeeping. Continue to study even- ings. Study every angle of your employer's business | too as though you were being paid the salary of the president, and were expecting to take over his job | soon. Pitch in, don't watch the clock, it won't get away. Take more interest in the business than the old | boss himself. Above all things be thorough in your work. "Initiative, perseverance, courage and all other attri- butes of business success | are secondary to the attribute of thoroughness." — John Hays Hammond. Use system in the routine of your daily work at | the office. System means simply the ability to get the thing done; to get it done thoroughly, and to get | it done on time. No matter how lowly and unimportant the task, it can be made to provide a complete | training course in system and or- ganization, if its owner cares to make it so. (194) GUIDE TO BUSINESS SUCCESS A few guide posts to success in an office which have been adopted by many large business organizations for employees | are given for the information of the reader to assist him in being a success at this stage of his | journey. Rule 1 — We are all human and make mistakes. But a mistake may be made the keystone of system | — the foundation of success. The secret is simple: Dont make the same mistake twice. The misspelling of a customer's | name — an error in your form of address — an unfulfilled promise ; these are valuable assets if they teach you exactness. | Let your mistakes shape your system and your system will prevent such mistakes. When you discover a mistake sit down | then and there and arrange to prevent its repetition. Paint it on your walls ; emblazon it on your door ; frame | it over your desk; think it to yourself ; burn into your brain 276 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES this one essential to success: Dont make \ the same mistake twice. Rule 2 — Don't let go of a single paper, letter, or a duty of any | kind entrusted to your care for execution, until you have made a "tickler" memo of it, so you can follow | it up to the end and know what becomes of it. Rule 3 — Interview your "tickler" every morning. Make it I the first "office assistant" you see and consult at -every day's beginning. Then plan your day's work in accordance with I what the "tickler" tells you to do on that day. Rule 4 — After the "tickler" has been consulted and you | have clearly fixed in your mind the important things that must be done to-day, the new papers coming over your | desk next deserve attention. Rule 5 — Whatever unfinished work you have left over at night should always be left in | the upper right-hand drawer of your desk. This does not mean part of your unfinished work — and the rest | of it scattered through seventeen different pigeon-holes. It means all of it; the first rule of system is to | have one definite, unvarying place for each kind of work. If by any chance you can't get it all I in the drawer, see that a memo is placed in the drawer stating where the overflow can be found. Rule I 6 — Men who make and break promises are not always men who are intentionally dishonest. Sometimes they are simply good-natured, | and dislike to say "No" when asked to accomplish a given task. Yet there is no worker who causes | more trouble for others, and more unhappiness for himself, than the man who continually makes loose agreements without first carefully | calculat- ing their feasibility. To break this habit should be the foremost purpose of the system man. Let him resolve to I make no promises that he can't reasonably fulfill on schedule time. ARTICLES FOR DICTATION 277 The main reason why you want to be | thorough and successful in your office work is because it is a part of the foundation of your career. This | position must be only a stepping-stone to something better, but you cannot step to something better unless you have | done this task well. The time will come when you will say to your employer that you are going to | resign to accept a better position and you should ask him to give you a letter of recommendation concerning your | services to him. Put this away carefully among your treasures. When you are about to leave your employer, do not | shirk his work during the last week or last few days. Work harder than ever to leave everything in the | best of shape for your successor. You should give your employer ten days or a couple of weeks' notice of | your intention to resign so that he may secure a successor to fill your place. When you leave, leave with | the best wishes of your employer. (646) E. H. Cooper. How to Prepare for Civil Service ADVERTISING AS A BUSINESS FORCE A canner of baked beans had been advertising for years that his beans were the best canned beans that could | be produced. In spite of careful devising and skillful execution of his advertising plans his sales increased only moderately. One I day he — or his advertising agent for him — made an analysis of his market. His methods of analysis and his | figures are his own secret, but he found something like this: About sixty per cent of the families in "his | market" did not use baked beans at all as a regular part of their diet. About twenty per cent preferred | to bake their own beans, and about ten per cent were using his beans, leaving ten per cent of the | possible trade in the hands of his com- 278 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES petitors. Then he saw a great hght. He had been adver- tising merely to | keep the ten per cent of the possible bean trade of his region which he already had, and to win | from his competitors a share of another ten per cent, but he was making no effective appeal to eighty per | cent of the possi- ble trade. He had analyzed his product, but he had not made a study of his possible | market. The advertising plan was rearranged to appeal to the two great unreached classes — those who did not use baked | beans and those who baked their own — and before long the results were surprisingly good. And then the growth slackened. | A leak had developed somewhere and only a small part of the expected effects of the advertising came back in | the shape of business. Another investigation showed that the advertising appeal was not adequately co-ordinated with the distribution system. These | beans were not always "present" when consumer-interest became consumer-demand — when Mrs. Consumer asked her grocer for a can | of Mr. Advertiser's beans. This was a more difficult problem to solve than the other, and the manufacturer is not | at all sure that he has it solved even yet. At least he is skeptical about the perma- nence of his I solution. But he is sure that his advertising is giving him results far better than those he secured when he I based his plans on one or two instead of all three of the elements of the situation — the goods, the | market, and the system of distribution. He now sees advertising in its various aspects as a business force. Advertising as | a business force is the theme of this study. It is our plan to investigate this side of the sub- ject I by examining concrete cases chosen from such records as an) available. Advertising technique we shall study only incidentally, leaving a | detailed discussion to others. Furthermore, we shall seek to simplify our study by con- ARTICLES FOR DICTATION 279 fining our attention to the advertising problems | connected with the sale of those articles which find their final outlet in consumption in small units — goods finally sold | at retail. We shall try to find what is true in this field first, rather than to generaUze over all | the possible fields of advertising activity. If we can find how advertising is tied up with the various steps in | distributing hardware, groceries, dry goods, drugs, and the like, we may establish principles which can be traced as working in | community publicity, railway advertising, and the other fields where the desired ends are attained by more indirect methods. A good I chess player never forgets that he is in the game for one thing. He w ants to checkmate his opponent's king. | He may be able to do it in two moves, or he may take a hundred moves to do it. | But that one thing is what he is after. And so the good advertiser never loses sight of the fact I that he is aiming finally at sales. He may be moving the pawn of general publicity, he may be protecting | a castle of fixed price, he may be making any one of a thousand advertising moves, but ultimately he expects | his advertis- ing by its effects on sales to make his business bigger, or steadier, or more permanent, or more profitable, | or all of these together. (685) P. T. Cherington. Advertising as a Business Force Copyright, 1913. by the Associated Advertising Club of the World. All rights reserved, including that of translation into foreign languages including the Scandanavian. INTERPRETATIVE FUNCTION OF THE ACCOUNTANT Students of bookkeeping should realize that the mechani- cal routine work of recording transactions is but a stepping- stone to the I larger, broader field of accounting. The subject of accounting may be divided into four paits — constructive, recording, analytical, and interpreta- 280 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES live. I Under the first division is included the designing of accounting systems and the preparation of financial state- ments. The systems designed | may be the forms, records, and accounts to be used for obtaining the general financial condition of a concern or | for arriving at its cost of pro- duction. Bookkeeping is the recording division of account- ing and consists of making entries in | the designed system, so that the assets, liabilities, losses and gains of the busi- ness may be determined. The third division | of accounting is usually called audit- ing, and for the most part concerns itself with the verifica- tion of entries already made | in the books of account. Investigations as to the value of a business are also included under the general term | of auditing, since the accountant must analyze the conditions of a business in order to deter- mine its value. The fourth | division of accounting consists of inter- preting the records of the past so that they may be used as a basis | in determining the administrative policies of the future. It is not sufficient to know that past transac- tions are properly recorded | in books of account. These summarized bookkeeping facts for past periods indicate the result of the administrative policies in force | during those periods. The business man who fails to utilize this information in deciding future policies deprives himself of one I of the surest and safest methods of determining the proper path. The interpretation of the results of past policies is | par- ticularly fascinating in that the work is constantly changing and demands the most careful attention of the business executive. It | is this phase of the subject of accounting that the student of bookkeeping should always keep in mind. (318) F. H. Elwell, Principles of Bookkeeping ARTICLES FOR DICTATION 281 THE RETAIL STORE It is readily seen that one of the most important sources of the competitive strength of the specialty store lies | in its convenience to the public. The great department stores do a large business in groceries, meats, household equip- ment, clothing, I and other staples; but it would be hard to conceive of a city in which a few great central depart- ment I stores could monopolize this type of business. The "corner" grocery store, the local drug store, the exclusive haberdashery, the specialty | shoe shop, offer conveniences that the public demands. In outlying districts these small specialty shops serve as neighborhood centers; in | the down-town districts they have an appeal all their own. They exist because a large proportion of the buying | pub- lic finds that they offer conveniences in immediate delivery, personal service, complete stocks, etc., that many depart- ment stores cannot | in the nature of things offer. The specialty store also can often offer a complete stock in its one line, | as against the more restricted stocks in many lines of the average department store. This advan- tage is not universal, however. | One large department store in Chicago, for instance, carries a larger stock of jewelry than all, except two or three, | of the lai'gest spe- cialty jewelry shops. But it is to be expected generally that the progressive store owner who gives | his entire thought to one kind of goods will be able to offer customers a larger assortment of those goods | than the paid buyer of a small section in a large department store. The specialty store owner should be able | to offer his customer a more personal service than can be offered by the department store. He knows many of | his customers personally; he usually relies less on transient trade; and he is in better position to select a stock | that will meet the requirements of a known market. The personal touch is 282 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES of great importance in business. The owner's | personality has made many successful specialty stores. To be sure, there is almost an equal opportunity for the capitalization of I personality on the part of the section buyer in a de- partment store. Yet it is less difficult for the small | store owner to impress his personality and his methods upon his subordinates than it is for a superior to do | the same thing in a great system-ruled department store. Inasmuch as the specialty store owner usually knows his trade | and can readily adjust his stock to known needs, he should be able to carry relatively smaller stocks and thereby | turn his capital faster than the department store buyer whose market is wider and less stable. Perhaps this is more | a theoretical than an actual advantage, because we find that the record for turnovers is held usually by department stores. | The opportunity is the greater, how- ever, for the specialty store owner who is of equal caliber with the department store | man. (481) R. S. Butler. Marketing Methods Copyright, 1917, by Alexander Hamilton Institute THE JOBBER'S SERVICE Although the fact that the jobber lowers the cost of wholesale distribution of many manufactured articles is an important point | in his defense, his chief justification is found in the fact that his services make possible the exist- ence of the I thousands of neighborhood retail stores which our buying habits demand. The best way to understand what the jobber does for | the retailer is to imagine a typical successful store of the smaller sort — a neighborhood gro- cery store, for example. This | store has on its shelves one thousand or more different kinds and brands of goods. They are usually made by | several hundred different manufac- ARTICLES FOR DICTATION 283 turers. The store has been buying its stock from three or four jobbers. Now suppose that all | the jobbers are elimi- nated overnight. The retail merchant wakes up some morning to find that there are no more jobbers; | he must buy every item in his stock direct from the manufacturer. What would be the effect? The retailer in | such a case would have great difficulty in keeping complete stocks in any line. When buying from a jobber, he | can keep a memorandum of needed suppUes, and give a lump order when the jobber's salesman makes his rounds. Even | with this easy method of ordering, the average retailer finds it exceedingly difficult always to have on hand a supply | of even the commonest staples. With no jobber to supply him, the necessity of constant reorder- ing from many manufacturers would | be an obstacle to the retailer's success which could be avoided only by an elaborate and expensive system of stock | records and pur- chasing procedure. The actual time spent in seeing the salesmen of several hundred manufacturers or in ordering from | their cata- logues would be enormous. Under the jobbing system, the retailer finds that a great part of his time is | taken up with seeing competing jobbers' representatives and the salesmen of the comparatively small number of manufacturers that sell direct. | With the jobber eliminated, only the largest stores, employing many responsible buyers, could survive. The retailer would have great difficulty | in keeping a well-selected and a well-balanced stock. The average dealer, necessarily without specific knowledge of the quality | and selling value of every competing line in his stock, would be importuned constantly by a horde of salesmen to | stock large quantities of one line at the expense' of another. One of the greatest services rendered by the jobber | is the aid his salesmen give the retailer in keeping a carefully 284 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES selected, carefully balanced stock of goods. The jobber | is keenly aware of the necessity of cultivating the continued good will of his trade; he knows that his own | success depends on each of his customers; he knows that the secret of retail success is largely a matter of | minimum stocks, quick turnovers of capital, and frequent purchases. With the jobber gone, it is not to be expected that | each one of a multitude of competing manufacturers would have the same solicitude for the individual retailer's continued success that | the jobber now has for his customers. The jobber ordinarily does not push any one kind of goods. He tries | to build up the retailer's business as a whole, and he renders valuable service by aiding him with all kinds | of buying and selling plans. In many lines the retailer dealing direct with the manu- facturer would have to purchase in | much larger quanti- ties than if he bought from the jobber, because the solici- tation of small orders would not pay the | small one-line manufacturer. The dealer would require larger capital than is now needed in his business. If his business | remained of the same size he would have more capital tied up in goods, he could turn his capital less | frequently, £uid consequently his profits would be lower. He would either have to go out of business or his prices | to his customers would have to be greatly increased. Larger purchases in each line would require increased storage space. The | small dealer now relies on the jobber to carry his surplus stock for him. The warehouse function of the jobber | thus works to the great advantage of manu- facturer and retailer alike. As has already been said, the wise dealer buys | often and in small quantities, and not only turns his capital many times a year, but also does business with | a minimum of overhead expense. Greater warehouse charges would increase his own cost of doing ARTICLES FOR DICTATION 285 business, and would be reflected | either in his prices to the pubHc or in decreased profit for himself. Without the jobber there would probably be | a cessa- tion of the credit arrangement through which the jobber furnishes many a retailer with most of the capital with | which he conducts his business. The struggling merchant who shows ability can usually find some jobber to back him until I he gets on his feet. In every town there are retailers who would have to close their doors to-morrow if | it were not for the leniency and good will of a jobber. The jobber often extends the retailer credit, not | from mere good nature, but because it is good business to help the man who gives evidence of being able | to succeed. With the withdrawal of the jobber and the keen desire of many competing manufacturers to get their money | without delay and without risk of loss, the average man desiring to go into business would be unable to command | enough capital to conduct a retail store. (907) R. S. Butler. Marketing Methods Copyright, 1917, by Alexander Hamilton Institute CAPITAL SAVED BY BEING CONSUMED Capital is as truly consumed as any other form of wealth, and exists only for that purpose. The only difference | is that consumption in this case does not result in satisfac- tion of a human want, but in the production of | a new good into which passes the value of the capital consumed. The widespread impression that it is better for | a man to spend his substance in riotous living than to save it rests in part upon this truth. Wealth | plainly does not perform its function when hoarded, and the popular objection to hoard- ing is certainly justified in part. Wealth | is lost for the time being when it is simply hoarded. Only when it is 286 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES employed can we call it | truly saved. But while this is true it by no means follows that all using of wealth is ad- vantageous to I the community. The man who uses his wealth in such a way that a hundred men are induced to work I for a week in preparing a feast which goes in a night does not profit the community. That labor does | not produce anything which the community can enjoy, only a feast for a prodigal. The fact that he pays them | for their work only means that he enables them to get a share of the community's stock of goods, but | he does nothing to increase that stock. We see, therefore, that it is the productive use of wealth, its use | as capital, which benefits the community. Luxury and poverty have gone hand in hand all through human history. (258) Richard T. Ely. Outlines of Economics Copyright, 1893, by Hunt & Eaton DIVISION OF LABOR A characteristic feature of the organization of the factors in the present stage of industrial enterprises is what is com- monly I cajled a division of labor, but which might with equal propriety be called a co-operation of labor. Produc- tive processes, especially | in manufactures, are divided into minute parts, and one part, or perhaps two or three very small parts, given to | each laborer. One man makes one little part of a watch, another a second, and there are so many little | parts that it is said that it requires the co-opera- tion of at least three hundred persons to organize properly a I watchmaking establishment. There are sixty or seventy distinct branches in the manufacture of a piano, and as many in the | manufacture of a boot. But the word co-operation used shows that the men are working together. The parts divided must | be united to form one whole. When the ARTICLES FOR DICTATION 287 phrase division of labor is used, we look at one side of | the process; when the word co-operation, at another. Division of labor, machinery, and the use of natural powers, like water, | steam, and electricity, are the chief part of the explanation of the marvelous increase in the productivity of the productive | factors, one man performing the labor now which formerly required the labor of ten, one hundred, or even a thousand | men. (221) ADVANTAGES OF DIVISION OF LABOR The advantages of a division of labor have been enu- merated as follows: First, a gain of time. A change of | operations costs time. Less time also is consumed in learn- ing one's business, as the labor of each is more simple. | Second, greater skill is acquired, because each person con- fines himself to one operation and in that becomes remark- ably proficient. Third, | labor is used more advantageously. Some parts of an industrial process can be performed by a weak person, others require | unusual physical strength; some require extraordinary intelligence, some can be per- formed by a man of very ordinary intellectual powers, and | so on indefmitely. Each one is so employed that his entire power is utilized, and work is found for all, | young and old, weak and strong, stupid and intellectually gifted. Fourth, inventions are more frequent, because the indus- trial processes are | so divided that it is easy to see just where an improvement is possible. Besides this, when a person is | exclusively engaged in one simple operation he often reflects on this, understands it thoroughly, and sees how the appliances he | uses could be improved. Work- men have made many important inventions. Fifth, capital is better utilized. Each workman uses one set | of tools or one part of a set, and keeps that employed all the time. 288 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES When each workman does many | things he has many tools, and some are always idle. (230) Richard T. Ely. Outlines of Economics Copyright, 1893, by Hunt & Eaton AMERICAN INDUSTRIAL DEMOCRACY In no war that ever occurred have the Government and the workingmen joined together as they are doing in the | United States to-day. In every department of our Govern- ment that employs labor, or fixes the prices that manu- facturers charge, or | the wages that employers pay, a leading representative of labor is on the committee, and he has as much power | as the representative of the capi- talists. The president of the United Mine Workers of America is assistant to Garfield, the | Fuel Administrator. The president of the Building Trades Department of the American Federation of Labor is on the Emergency Con- struction I Board for building ships; a leading organizer of the American Federation of Labor is on the great War Industries Board | which controls all kinds of manufacturing ; a trade unionist is Secretary of Labor. These and many other trade union officials | were named and placed there by the trade unions themselves, because these war boards have become the big employers of | labor, or else they have control over the wages that private employers pay. AU through these industries of the country | President Wilson is enforcing, as fast as the boards can get to it, the eight-hour day and time and | one-half for overtime. Agreements with the unions also provide that wages shall be revised just as fast as | the cost of living goes up, so that they will always keep ahead of the cost. But most important of | all, these agreements with the trade unions give the same wages and hours to non-union ARTICLES FOR DICTATION 289 Style IX. — SALES LETTER-HEAD Note illustrations used at top and bottom of sheet; note also that in this form letter the address is not filled in. Frank E.Davis Company Salt Mackerel Codfish, Fresh Lobster. Etc. Gloucester.Mass AufUit d, 1918. Ife'i., t, in that good uic.i feel that you i fish 4iOr« oftor. i ti.at is FISH. Red Alaska 1^^ sale ia re- present at olanty Cf ; Mil ill enjoy Is an jLlfish flaked f9w toiled ^ fat served There ' s r. -:i -bst.jr 'ir. quita 3jre ■\lftis than f,:-3St tha if J 111 intry ^BD-'F-T ■ ... i.dvis CoBpany. P.S. It's n " -,- -lirr !>T-fflPsi.d' I think ■;j Ki^ht from ■ !'e Fishuxg Boats to Vjovi « 290 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES men. All labor in this | country is benefiting because organized labor is actually taking its part in running the Government. The manufacture of army clothing | is taken out of sweat- shops, and minimum wages for women are fixed, with the well-known woman organizer of | the Consumers' League in charge. The Government is stopping child labor in £iU factories throughout the country. Nothing like it | ever happened before, and anybody who says that this is a capitalistic war simply does not see what is going I on. Never before has democracy for wage-earn- ing men and Avomen made anywhere near the progress that it has made | in the nine months of this war. If this is a capitalist's war it is just as much a workingmeui's | war, conducted for workingmen, by workingmen. CapitaUsts are being controlled in their profits, and in the wages and hours of I their laborers, with the help of leaders whom the workingmen themselves have put there. The President of the United States | attends the great convention of organ- ized labor at Buffalo, and notifies all employers of his stand for labor's claims. If | American labor continues as it has begun, it wiU come out of this war with the universal eight-hour day | and with as much power to fix its own wages by its own representatives as employers have. And employers are | co-operating with labor for the common purpose of winning the war. No wonder that the American Federation of Labor, as | is shown by the vote at the recent Buffalo convention, sup- ports the war almost unanimously and stands for fighting it I out to the limit, almost to a man. Its members know that this is really a war for democ- racy, because | they are taking part in it, and are sharing in the conduct of it. They see how it works from | the inside every day in the week. Never before was a war carried on ARTICLES FOR DICTATION 291 by workingmen to the extent that | this war is being carried on. And never before, in war or in peace, was the voice of labor in | government so powerful as it is now in America. Any workingman in Wisconsin or any other state who backs off I at this time and refuses to stand by the great majority of his fellow workingmen who are doing this great | work for labor, is injuring himself and his brothers. A democracy in which the wage-earner has his share of | influence is coming ; and if it does not come as it should, the reason will be that some wage earners | cu^e misled and don't know democracy when they see it, or don't support it when they know it. (698) John R. Cojvimons. War Book of the University of Wisconsin KNOWLEDGE VIEWED IN RELATION TO PROFESSIONAL SKILL If then a practical end must be assigned to a University course, I say it is that of training good | members of society. Its art is the art of social life, and its end is fitness for the world. It I neither confines its views to particular profes- sions on the one hand, nor creates heroes or inspires genius on the other. | Works indeed of genius fall under no art; heroic minds come under no rule; a university is not a birthplace | of poets or of immortal authors, or founders of schools, leaders of colonies, or conquerors of nations. It does not | promise a generation of Aristotles or New tons, of Napoleons or Washingtons, of Raphaels or Shakespeares, though such miracles of nature | it has before now con- tained within its precincts. Nor is it content on the other hand with forming the critic | or the experimentalist, the economist or the engineer, though such too it includes within its scope. But a university training | is the great ordinary means to a great but ordineu'y end; it aims at 292 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES raising the intellectual tone of society, | at cultivating the public mind, at purifying the national taste, at supplying true principles to popular enthusiasm and fixed aims | to popular aspiration, at giving enlargement and sobriety to the ideas of the age, at facilitating the exercise of political | power, and refining the intercourse of private life. It is the education which gives a man a clear conscious view j of his own opinions and judgments, a truth in developing them, an eloquence in expressing them, and a force in | urging them. It teaches him to see things as they are, to go right to the point, to disentangle a | skein of thought, to detect what is sophistical, and to discard what is irrele- vant. It prepares him to fill any | post with credit, and to master any subject with facility. It shows him how to accommodate himself to others, how | to throw himself into their state of mind, how to bring before them his own, how to influence them, how | to come to an understanding with them, how to bear with them. He is at home in any society, he | has common ground with every class; he knows when to speak and when to be silent; he is able to | converse, he is able to listen; he can ask a question per- tinently, and gain a lesson seasonably, when he has | noth- ing to impart himself; he is ever ready, yet never in the way; he is a pleasant companion, and a | comrade you can depend upon; he knows when to be serious and when to trifle, and he has a sure | tact which enables him to trifle with gracefulness and to be serious with eff'ect. He has the repose of a | mind which lives in itself, while it lives in the world, and which has resources for its happiness at home I when it cannot go abroad. He has a gift which serves him in public, and supports him in retirement, without | which good fortune is but vulgar, and with which failure and disappointment have a charm. The art which tends to I make a man all this, is in the object which it pursues ARTICLES FOR DICTATION 293 as useful as the art of wealth or | the art of health, though it is less susceptible of method, and less tangible, less certain, less complete in its | result. (561) John Henry Newman WORK OF THE PLANNING DEPARTMENT lUustraling Modern Scientific Management Q. You said, Mr. Scheel, you were the head of the plan- ning department. I wish you would describe or state | what that planning department consists of, who the mem- bers are, and their various functions. A. The planning department consists of | those of the staff of the factory. It consists of the routing clerk, a cost clerk — Q. (interrupting). You are | the head.^ A. Yes. Q. You are called the head.^ A. Yes. Q. WTiat is the next person.^ A. The I man sitting next to me is the cost clerk or the cost accountant clerk. He is assisted by a cost | clerk, who works up the preliminary figures for him. Q. What does the cost clerk or the cost accountant do.^ | A. The cost accountant draws conclusions from time cards, store cards, memorandum of the cotton used and the distribution of | expense to the different kinds of fabric and accounts generally. Q. He is currently keeping daily the cost of the | article produced, is he.^ A. Yes, so that some result may be attained. The fun- damental figures are worked up daily. | The results are worked up monthly or every six months. 294 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES Q. Next to the cost accountant is the cost clerk. | What is the next person? A. The routing clerk, for the latter portion of the mill. Q. Is there more | than one routing clerk .^ A. Yes, there are two routing clerks. There is one for the weaving room and the | departments allied to it — Q. (interrupting). The finishing.^ A. The finishing and the warping and winding, where the warps are | prepared and where the filling is prepared. The other routing clerk directs the manufacture as to kind in the card | room and spinning room and twisters. Q. What does the routing clerk do.^ A. He keeps a schedule showing what | work is in pro- cess and what work is planned for. Q. That is, he makes up really the time-table, | does he, of all the work as it goes through these eighteen different departments .*^ A. Yes. Q. And there are | stations at which they are due right through these departments? A. Yes. Q. And he is keeping all the time | records as to just what there is at each station as it comes along? A, Yes. Q. Whether it is | on time or overdue? A. Yes, or ready in preparation. Q. What is the next official? A. There is a | balance-of-stores clerk in the office. Q. What does he do? A. All stores are issued on cards, cards | showing the taking out of stores. All receipts and all orders pass through his desk. He keeps the tonnage balance | of materials in stores. Q. He is the one who keeps account of just what there is at all times, | so he may determine what there should be? ARTICLES FOR DICTATION 295 A. Yes. Q. The next one is what? A. The timekeepers. | There are four of them They work up the time cards. Their work is finished when the entry is made | on the pay roll, and the entries for the day on the pay roll checked. Q. What next.^ A. There | are the investigators. Q. How many of them are there .►^ A. There are six. Q. Six investigators, and what are | their duties.'^ A. They are engaged in investigating problems in vari- ous parts of the mill, all the time studying and | working in the training of the workmen to bring them up to the standard. That about covers it, I think. | Q. The gang boss is doing the training of the workmen, is he not.^ A. Not initially, necessarily, but the | gang boss does that currently. When a thing is once established, the out- side people keep going, but the investigator is | a superior brain that gets it started and makes the preHminaiy studies and investigation. (634) Brandeis. Scientific Management and Railroads By permission, The Engineering IVIagazine Company A PORTION OF THE ADDRESS OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES Delivered at Washiington, Flag Day, June 14, 1917 The mihtary masters under whom Germany is bleeding see very clearly to what point Fate has brought them. If they I fall back or are forced back an inch, their power both abroad and at home will fall to pieces hke | a house of cards. It is their power at home they are thinking about now more 296 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES than their power abroad. | It is that power which is trem- bhng under their very feet ; and deep fear has entered their hearts. They have | but one chance to perpetuate their mihtary power or even their controUing poHtical influence. If they can secure peace now | with the immense advan- tages still in their hands which they have up to this pdint apparently gained, they will have | justified themselves be- fore the German people: they will have gained by force what they promised to gain by it: an | immense expansion of German power, an immense enlargement of German industrial and commercial opportunities. Their prestige will be secure, and | with their prestige their political power. If they fail, their people will thrust them aside; a govern- ment accountable to the | people themselves will be set up in Germany as it has been in England, in the United States, in France, | and in all the great countries of the modern time except Germany. If they succeed they are safe and Germany | and the world are undone; if they fail Gerrnany is saved and the world will be at peace. If they | succeed, America will fall within the menace. We and all the rest of the world must remain armed, as they | will remain, and must make ready for the next step in their aggression; if they fail, the world may unite | for peace and Germany may be of the union. Do you not now understand the new intrigue, the in- trigue for I peace, and why the masters of Germany do not hesitate to use any agency that promises to effect their pur- pose, I the deceit of the nations? Their present particular aim is to deceive all those who throughout the world stand for I the rights of peoples and the self-government of na- tions; for they see what immense strength the forces of justice I and of liberalism are gathering out of this war. They are employing liberals in their enterprise. They are using men, | in Germany and without, as their spokesmen ARTICLES FOR DICTATION 297 Style X. — MILITARY CORRESPONDENCE Note formal statement of data at the top of the sheet; compare with Style VII, House Correspondence. Note also numbered para- graphs, omission of salutation and complimentary close, and reply by endorsement at the foot of the sheet. HEADQUARTERS WISCONSIN DETACHMENT 5th PROV. training REGIMENT 161 DEPOT BRIGA[JE Nov. 27, 1918. Froa: Cornmandlns Officer, WIb. Det. 5th Ltd. Serv. Reg. Madleon, Wis. To: Pvt. Geo. Smith, Wis. Det. 5th Ltd. Serv. Reg. Eagle River, Wie. Subject: Military Correspondence. 1. . Examination has just been made of the correspondence files of this office. This correspondence gives us an accurate conception of the cor- rectness with which the soldiers in this command perform their duties. Your correspondence is of a varied character, sometimes furnishing exact- ly the information requested and sometimes doing exactly the opposite. 2. In a Command so distributed ae this, the impression that the Command- ing Officer gets of the soldier is dependent entirely upon his correspond- dence. You can improve your record of efficiency greatly by more careful attention to the form and substance of your letters. Sometimes even when the substance of your correspondence is satisfactory, the appearance creates an unsatisfactory impression. In your own interest, therefore, you should make an improvement in the form end substance of your correspondence, as this will mean an earlier recommendation for promotion. 3. You are directed to acquaint youreelf thoroughly with the forms of correspondence as contained in some standard text ae especially indicated by order 9. 4. You are requested to acknowledge receipt by indorsement hereon. Edward A, Fltzpatrick Major of Infantry U.S.A. Commanding Detacluient 1st Ind. Pvt. Geo. Smith. Local Board of Vilas County, Eagle River, Wis. Nov. 28, 1918. To: Commanding Officer Wis. Det. 5th Ltd. Serv. Reg. Capitol Bldg., Uadlson, Wis, 1. Returned. 2. Receipt acknowledged. Geo . Smith Pvt. Wis. Det. Ltd. Ser. Reg. 298 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES whom they have hitherto despised and oppressed, using them for their own destruction, | — sociahsts, the leaders of labor, the thinkers they have hitherto sought to silence. Let them once succeed and these men, | now their tools, will be ground to powder beneath the weight of the great military empire they will have set | up; the revolutionists in Russia will be cut off from all succor or co-operation in western Europe and a counter | revolution fostered and supported; Germany herself will lose her chance of free- dom; and all Europe will arm for the next, | the final struggle. The sinister intrigue is being no less actively conducted in this country than in Russia and in | every country in Europe to which the agents and dupes of the Imperial German Government can get access. That government | has many spokesmen here, in places high and low. They have learned discretion. They keep within the law. It is I opinion they utter now, not sedition. They proclaim the liberal purposes of their masters; declare this a foreign war which | can touch America with no danger to either her lands or her institutions; set England at the center of the I stage and talk of her ambition to assert economic dominion throughout the world; appeal to our ancient tradition of isolation | in the politics of the nations; and seek to undermine the government with false professions of loyalty to its principles. | Rut they will make no headway. The false betray them- selves always in every accent. It is only friends and par- tisans I of the German Government whom we have already identified who utter these thinly disguised disloyalties. The facts are patent to | all the world, and nowhere are they more plainly seen than in the United States, where we £ire accustomed to | deal with facts and not with sophistries; and the great fact that stands out above all the rest is ARTICLES FOR DICTATION 299 that I this is a People's War, a war for freedom and justice and self-government amongst all the nations of the | world, a war to make the world safe for the peoples who Uve upon it and have made it their | own, the German people them- selves included; and that with us rests the choice to break through all these hypocrisies and | patent cheats and masks of brute force and help set the world free, or else stand aside and let it | be dominated a long age through by sheer weight of arms and the arbitrary choices of self-constituted masters, by | the nation which can maintain the biggest armies and the most irresistible armaments, — a power to which the world has | afforded no parallel and in the face of which political freedom must wither and perish. For us there is but | one choice. We have made it. Woe be to the man or group of men that seeks to stand in | our way in this day of high resolution when every principle we hold dearest is to be vindicated and made | secure for the salvation of the nations. We aie ready to plead at the bar of history, and our flag | shall wear a new luster. Once more we shall make good with our Uves and fortunes the great faith to | which we were born, and a new glory shall shine in the face of our people. (936) APPENDIX A GLOSSARY OF BUSINESS TERMS, LEGAL TERMS, AND ABBREVIATIONS The business terms here defined are those used in the letters and articles contained in this text. A glossary of this kind is not intended to take the place of a dictionary, for the student should form the valua- able habit of frequent reference to a large dictionary and to other works of reference. The legal terms are those most commonly met with in correspondence. For convenient reference, the three glossaries are combined in one. A A 1 ■ — first quality A.B. — Bachelor of Arts abatement — discount or reduction in price abbr. — abbreviation accelerate — to move faster accept (goods) — usually refers to taking goods from freight or express company acceptance — agreement by the person on whom the draft is drawn, called the drawee, to act as the person making the dr£ift, called the drawer, has requested; that is, to pay the amount named in the draft (see also trade acceptance) accessory — something additional and subordinate accommodations (credit) — see tine of credit accord and satisfaction — an agreement between two parties to a dis- pute by wliich the person claiming something takes less than his claim accountant — one who keeps accounts acct. — account acid test — any severe test acknowledgment — (business) letter showing that an order has been received; or that any letter has been received; (legal) avowal of the genuineness of one's signature to a document 301 302 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES action — legal process or suit act of God — inevitable accident from causes over which human agency has no control A.D. — (Latin) Anno Domini, in the year of our Lord adequate — fully sufficient adjust — to settle a difficulty, with or without money payment adm. — administrator administrative — having to do with management; executive administrator — one appointed by a court " to settle the estate of a person who dies without leaving a will advantageous — favorable, beneficial advise — to inform aet. — (Latin) aetatis, aged affidavit — statement in writing signed and sworn to by the person making it, before an officier authorized to adminster oaths, as a notary pubUc A.G. — Adjutant General agency, mercantile agency, commercial agency — houses which make a business of securing credit information agt. — agent afias — (Latin) otherwise; when used before a person's name means " known otherwise or formerly as " alibi — (Latin) elsewhere; to prove an alibi, for example, means to prove one's presence elsewhere than at the place where a crime of which one is accused, .was committed aUmony — allowance granted to a woman on legal separation from her husband ally — partner in an undertaking alternating current — electric current that reverses periodicaUy and rapidly A.M. — Master of Arts amply — fully amt. — amount analyze — to separate the parts of a whole anon. — anonymous ans. — answer app. — appendix appeal — removal of a legal action from an inferior to a superior court approximate — nearly but not exactly accurate appurtenances — things or rights which belong to and pass with an estate in lands, as a right of way over lands APPENDIX 303 ar. — arrives arbitrary — exercised according to one's will argument — a reason olFered for or against something armature — part of a motor carrying the conductors which are caused to move through the magnetic field by a current passing through them arraign — to call to answer to an indictment before a court arrogance — haughtiness art. — article assault — attempt to do bodily injury to another assess — to tax; to value, especially for taxation assets — entire property of a person; any possession of value assign — to make over property to another; to make over (give, transfer), . to another assigns — persons to whom property mentioned in a deed may be assigned assn. — association assortment — a classified collection of articles asst. — assistant assumption — something taken for granted attach — to take a person or property into custody of the law until a suit or action can be settled attest — to witness the execution or signature to a document attributes — characteristics atty. — attorney auditing — oflicial examination of accounts Aug. — August auxil. — auxiliary auxiliary — assistant av. — average avail of — to make use of Ave. — avenue avoir. — avoirdupois B back order — order filed when goods are out of stock, for shipment when goods arrive Bagehot — (1826-1877) English writer on economics bail — to release on security ; the security so given bailment — delivery of goods to another in trust for a certain purpose 304 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES bal. — balance balance — amount still owing: balance wheel — wheel to regulate motion bankrupt — one who is unable to pay his debts Bayer Aspirin — a brand of drug derived from sahcyUc acid bbl. — barrel B.C. — Before Christ bdls. — bundles bds. — boards behoove — to be proper for bill — to make a bill or list of; any written document; a note; ac- count of goods sold or services rendered with the price or charge; declaration in writing stating the wrong complained of in an action billet — stick of wood or bar of metal bill of goods — same as invoice bill of lading — signed acknowledgment of goods received for trans- portation Bismarck — (1815-1898) German statesman; founder of German Empire bkt. — basket B/L — see hill of lading bldg. — building bona fide — in good faith; genuine bond — a writing under seal by which a person binds himself to pay a sum of money or perform an act; an interest-bearing certificate issued by a government or corporation branch — - branch house b. rec. — bills receivable B.S. — Bachelor of Science bu. — bushel bul. — bulletin bulk car lot — goods sold in not less than carload lots at a given price bulletin — any periodical pubhcation, especigdly a small one bx. — box C — one hundred Can. — Canada candid — fair, open, outspoken Capt. — Captain caps. — capitals APPENDIX 305 carburetor — a device in an engine for carrying a current of air through liquid fuel so that the air may take up the vapor to form the ex- plosive mixture card room — room in a weaving mill where operation of carding is performed carriers — transportation companies cartage — price paid for cartage; carrying goods by wagon or auto- mobile carton — pasteboard box casing — outer part of automobile tire cat. — catalogue caveat — a warning not to do a certain act until the party notifying is heard caveat emptor — (Latin) let the buyer beware CO. — cubic centimeters C.E. — Civil Engineer cent. — centigrade certified check — check on the face of which has been stamped the word " good," " accepted," or " certified," with the signature of the cashier or paying teller; this shows that the person drawing the check has enough money in the bank to pay the check cessation — stop cf . — confer, compare c.f. & i. — cost, freight, & insurance chain-letter — letter asking the receiver to write several others chap. — chapter charter — a formal document granting special rights or privileges to an individual or a corporation chassis (plural, chassis) — under part of an automobile Chatham, Earl of — (1708-1778) Enghsh statesman, friend of the American colonies checkmate — (chess) to check an adversary's king so that escape is impossible; to defeat utterly check valve — valve through which fluid can pass in only one direction chronological — according to periods of time chucking problem — problem of using proper chucks to hold work in a lathe circuit breaker — form of automatic switch which opens an electric current civ. — civil C.J. — Chief Justice 306 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES clearance advices — information as to time of leaving port clear on steamer — to get permission to leave port clientele — body of followers or customers clip — season's product of wool CO. — Commanding Officer Co. — Company C/o — in care of C.O.D. — collect on delivery coil, induction coil — wire wound on a bobbin so as to concentrate or multiply the effect of an electric current coke — bituminous coal from which some of the gases have been driven by heating in a closed place Col. — Colonel collateral — an additional obligation or security, as, property used as security for a note collectible — capable of being collected common law — the unwritten law that is binding because of long usage and general acceptance, as distinguished from statute law community — body of people living in the same place under the same conditions compensation — remuneration or payment competitor — one who competes; rival in business compliance — act of complying comply — to act in agreement with composition with creditors — agreement between creditors and an in- solvent debtor to accept part of their claims compression — point of compression, reached in starting a gas engine, is the point at which the piston is at the bottom of the stroke, just before the gas is exploded conceived — thought of, originated in the mind concentrate — to gather into one body; to give exclusive attention to concrete cases — specific, definite examples conducive — helpful, leading toward conferred upon — given over to confirmation — final acceptance of order; assurance congestion — overcrowded condition conservation list — list of articles to be used sparingly consideration — the benefit or compensation given to induce parties to enter into a contract consign — to forward or deliver something to some one to be sold or called for APPENDIX 307 consignment — merchandise so forwarded constrained — compelled constructive criticism — criticism intended to improve conditions consumer — one who uses goods and destroys their value, as dis- tinguished from manufacturer ot middleman contemplate — to look forward to ; intend contention — position taken in arguing contract — a formal agreement between two or more parties ; it must be based upon a consideration copyright — exclusive right given to an author to publish and sell his work cordial — hearty, sincere corporation — group of persons treated by the law as a unit or artificial person, with rights or liabilities distinct from those of the persons composing it C.O.S. — Charity Organization Society cost accountant — accountant who figures cost of different operations C.P. — chemically pure C.P.A. — Certified Public Accountant cr. — credit credit — amount paid by debtor on account; amount to which a person or business house may be trusted credit information — information showing how much credit may safely be granted a customer C.S. — Civil Service ct. — cent cumbersome — burdensome current orders — see pending order cut — engraved block or plate for printing c.w.o. — cash with order cwt. — hundred weight cycle — full period of an alternating current; series of operations per- formed during a single stroke of the piston in a gas engine cylinder — piston chamber in an engine data — facts from which conclusions can be drawn D.D. — Doctor of Divinity dead stock — goods that cannot be sold Dec. — December 308 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES decline (securities) — to lessen in price deduct — to take away from def. — definition (s) de facto — ■ (Latin) in fact default — failure to act or pay defendant — one required to make answer in a legal action defer — to postpone deg. — degree(s) delinquency — failure to pay bills on terms agreed to deponent — one who testifies under oath, usually in w riting depositor — one who deposits money in a bank depot — place where goods are stored ; railroad station depreciate — to lessen in price dept. — department device — contrivance, scheme die cut folders — folders cut in special shapes by dies direct current — electric current flowing in one direction only disastrous — attended with disaster disc. — discount discount — deduction from an account, charge, or the like discrepancy — difference between debtor's and creditor's statement of debt discretion — judgment dishonor — to refuse to pay a draft disposition, " Give us disposition of these goods" — " Tell us what to do with these goods " — an expression used by person holding goods but not wishing to assume responsibility for them distribution of goods — process of getting goods from the producer to the consumer do. — ditto, the same dol. — dollar doz. — dozen draft, sight draft — order directing the payment of money, such as an order sent by a creditor to be presented to a debtor by a bank draw on you — to send a draft drudgery — work that is distasteful dry cells — cells in an electric battery whose contents are solid or nearly so dupe — one who has been deceived duplicate — to make a copy of D.V. — (Latin) Deo volente, God willing APPENDIX 309 dwt. — pennyweight dynamic — having energy, powerful E ea. — each economics — science that investigates the laws affecting production, distribution, and consumption of wealth ed. — edition e.g. — (Latin) exempU gratia, for example elapsed — passed elapsed time recorders — machines for recording time spent on a job electro types — facsimile plates for printing, or prints made from such plates elemental — relating to the elements; simple eliminate — to do away with, get rid of embargo — order forbidding certain traffic emblazon — to adorn with bright colors encroach — to intrude, advance beyond normal limits energized — filled with energy entail — to require environmental — relating to environment or surroundings escutcheon — ornamental plate about a keyhole esp. — especially Esq. — Esquire et al. — (Latin) et alii, and others etc. — (Latin) et cetera, and so forth Evinrude motor — a certain make of motor attached to small boats excess — more than the usual or specified amount exclusive — enjoyed to the exclusion of others execution — completion, performance; a judicial writ directing the enforcement of a judgment executive — person responsible for carrying measures into effect executor — person named in a will to carry out its provisions exp. — export expedite — to hasten expiration date — date after which certain action may not be taken expired (discount period) — passed by explosive regulations — government requirements for the sale of explosives export declaration — statement of nature of merchandise intended for export 310 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES export license — document giving governmental permission to export certain merchandise extension — additional time given for payment ; extension — total price for several articles, shown on invoice F F. — Fahrenheit facilitate — to make easy facilities — means for making any action easy fair listed — having a fixed price that gives a fair profit to the dealer and is fair also to the consmner, without further discount; term used of automobile tires fatigued — tired, wearied fatigue point — point after which work is performed less efficiently because the worker is tired feasibility — capability of being done feature — to show prominently Feb. — February fees — reward for services, especially professional services fig. — figure file claim. — to make claim for damage, loss, etc. finance — to plan for payment fluctuating — changing fly wheel — heavy wheel for equalizing the speed of machinery with which it revolves f.o.b. — free on board; purchaser pays the freight from that point fodder yarn — trade term for a variety of hemp yarn foreclosure — action taken to cut off the mortgagor's right to redeem property mortgaged to secure payment of a debt form, form letter — identical letter sent to several persons formulated — stated definitely forwarding agent (export) — agent to whom goods are consigned for shipment fount — oil container in an oil stove or lamp free goods — additional goods given with quantity purchase freight bill — see bill of lading friction — metaphorically used, means disagreement frs. — francs frt. — freight ft. — foot, feet APPENDIX 311 function — action proper to any one or any thing; duty fuse — strip or piece of easily melted metal inserted in an electrical circuit. When the current increases beyond safety, the fuse melts, interrupting the circuit fut. — - future futile — of no importance; useless G gal. — gallon galley proof — strips of paper showing trial impressions from type set, but not made up into pages galvanized — coated with zinc by action of an electric current G.A.R. — Grand Army of the Republic gauge — a measurement Gen. — General gloss. — glossary v Gov. — Governor G.P.A. — General Passenger Agent graphic — vividly described gross profit — profit without subtracting expense of doing business gratis — free guaranty (credit term) — promise by third person to repay seller if buyer does not pay for goods guest card — card given by a member to admit a friend to the pri\Tleges of a club H h. — hour hackneyed — stale, worn-out hdkf . — handkerchief hhd. — hogshead hoard — to lay up a store of food, money, etc. Hon. — Honorable honorarium — honorary payment, usually for services on which no price can be set horde — unorganized body of people h.p. — horse power hygrometer — instrument for measuring degree of moisture of the atmosphere 312 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES ib., ibid. — (Latin) ibidem, in the same place identical — exactly alike identify — to prove to be the same as something already described i.e. — (Latin) id est, that is ignite — to set on fire ignition — apparatus for exploding by an electric spark the charge of gases in the cylinder of a gas engine impart — to communicate the knowledge of, teU importune — to beg earnestly impose — to place upon; deceive in. — inch(es) inaccessible — not approachable inadvertence — neghgence, oversight inc. — incorporated incurring — bringing down upon one's self indorsement -t- something written on the back of a note or document; especially name written on the back of a paper in order to transfer it induce — to influence, as by argument or offer of advantage inducement — something offered to induce initiative — abihty to originate or start injunction — writ or process granted by a court of equity and requiring a party to do or to refrain from doing some act ins. — insurance insistent — persistent, compelling attention inst. — instant, this month int. — interest integrity — honesty intensive — thorough, as contrasted with extensive intestate — one who dies without making a will inv. — invoice inventory — detailed list of property with its estimated value investment — money laid out in the purchase of property for income invoice — list of merchandise iron weight — trade term for measurement of the weight of soling irrelevant — not related to or connected with a topic irrigation — method of supplying land with water by ditches or canals isolation — state of being shut off by itself issuance — issuing, printing issue — number of a magazine or newspaper APPENDIX 313 J Jan. — January jobber — one who buys goods in bulk to sell again to dealers without change of form J.P. — Justice of the Peace Jr. — Junior judgment — decision of a court Justice — Justice of the Peace kick plate — piece of metal fastened to the lower end of a door kilo. — kilogram; kilometer kilowatt hour — energy resulting from activity of one kilowatt con- tinued for one hour Knox, John — (1505-1573) Scottish theological leader and historian Kt. — knight lath yarn — trade term for a variety of hemp yarn lb. — pound I.e. — small letters ledger — book in which a summary of accounts is preserved leniency — mildness, mercy levy — to raise or collect, as by assessment or execution liabilities — debts lignite — variety of coal between peat and bituminous coal Limited, Ltd. — limited partnership consisting of general and special partners, the former being the managers, and the latter contributing the capital, their liability being limited to the amount of their contribution line of credit — amount to which a person may be trusted lithographed — printed from a design etched on stone Utigation — lawsuit log. — logarithm Louis XIV — (1613-1715) king of France; " Le Grand IVIonarque " Loyola, Ignatius — (1491-1556) founder of the Jesuit order l.t. — long ton Lt. — Lieutenant luminous — shining, bright luster — brilliancy, splendor 314 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES M M — noon ; thousand magneto — magneto-dynamo used to generate the current for the electric ignition in a gas engine maintenance — cost of upkeep Maj. — Major mandamus — writ issued by a court to an officer commanding the performance of some act manuscript — hand written copy of magazine, article, book, etc. Mar. — March marg. — margin margin of profit — difference between buying and selling price math. — mathematics mature (charge or bill) — to become due maturities — times when bills, notes, or securities become payable maturity file — file with guides or folders for each day of the week or month, in which material may be filed for attention on a future date maximum — largest possible amount maze — confusion of thought, perplexity M.C. — Member of Congress M.D. — Doctor of Medicine memo. — memorandum, note memorandum of credit — document showing that a sum is credited to a customer's account Messrs. — Messieurs, Gentlemen metaphorical — figurative, relating to a figure of speech mfr. — manufacturer Mgr. — Manager middleman — one who buys in bulk and sells in smaller lots mileage — number of miles a tire can be used without wearing out min. — minute (s) minimum — least possible amount misconstrued — misinterpreted, misunderstood mixer — valve in an engine which admits a mixture of gasoline and air in proper proportions to be exploded Mile. — MademoiseUe mm. — millimeter Mme. — Madame M.O. — money order APPENDIX 315 mo. — month modification — act of modifying; that which is modified Mohammed — (570P-632) founder of Islamism mortgage — legal claim placed on property until a debt is paid mortise-lock — - lock cut into the edge of a door Ms. — manuscript Mum — preparation to prevent odors from perspiration munitions — supplies of warfare, usually guns and explosives myriads — large and indefinite numbers N N. — north Napoleon I — (1769-1821) French emperor N.B. — (Latin) nota bene, note welT needle valve — valve with a plug fitting into an opening, to control the flow of fiquids Nelson, Horatio — (1758-1805) EngHsh admiral net — remaining after the deduction of all charges, loss, etc. neutral territory — salesman's expression for a district in which neither his firm nor competitors have made sales no. — number nonessential list — list of articles not necessary to the conduct of the war; laborers were asked to transfer to industries producing essentials notation on your account — entry on ledger to show amount paid noted freight bill — bill of lading marked by freight agent to show con- dition of goods when they arrived notions — pins, needles, thread, buttons, and other articles for personal use Nov. — November nub — core of a matter, point of a story O O'Connell, Daniel — (1775-1817) leader of the Roman Catholic eman- cipation and Irish Separatist movements Ohm meter — meter for measuring electrical resistance O.K. — correct; all right op. cit. — (Latin) opere citato, in the work quoted open account — account which may remain open, or without payment, for a specified number of days 316 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES opening bill — first invoice sold to a customer opp. — opposite ord. — ordinance, order oz. — - ounce par — equal ; said of securities when the market value equals the face value par. — paragraph partisans — members of a party who are blindly attached to it patent (facts are patent) — clearly seen patronage — business given by regular customers to a merchant pawn, castle — pieces used in chess pending order — order awaiting sljipment per — by; per M. ft., by the thousand feet per an. — (Latin) per annum, by the year persuasion — art of leading to action pf . — preferred phase — any one of various appearances or conditions of an object Pierce Governors — certain brand of device to prevent automobile engines from exceeding a certain speed pilfered — stolen Pitt, William — (1759-1806) English statesman pivot — point on the end of which something turns pkg. — package pi. — plural plight — bad condition, trouble P.M. — afternoon ; post master P.O. — post office Pol. Econ. — Political Economy portable — capable of being carried post — to enter an item properly in a book of account potent — having great power potential — existing in possibility only pp. — pages precincts — districts within certain boundaries predicament and remedy — method of persuading by first showing an undesirable condition and then showing the remedy pref. — preface preferred attention — attention before doing other things Pres. — President APPENDIX 317 prestige — influence derived from past success, or from character or reputation probate — to prove, or establish, as a will procedure — method of proceeding prodigal — wasteful Prof. — Professor profession — any occupation involving special mental attainments or special discipline prohibits — forbids propriety — fitness, appropriateness prospective — that is in prospect, expected pro tem. — (Latin) pro tempore, for the time being protest — formal certificate showing that a note has been presented for payment and has been refused protest fees — fees paid to an attorney for protesting a note Prov. — province prox. — (Latin) proximo, next month proxy — person authorized to act for another P.S. — Postscript psychology — science of ment£d operations pt. — pint pub. — published Q q.e.d. — (Latin) quod erat demonstremdum, which was to be dem- onstrated Q.M.G. — Quartermaster General qt. — quart quota — proportion assigned; " sales quota " is proportion of expected year's sales of a company assigned to a salesman quote "delivery — to state time when delivery will be made q.v. — (Latin) quod vide, which see qy. — query raw material — material not yet manufactured real estate — property consisting of lands rec'd — received reciprocate — to make a return for something done or given rectify — to make right 318 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES ref . — reference referee in bankruptcy — person appointed by a court in charge of a bankruptcy case reimburse — to pay back reinstate account — to grant credit privileges to firm which has been denied them because of delinquency reluctance — unwillingness " ^ remittance — sum of money sent re-order — new order for same goods rep. — report repute — reputation residuary legatee — one who is to take all personal property remaining after the specific legacies of a will are paid resume — brief account of retain — to keep retire your obligations — to pay your bills Rev. — Reverend rev. — review R.F.D. — Rural Free Ddivery riders — additions or amendments to a document; special provisions or concessions in a sales contract rolling mill — mill where metal is rolled into plates or bars rotogravure — special printing process producing a soft effect route — to send by specified railroads R.P.O. — Railroad Post Office R.S.V.P. — (French) repondez, s'il vous plait, please reply ruminating — meditating, reflecting run — that which is produced at one period of operation; a " run " of a factory run, commercial tree run, orchard run — trade terms for different grades of fruit S scanners — clerks who check orders to make sure they are correct schedule — written or printed formal list score, " making a score " — making a sale scrupulous — careful, -cautious seaboard — country bordering on the sea season catalogue — catalogue issued once a season or four times a year sec. — secretary APPENDIX 319 security — something deposited or guaranteed to ensure payment of a bill sedition — excitement of discontent against the government self-contained — complete and independent, containing its own motor selling resistance — objections to purchasing seq. — (Latin) sequente, the following sheer (weight of arms) — having no modifying conditions, utter, ab- solute shifts — turns, tricks ship — to send by rail or water or any other method shipped direct — sent without passing through middleman shortage — goods appearing on the invoice but not found when the shipment arrives siege — continued attempt to gain possession Silvertown Cords — a brand of tires made with heavy cords in outer casing sing. — singular sinister — wrong, evQ, foreboding disaster sisal — variety of hemp skein of thought — involved process of thought skeptical — doubtful sUdes — lantern slides containing advertisements for use in moving picture theaters slogan — rallying cry, watchword, motto sobriety — sanity, cool-headedness solicit — to request, ask to purchase soUcitude — anxious care for something sophistries — fallacious statements sp. — spelling specialty store — store handling only one line of goods specifications — exact directions or provisions speculation — entering into a risky business venture for the sake of unusually large profits sp. gr. — specific gravity sq. — square St. — - street standardizing — fixing standard sizes, qualities, etc., for goods staples — principal commodities, chief articles of commerce statistics — classified facts respecting the condition of people in a state statute — law made by a legislature stimulate — to excite to action 320 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES stipulated — definitely arranged for str. — steamer strike plate — metal plate against which a door latch strikes in closing subject to your order, " We are holding the goods subject to your order " — see disposition submit — to offer to the judgment of another subpoena — writ commanding the person named in it to appear in court under penalty suit — judicial action for the recovery of a right or redress of a wrong superman — supposed superior being, characterized by excess of ruth- less power supersede — to take the place of Supt. — superintendent synop. — synopsis tact — ability to deal with others without giving offense take up draft — to pay draft tangible — perceptible to the touch, real, substantial tank — gasoline tank of an engine terms of credit — provisions for times and amounts of payment laid down by the seller for the buyer Textan sheet soling — a brand of material for soling shoes throttle valve — valve in an engine for controlling the flow of gasoline or other operating fluid tickler — same as inaturity file, but usually a small one tipped on — pasted on, usually by edges or corners tort — any wrongful act, excluding a breach of contract, for which legal action may be brought tr. — transpose trace, tracer — inquiry following the course of mail, express, or freight trade acceptance — a negotiable certificate of indebtedness arising out of a current transaction in merchandise; similar to a note transaction — any business proceeding transient — not regular or permanent transit (goods in transit) — goods at that time being transported transposed — changed about Treas. — Treasurer trend — inclination in a general direction, tendency trim — woodwork used inside a house APPENDIX 321 turnover of capital — money earned by capital during a given period typographical error — error made by typist or typesetter U ult. — (Latin) ultimo, last month Univ. — University unprecedented — unexampled, extraordinary urban — belonging to or related to a city U.S.P. — United States Pharmacopoeia, official book of formulas for compounding medicines usury — interest at a higher rate than is allowed by law utilize — to make use of V valve disc — rubber disc used to close a valve tightly vanadium — metallic element used as an alloy to increase the tensile strength of steel verify — to prove to be true; to verify an order is to refer it to a superior officer for approval vested — already in force via — by way of vigilantly — watchfully villa — fine residence in the suburbs or country vindicated — defended, justified viz. — videlicet, namely void — without legal effect vol. — volume volt — unit of electromotive force voltage — electric power expressed in volts voucher — receipt showing payment, as paid checks or receipted bills vs. — (Latin) versus, against W wall board — any of several varieties of heavy composition board used in walls instead of lath and plaster War Chest — a fund for aU rehef purposes to which each member of a group or community contributes regularly warping — process of stretching or arranging yarn in weaving warranty — guaranty 322 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES water jacketed — surrounded with a receptacle containing water way-bill — document describing and giving shipping directions for goods to be transported by a railroad Webster, Daniel — (1782-1852) American statesman "Work or fight" regulations — proclamation requiring registrants of the 21-31 class to be employed in an essential industry or to enter the army , wt. — weight yd. — yard yr. — year zone rates — postal rates fixed according to the distance or zones through which mail matter is to be sent APPENDIX B RULES FOR PUNCTUATION Punctuation shows the grammatical construction of the sentence. The chief reason why a student should learn correct punctuation, therefore, is to make the meaning of his sentences clear. Failure to use correct punctuation may show actual ignorance of grammar. A few rules of punctuation well learned are better than many rules poorly learned. The most important rules are those which concern the relation of clauses. The violation of these rules makes the worst impression on the reader. The student should learn first to recognize a clause as the part of a sentence containing a subject and a predicate (a gerund or a participle cannot form a predicate). He should next learn that an independent clause has no sign of subordination, while a subordinate clause is marked by a relative pronoun or a subordinating conjunction. He should fix in mind especially Rules 1, 2, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 23. THE PERIOD (.) 1. A period should follow each complete sentence which does not require an interrogation point or an ex- clamation point. Examples: This decision may then be enforced. In response to your inquiry we take pleasure in inclosing copy of our Bulletin No. 10 on Wool. 323 324 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES 2. It is an error to mark off part of a sentence by a period, as if it were a complete sentence. Wrong: I believe the proper way to proceed in this case is for the board to hold a legal meeting. And at this meeting formally decide what books shall be used. Right: I believe the proper way to proceed in this case is for the board to hold a legal meeting, and at this meeting formally decide what books shall be used. Wrong: As soon as we receive them. They will be forwarded to the County Councils. Right: As soon as we receive them, they wiU be forwarded to the County Councils. 3. A period should be used after condensed phrases which are intended to stand for complete sentences. Examples : Yes. No doubt. (What train shall you take.^^) The nine-fifteen. Just what I want. 4. A period should be placed after an abbreviation. Examples: acct., A.D., viz., i.e., C.O.D. 5. A period is generally placed after the date line in the heading of a letter and after the last line of the inside address. It is, however, becoming the practice to omit from the ends of lines in the heading, address, salutation, and signature of letters, all marks of punctuation except periods after abbreviations. Example: February 4, 1919 Mr. A. O. BaUard, 416 SterUng Court, Albany, New York 6. A series of three periods marks an omission of part of a sentence from a quotation. Example: His statement is, ". . .we give first consideration to clear thinking as evidenced by clear writing." APPENDIX 325 THE COMMA ( , ) 7. Use the comma between co-ordinate clauses joined by co-ordinating conjunctions, such as and^ but^ for^ or^ nor, but see Rule 9. Examples: Doubtless there will be no difficulty, but in any case I shall be glad to assist you. We shall make a further investigation, and it may be possible that we can locate a copy of the receipt. The delay is due to no lack of attention on our part, for we are following up the job daily, and you may rest assured no time will be lost in its completion. 8. It is an error to place a comma between independent clauses in a compound sentence which are not connected by co-ordinating conjunctions .(see Rule 23). Wrong: Do not hesitate to call on us, we shall be glad to hear from you. Right: Do not hesitate to call on us ; we shall be glad to hear from you. Wrong: The mills are rushed past their capacity, conse- quently your order has been delayed. Right: The mills have been rushed past their capacity; consequently your order has been delayed. 9. Where co-ordinate clauses joined by conjunctions are short and closely connected in thought, the comma may be omitted. Examples: We have written the factory and we do not doubt they will make prompt shipment. Our stock on this number is exhausted and it may not be renewed for some weeks. 10. A subordinate clause preceding a principal clause is set off by a comma. Examples: If I can assist you further, please let me know. After you have studied the instructions, we shall be glad to hear from you. When the lost shipment arrives, please write us. 326 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES 11. A restrictive relative clause should not be set off by a comma. A restrictive clause is one which is necessary to the meaning of its antecedent; to omit it would change or destroy the meaning of the sentence. Examples: The order which you sent on January 12 has been received. The gloves which checked short from your invoice of May 14 were omitted by a mistake of our packers. Please tell us the date on which this merchandise was delivered. 12. A non-restrictive relative clause should be set off by commas. A non-restrictive clause is one which is not necessary to the meaning of its antecedent. Examples: Your order of March 6, about which you in- quired in your letter of March 24, has just been shipped. ("Your order of March 6" is sufficiently clear without requiring the clause which foUows.) Mr. Harold Martin, who has been in our employ for two years past, desires a letter of recommendation to you, which we are very glad to give. 13. Commas should be used between the different items in the parts of the letter as follows : (a) In the heading, after the street and number; to separate the city and the state; after the state ; after the day of the month. (6) In the address, at the end of each line, and be- tween the city and the state. (c) After the complimentary clo'se. (d) In a two name signature, after the first signature. (e) In the envelope address, commas may be used at the ends of lines ; it is also common practice to omit them. (/) In the envelope address, the punctuation may be the same as in the inside address; or the com- mas may be omitted from the ends of lines. APPENDIX 327 Example: 214 Hancock Street, Akron, Oliio, September 9, 1919 Mr. Walter M. Smith, 24 Rugby Row, Indianapolis, Indiana Dear Sir: Yom^s truly, Marshall & Thomas, By A. G. Bedloe 14. Parenthetical expressions should be cut off by commas, unless they break the thought of the sentence so strongly that double dashes or parentheses are required. Examples: This does not, of course, give you a definite figure for Wisconsin wool in the hands of the farmers. An experienced wool dealer, however, should be able, by careful judgment, to estimate its value. Ship the wool to Chicago, as recommended in the bulletin, and take the government's grade and price for it. 15. A name in direct address is set off by commas. Example: I really befieve, Mr. Otis, that you will be fuUy satisfied with the performance of the machine. 16. Words used in apposition are set off by commas from each other and from the following part of the sentence ; but not when one of the words is merely a general title. Examples: Albany, the capital of the state, is situated on the Hudson, The general manager, Mr. Waters, will address the convention. My son Paul; the poet Tennyson. 17. The comma is used after an interjection which is not emphatic enough to demand the exclamation point. Examples: Well, we shall see. Oh, I have no objection. 328 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES 18. An absolute phrase, that is, a phrase without gram- matical relation to the rest of the sentence, is set off by commas. Examples: The plan having been approved, you should lay it before the directors. The stock being entirely exhausted, we shall have to ask you to re-order. 19. When more than two words, or short phrases, occur in a series, commas should follow each of them, even when a conjunction is used between the last pair. Examples: Mr. Ross, Mr. Calhoun, and Mr, Thomas. The lamps, fenders, and right wheels were damaged. In adjustment letters, collection letters, and sales letters, the writer seeks to persuade his reader. 20. Adjectives of co-ordinate rank modifying the same noun are separated by a comma. But when one of the words is qualified by the word preceding it, the two should not be separated by a comma. Examples: A hard, soaking rain. A short, courteous reply. He wore his long gray overcoat and his new felt hat. 21. Place a comma between parts of the sentence which otherwise might be wrongly read as belonging together. Examples: Specify light oak finish, for the purchasing agent wishes the equipment uniform. In selling an automobile, show the purchaser aU its strong points. The manufacturers say they cannot fill our orders, even by working overtime. 22. Before a direct quotation, a comma is used. But before an indirect quotation introduced by that or how, no comma should be used. APPENDIX 329 Examples: He wrote us, "I shall make payment on Sep- tember 3." Your salesman assured us that we could have an extra dating on this order. THE SEMICOLON ( ;) 23. Between co-ordinate independent clauses which are not joined by a conjunction, use a semicolon. Such clauses £ire really short sentences which could be separated by a period, but for their close connection in thought. (When the conjunctive adverbs, so, then, hence, besides., accordingly, nevertheless, conse- quently, still, so, etc., are used without a conjunction to join clauses, the semicolon is required.) Examples: Undoubtedly you will appreciate the spirit that prompted this change; we feel confident that the goods will be satisfactory. The convention is going to be a success; edready four hundred delegates have arranged to come. We have received more orders than anyone could possibly have expected; consequently, our reserve stock is sold out. 24. The semicolon separates clauses which have commas within themselves, and which are so long as to re- quire separation. Ex.oiple: If you thought that an extra discount was justified in this case, at least you should have consulted us before allowing it; for then we should not have fallen into this unpleasEuit misundersttmding with our customer. 25. Before the expressions e.g., viz., i.e., namely, and that is, use the semicolon. Examples: It may be doubted whether the trouble is reaUy over; that is, whether the cause of the dissatisfaction has been removed. The position has two advantages; namely, it pays well and it brings one into contact with the executives. 330 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES THE COLON ( : ) 26. The colon follows words that are used as an introduc- tion to following material, such as lists or formal quotations. Examples: Our company manufactures the following products: desks, chairs, filiuis^ cabinets, and tables. I have just telegraphed you as follows: "Leave for Chicago this noon." 27. After the salutation in a letter, use the colon. Do not use the comma. A dash following the colon is not necessary. ExAiviPLEs: Dear Sir: Gentlemen : My dear Miss Rogers: THE INTERROGATION POINT (?) 28. Every direct question should be followed by an in- terrogation point. Do not divide a question by any other mark than a comma, or a comma and dash. Examples: Do you think this arrangement wiU be satis- factory? Shall we agree, then, — though I am willing to be guided by your judgment, — to adopt the plan suggested.^^ 29. Do not place an interrogation point after an indirect question. Example: He asked me whether the train was late. THE EXCLAMATION POINT ( ! ) 30. The exclamation point is used after interjections, exclamatory words or phrases, or sentences express- ing a wish, command, or strong emotion. Examples: Splendid! I knew you would succeed I Try it for yourself! APPENDIX 331 31. O is used to-day only as the poetic sign of direct address, and is not followed by the exclamation point; but Ohy the exclamation, used with or without the capital, is followed by the exclamation point when the emo- tion is sufficiently strong, and when the sentence in which it is contained is not followed by an ex- clamation point. THE DASH (— ) 32. The dash is used to indicate an abrupt break in thought. Example: It will give you service because — but there is no need for more reasons. 33. Double dashes are often used in preference to paren- theses. Example: Making — not selling — clothing is our business. 34. The dash is sometimes used in business letters in preference to the comma to indicate strong emphasis. Example: The men in charge of these departments are experts — they can help you in choosing. PARENTHESES ( ) 35. Parentheses are used to inclose matter not strictly belonging to the sentence. Example: Let me advise you (you may have heard this before) that you cannot pay bills with promises. 36. Figures repeating an amount written out in words are inclosed in parentheses . Example: Four hundred twenty-seven doUars and fifty cents ($427.50). 332 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES THE APOSTROPHE ( ' ) 37. The possessive case of singular nouns is formed by adding the apostrophe and s. Nouns ending in s may add only the apostrophe. Examples: John's; company's; Jones' or Jones's. 38. The possessive case of plural nouns ending in some other letter than 5 is formed by adding the apostrophe and 5. Examples: Women's clothing; oxen's horns. 39. Plural nouns ending in 5 form the possessive by adding the apostrophe after the 5. Examples: Ten days' notice; boys' shoes. 40. The possessive pronoun never takes the apostrophe. Examples: Its, hers, ours, yours, theirs. 41. The apostrophe also marks the elision of a syllable; the elision of the century in dates; and the plural of figures and letters. The apostrophe is commonly omitted from figmes referring to bonds bearing a certain rate of interest. Examples: Haven't; isn't; '49; 8's; H's; Baltimore and Ohio 4|s. QUOTATION MARKS ( " " ) 42. Double quotation marks are used to inclose a direct quotation. An indirect quotation is not inclosed by quotation marks. Examples: "All diplomacy," says a famous diplomat, "is but the threat of force." He told me that he should be obliged to renew his note. APPENDIX 333 43. Single quotation marks are used to inclose a quotation within a quotation. Example: "Your experience," I told him, "reminds me of the proverb, 'A fool and his money are soon parted.' " 44. The period and comma always come before the closing quotation mark, but the exclamation point or the interrogation point come before it only when they are a part of the quotation. Examples: "You are right," he said, "but your advice is hard to follow." Did you say, "Don't take that train" ? He asked, "Are you sure you are right?" 45. Quotations from books or letters, if long, begin with a paragraph, and the paragraph begins with a quotation mark. Every paragraph quoted should begin with quotation marks, but only the last one should close with them. 46. In letters, it is allowable to quote titles of books, newspapers, magazine articles, and trade names of manufactured articles. In printing, titles should be italicized. THE HYPHEN (-) 47. The hyphen is used between compound words, and when words are divided at the end of a line. It is also used to separate prefixes beginning with the same vowel as that with which the word begins, and a few other prefixes. Never place a hyphen at the beginning of a line. Examples: To-day; to-night; to-morrow; good-by; co- operate; re-examine; one-half. 334 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES CAPITALS 48. Every sentence, every line of poetry, and every direct quotation, should begin with a capital letter. 49. The pronoun / and the interjection O should be capi- talized. 50. All proper names, including names of streets, months, and days of the week, should begin with a capital letter; but not the names of seasons, nor the points of the compass, unless they refer to sections of the country; as, the West. 51. Titles of persons should begin with a capital, when com- bined with proper names, but not when used alone, except titles of the highest officials; for example, Superintendent Clark, the mayor, the President. 52. The important words in titles of books, newspapers, etc., should be capitalized; for example, '' The House of the Seven Gables." 53. In compound titles, capitalize both words; as, the Attorney -General. 54. For emphasis in typed letters, firms interested in the sale of books, newspapers, and manufactured articles commonly write the titles and names of these in solid capitals. It is allowable to write them generally in this manner, instead of quoting or italicizing them. 55. For emphasis in typed letters, words or phrases may be written in solid capitals. 56. Capitalize the words of the salutation in letters, except the word dear when preceded by my; as. My dear Sir. Capitalize the first word, but not succeeding words, of the complimentary close; as, Yours very truly. APPENDIX 335 ITALICS 57. Italics are indicated in typewritten or handwritten material by a single underlining. In letters, under- lining is commonly used for emphasis; this should be done sparingly, or its effect is lost. Literary titles are italicized in printing. Foreign words are italicized; but quotations from a foreign language are surrounded by quotation marks, and are not italicized. Words when referred to by name are put in italics; as, " Same should not be used as a pronoun." APPENDIX C SUGGESTIONS FOR CIVIL SERVICE CANDIDATES Do you want to use your shorthand as the means of obtaining a position in the state or Federal civil service — a position which leads directly to opportunities at a higher salary? Then plan to take and pass the civil service examinations. A careful plan will involve a clear vision of the goal to be obtained, and of the steps which must be taken to reach it, as well as of the obstacles that may lie in the way. It will involve careful analysis of the exact nature of the posi- tion for which you will apply after passing the examinations, and of yourself, — your personal characteristics, the qualities which will lead .you to do better, perhaps, in one type of position than in another. Your plan is faulty, moreover, unless it includes an estimate of the worth of the position for which you are to compete, measured not only in terms of its immediate value, but also in terms of its value to you years hence. Thousands of young men and young women throughout the United States are more or less interested in these oppor- tunities. But they do not always realize how desirable the positions are, how well worth an effort to obtain them, nor what steps should be taken to secure them. Ten states have adopted civil service; they are Massa- chusetts, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin, Kansas, Colorado, and California. Many large counties operate under its provisions such as Cook County, IlUnois, in which Chicago is located; Milwaukee County, 336 APPENDIX 337 Wisconsin; and Los Angeles County, California; besides a great number of cities everywhere. The greatest oppor- tunity of all lies in the Federal civil service at Washington, with its numbers of positions, its varied opportunities for advancement, and the many educational advantages af- forded by life at our National Capital, and by study at the colleges and universities located there. This study may be undertaken during one's spare time, while holding a posi- tion with the civil service. A position under civil service is obtained by examination, and one of the things a candidate must learn is the nature of these examinations and how to prepare for them. The examinations must be regarded not only as a means of keep- ing out the unfit, but, equally important, of retaining the fit in permanent positions, and of providing them regular means of advancement. They safeguard you after you have passed them. In effect, the civil service says to the young man or young woman, "We are desirous of building an organiza- tion on merit. We want capable and well prepared people, and we promise you that if you pass our tests, and succeed in your first position, we are as eager to keep you and pro- mote you as you are to have us do so." For instance, read what is printed at the beginning of the bulletin, Office Service, issued by the Civil Service Commission of the state of Wisconsin. Those wishing to enter the state service, as well as those ahead y in the service, are naturally interested in the possibilities ahead. Those desirous of securing a position where their abilities and interests will count for most and who wish to know fuUy the duties of that position and the qualifications necessary to fill it, are the ones who are wanted in state service. . . . The ambitious state employee, the one who is constantly look- ing for an opportunity to widen the scope of his usefulness and to in- crease the value of his services, is a most valuable asset to the state. 338 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES Success in any position requires a combination of natural fitness for the position, and of adaptability to it. Modern study of employment shows that the position should be care- fully analyzed to determine its nature, and that the tests used to determine fitness for the position should be based on this analysis. In the same way, a candidate should understand in advance the nature of the several positions for which he may become ehgible after passing an examina- tion, and should analyze himself and his fitness so as to select the one in which he is most likely to win success and to lead a satisfying life. In order to show most concretely how one position may lead to another, and how an employee performing one set of duties comes into close touch with employees perform- ing other sets of duties so that he learns much about them, this Wisconsin bulletin emphasizes, as one of the most important considerations for a candidate, the interrelation of office duties. Let us suppose, for instance, that a public utility is petitioning the state ; all the office force is occupied in solving this office problem. In the following statement, each of the five types of clerical positions in the senior clerk grade is placed opposite the type of position in the specialist group for which it naturaUy prepares. AN OFFICE PROBLEM A Public Utility Petitioning the State Secretarial Clerk Secretary Receives people coming to the Dispatches work; arranges for office on the matter; answers all hearing; gives instructions on questions possible; writes or die- work to be done, tates letters bearing on the prob- lem. APPENDIX 339 Filing Clerk Brings together all correspondence, and reports bearing on the prob- lems; has charge of filing and safe-keeping of correspondence, reports, and rates. Statistical Clerk Assists statistician in working up statistical data into tabular form, and into diagrams and curves for comparative purposes. "■ Recording Clerk Assists accountant, checking ac- counts and statements, and pre- paring accounting exhibits. Examining Clerk Assists examiner, sorting and sum- marizing material for his exam- ination. Stenographer Takes dictation and correspond- ence relating to the problem. Librarian Looks up and produces library material bearing on the matter in question. Statistician Formulates plan for, and ac- cumulates statistical data on the problem, and interprets them. Accountant Investigates financial accounts and statements of the corporation playing a part in the problem under discussion. Examiner Examines and correlates data per- taining to case and makes report on findings. Reporter Reports hearings held before com- mission. The Commission thus urges the candidate to analyze himself, and to analyze his job, to take a look ahead, to determine what kind of position he desires, and to work toward that goal. It helps him by analyzing the positions witliin its power to offer, and by setting before him clearly just what he should do to obtain and hold the position he desires. What is the nature of the examinations, when are they offered, and how should one prepare for them.^ If you wish to take the United States civil service examina- tion, write to the United States Civil Service Commission, Washington, D.C., or to the secretary of the United States Civil Service Board of Examiners at Boston, 340 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES Massachusetts ; New York, New York ; Philadelphia, Penn- sylvania; Atlanta, Georgia; Cincinnati, Ohio; Chicago, Ilhnois; St. Paul, Minnesota; St. Louis, Missouri; New Orleans, Louisiana; Seattle, Washington; San Francisco, California; San Juan, Porto Rico; Honolulu, Hawaii; Juneau, Alaska; or Balboa Heights, Canal Zone, for appK- cation blanks, stating which examination you desire to take. They will send on request the necessary examination blanks and also a copy of Manual of Examinations. This book will explain all about the examinations, and is entirely free. Similarly, if you wish to take examinations for a position in a state, county, or city, address the Civil Service Com- mission at the city, county seat, or state capital, asking for examination questions and application blanks. As to the opportunities offered in the Federal civil service, read what E. H. Cooper has to say, in his inspiring book How to Prepare for Civil Service, published by the Gregg Publishing Company. If you are a stenographer, or a bookkeeper, or an office clerk of faiir ability, or if you have finished a course in some good business college, you can pass the civil service examination with the preparation and outline of study given here. There is a larger demand for persons to fill the positions of ste- nographer and typewriter, bookkeeper, typewriter and clerk, than for any other positions filled by the Civil Service Commission and con- sequently appointments are received more quickly. Most of the higher positions are filled by promotion from these classes. The above-named positions may be secured with less time and effort than any other positions offered by the Commission paying anywhere near as high salary. Of the positions covered here, the stenographer and typewriter position offers, by far, the best advantages and the quickest and surest appointment. The demand for stenographers exceeds so far the supply every year that it sometimes happens that those who fail on examina- APPENDIX 341 tions are offered positions because all the lists of eligibles who passed have been exliausted. This excessive demand for stenographers is due largely to the fact that almost aU the higher positions are filled by promotion from the rxmks of stenographers and there must be others to fill their places. Thousands of men and women use the government service as a stepping- ^tone to obtain an education. As soon as they finish their schooling they resign to take up their profession or business in their home, and tliis makes many vacancies in the service. Salaries With regard to salaries, on a sheet of personal questions which you will be required at the time of examination, you will be asked, "What is tlie lowest salary you would accept?" In answer to this question, if a man, put down nine hundred dollars a year if you are taking the stenographer and typewriter examination, or the bookkeeper's examina- tion, and seven hundred twenty dollars a year if you are taking the clerk or typewriter examination. If you are a woman, put down eight hundred forty dollars a y^ar if you are taking the stenographer and typewriter examination and seven hundred twenty dollars a year if you are taking the typewTiter or clerk examination. ... If there should be open a position which you could fill and which paid a larger salary than you stated on your papers, you would be appointed at the higher salary. The salaries named are the begiiming salaries only, and worth while promotion is sure to follow if your work proves satisfactory. Many of the government employees, both men and women, receive from two thousand to three thousand dollars a year after a few years of service. How Appointments Are Made W^hen the head of any of the departments needs a stenographer, typist, bookkeeper, or clerk, he sends to the Civil Service Commission, stating the salary to be paid. The Commission sends back the names and examination papers of three persons who have passed the examina- tion. These are the names of those making the highest grades. The department head selects one of the names and sends the other two back to the Commission. The other two are placed on the register until called for agciin. When this takes place, the appointing officer is likely to select the papers of neatest appeai^ance, rather than read 342 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION EXERCISES through all the papers^ of candidates. If you prepared this application with unusual pains, therefore, you may be re- warded by an earlier appointment. Neatness is important in examination papers also. Nature of the Examinations , When you write to the Civil Service Commission asking for information, you will obtain, in addition to the Manual of information about the examinations, a set of sample examination questions. These questions are somewhat similar from year to year, because the examinations must cover the same ground. Consequently a careful study of these questions, and repeated practice on unfamiliar points, will show you what to brush up on before taking the examina- tions themselves. If you need much review, try to secure local instruction, perhaps in some high school class; for this is more likely to benefit you than long-distance instruction through a correspondence course. A candidate desiring to qualify for a shorthand position is required to pass both the shorthand and the typewriter examinations, which are given separately. The items covered in the examinations and their relative importance are indi- cated in the following table: Stenographer Typewriter Stenography dictation 75 Copying and spacing 20 Copying from rough draft ... 10 Copying from rough draft ... 15 Penmanship 5 Copying from plain copy .... 10 Report writing 5 Time on typewriter 30 Arithmetic 5 Penmanship 10 Total 100 Report writing 10 Arithmetic 5 Total 100 You will see that some of these subjects are the same in both examinations, namely, copying from rough draft, APPENDIX 343 penmanship, and report writing. These are taken only once. The candidate who passes both examinations will have the average of his grades for both combined, with a weight of two for the stenography and one for the typewriting, and the resulting grade will be entered on the register as indicating the rank of the candidate. Special attention should be given to the importance at- tached to speed in the typewriting subjects, particularly to the difficult matter of tabulation work, which may be un- familiar to many typists. The sample questions will con- tain an example of tabulation, and the wise candidate will practice this frequently before attempting the examination, so as to grasp instinctively just how a similar piece of work is to be spaced on the typewriter. Arithmetic is likely to prove an unfamihar subject to many, and for this reason, it may be wise to secure some opportunity locally for review on problems similar to those shown on the sample set of questions. Since the total rating on this subject, however, is only five per cent, a failure to pass it is not so damaging as failure to do well on other portions of the examination. The chief importance of studying the sample sets of ques- tions, and the Manual of information concerning the exam- inations, is to give you confidence. If you have been well prepared in your subjects; if you have analyzed the posi- tion and analyzed your own capacities and desires; if you have fixed your eyes on the goal you wish to reach and have made a hfe plan for yourself, including a plan of the factors which must be considered in attaining it, you can have com- plete confidence that the civil service will offer you either a permanent position with satisfactory conditions of work, or a training and a stepping-stone to further achievement. SHORTHAND VOCABULARY A / abbreviate ability abrupt absolute r abstract b- abundant <=^ accelerate en accessory accident cry accommo- date accompany accomplish <^^ account ^ accountant c:^^^ — ; . accumu- ' lation accurate an> accustom iTO acquire CT} acquisition ..2— ' acquittal 1J actively activity ^actual cr^ actually adapt ^ — 'additional ^ address ^ adept adequate adjacent / adjust ^ adminis- tration adminis- trative admirable admiration admire ^ adopt ^^/^—^ adult ) advance 7 advanta- Q geous ^/-^ adventure y adverse y adversity /- — advertise- Q ment /^ advertiser ^ advisf^ble .^ affidavit 2, ^ aforemen- tioned deprive yy derivative ^ ^7_^ descendant describe description descriptive designate desirability desirable desires desirous desolate despair desperate despise despondent destination destiny destitute destroy destructive desultory details detract detrimental develop develop- ment J -ce devi. /^ dictation diction dictionary diet differential dignify dignity dilapidate diligence diligent dinner 'diploma directory disability disable disadvan-^ _ tage disagree -ment disagree- able disappear disappear- ance disappoint -ment disapproval disapprove disaster disastrous disburse discard discernment discipline disclosure SHORTHAND VOCABULARY 351 ^ discomfort disconnect discontent discontinue discount discourage discover discredit discrepancy discretion discrimi- nate discuss discussion disfavor disfigure dishonest disincline disinherit disinter- ested disloyalty dismiss dismissal disorder disorganize disparage dispense displeasure disposal dispose disposition .y^ ^ y^ disprove dispute disqualify disregard disrespect dissatisfy dissipate distance distant distinct distinctive distinguish distract distress distribution distrust disturb diversifi- cation diversify r drown drudgery druggist durability durable duteous duties E eager earlier earliest earnest eastern eccentric economical economist economize economy editorial educational effective effectual efficiency efficient elaborate elastic elective electric electrical electricity 352 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION ^ 7 j^ 7 7 Z electrotype elemental elementary - eliminate eloquen^*^ elsewhere emancipate embargo emergency emigration eminent emphatic emphatically employ employee employer empower enable enact encounter encourage endeavor endurance energetic energetic- ally^ energize energy engage engine enmity -^ enormity enormous enrapture enter entered enterprise enthusias^g _^ enthusiast ^ entire _>" entirely _J^ entitle -Z^ entrance .^^-^ entry envelope environment ^. '^ environ- "7 mental ~r~^ episode ^equal ^ equality equally equipment equitable equivalent escape escutcheon especially essential establish esteem ^'-''^^^'^estimate r y 7 / r J eternal eternity event everywhere evident exaggerate cP^ — examination ^^?— :- example / exasperate excellent lence except / exception exceptional excessive exchange y exclusive ,2 ^ excursion 7-y excuse execution executive exemption exercise exertion expect (^ expedient (^ expenditure / expensive ^ experiment (^ . experi- mental (C- expert 7 P / SHORTHAND VOCABULARY 353 ^ d Z 6 expiration expire explanation explicit explosive export exposition express exten^. exterior extinguish extract extraordi- nary extreme extremity F fabric facilitate facility \ factor factory faculty failure faith faithful faithless falsehood familiar familiarity families 1 J^ 354 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION J fortunate fortune forum forward foster found foundation foundry fountain fracture fragment fragran^ fraternity fraudulent freight frequen^^ friendless friendship frivolity frugality frustrate fulfill fullest function fundamental furious furnish furniture further furtherance fusion futile futility futurity G gallantry galvanized garage garment gasoline gathering general generality generali- zation generalize generally generate generation generosity generous genial geniality i genius gentility genuine geographi- cal geography geological ically geometrical geometry gesture gigantic gingham gladden gladness glorify , glorious glory glycerin golden goodly goodness govern -ment governable govern- mental grade gradual ^-:2_^,,^-^ gradually ,,.^-x_a-^ graduate graduation grammat- ical grandeur granulate graphic graphical grateful ^^2f ^--n^ J gratifica- tion ^--L^ gratify ,,--7^>^ gratitude ^- — u>'*^ gratuitous ^ cb — x^ a' c^- gratuity gravitate gravitation gravity greater greatest greatly greatness grievance grievous guarant^^ guardian gumption guttural gymnasium gymnastics H haber- dashery habit habitual handicapped handiwork handker- chief handsome happiness harden hardiness hardness hardware harmless SHORTHAND VOCABULARY P. 9^ yp ^<^ harmless- ness harshness harvest hasten hastily helpful helpless hemisphere hereafter herein herewith heroic hesitancy hesitate hickory hideous highest himself hindrance historical hitherto homestead homeward honest honorable honorarium honorary hopeful hopeless horizon 7 X 7 355 horizontal horrible horrify horse power hosiery hospitable hospital hospitality hostility household housekeeper however humanity humiliate humility humorous hundred husband hydrant hydrogen li;^'phen h^TJnotic hj'pocrisy hysterical I idea ideal idealism idealist idealistic 356 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION V ce idealize identical identifica- tion identify identity ignition c ignoranf illegal illegibility illegibfe illiteracy illiterate illogical illustratjQQ illustrative illustrious e imagination ine imaginable imaginary imaginative imitate imitation immaculate immaterial immature immense immigraj imminent imnaoderate .immoral nt T "X -J T -7 mmortal mmovable mpart mpartial mpartiality mpatience mpatient mpediment mperative mpercep- tible mperfect mperial mperil mperious mpersonal mpetuous mpetus mport mporter mpose mposition mpossi- bility mpossible mpracti- cable mproba- bility mp roper mpropriety mpulsive mpunity mpure T r -^ % -^ 7 mpurity mputation mpute nability naccessible naccuracy naccurate nactive. nactivity nadequate nadvert- ence naTtic- ulate nasmuch nattention naugurate ncandes- cent ncendiary ncessant ncident ncidental ncisive ncivility nclination nclined nclosure nclude nclusive ncome ncompa- rable ncompetent ^ -^^ :? _/^ r SHORTHAND VOCABULARY incomplete ^ incongruous incon- siderate • • ce inconvenien^ incorrectly incur indebted- ness indeed indefinite indemnity independent indict indignant 'indignation indirect individual individual- ity indorsement induce induction indulge -nee indulgent industrial industries industrious inefficiency inefficient inequality inevitable inexcusable 7 ( p ^r I 7 7 7 -^ nexperi- cnce nfallible influential informality information infrequen^^ ingenious ingenuity ingenuous ingredient inherent inherit inheritance initial initiate initiation initiative injunction injury injuries injurious injustice ' C6 innocen^ inordinate inquiry inquisition inscribe inscription inside insignificant 7 7 7^ 7, -z^ ■n J 357 insist insistent inspect inspection inspector inspiration inspire instability install installation installment instanta- neous instead instill instinct instinctive institute institution instruct instruction instructive instructor instrument instru- mental instrumen- tality insubordi- nate insufficient insulate insult insuperable 358 c o ^7^ 7 7 insupport- able insiippress- ible integrity intellect -ual intelligible intelligent intend intensify , intensity intensive intent intention^ intentional intercede • interchange intercourse interest interested , interference interior ' interlude intermediate intermina- ble intermis- sion intermit- tent internal interna- tional interpose interpret interpretation CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION / 7 2 nterpreta- tive nterroga- tive nterrupt ntersect nterstate nterurban nterval ntervene nterview ntestate ntimacy ntimate ntimation ntoxication ntrench ntrepid ntricacy ntricate ntrigue ntrinsic ntroduce ntroduc- tion ntroduc- tory ntrospec- tion ntrude ntrust ntuition nvention nventive nventory Z. z 2 z. "-r 7 r ^ nvestigate nvestiga- tion nvestigator nvestment nvisible nvitation nvoluntary nvulnerable nward odine ron rrational rregularity rrelevant rresistible rrespon- sible rrigation rritability rritable rritate rritation solation ssuance tinerary tself J janitor jargon jaunty jealous SHORTHAND VOCABULARY 359 L^ jeal ousy vel K ^jewelry L L L / journal journalism journalist journey joyful joyous I jubilant / jubilee / judgment l^ judicial /^ judicious junction junior jurisdiction just justice justifiable justification justify juvenile K keenness kerosene L L y — ^ r keyboard keystone -^ kindest kindly 1 X V r V -^ kindred kinds kitchen •knowingly knowledge L label labor laborer laborious language lantern largest lateral latitude lawyer laziness leadership leather lecture legal legality legibihty legislate legislation legislative legislator legislature legitimate leisure O ^-^ 360 -^ liken likeness likewise limitation limousine ^linoleum listless literal literally literary literature lithograph lithographic livelihood loca[^ , locality location logical lowly loyal -ty luggage lumber luncheon luxurious luxury M machine machinery machinist magazine CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION — -^ magistrate — e^ ^ magnani- mous magnate magnet magnetic magnetism magnetize magneto magnificent^ magnify magnitude mahogany mailable 'mainten- ance majestic majesty major majority manage management manager manhood manifest manifesta- tion manipulate manual manufac- ture manufac- turer manuscript margin T^ -^ marvel -ous masculine master masterful masterly mastery material materialist materialize materially mathematic- al mathematics matrimony matter mattress mature maturity maximum mayor meantime meanwhile measure measure- ment mechanic mechanical mechanician mechanism medicine mediocrity SHORTHAND VOCABULARY 361 / meditation melancholy member memento memoranda memoran- dum -memorial memorize mental mentality mentally mercantile mercenary mercerize merciful merely message messenger metal metallic meteorolog meter method methodical metric metrical metropolis metropoli- tan miscroscope mileage y ical -? military s-millinery million millionaire mimeograph miniature minimum minister ministry minority miracle miraculous mirage miscellane- ous mischief misconcep- tion misconstrue miscount misdemean- or miserable misfortune misinter- pret misrepre- sent missionary missive misspelling mistake mistaken mistrust misunderstand- ing 7 modifica- tion modify modulate mohair moisture moment momentary monogram monograph monologue monopolize monopoly monotonous monotony monument monumental moral morality moralize morbid moreover mortal mortality 362 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION mother motor motorist ~ mountain 'mountain- ous mourn mournful multiple multiply multitude municipal municipal- ity munificence munificent munition murderer murderous muriatic muscular musical musician mustard mutual mutually myself mysterious mystery mystic mystify mythical -7^ ^1 N . nainsook naive - nameless namely naphtha narcotic narrowness national nationality nativity ' natural ' naturalist ' naturalize ' naturally nature nautical naval navigabihty navigate nearest nearly nearness necessarily necessary necessity neglect negligence -"-""^y negligent -»'-^ negotiability -z^ X -P' -r^ C / / 7 — ^ r r negotiable negotiate neighbor- hood nervous neuter neutral -ity neutralize nitric nitrogen nobility noble nobody -nominal nomination nonentity nonessential nonsense normal northern northerner notability notable notation noteworthy noticeable notification notify notoriety notorious notwithstanding SHORTHAND VOCABULARY 363 7 2 -T^ <7 c z c c r nourish novel novelist novelty nowadays nowhere nuisance number , numerical numerous nutriment nutrition nutritious nutritive O obedience obedient objection objective obligate obligation obligingly oblivion oblivious obscure obscurity observance observant observation observe L ly^^ obstinate ? 7 obstacle obstinacy I. obstruct obstruction obtain obvious occasional occupancy occupant occur occurrence ^oculist offer officeholder officer offices officially officiate officious oneself onward open operate operation operative operator opponent opportune oppose ? opposite opposition oppression oppressive optic optical optician optimism optimist optimistic optional oral orbit orchard orchestra ordain ordeal ordinal ordinance ordinary ordination ordnance organic organism organist organizer oriental origin original originahty 364 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION -^ 2 y <" - overt z^'" overtime o_^ owners ^_^ ownership ^_^ oxalic ^^ oxidize oxygen oyster ozone P pacific pacifist pacify package palatial ^^1--, pamphlet cA--—^ panel / parable ^^ paradise paradox paraffin paragraph parallel paralysis paralyze paramount pardon C^y^ parenthesis C^ parliament ^ partial (_ 9 6 ^ ^ ^ participate participle particle partisan partition partnership passage passenger passport password pasture , paternal pathetic pathologfc^l pathos pathway patience patient patriarch patrician patrimony patriot patriotic patriotism patrol patron patronage patronize pattern peculiar SHORTHAND VOCABULARY 36i ly- 9 9 (y- f ^ ^ ^ c ^ peculiarity pecuniary pedagogical pedagogy pedantic pedestal penalty perfect perfection perfunctory period periodical periscope perish perjury permanence permanent permission perpendic- ular perpetrate perpetual perpetuate persecute persecution persever- ance persist persistence persistent person -al personage personality personnel perspiration perspire persuade persuasion pertain pertinent pessimist pessimistic petition petroleum pharmacy philosophy phonetic phonograph phonograph- ic photograph photograph- er photograph- ic photography phraseology physical physician physiologfcai piano picnic picture pistol piteous ^ pitiful (^ plaintiff C_ci^ plaintive C_^ platinum plausibility plausible plural plurality plutocrat pneumatic poetical poignant poison poisonous political politics popular popularity population portrait position positive postal card post card L (^^ — L.tf'^'^postgrad- uate posthaste post-office postpone postscript potassium 366 c c^ C^ potent potential pound poverty practical practice praise- worthy precinct precious precision predecessor predicament prefer preference prejudice . preliminary premises premium preparation prepare prescribe prescription presence present presentation president presidential prestige presume presumption CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION C^ pretend 9 productiv- ity ^ proficiency proficient profit program progress progressive prominence prominent (^ — e promise C — t^ promissory C^-^ pronoun C — r pronounce (S-^^ pronunci- "^ ation Cy proof C. propeller C property (^ prophet r proportion (^ proposal propose proposition propound proprietor --'"37 r ?' I ^ recommen- dation recompense reconcile reconsider reconstruct reconstruc- tion recount recourse recover recreation recruit rectify recuperate recur redeem redemption redistribute reduce reduction referee refinement reflect reflection reflector reformation refrigeratfon refrigerator refusal refuse refute / z -regal regardless regiment register registration ret regular Y r 7 r ^-^ ^ remmiscen remnant remon- strance remorse ^removal remove remunerate remunera- tion remunera- tive renewal reorder reorganize repetition replacement repose repository representa- tion representa- tive reproduc- tion republic reputation repute request require requisite requisition reside residence resident resignation resist SHORTHAND VOCABULARY 369 ^ resistance -T^__,^ resolute --^_^.^ resolution v-^ resort ^ resource z 7 7 respective respire respite respond responsfj^,^ responsibil- ity responsive ^,^_G-^ restaurant ^-i^~-/^ restoration v-t?>— ' restore -H- restrain ^rL^ restraint "X^ restrict ^ restriction v-^ result >-2 resume -^2-— r resumption ^^•^ retail ^j*-*^ retailer ^->*^ reticen^^ ^^ retire y^ retirement y-c^^ retort '~:^ retract ""^ retraction 7 ■r ^ ..^^ / retreat retrench retribution retrieve retrogres- sion retrospect reunion reverence reverend revival revolution revolution- ary revolution- ist revolution- revolver reward rheumatic ridicule righteous rightful rightly rigorous riotous river ^-- — -— romantic ^-^-* — ~y rotogravure -^ roughen _^ roughness wv^ routine •-*« — ' royal > -^ d— -^ royalty rule -rural rustic ruthless S sacrifice safest safety sagacious sagacity salary salesman salesman- ship salesmen salt sample sanguine sanitary sanity sarcasm sarcastic scarcity schedule scholar scholarship school scrupl,%u3 seasonable second 370 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION -7 y r c / 5^ secondary secretarial secretary sectional self-confiden^® self-conscious self-consti- tuted self-control self-evident self-govern -merit self-interest selfish senator sensibility sensible separate separation separator several sherbet sheriff shipment shipped -^ -^ "^ shipper short shortage shorten shorthand shortly shoulder shrewd signal signature signify silence silent similar similarity simple simplicity simplify simply simultan- eous sincere . -^y . sincerity singular singularity situation skeptical sketch social socialist sociology y i L 7 L ■i solicit solicitation somewhere sophistical sordid sort sought source south southeast southeastern southern southerner southwest south- western souvenir sovereign speaker special specialist specialize specialty specific specification specify speculate speculation speculative speculator speechless SHORTHAND VOCABULARY ^ ^ >^ speed speedily spiritless spiritual spiritualist spirituality spirituous splendid splendor standard standardize starred started statement statesman statesman- ship station^jy statistics statuary steam steamship stenographer stenographic ; stenography stimulant stimulate stimulated stimulation stimulus stockholder >^ r ^-^ "O ^ >? 7 1 ^ storm straight straightened stranger strengthen strength- ened strict strictest strike stronger strongest structure struggle student studious study stupendous stupid stupidity stylish subacid subagent subaltern' subcom- mittee subconscious subdivide subdue subeditor subhead subject / ^ J. / ^ J^ 371 subjection sublease sublet sublime sublimity submarine submerge submission subordinate subpoena subscribe subscriber subscription subsequent subsidize subsidy subsist subsistence substance substantial substitute substitution subtract subtraction suburb suburban subway succeed succeeded success 372 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION "y ^ J r ? y ^^-^^ <1_^ successful succession successive successor suffer suffrage suitability suitable sulphur sulphuric superannu- ate superb supercilious superficial superfluous superintend -ent superior superiority superlative superman supernatural supersede superstition supervise supervision supervisor supplement .supplement- ary supply support / Z J J. 'j X ■"o supporter suppose supposition suppress supremacy supreme surgeon surgery surgical surrender surround survival survive survivor susceptible susceptive suspect suspicion suspicious sword syllable symbol symbolize sympathetic sympathize sympathy symptom syndicate synonymous systematic systematic- ally -"-2 technical- ity telegram telegraph telegraphic telephone temerity temperance temperature temporal temporary tenacity terminal SHORTHAND VOCABULARY 373 ^ y r -c :^ termination terminus territorial testify testimonial testimony thankful thankless thanksgiv- ing theatrical themselves theology theoretical theoretically theorist theory thereafter thereby therefore thereon thereupon therewith -thermometer thicken thickness third thirst thorough- bred thorough- fare thoroughness /T / .-^ r thousand thousands throughout thumb thump thunder timber tincture tobacco together tolerable tolerance tolerant tolerate toleration tongue topic topical torment torture total towards track tract traction trade tradition traffic tragic tranquil y ^ ^^-^ 7 tranquillity transact transaction transcript transcrip- tion transfer transient transit transition translation transmission transmit transpire transport transporta- tion transpose transposi- tion travel traveler treasure treasurer treasury ' tremendous trial tropic tropical trouble trustworthy truthful tuition 374 CONSTRUCTIVE DICTATION 7^ ,$i-^^ ^ r r r 7 7 --tumult tunnel turmoil turnover typewritten typical typist *tyrannical U ultimate ultimately ultimatum ultimo ultrafash- ionable ultramarine ultramon- tane ultraviolet unable unaccommo- dating unaccount- able unaccus- tomed unacquaint- ed unadjusted unaffected unalterable unanimous unanswer- able unattractive unavoid- able unaware -^ "^ <_/«' ^ uncertain uncle uncomplain- ing uncondi- tional unconnected uncontrolled uncorrected uncovered undecided undelivered under underbid undercharge undercurrent under- estimate undergradu- ate underground underhanded undermine underrate undersigned understand- ing undertake undervalue underwear underwent underwrite -r undesirable undeveloped ^^undiplomatic -/P. ■^-^ / 2J 7 ^ undivided undone undoubted unearned unearthed uneasiness uneducated unemployed - unequal uneventful unexcelled unfair unfamiliar unfinished unforeseen unfortunate unfortun- ately unfriendly unfulfilled unfurnished unhappi- ness unharmed unheard unhonored unhurt uniform uniformity unimportant uninjured unintentionally SHORTHAND VOCABULARY 37; 7 -f ^^ .^ uninterest- ing union unionist united unity univerSg university unjust unless , unlimited unnatural unnecessary unnoticed unparalleled unprece- dented unqualified unques- tioned unreason- able unrighteous unruly unsalable unsatisfac- tory unsupported unsuspected unsyste- matic untimely untiring unto untold • untransferable -^ r z u / ^ J^ untranslat- able untrust- worthy unused unusual -ly -unwillingness upward urban urbanity urchin usage useful useless user -utility utilize utmost utterance utterly V / c^ vacancy vacant valuable valuation cz4^ vanadium ^ vanity variability variable variance variety various vegetable velocipede velocity venerable ^--"^ vigorous J^^ vindicate A — ' virtual virtually virtuous visit visitor visual i / 376 ^ z-^ weary -? — r- weather -^ ^z^^ weird '>-^ welcome -^ welfare -t . west ^y^ western — — westerner ^ westward »^_^ wharf 3> whenever y whereabouts ^^ whereas ^ whereat -^-^ wherewith "^ whether y whoever i^- ■^ — g, wholesale — -„ ^ — 5 wholesaler >" ^ — -2. — wholesome <= — yc widespread «=— - v_^^ willingness c-^ r wireless . , , aw withdrawn ew withdrawal withhold within withstand witness woman women wonderful wondrous woodwork woolen worded 7 workman- ship worldly worn worry worse worship worst worthiness worthy YZ yarn yearningly yeast yeoman yield younger yourself youthful zealous m 36198 460351 ^■JxA^C , '^■ UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY