Table Of ContentThis thesis, having been approved by the
special Faculty Committee, is accepted by
the Graduate School of the
University of Wyoming,
in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of _Master__of _Arts____
____
Dean of the Graduate School.
Tiqte Augusfr 1950__
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A STUDY OF DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS
FOR OFFICE WORKERS
By-
Roberta Richardson Anderson
L/0
Mimsiny
8207Q
A Thesis
Submitted to the College
of Education and the Graduate School
at the University of Wyoming in Partial
Fulfillment of Requirements for the Degree of
Master of Arts
University of Wyoming
Laramie, Wyoming
August, 19^0
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UMI Number: EP21025
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HiBARD ROOM
ii
AG KN OfEEDGMENTS
Only -with the help of many others has this study been made possible.
The present w riter takes this opportunity to express her appreciation
and gratitude, at least, to the followings
to the members of her family for their continuous encouragement, and
their physical, financial, and spiritual assistance;
to the businessmen of Billings, Montana, without whose co-operation
this study could not hare been made;
to William D. Copeland, President; George Allen Odgers, Dean; and
C. G. Manning, Head, Division of Social Studies, Rocky Mountain Col
lege, who permitted the partial incorporation of this study in class-
work;
to Mrs. Marimavis Evans, Miss Yvonne S till, and Miss Joyce Viers,
students at Rocky Mountain College who assisted in the canvassing;
to J. G. Ragsdale, Principal of the Billings Senior High School, and
M. J. M iller, director of the Unemployment Compensation Commission
of Montana, for their willing co-operation in supplying related
statistical information;
to Mrs. Ruth Schlump for willing and efficient stenography;
and to L. R. Kilzer, Head, and Robert I. Hitch, Department of Secon
dary Education, University of 'Wyoming, for their guidance, sugges
tions, and editorial supervision and assistance in the writing of
this thesis.
R. R. A.
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TABLE•OF CONTENTS
Chapter Page
I . INTRODUCTION.................................................... 1
The purpose . . . . . .................................................................... . . . 3
Statement of the p roblem ......................................... 3
Importance of the s tu d y ........................................... 3
Related studies .................................................................................... 1*
Early studies .................................., .............................................. 5
Seattle study .................................................................................... 8
Area Seven . . . . . . 9
Los Angeles ...................... 11
Billings survey . . . . 13
Method of procedure . . . 1U
Normative-survey . . . Ik
Limitations of the study 15
Characterizations . . . . 16
II. HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE BBSINESS-EDUGATION CURRICULUM . 19
Origin of the office w o rk e r.................................................................. 19
Guild apprenticeship . ........................................................................... 20
Invention of the ty p e w rite r.............................. 21
Women workers ................................................ 21
Early-Ame pi can business-education e r a ............................................ 22
Business education of the nineteenth century .................................. 23
Recent business education * .................................................................. 25
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iv
Chapter Page
Growth of business education . . . . . . 27
III. CHARACTERISTICS OF BILHNGS, MONTANA..................................................... 29
A geographical trade center . 29
Growth and expansion.................................................................................... 29
Educational and cultural opportunities ............................................ 30
Employment opportunities for office workers ............................... 31
IV. TRENDS IN OFFICE OCCUPATIONS IN BILLINGS, MONTANA . . . . . . 33
Machines and equipment.............................. 33
Specialization and centralization ..................................................... 39
Lb re clerical workers needed.................................................................. Ip.
Employment for women.................................................................................... k3
Inexperienced workers readily employed ............................................ Ldi
Rates of turnover declining ..................................................... k5
■ Rates of pay ....................................................................... I4.6
V. EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR OFFICE WORKERS IN BILLINGS,
MONTANA.............................................................................................................. 51
Occupations requiring more than secondary education . . . . 52
Occupations for high-school graduates ............................................ 53
Weaknesses in training of high-school graduates ....................... 59
Technical skills . ........................... . . . . . 59
Basic skills ................................... 60
Occupational intelligence . . . . . .......................... 6l
Needed improvement in training . . . ............................................ 62
Basic skills ........................................................................... 62
Technical skills .................................................................................... 69
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V
Chapter Page
Occupational intelligence .............................................................. 7U
VI. THE SUCCESS OF THE OFFICE WORKER DEPENDS UPON PERSONALITY . . 77
Desirable personal qualifications ................................................ 77
Deficiencies in personal qualifications among beginning
office w o rk ers................................................................................... 80
Developing occupational intelligence ............................................ 83
The place of general business education in developing
occupational intelligence ..................................................... 83
Developing occupational intelligence simultaneously
with s k ill........................................................................................ 87
Work-experience .................................................................................... 89
In-service training . . . . . ..................................................... 89
Job a p p lic atio n s............................................................................... 90
Correlation with homemaking......................................................... 91
Opportunities for employment ............................................................. 91
VII. SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS ........................................ 9h
Summary......................................................................................................... 9U
The problem .............................. 95
Importance of the study ............................................ 95
Procedure................................................................................................. 95
C onclusions..................................................................... 97
Recommendations ........................................................................................ 98
Curriculum rev isio n ........................................................................... 99
Teacher tra in in g ............................................................................... 99
Pupil preparation.................................................... 100
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Chapter Page
SELECTED REFERENCES........................................................................................................101
APPENDIX........................................................ 101+
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vii
LIST CF TABLES
Table Page
I. Distribution of Typewriters in U se................................................ 35
II. Distribution of Adding machines, Calculators, and
Comptometers .............................. 37
III. Comparative Industrial Classifications . .............................. i|2
IV. Age and Educational Levels of Employees in Various Job
C lassifications.......................... 55
V. Educational Levels of Employees hired between June 1,
19U8-1950 ....................................................................................... 56
VI. High-School Subjects Classified as Essential, Desirable,
Non-Essential .................. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6h
VII. D istribution of High-School Subjects Classified as
Essential, Desirable, and Non-Essential . . . . . . . . 65
VIII. Graphic Tabulation of Basic Q ualifications............................. 78
IX. Scaled Frequency Banks of Basic Q ualifications..................... 79
X. Billings Senior High-School Enrollment Figures . . . . . . 93
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