INTRODUCTION.

It is generally conceded that the subject of business correspondence should receive a greater share of attention in the schools of our country than is usually devoted to it, a necessity resulting from the requirements demanded of the young men and women called upon to fill positions in the business world. It is also desirable that young people should acquire a pleasing style in their social correspondence, hence both parts of the subject are treated in these pages.

Few young people appreciate the value of the ability to write creditable business and social letters. It is the opinion of those whose opportunities for forming judgment have been most favorable, that a man's habits, qualifications, and qualities in general as a business man, may be estimated with fair accuracy upon no further knowledge of him than may be obtained from familiarity with his business letters; and it may be as truthfully asserted that his social correspondence furnishes an index to his bent of mind and general character. Since a large portion of the business of the world, and much of the friendships of life, are maintained only through the medium of letters, it would appear that it can be no more important to cultivate the ability to transact business and to preserve friendships in personal life than to cultivate such powers in correspondence; and the fact that a man's correspondence is in a measure shaped by his habits, previously formed, and that, on the other hand, his habits are controlled and improved by cultivating care in his correspondence, adds force to this opinion.

Although the subject of correspondence is broad and comprehensive, there is no good reason for hesitation in making it a part of the course of study in our schools. Experience has demonstrated that as great a degree of success may attend rightly directed effort to instruct in this subject as in any other; and it is believed that no other branch of study will be productive of more real, practical benefit to the student, in proportion to the amount of effort expended upon it, than the study of correspondence.

While it may be true that the great diversity in business necessitates widely different lines of correspondence, it is also true that in all correspondence certain fundamental principles hold good; and if a general foundation can be laid, the student will much more readily work into any particular line of correspondence that may be required of him than if he had not received any instruction; and it is unreasonable to suppose that, because of this diversity in business, the student may not be instructed in correspondence as successfully as he is now instructed in book-keeping. It is the aim of this work, not only to furnish information for the student in letter writing, but to suggest to the teacher a method of presenting the subject, which, of course, may be altered or modified to suit the needs of his pupils.

After the student has been led to understand the importance of the subject, has been instructed regarding the materials to be used, and has received such other general information as he may need in a preliminary way, the form and parts of a

letter are explained and illustrated, so that his subsequent work upon letters will confirm him in correct habits of form at the same time that he is learning the art of expression. When he is ready to take up letter writing proper, it is suggested that he be given at the outset, if possible, some subject with which the teacher may find him familiar. This plan is more likely to secure the student's interest at the start than if he were assigned work without reference to his previous knowledge of the subject. Thus it may be well to have some students commence with letters of friendship, others with letters ordering goods, others again with letters of introduction, etc. And this will be found to be perfectly practicable with the exercises given in this work, as each set is complete in itself, and it is not claimed that the order in which they appear will be the best to follow with all classes.

Having assigned the exercise, let the teacher draw from the student, by questioning, such information as he should possess concerning it before attempting to write the desired letter, supplying his lack of information when necessary. He may be shown specimen letters, similar in character to the one assigned him, either before or after his own attempt, as may be thought best, and when his work is completed and criticised he may be required to correct or rewrite it until he has brought his letter to the highest point of excellence in his power. This letter may be followed by others similar to it, upon exercises given in the work or supplied by the teacher, until the student becomes familiar with letters of this class, after which he may be assigned work upon the next class selected.

The manner of arranging the various parts of a letter is secondary, and yet certain forms of arrangement are accepted by common consent as reasonable, orderly, and in good taste, and are approved by the best correspondents; and since these accepted forms can be learned as easily and employed as readily as others not so approved, it seems entirely proper that students should be taught to use them.

The matter of first importance in a letter is the expression of the proper ideas in proper language—in other words, what to say and how to say it appropriately and effectively. To secure good results in this direction, various suggestions, comments, and illustrations are supplied with the exercises given in the work.