PLAIN FACTS PRACTICAL EDUCATION FINANCIERING COMMON SENSE The several short articles herein contained were first written andpublished twenty-five years ago as an expression of the writer'sconvictions. Having come to the conclusion that conditions, in many respects, havenot improved--in fact have become more alarming; and in consequence thefuture outlook in these most strenuous and extravagant times moreuncertain, the writer was prompted to incorporate these ideals in abooklet and dedicate the same to his younger friends. G. A. BAUMAN, Quincy, Illinois. July, 1921. Looked at From a Practical Standpoint It is the young man and young woman of to-day, with a practicaleducation, who will adorn our best homes of the future. It is the manager and the financier who is the practical one. It is the young man with good habits who has a bank account, who showsevidence of becoming a financier. It is the young woman who trains herself with the duties of home-work, that will become a manager. It is the observing, the prudent, who will be the practical one. The majority of our young friends of to-day are beginning at the wrongend. Instead of beginning at the bottom and training themselves forthe future, thereby making accumulations by steadily and patientlyadhering to one principle, never deviating truthfully and honestly fromthe one purpose, and in addition establishing a good character, theybegin, as it were, at the top, with ideas that are only acquired bylack of proper training, and in course of time find themselves wherethey should have begun years before. What a young man neglects before his thirtieth birthday, he can neverredeem. It is the early dollar saved that is the valuable one in later years, and the earlier one begins, the sooner he will have a financialstanding. The dollar judiciously invested at the age of twenty, will haveaccumulated at the age of sixty, about sixteen dollars, whereas thedollar invested in like manner at the age of thirty will haveaccumulated at the age of sixty only about eight dollars. The most important thing to be attained, while striving for true andsuccessful aspirations, will be an established record, which is worthfar more than wealth. A young man with a record is a graduate ofpractical training and is sought for everywhere. There is plenty ofroom at the top. The demand is growing, even in these stringent times. These self-made young men and young women are not as a rule among ourso-called society people. Society encourages extravagance anddissipation, and that means ruin, more or less, sooner or later, morally, physically and financially. When a young couple start out in life together and they do really loveeach other sincerely, there is one other thing, next to good health, that is necessary in carrying responsibilities for a continuously happylife, and that is good financiering. Without that quality, love willsoon fade away and disagreements follow. What causes so many divorce suits? Bad financiering. Some of bur bestand brightest citizens are among our most inefficient managers, andconsequently have difficulties to battle with during life. Therefore good management and saving qualities, together with goodcharacter, are the essential points to be observed by young men andwomen, equally well by husband and wife, in order to maintainprosperity and contentment. November, 1893. Financiering It is a question not so important how to save, as how to promote thegrowth of your savings. It is sometimes an easy matter to know how to make money, but knowinghow to keep it and especially how to place it where it will earn themost, consistent with its safe keeping, is a matter that needs carefulconsideration. How many a hard-earned dollar finds its way into some visionary scheme;is invested in some fictitious, widely advertised enterprise, withagents on every hand offering glaring profits. Beware of such financiering. Did you ever hear any of our oldsuccessful financiers diverting their idle surplus into thoseinvestments where almost unlimited profits are assured? The successful accumulator is not willing to take such chances. Theylook too flattering. You cannot and should not expect something for nothing. Seek the best, and if it sometimes appears costly, it will always prove cheapest inthe end. The really judicious investor does not expect the highest rate ofinterest, as he is aiming to get gilt-edged securities. Securitieswith the largest margins are naturally entitled to consideration and alower rate. The savings bank should only be the primary department in accumulating. The moment a savings account has grown to a sufficient proportion, theprudent one will seek a larger field in order to reap the benefit of amore profitable and safer investment. But then the question will arise: "What is the course to pursue for onenot having had previous experience in such conservative precautions?" As the specialist makes a specialty of a certain kind of practice, sodoes the expert investor make a specialty of placing money on certainkinds of securities, and as confidence is the most important factor inthis commercial world, careful inquiry and investigation as to thereputation and method of such a specialist, should prove relief to thiswould-be investor of all anxiety and worry in placing his idle money tothe best advantage. Think prudently, act judiciously, place your confidence accordingly, and your success financially will be assured. November, 1894. Common Sense Common sense is the only true promoter of mankind and yet how few ofour present generation strive to obtain the knowledge. Our boys and girls may have had their proper beginning at school, indue time successfully passed the usual graduation exercises, and somemore may have received a costly course at college, yet those havingbeen deprived of the most important instruction stand before the worldas helpless as in their beginning. To learn to work is the foundation in constructing the knowledge ofcommon sense. Knowing how to work and especially with those who were taught to do itwith pleasure, never faltering nor complaining, simply accomplishingtheir daily task in a systematic manner will succeed. A successful school or college training should only be considered as asharpened tool to be better equipped in applying this common sense. At home is the place where the child should be taught to do littlethings and as it grows older and while attending school, the importanceof accomplishing bigger things should be impressed from time to time. Every parent who neglects to teach his child to work is robbing it ofits birthright. There should be time for work and time for play, but as the former isusually out of the question, that very moment our should-be-homeinstructors are guilty of moral crime. Work strengthens the body as well as the mind and a useful exerciseshould be the most preferable one. If you wish to rear a good boy, teach him how to work. If you wish your son to become an ideal young man, preach to him thatthe most valuable time lost, is, when he is neglecting to build up hisstorage of common sense. Plod along quietly, but with determination. Promotion will surelyfollow. We are none of us perfect; try to do right as nearly as you possiblycan and you will profit. To neglect means disappointments. If you wish to bring up a good girl, teach her to be useful. If you wish to be the possessor of a model daughter, teach her thevalue of work; all other accomplishments should be subordinate issues, but are very commendable features if connected with common sense ideas. Common sense should be the first principle in the make-up of a youngwoman, and it is only obtained while learning the rudiments and dutiesto manage a home; and a home of contentment is only where such asupreme being, commonly called wife, predominates. Teach your daughters to be deserving, have them learn to appreciate, tobe sincere and you will encourage a better class of young men. Let them grow up in idleness, teach them to despise labor, let themdepend upon someone for a continuously happy time, and you willcultivate the good-for-nothing young man. Do not let them expect to marry a worthy man unless they showthemselves to be worthy. The laws of nature will not permit otherwise. Honor the man of toil. To snub him shows ignorance and bad breeding. Neither good looks nor fortune should figure as a drawing card. Nothing but virtues embodied in the knowledge of common sense willconquer. Virtue prevails Where beauty fails. Nor will riches easily won maintain comforts and satisfaction whichonly true merit will reward. To be occupied encourages health and thrift; withself-denial--self-respect and happiness. To be idle invites ills of many kinds; it breeds discontent, engenderspoverty and brings misery--and as the wheels of commerce arecontinuously turning around, the rich becoming poor and the poorbecoming rich, the importance of acquiring the knowledge of commonsense should not be so woefully neglected. Try not to accumulate wealth, but exert your talents in promoting yourchildren to become self-reliant and you will have endowed a legacywhich means more than untold fortunes to them, a consolation to theparent and a blessing to the community at large. The poorest boys and girls in the world are those not taught to work. [Illustration: signature of G. A. Bauman] October, 1897.