A current evaluation of the general secretarial curriculum of the Alexandria Area Vocational-Technical
School
by Duane Glenn Bowen
A thesis submitted to the Graduate Faculty in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
MASTER OF SCIENCE in Business Education
Montana State University
© Copyright by Duane Glenn Bowen (1971)
Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the General Secretarial Curriculum of the Alexandria Area
Vocational-Technical School, Alexandria, Minnesota, to determine if the curriculum is adequately
preparing General Secretarial graduates for the business world.
General Secretarial graduates' success was measured by the types of positions held and by the duties
and responsibilities performed. Employers' opinions regarding the General Secretarial graduates'
capabilities and performance and employers' recommendations for changes in the General Secretarial
Curriculum were also used as evaluative measures.
The questionnaire technique was used to survey 106 General Secretarial graduates of 1968, 1969, and
1970. The questionnaire technique was used to survey the 78 employers of these graduates. Responses
were received from 95 graduates and 75 employers.
A majority of the General Secretarial graduates indicated that they were employed in positions where
they were using their shorthand and machine transcription skills. This would seem to indicate that
graduates are employed in positions for which they are trained.
Graduates indicated that typewriting instruction, Business English, and Secretarial Office Procedures
were considered as being most important subjects in the curriculum. Economics, Business Law, and
Data Processing were considered as of least importance in the curriculum. Graduates indicated that
instruction in human relations should be given more emphasis in the curriculum. This would seem to
indicate that graduates become more cognizant of the need for good communication skills after a
period of employment.
Employers were asked to indicate to what degree General Secretarial graduates were meeting the needs
of their firms. Employers indicated that graduates were performing satisfactorily. This would seem to
indicate that graduates possess saleable skills which meet employers' needs.
Employer recommendations for curriculum revision centered primarily on human relations. This
indicates a correlation between employer and graduate responses indicating a need for more human
relations instruction in the General Secretarial Curriculum.
A majority of employers indicated that salaries for General Secretarial graduates were adjusted to
compensate for post-secondary training. This would seem to indicate that employers are becoming
more aware of the value of post-secondary vocational training. STATEMENT QF PERMISSION TO COPY
In presenting this thesis in partial fulfillment of the re­
quirements for an advanced degree at Montana State University, I agree
that the Library shall make it freely available for inspection.
I
further agree that permission for extensive copying of this thesis for
scholarly purposes may be granted by my major professor, or, in his
absence, by the Director of Libraries.
It is understood that any
copying or publication of this thesis for financial gain shall not be
allowed without my written permission.
Signature
Date
9,
P/
A CURRENT EVALUATION OF THE GENERAL SECRETARIAL CURRICULUM
OF THE ALEXANDRIA AREA VOCATIONAL-TECHNICAL SCH(X)L
v.
•# ■
by
DUANE GLENN B O W M
A thesis submitted to the Graduate Faculty in partial
fulfillment of the requirements for the degree
.
of
MASTER OF S C I M C E
in
Business Education
Approved:
Direct^p/ Commerce
^hairman, Examining Committee
Graduate Dean
MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY
Bozeman, Montana
August, 1971
,
iii
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The writer wishes to extend his sincere appreciation to Dr.
Harvey A. Larson, Director, School of Commerce, and to Dr. J. B.
Walden for their generous assistance and guidance throughout the
preparation of this study.
iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter
Io
^
INTRODUCTION AND STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
•The Problem
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Importance of the problem
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*
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*
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3
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Statement of the problem
Procedures
*
e
*
e
*
e
*
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3
^
*
General Secretarial Graduate s u r v e y ........ .. * * *
4
The employer survey
6
*
*
o
Definitxon of Terras
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3
» 0 0 0 0 * 0 * * 0 0 0 0 0
10
* 0 0 * 0 * 0 * 0 * 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
10
SURVEY OF RELATED LITERATURE
Sxramons Study
*
* 0 * * 0 0 * * 0 0 0 0 0 0
Lxraxtatxons of the study
II 0
Page
Cook and Shapiro Study
* * * ........ ..
12
>
Klein Study
o
Weber Study
© » * o © © * e o » o » « o * o o o » o o o
Heckert Study
McKee Study
XXI©
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
13
*
14
. ....................
15
* » * * * # * « » * * » * o # @ * o * * * *
16
James S t u d y ..............
•
17
Zoubek Study
®
I?
ANALYSIS OF DATA
......................................
© * © © © * © © o © * © © © © © © © © *
General Secretarial Graduate Survey
General Secretarial Curriculum
. . . . « * • • • •
.© « ■.
I■
'
. . . . . © ©
19
20
20
.
v
Chapter
Page
Importance ranking of subjects by General
Secretarial graduates ..................
22
Importance ranking of job responsibilities by
General Secretarial graduates
24
Use of shorthand and machine transcription abilities
by General Secretarial graduates
. ............
27
Human relations in the General Secretarial
Curriculum
* * @ * » » * * » @ » * @ @ @ * @ @ 0 »
27
General Secretarial Graduates Positions in Industry
. »
30
Procedures used by General Secretarial graduates to
obtain employment
31
Employment status of General Secretarial graduates => .
34
Employment titles of General Secretarial graduates . .
38
Salaries of General Secretarial graduates and length
of time employed by present employer
. . . . . . .
40
On-the-job training of General Secretarial
graduates
45
Graduates * Attitudes Toward the General Secreteirial
Curriculum
. . . . . . . . . .......... . . . . . . .
48
General Secretarial graduates1 attitudes toward the
General Secretarial Curriculum
........ . . . . .
48
Employers * Attitudes Toward the Adequacy of General
Secretarial Training
........ ............. ..
Adequacy of training to meet employers' standards
52
. .
Need for additional training of General Secretarial
graduates . . . . . . . . . . ............ . . . .
55
55
Ti
Chapter
Page
Employer suggestions for areas of instruction
that should be intensified
. ........ . . . . . .
Employers' Requirements for On-The-Job Training
55
....
58
. . . . . . .
58
Type of on-the-job training required of new
o » e o o e * o
employees e e e e e e
61
Type of employee that is required to have on-the-job
training
e * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
61
Type Of and Number Of Secretaries Employed by
Employers * * * # # * * * » » e » o * » * o * * * * » »
61
Firms which require on-the-job training
Number of secretarial workers employed by firms who
employ Alexandria General Secretarial graduates = .
64
Number of area vocational-technical school General
Secretarial graduates employed by firms ........
64
®
Employers’ Attitudes Toward Promotion and Remuneration
Of Secretarial Employees
................ . . . . . .
'
IV.
68
Starting salaries of General Secretarial graduates . .
68
Dress attire of secretarial employees
71
Favorable comments made by employers in relation to
area vocational-technical school General Secretarial
g r a d u a t e s ................................ ..
71
Unfavorable comments made by employers in relation
to area vocational-technical school General Secretarial graduates
. . . . . .............. . . . .
74
SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Summary and Conclusions
. . . . . . . .
74
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
74
General Secretarial graduate survey
. . . . . . . . .
I
?4
vii
Chapter
Page
Employer survey
• • o * o o » . « » * o o « » o » o o ,o
Becommendations
APPENDIX
t , e
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SEItECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
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79
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84
9^
viii
LIST OF TABLES
Table
I-
Page
Classroom Hours of Instruction in the General Secretarial
Curriculum at the Alexandria Area Vocational-Technical
School
II.
21
Subjects Ranked by Alexandria General Secretarial Gradu­
ates According to How Important Graduates Felt the
Subjects Were in Preparing Graduates for Their Present
e e • o e e o
Position
III.
Ranking of Present Job Responsibilities According to Im­
portance by the 1967-1968, 1968-1969i and 1969-1970
General Secretarial Graduates of Alexandria Area Vocational-Technical School
IV.
.........................
Use of Shorthand and Machine Transcription Abilities on the
Job as Denoted by Responses of General Secretarial Gradu­
ates of Alexandria Area Vocational-Technical School
V.
General Secretarial Graduates Responses Indicating Areas
of Human Relations That Should Receive More Emphasis in
the General Secretarial Curriculum
VI.
. . . . . . . . . .
Procedures Used by 1967-1968, 1968-1969» and 1969-1970
General Secretarial Graduates of Alexandria Area
Vocational-Technical School to Obtain1Employment
ix
Table
VII.
Page
Number of Weeks Before General Secretarial Graduates
Obtained Employment Following Graduation
VIII.
. . . . . . .
33
Job Placement of 1967-1968» 1968-1969, and 1969-1970
General Secretarial Graduates of Alexandria Area
*
Vocational-Technical School by Location
. . . . . . .
35
IX. Employment Status of 1967-1968, 1968-1969, and 1969-1970
General Secretarial Graduates of Alexandria Area
Vocational-Technical School
X.
. . . . . . . . . . . . .
36
Reasons Stated for Unemployment Status of General Secre­
tarial Graduates of Alexandria Area Vocational-Technical
School
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
3/
XI. Employment Titles of General Secretarial Graduates of
Alexandria Area Vocational-Technical School Arranged
According to Frequency
XII.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
39
Present Employment Salaries of General Secretarial
Graduates of Alexandria Area Vocational-Technical
School
XIII.
..............
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4l
Length of Time Employed by Present Employer as Indicated
by Responses of General Secretarial Graduates of Alex­
andria Area Vocational-Technical School
XIV.
. . . . . . .
42
Number of Employers That Secretarial Graduates Have Had
Since Entering Employment Field
........
. . . . . .
43
X
Table
XVI.
Page
Number of General Secretarial Graduates Receiving
On-The-Job Training After Employment
XVII.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . o .
Alexandria Secretarial Graduate Attitudes Toward the
General Secretarial Curriculum
XIX.
46
Type of On-The-Job Training General Secretarial
Graduates Received
XVIII.
. . . . . . . .
........
. . . . . .
49
General Secretarial Graduates1 Responses Indicating the
Value of the Dress Code of the Area VocationalTechnical School Relative to Preparing Graduates for
Appropriate Dress Apparel on the Job
XX.
. . . . . . . .
51
General Secretarial Graduates' Responses Indicating the
Proposed Status of the Dress Code of the Alexandria
Area Vocational-Technical School
XXI.
. . . . . . . . . .
51
Comments Made by Secretarial Graduates Indicating What
They Liked Best About the Alexandria Area VocationalTechnical School
XXII.
.................. £ ..............
53
Comments Made by Secretarial Graduates Indicating What
They Liked Least About Alexandria Area VocationalTechnical School
XXIII.
..................
. . . . . . . .
Employers' Attitudes Toward the Adequacy of Training
Received by General Secretarial Students at the
54
xi
Table
I
Page
Alexandria Area Vocational-Technical School to Meet
Employers' Standards
XXIVo
..............................
56
Employers' Attitudes Regarding the Need for Additional
Training of Alexandria Genpral Secretarial Graduates
to Meet Employer Standards
XXV.
. . . . . . . . 0 0 0 0 0
57
Areas of Instruction Where Employers Think Instruction
Should be Intensified to Enable General Secretarial
Graduates to Perform Duties More Proficiently on
the Job
XXVI.
........ ..................................
Number of Firms Which Required On-The-Job Training Em­
ploying Alexandria General Secretarial Graduates
XXVII.
...
60
Type of On-The-Job Training Required by Employers of
New Employees Entering the Job F i e l d .......... .
XXVIII.
59
62
Type of Employee That Firms Employing Alexandria Gen­
eral Secretarial Graduates Required to Have OnThe-Job Training
XXIX.
.......... ..........
63
Total Number of Secretarial Workers Employed by Firms
Employing 1967-1968, 1968-1969» and 1969-1970 Alex­
andria General Secretarial Graduates
XXX.
. . . . . . . .
Number of Area Vocational-Technical School General Sec­
retarial Graduates Employed by Firms Hiring Alexandria
65
xii
Page
Table
Area Vocational-Technical School General Secre­
tarial Graduates
XXXI.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Type of Employee That Employers of Alexandria General
Secretarial Graduates Would Prefer to Hire
XXXII.
66
. . = . ®
67
Employer Attitudes Toward Adjusting SeuLaries to Com­
pensate Secretarial Employees for Additional Train­
...................
ing Beypnd the Secondary Level
XXXIII.
69
Employer Attitudes Regarding Promotion of Employees
Who Have Post High School Training Versus Those Who
Have Not Had Post High School Training
XXXIV.
. . . . . . .
70
Etaployers1 Expressed Opinions Concerning Alexandria
General Secretarial Graduates’ Dress Attire in the
Of f
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e
o
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72
xiii
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the General Secre­
tarial Curriculum of the Alexandria Area Vocational-Technical School,
Alexandria, Minnesota, to determine if the curriculum is adequately
preparing General Secretarial graduates for the business world.
General Secretarial graduates' success was measured by the
types of positions held and by the duties and responsibilities per­
formed. Employers' opinions regarding the General Secretarial gradu­
ates' capabilities and performance and employers' recommendations for
changes in the General Secretarisil Curriculum were also used as
evaluative measures.
The questionnsiire technique was used to survey 106 General
Secretarial graduates of 1968, 1969, and 1970. The questionnaire
technique was used to survey the ?8 employers of these graduates.
Responses were received from 95 graduates and 75 employers.
A majority of the General Secretarial graduates indicated that
they were employed in positions where they were using their shorthand
and machine transcription skills. This would seem to indicate that
graduates are employed in positions for which they are trained.
Graduates indicated that typewriting instruction, Business Eng­
lish, and Secretarial Office Procedures were considered as being most
important subjects in the curriculum. Economics, Business Law, and
Data Processing were considered as of least importance in the curricu­
lum. Graduates indicated that instruction in human relations should
be given more emphasis in the curriculum. This would seem to indi­
cate that graduates become more cognizant of the need for good communi­
cation skills after a period of employment.
Employers were asked to indicate to what degree General Secre­
tarial graduates were meeting the needs of their firms. Employers
indicated that graduates were performing satisfactorily. This would
seem to indicate that graduates possess saleable skills which meet
employers' needs.
Employer recommendations for curriculum revision centered pri­
marily on human relations. This indicates a correlation between em­
ployer and graduate responses indicating a need for more human relations
instruction in the General Secretarial Curriculum.
A majority of employers indicated that salaries for General
Secretarial graduates were adjusted to compensate for post-secondary
training. This would seem to indicate that employers are becoming
more aware of the value of post-secondary vocational training.
i
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION AND STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Vocational education has been recognized as a valuable means of
obtaining trained, skilled employees for the business world.
With the
passage of time and the expansion of business life in this country,
additional vocational opportunities are beginning to appear and some
current opportunities to disappear.
It is estimated by Clague and
Greenberg (2:745), that more than two million jobs will be lost to
technology in the next ten years as a result of technological advance­
ment and improved productivity.
Educators are recognizing the need for increasing vocational
education and that vocational education is also changing in nature.
Eyster (4:6) states:
. . . Needs are becoming evident for new developments in educa­
tion for high level technical business positions; and new needs
are evolving for education suitable for workers in general clerical
and general sales and service occupations.
Changes in the'business world must be accompanied by updating
the business education curriculum.
Parish (11:162-164) points out the.
need for curriculum change when he writes:
. . . any curriculum
can either move ahead—
the change— or it must
portance in our school
cannot remain static. Business education
by accepting change and adjusting to meet
fall back and consequently decrease in im­
systems.
Vocational and technical educators have remained cognizant of
•" • : •
;
:
the constant change in the business world. One method that vocational
2
educators have utilized as a means of remaining aware of the trends in
business has been to survey their graduates and the employers who em­
ploy those graduates to determine their effectiveness in the world of
work.
This has placed an obligation on educators, businessmen, and
legislators to coordinate views and efforts to assure that vocational
curriculums are relevant to today's business requirements.
Huckabay
(6 :28) emphasized the fact that the key to achieving our aims in busi.ness education is the word "change."
One of the weaknesses of business
education, both past and present, is that many teachers are not aware
of changes that have been taking place in the business world.
The importance of student evaluation is pointed out by Alter
(1:473) who states that the most important and most neglected area of
a school's operation is that of the follow-up of its graduates to de­
termine their effectiveness in the world of work.
Iliff (?:30) also
points out the importance of the follow-up study in her article when .
she states:
. . . The follow-up study, with all its limitations, may result
in a worth-while, small scale contribution to business education
if carefully and systematically conducted. Although conclusions
drawn and the recommendations offered will, in many instances, be
applicable only to a single institution; nevertheless, the value
*realized may be of more practical worth than studies of wider
scope.
The basic aim of teaching job-entry-level vocational training
is to aid the student to develop saleable skills enabling the student "
to obtain positions in business and advance to higher-level positions
3
as the student gains experience.
This function of vocational education
requires that vocational curriculums be closely allied to the current
duties and responsibilities of employees in the business world.
I.
THE PROBLEM
Statement of the Problem
It is the purpose of this study to evaluate the General Secre­
tarial Curriculum of the Alexandria Area Vocational-Technical School to
determine if the General Secretarial Curriculum is adequately preparing
»
General Secretarial graduates for the duties and responsibilities re­
quired in the business world as measured by:
1.
The different types of businesses employing General Secre­
tarial graduates.
2.
The duties and responsibilities performed by General Secre­
tarial graduates.
3»
Employers' opinions regarding the General Secretarial gradu­
ates' capabilities and performance.
4.
Employers' recommendations for changes in the General
Secretarial Curriculum.
Importance of the Problem
This investigation was conducted for the purpose of evaluating
the General Secretarial Curriculum.
The importance of evaluation re­
lies on the premise that an investigation was necessary to determine if
the General Secretarial Curriculum and instruction were meeting the
standards of business.
Importance was added to the study because an
4
in-depth study of General Secretarial graduates of the Alexandria Area
Vocational-Technical School had never been performed prior to 1970.
Mr. Vernon Maack 1 Director of the Alexandria Area VocationalTechnical School, indicated that the Vocational Education Act of 1963
requires a follow-up study of graduates of an area vocational-technical
school.
The counselors and the Placement Director of the Alexandria
Area Vocational-Technical School indicated that data obtained from the
General Secretarial graduate survey and the Employer survey would be
helpful in the recruitment of future students and in the placement of
graduates.
II.
PROCEDURES
The investigative procedures of this study were conducted in
two areas:
(I) Survey of the General Secretarial graduates of 1967-
1968, 1968-1969, and 1969-1970; and (2) Survey of current employers of
the General Secretarial graduates.
The procedures are discussed
separately to insure clarification and understanding.
General Secretarial Graduate Survey
The following procedures were used for development of the Gen­
eral Secretarial graduate study.
I.
Discussion with Mr. Maack, Director of the Alexandria Area
Vocational-Technical School, pointed out the need for a follow-up study
of General Secretarial graduates which is required by the Vocational
Education Act of 1963.
5
2o
Consultation with faculty members indicated that revision
of the General Secretarial Curriculum should be considered, as only
minor revisions had been made in the General Secretarial Curriculum
prior to 1970.
3.
A survey of the literature was made to determine what in­
formation was available pertaining to follow-up studies of graduates.
4.
A four-page questionnaire was developed based on the in­
formation desired by the Alexandria Area Vocational-Technical School in
determining the effectiveness of the General Secretarial Curriculum and
information required by the Federal government on area vocationaltechnical school graduates.
5.
(See Appendix.)
All General Secretarial graduates who successfully com­
pleted the nine-month General Secretarial Curriculum for the school ■
years 1967-1968, 1968-1969, and 1969-1970 were selected for this study.
A cover letter, questionnaire, and stamped, self-addressed envelope
were mailed to each General Secretarial graduate’s home address.
The
Alexandria Area Vocational-Technical School maintains a permanent
student file which provided the addresses of the General Secretarial
graduates.
(
I
,
On October I, 1970, a cover letter, questionnaire, and stamped,
self-addressed envelope were mailed to 106 General Secretarial gradu­
ates.
On October 20, 1970, questionnaires,.;had:been returned from 77
graduates, a 72.6 per cent return.
6
On October 20, 1970, a second cover letter, questionnaire, and
stamped, self-addressed envelope'^ie^'DiajSiea" to 29 General Secretarial
graduates who had not responded to the first mailing.
On November 10,
1970, questionnaires had been returned from an additional 18 graduates
giving a total return of 95 of 106 General Secretarial graduates, 89.6
per cent.
No further follow-up was made.
6.
A series of work sheets were devised to facilitate classify­
ing and summarizing the data obtained from the General Secretarial
graduate survey.
The Employer Survey.
The following procedures were used for development of the Em­
ployer Survey.
1.
A survey of the literature was undertaken to determine what
studies had been conducted involving employer recommendations and sug­
gestions for curriculum revision.
Questionnaires of other investigators
were studied to determine what types of questions had been used in ob­
taining data from employers.
2.
A cover letter and a two-page questionnaire were developed.
(See Appendix.)
3 . When a response was received from a General Secretarial
graduate indicating a current employer and the employer's address, a
cover letter, questionnaire, and a stamped, self-addressed envelope
7
were mailed to the employer.
By December I, 1970, a total of 78 ques­
tionnaires had been sent to employers.
4.
On December 8, 1970, questionnaires had been returned from
64 employers.
On December 9, 1970, a second cover letter, questionnaire,
and a stamped, self-addressed envelope were sent to 14 employers who had
not responded to the first mailing. On December 24, 1970, a total of
11. questionnaires had been returned from the follow-up mailing. The
return of 75 of 78 questionnaires from employers of General Secretarial
graduates represented a 96.2 per cent return.
No further follow-up
was made.
5 . A series of work sheets were devised to facilitate classify­
ing and summarizing the data obtained from the Employer survey.
.
Limitations of the Study*
1
The following limitations apply to this study.
1.
Only the General Secretarial graduates of the Alexandria
Area Vocational-Technical School were surveyed.
2.
The survey was limited to General Secretarial graduates who
attended the Alexandria Area Vocational-Technical School during the
school years 1967-68, 1968-69, and 1969-70.
3 . The employer survey was limited to those employers who are
currently employing at the time of this study General Secretarial gradu­
ates of the Alexandria Area Vocational-Technical School.
'
8
4.
The employer survey was further limited to employers who
were employing General Secretarial graduates of the school years 19671968, 1968-1969, and 1969-1970.
5-
The survey was limited to the General Secretarial Curri­
culum of the Alexandria Area Vocational-Technical School.
(See Appen­
dix. )
6.
Further limitations, as they apply to specific areas of
the investigation, are discussed in their respective sections within
the study.
III.
DEFINITION OF TERMS
General Secretarial Curriculum.
A course of study consisting
of 1080 hours of classroom and laboratory instruction designed to give
General Secretarial students a saleable skill in preparation for enter­
ing the business world.
(See Appendix.)
General Secretarial Graduates.
Students who have successfully
completed the nine-month General Secretarial Curriculum.
Employers.
Individuals who employed General Secretarial gradu­
ates at the time the investigation was conducted.
I
School Year.
Period of study for General Secretarial students
consisting of 1080 hours of instruction beginning in September and
ending in May.
General Secretary.
An assistant to an employer, possessing
mastery of office skills and ability to assume responsibility without
9
direct supervision, who displays initiative, exercises judgment, and
makes decisions within the area of her authority.
Greater Importance.
An arbitrary term using numbers from one
to six on'a scale of one to 12 on Table II, page 23«
Lesser Importance.
An arbitrary term using numbers from seven
to 12 on a scale of one to 12 on Table II, page 23.
Greater Importance.
An arbitrary term using numbers from one
to five on a scale of one to ten on Table III, page 2$.
Lesser Importance.
An arbitrary term using numbers from six
to ten on a scale of one to ten on Table III, page 25.
Machine Transcription.
The skill of transcribing dictation
from a machine that records voice on tape, belt, or disk.
CHAPTER II
SURVEY OF RELATED LITERATURE
There have been numerous articles published concerning follow­
up studies of student graduates from various types of educational in­
stitutions.
Evaluation of curriculum has been one of the major pur­
poses of these articles.
This survey of literature revealed only one
study that pertained exclusively to secretarial graduates of area
vocational-technical schools in the state of Minnesota.
As a result
of little related literature concerning area vocational-technical
school secretarial graduates, the investigator utilized information
from literature concerning follow-up studies of secretarial and cleri­
cal graduates of various types of secondary and post-secondary insti­
tutions .
The literature available was perused, analyzed, and utilized
as guidelines for determining the parameters and methodology of ob­
taining, compiling, and analyzing the data in this study.
Simmons study. (12:41-46)
The purpose of this study was to
survey selected businesses in the state of Minnesota in an effort to
determine what recommendations businessmen had for revising the General
Secretarial curriculums of area vocational-technical schools in
Minnesota.
The study revealed that 6l of 66 businessmen,^92.4 per cent,
ranked the ability to get along with fellow workers as number one of
23 various office skills and abilities. I
11
The ability to use correct punctuation in written communica­
tions was ranked as number two by 59 of 66 businessmen, 89.4 per cent.
Effective use of the dictionary and office handbook was ranked
number three by 57 of 66 businessmen, 86.4 per cent.
Three abilities were ranked by 55 of 66 businessmen, 89.3 per
cent, as items that shared fifth place.
These required abilities were:
(I) express a pleasing personality and present an effective personal
appearance; (2 ) typewrite mailable letters and address envelopes; and
(3 ) verify information from various sources.
The study revealed that businessmen consider certain aspects of
business to be teachable to the employee after employment if the em­
ployee does not possess knowledge of the duties.
Phases of banking,
operations, use of machines peculiar to a particular business, and com­
pany policies, procedures, letter styles, etc., were indicated as
being teachable after employment.
This study also asked employers to indicate those skills and
abilities desirable for employees to possess to make them more effi­
cient employees.
Knowledgeability in the area of economics and busi­
ness terminology was indicated as a desirable quality by 74.2 per cent
I
of the businessmen.
The ability to compose and type letters without
instructions from the employer was indicated by businessmen as a trait
that was desirable for more efficient employees.
Participation in
12
community organizations and activities was indicated by businessmen as
a desirable employee trait.
Cook and Shapiro study.
(3!33-35)
The purpose of this investi­
gation was to set the basis for a pilot study which would serve as a
means of analyzing the secretarial role and serve as a basis for revis­
ing and updating curriculum.
The study was to direct attention to
those variables in the work situation which contribute to success or
failure in the secretarial/stenographic positions.
was conducted in Detroit, Michigan.
The investigation
The population of the study in­
volved 149 secretaries, 132 supervisors, and 45 other clerical employees.
The population was stratified into three areas, secretary/
stenographer, supervisor, and peer.
The investigators stratified suc­
cess into ten divisions as measured by responses from secretary/stenographers, supervisors, and peers.
A major conclusion arrived at was that a major role of the sec­
retary was "to please and assist her boss."
Another conclusion was
that a secretary's role must include assuming responsibility, possess­
ing high levels of secretarial skills, having a pleasing personality
and sharing an interest in her work.
Significant differences were observed between mean scores in .
secretarial success for groups of secretaries who had taken education
at different types of institutions.
The group of secretaries who
13
attended private business schools were the least successful of all
post-secondary secretarial graduates.
In the area of subjective secretarial skills, investigation
revealed that secretary/stenographers who possessed a greater degree
of secretarial skills, such as "accurate typing" and "capable of writ­
ten and oral communications," possessed a significantly greater degree
(
of success.
This study indicated that objective secretarial skills, such
as accuracy and speed in typing, dictation and transcription skills,
spelling ability, and intelligence, did not reveal any significant
relationship between secretarial skills and secretarial success.
Klein study.
(9:292-93, 335)
The purpose of this study was
to determine how secretarial graduates were performing in business and
whether curriculum revision should be considered.
taken in western New York state.
The study was under­
The population of the study consisted
of 179 graduates with 112 respondents.
Taking dictation and transcription was found to be the major
activity of graduates.
The recommendation was made by graduates that
there should be a greater emphasis on technical dictation and dicta­
tion at the typewriter.
Typewriting continued to be the major activity
of secretaries in this study.
Graduates suggested that more training
be provided in rough-draft typing and in preparing carbon copies.
14
General office activities, such as handling mail, making ap­
pointments and reservations, receiving visitors, and making long­
distance telephone calls, were performed by over 70 per cent of the
respondents.
Thirty per cent of the respondents recommended that more
emphasis be placed on receiving callers.
Many of the respondents
made comments indicating a need for more training in human relations.
Secretarial grammar was indicated as adequate by 88 per cent
of the respondents.
Office-style dictation was considered inadequate
by 72 per cent of the respondents.
Students indicated by their responses that there should be more
actual office situations, problems, and solutions.
The investigator
suggested that this would tend to indicate the need for business teach­
ers to return to business to get more office experience or at least
make more office visitations.
Weber study.
(14:6-11)
This study had as its main purpose the
establishing of priorities in training secretaries through a survey of
the opinions of secretaries, executives, and secretarial teachers con­
cerning the importance of skills and knowledges and personal traits
required in business for secretarial success. The members of the study
i
'
were 83 secretaries, 31 executives, and 22 Secretarial Block vocational
office education teachers in the Phoenix, Arizona, metropolitan area.
r1’ '1
Some conclusions derived from the study were:
I.
Secretaries,
executives, and secretarial teachers generally agreed that a thorough
15
knowledge of the basic tools of English, taking and transcribing dic­
tation from shorthand or stenotype, and accuracy in performance of
duties were the most important elements in the study.
All three groups
agreed that skill in calculating percentages, discounts, ratios,
interest, fractions, and working with data processing were least im­
portant.
The three groups agreed that personal qualities and traits were>
^more important than either fundamental or specialized skills and know­
ledges for secretarial success.
/
Size of the office or the type of firm did not seem to signiI ficantly affect the secretary's view of the relative importance of
'^skills, knowledges, and traits required for secretarial success.*
Heckert study.
(5:1-80)
This study was an appraisal of the
Alexandria Area Vocational-Technical School Clerical graduates to
evaluate the success of the Clerical Training curriculum.
The study
.
involved 90 Clerical*graduates and 70 employers of the Clerical gradu­
ates.
Conclusions derived from this study were as follows:
The
statewide Clerical Curriculum consisting of 1080 hours is satisfactory.
Employers constantly pointed out the need for more training in business
communications and business mathematics.
I
16
The investigation revealed that 51«^ per cent of the popula­
tion had employment in the metropolitan area of Minneapolis, St. Paul,
and their suburbs.
Student replies indicated that instruction in business machines
and typewriting were of primary importance for employment.
Fifty per
cent of the students rated Business Law, and Data Processing as being
of least importance.
Sixty-seven per cent of the employers in this study indicated
that they would prefer to hire an individual who possessed post­
secondary vocational training.
Ninety-five per cent of the employers indicated that the area
vocational-technical schools were doing an adequate job in training
potential employees for office positions.
Over one-half of the employers commented that clerical employ­
ees need more training in human relations and communications.
'
McKee study.
(10:4190A)
The purpose of this study was to de­
termine the differences between Seventh-Day Advent offices and regular
business offices and how this difference affects the work of secretaries
in Seventh Day Advent offices.
The investigator concluded from the study that work in Seventh
Day Advent offices differs from regular business offices in the promo­
tional aspects work of the church and in the terminology employed in
these offices.
17
A general conclusion, consistent with other secretarial studies,
was the need for maturity, good judgment, adequate preparation in the
basic secretarial skills, and special proficiency in grammar, spelling,
mathematics, voice transcription, and duplicating.
y/
James study.
(8:2812^2815)
This study indicated that employers
consider personal characteristics to be of prime importance in both the
hiring and in the promotion stages of secretarial employees.
While employers state that they pay greater attention to per­
sonal characteristics in both hiring and promoting beginning steno­
graphic and secretarial workers, this does not indicate that the skill
areas are to be forgotten, minimized, or neglected.
Poor spelling, poor grammar, poor dictation and transcription,
poor typewriting, and lack of English fundamentals were found to be
the greatest technical weaknesses in beginning workers.
The most sig­
nificant personal weaknesses found in beginning workers were lack of
proper grooming, lack of interest, poor selection, of wearing apparel,
poor diction and voice, use of too much make-up, immaturity, and lack
of conscientiousness.
Zoubek study.
(15:25-^26)
The purpose of this study was to
i
determine if the need for shorthand skills was on the way out.
The
study indicated that employment offices in the United States still had
a great demand for girls with shorthand skills.. ' The Department of Em­
ployment Security in Minneapolis, Minnesota, indicated that they have
18
never been able to fill the positions available for girls with short­
hand skills.
Employers have indicated a concern over the shortage of
girls with shorthand skills.
Private employment offices also indicated
that there is always a need for girls who can take shorthand.
CHAPTER III
ANALYSIS OF DATA
It was the purpose of this study to evaluate the General Secre­
tarial Curriculum of the Alexandria Area Vocational-Technical School to
determine if the General Secretarial Curriculum is adequately preparing
General Secretarial graduates for the business world.
An in-depth
study of the General Secretarial graduates had not been performed prior
to 1970»
The Director of the Alexandria Area Vocational-Technical
School indicated that the Vocational Education Act of 1963 required a
follow-up study of graduates of an area vocational-technical school.
In an effort to maintain continuity and readability of this
study, the General Secretarial Graduate Questionnaire and the Employer
Questionnaire were divided into separate sections with subdivisions of
information in each section*
The General Secretarial Graduate Questionnaire was divided into
three areas of interest as follows:
(I).data relevant to the General
Secretarial Curriculum; (2) data relevant to the General Secretarial
graduates1 positions in industry; (3 ) data relevant to the graduates1
likes and dislikes of the educational program at the Alexandria Area
Vocational-Technical School.
The Employer Questionnaire was divided into four areas of dis­
cussion as follows:
(I) data relevant to the .adequacy of the General
Secretarial graduates1 vocational training; (2) data relevant to the
type of on-the-job training required of new secretarial employees;
20
(3 ) data relevant to the education and number of secretaries employed
by respondent firms; (4) data concerning the employers' attitudes re­
garding the promotion and salaries of secretaries with post high school
V
training.
I.
GENERAL SECRETARIAL GRADUATE SURVEY
The findings concerning the General Secretarial graduates of
the Alexandria Area Vocational-Technical School were based upon the re­
sults of a survey, using a questionnaire form, of General Secretarial
graduates.
(See Appendix.)
Questionnaires were mailed to 106 General
Secretarial graduates from the classes of 1967-1968, 1968-1969, and
1969-1970.
Responses were received from 95 graduates, an 89 «6 per cent
return.
General Secretarial Curriculum
The General Secretarial Curriculum of the Alexandria Area
Vocational-Technical School is an adaptation of the General Secretarial
Curriculum recommended by the State Department of Vocational Education.
The model curriculum recommended by the State Department of Vocational
Education was created through the efforts and coordination of the
Gerieral Secretarial instructors of the area vocational-technical schools
in the state of Minnesota and the State Supervisor of Business Educa­
tion for the State Department of Vocational Education.
Table I, page 21, indicates the subjects and the number of
classroom hours devoted to each during the nine-month General
1
21
TABLE I
CLASSROOM HOURS OF INSTRUCTION H THE GENERAL
SECRETARIAL CURRICULUM AT THE ALEXANDRIA
AREA VOCATIONAL-TECHNICAL SCHOOL
Subject
Shorthand
Dictation Transcription
Machine Transcription
Secretarial. Office Procedures
and Charm
Typewriting
Business English
Business Correspondence
Business Machines
Accounting
Business Math
Business Law
Economics and Business Organization
and Management
Psychology and Human Relations
Total
Hours
l80
60
60
60
l80*
60
60
120
60
60
60
60
60
1080
* Denotes 40 hours of Introduction to Data Processing included in
l80 hours of Typewriting instruction.
22
Secretarial Curriculum.
The Minnesota State Department of Vocational
Education regulations require that 108o hours of formal classroom and
laboratory instruction be provided in the General Secretarial Curricu­
lum.
Importance Ranking of Subjects by General Secretarial Graduates
General Secretarial graduates were asked to indicate how im­
portant the graduates felt the subjects in the General Secretarial Cur­
riculum were in preparing General Secretarial graduates for their
present position.
Table II, page 23, indicates the responses of General Secre­
tarial graduates .on the importance of the various courses they com­
pleted while attending the Alexandria Area Vocational-Technical School.*
It may be noted in this table that 63 of the 66 respondents, 95«5 per
cent, indicate that Typewriting was of greater importance to the
student than any other vocational instruction.
Additional investiga­
tion of this table indicates that students placed significant import­
ance on instruction in Business and English.
Fifty-eight of 66 re­
spondents, 87.9 per cent, gave Business English a greater importance
ranking.
Fifty-seven of 67 respondents, 78.5 percent, gave
*
Importance ranking is based upon a scale of I. to 12, I being
most important and 12 being least important. A ranking of I to 6 was
arbitrarily defined as a greater importance.--ranking, and a ranking of
7 to 12 was arbitrarily defined as a lesser importance ranking.
TABLE II
SUBJECTS BANKED BY ALEXANDRIA GENERAL SECRETARIAL
GRADUATES ACCORDING TO HOW IMPORTANT GRADUATES
FELT THE SUBJECTS WERE IN PREPARING
GRADUATES FOR THEIR
PRESENT POSITION
Subject
Typewriting
Business English
Secretarial Office Procedures
and Charm
Business Correspondence
Human Relations
Business Machines
Shorthand
Machine Transcription
Business Math and Accounting
Economics
Business Law
Data Processing
Per cent of students
ranking subjects of
Greater Importance.
1-6
Per cent of students
ranking subjects of
Lesser Importance
7-12 -
Number
Reporting
95.5
87.9
12.1
66
66
78.5
78.5 .
21.5
21.5
67
65
71.0
60.0
29.0
62
40.0
45.9
59.7
6 8 .9
.95.0
9 6 .7
96.7
65
' 54.1
40.3
31.1
5.0
3.3
5 .3
4.5
.
61
62
61
60
60
61
24
Secretarial Office Procedures a greater importance ranking.
Forty-
four of 62 respondents, 71.0 per cent, gave Human Relations a greater
importance ranking.
Thirty-nine of 65 respondents, 60.0 per cent, gave
Business Machines a greater importance ranking.
Thirty-three of 6l re­
spondents, 54.1 per cent, gave Shorthand a greater importance ranking.
Those subjects having a lesser importance ranking in the Gen­
eral Secretarial Curriculum sis indicated by students' responses were
as follows:
Business Math and Accounting received a lesser importance rsmking by 42 of 61 respondents, 68.9 per cent.
Economics received a lesser
importance ranking by 57 of 60 respondents, 95.0 per cent.
Business
Law and Data Processing received a lesser importance ranking by 96=7
per cent of the respondents.
The Business Law, Economics, and Data
Processing courses were offered in a lecture-style presentation.
Importance Ranking of Job Responsibilities by General Secretarial
Graduates
Table III, page 25, indicates the General Secretarial graduates"
responses to the importance of the various responsibilities that are
associated with a secretary's position. General Secretarial graduates
■i
indicated that they considered the typing of reports and forms as one
of their primary responsibilities.
Fifty-two of 64 respondents, 81.5
per cent, gave the typing of reports and forms a greater importance
TABLE III
RANKING OF PRESENT JOB RESPONSIBILITIES ACCORDING TO
IMPORTANCE BY THE 1967-1968, 1968-1969, AND *
1969-1970 GENERAL SECRETARIAL GRADUATES
OF ALEXANDRIA AREA VOCATIONALTECHNICAL SCHOOL
Job Responsibility
Typing Reports and Forms
Using the Telephone
Typing Correspondence
Meeting the Public
Filing Duties
Transcribing Dictation
Taking Dictation
Miscellaneous
Composing Letters
Making Appointments
and Reservations
Per cent of students
ranking job responsi­
bility of Greater Im­
portance
1-5
Per.cent of students
ranking job responsi­
bility of Lesser Im­
portance
6-10 .
Number
Reporting
81.5
18.7
20.6
21.0
39.7
44.4
56.1
59.6
66.1
74.6
76.7
64
63
79.4
79.0
60.3
55.6
43.9
40.4
33.9
25.4
23.3
62
62
63
.57
57
59
59
60 .
26
ranking.*
Fifty of 63 respondents, 79.4 per cent, gave using the
telephone a greater importance ranking.
Forty-nine of 62 respondents,
79.0 per cent, gave typing of correspondence a greater importance rank­
ing.
Thirty-eight of 63 respondents, 60.3 per cent, gave meeting the
public a greater importance ranking.
The greater importance ranking of
using the telephone and meeting the public may have a correlation with
the graduates1 responses to the need for increased emphasis on certain
aspects of Human Relations in the curriculum as indicated by the re­
sponses on Table V, page 29.
Additional study of Table III indicates that filing duties were
given a greater importance ranking by 35 of 63 respondents, 55.6 per
cent.
Taking dictation, transcribing dictation, and composing letters
received greater importance rankings by less than 50 per cent of the
respondents.**
Composition of letters was given a lesser importance
ranking by 74.6 per cent of the respondents.
Transcribing dictation
was given a lesser importance ranking by 56.1 per cent of the
*Importance ranking of Table III is based upon a scale of I to
10, I being most important and 10 being least important. A ranking of
I to 5 was arbitrarily defined as a greater importance ranking, and a
ranking of 6 to 10 was arbitrarily defined as a lesser importance rank­
ing.
**0f interest to the reader may be the fact that duties receiv­
ing a greater importance ranking of I to 5 by 50 per cent or more of the
respondents were those duties associated with Secretarial Office Pro­
cedures and not with Shorthand and Transcription, per se.
27
respondents, and the importance of taking dictation was given a lesser
importance ranking by 59-6 per cent of the respondentsi
Use of Shorthand and Machine Transcription Abilities by General Secre­
tarial Graduates
One of the purposes of this study was to determine how many of
the General Secretarial graduates were using their shorthand and machine
transcription skills.
Table IV, page 28, indicates that 73-6 per cent
of the General Secretarial graduates are using either shorthand or a
combination of shorthand and machine transcription skills on the job.
Only 17.0 per cent of the respondents, who indicated that they were em­
ployed in a position with secretarial responsibilities, were not using
their shorthand skills.
Human Relations in the General Secretarial Curriculum
General Secretarial graduates were asked to indicate the areas
of Human Relations they felt should receive more emphasis in the General
Secretarial Curriculum.
Table V, page 29, concerning General Secretarial graduates1 re­
sponses to increased emphasis on Human Relations in the General Secre­
tarial Curriculum revealed that 51 of 84 respondents, 60.7 per cent,
i
believed that there should be more emphasis placed on instruction in
oral communications.
At the present time, there are no formal speech
courses available to students in the General Secretarial Curriculum.
Efforts are made to provide opportunities for students to learn and
TABLE IV
USE OF SHORTHAND AND MACHINE TRANSCRIPTION ABILITIES
ON THE JOB AS DENOTED BY RESPONSES OF GENERAL
SECRETARIAL GRADUATES OF ALEXANDRIA AREA
VOCATIONAL-TECHNICAL SCHOOL
Number
Per Cent
Secretary using shorthand only
21
39.6
Secretary using shorthand and machine
transcription
18
34.0
Secretary not using shorthand
9
17.0
Secretary using machine
transcription only
5
9.4
53
100.0
Totals
29
TABLE V
GENERAL SECRETARIAL GRADUATES' RESPONSES INDICATING AREAS
OF HUMAN RELATIONS THAT SHOULD RECEIVE MORE EMPHASIS
IN THE GENERAL SECRETARIAL CURRICULUM
Subject
Number
Per Cent
Oral communication with other
people
51
60.7
Ability to work well with
other people
13
Personality development
12
14.3
8
9.5
84
100.0
Charm development
Totals
.
15.5
■,.
'i ■ -
30
apply voice control and speech delivery techniques in the Secretarial
Office Procedures course.
Additional techniques in oral communica­
tions have been incorporated in telephone training.
A unit of instruc
tion in Charm has been incorporated into the Secretarial Office Pro­
cedures course to help General Secretarial students to perfect their
personality, poise, judgment and maturity.'
II.
GENERAL SECRETARIAL GRADUATES 1
POSITIONS IN INDUSTRY
The placement of graduates of an area vocational-technical
school is an important aspect of vocational education.
Students who
attend the Alexandria Area Vocational-Technical School in an endeavor
to prepare themselves for the world of work have indicated on the en­
trance admission applications, which are a part of the school's
permanent records, that they have come to such an institution to im­
prove skills learned prior to vocational school enrollment or to
acquire skills which they have not learned previously.
With the stu­
dents’ goals in mind, these students must be placed in positions that
provide an opportunity to utilize, to the fullest extent, these newly
acquired skills.
The Alexandria Area Vocational-Technical School instituted
a placement office in the fall of 1969«
Prior to this time, In-
structors worked with the local State Employment Office in an effort
to place students.
The Placement. Director has worked closely with
31
representatives of business, both local and statewide, in an effort
to remain cognizant of job opportunities for graduates.
There is liai­
son between the Placement Director and the local State Employment
Office for providing State and Federal Civil Service testing for stu­
dents who are interested in government employment.
Procedures Used by General Secretarial Graduates to Obtain- Employment
General Secretarial graduates were asked to indicate what
procedures they used in an effort to obtain initial employment after
<
graduation.
Table VI, page 32, indicates the procedures used by 1967-1968,
1968-1969, and 1969-1970 General Secretarial graduates in obtaining
positions in business.
Employment was obtained through personal appli­
cation by 33 of 72 respondents, 45.8 per cent.
Employment was obtained
with the aid of the State Employment Office by 14 of 72 respondents,
I9.5 per cent.
Table VII, page 33 1 indicates the duration of time between
graduation of General Secretarial'students and the time of their ini­
tial employment in business.
It may be noted from this table that 29
of 67 respondents, 43.4 per cent, obtained employment before gradua­
tion.
Fourteen of 67 respondents, 20.9 per centj obtained employment
within four weeks after graduation.
An additional eight respondents,
11.9 per cent, obtained employment within eight weeks after graduationi
32
TABLE VI
PROCEDURES USED BY 1967-1968, 1968-1969, AND
1969-1970 GENERAL SECRETARIAL GRADUATES OF
ALEXANDRIA AREA VOCATIONAL-TECHNICAL
SCHOOL TO OBTAIN EMPLOYMENT
Procedure used
Number
Per Cent
Personal application
33
45.8
State employment office
14
19.5
Civil Service
7
9.7
Referral by school
6
8.3
Other
6
8.3
Newspaper ad
3
4.2
Prior knowledge of position
I
1.4
Personal friend
I
1.4
Company visit to school
I
1.4
Private employment agency
O
0.0
72
100.0
Totals
33
TABLE VII
NUMBER OF WEEKS BEFORE GENERAL SECRETARIAL
GRADUATES OBTAINED EMPLOYMENT
FOLLOWING GRADUATION
Time duration
Number
Per cent
Before graduation
29
43.4
I to 4 weeks following graduation
14
20.9
8
11.9
9 to 12 weeks following graduation
8
11.9
Other .
8
11.9
Totals
67
100.0
5 to 8.weeks following graduation
'
■V
34
Fifty-one of the 67 graduates obtained employment within eight weeks
after graduation.
Table VIII1 page 35 1 lists the cities and states where General
Secretarial graduates obtained employment.
Only 18 of 6? graduates,
27.0 per cent, remained within a 50-mile radius of the training insti­
tution.
The metropolitan area of Minneapolis, St. Paul, and their
suburbs attracted approximately one half, or 30 of 67 General Secre­
tarial graduates, 44.6 per cent.
The remaining 19 graduates, 28.4 per
cent, were employed throughout the state of Minnesota and various
other states.
Employment Status of General Secretarial Graduates
Table IX, page 36 , indicates the employment status of the 95
graduates who responded to the graduate questionnaire.
Eighty respond­
ents indicated that they were employed, and 15 respondents indicated
that they were unemployed.
Table IX indicates that 62 of the 95 re­
spondents , 65.3 per cent, are single and working.
Thirty of the 95
respondents, 31*5 per cent, indicated that they were married; and of
the 30 respondents indicating marriage, 18 indicated that they were
employed.
Table X, page 37, indicates the reasons for 15 of the 95 re­
spondents being unemployed.
Marriage is indicated as the reason for
unemployment by 11 of the respondents, and lack of work and personal
„
,
35
'■
TABLE VIII
JOB PLACEMENT-OF 1967-1968, 1968-1969, a n d 1969-1970 GENERAL
SECRETARIAL GRADUATES OF ALEXANDRIA AREA VOCATIONALTECHNICAL SCHOOL BY LOCATION
Location
*Miles from
training institution
.Number,
Per Cent
O
30
40
40
40
40
50
50
50
70
180
5
2
3
I
I
2
I
2
I
7
I
I
I
22
I
7
I
7.5
3.0
4.5
1.5
1.5
3.0
1.5
3.0
1.5
10.4
1.5
1.5
1.5
32.7
1.5
10.4
1.5
Washington D.C.
1210
I
1.5
Alabama
Huntsville
1170
I
1.5
2050
2080
2200
2460
I
I
I
I
1.5
1.5
1.5
1.5
Washington
Seattle
1600
I
1.5
Republic of Mexico
Mexico City
2640
I
1.5
67
100.0
Minnesota
Alexandria
Sank Centre
Fergus Falls
Long Prairie
Melrose
Morris
Graceville
Little Falls
Willmar
St. Cloud
Montevideo
Bemidji
Moorhead
Minneapolis
Roseville
St. Paul
St. Peter
California
San Francisco
San Jose
Vacaville
Riverside
Totals
*Rounded to nearest 10 miles
80
100
HO
130
130
140
TABLE IX
EMPLOYMENT STATUS OF 1967-1968, 1968-1969, AND 1969-1970
GENERAL SECRETARIAL GRADUATES OF ALEXANDRIA
AREA VOCATIONAL-TECHNICAL SCHOOL
Number
Per Cent
Single and working
62*
65.3
Married and working
18**
18.9
Married and not working
12
12.6
Single and not working
3
3.2
95
100.0
Totals
*Eight General Secretarial Graduates employed in nonrelated field
included in Single and Working category.
**Five General Secretarial Graduates employed in nonrelated field
included in Married and Working category.
37
TABLE X
REASONS STATED FOR UNEMPLOYMENT STATUS OF
GENERAL SECRETARIAL GRADUATES OF
ALEXANDRIA AREA VOCATIONALTECHNICAL SCHOOL
Reason
Number
Per Cent
11
73.3
No work available
3
20.0
Personal reasons
I
6.7
15'
100.0
Marriage
Totals
38
reasons are indicated as the reasons for unemployment by four of the
General Secretarial graduates.
Employment Titles of General Secretarial Graduates
General Secretarial graduates were asked to indicate their em­
ployment titles in an effort to aid the investigator to determine
whether General Secretarial graduates were employed in positions for
which they were trained.
Table XI, page 39, indicates the job titles of General Secre­
tarial graduates.
The title of Secretary was indicated by 48 of 80 re­
spondents, 60.0 per cent.
The title of Clerk Typist was indicated by
14 of 80 respondents, 17.5 per cent.
The title of Clerk Steno was
indicated by five respondents, 6.3 per cent.
The 14 respondents who
listed the title Clerk Typist indicated that they had some dictation,
transcription, and correspondence responsibilities.
The five respond­
ents who indicated the title Clerk Steno indicated by their responses
to major job responsibilities in Table III, page 25, that they had major
duties and responsibilities in the areas of shorthand, machine trans­
cription, and correspondence.
The respondents who indicated the titles
Secretary, Clerk Typist, or Clerk Steno provided a total of 6? of the
i
.
80 employed respondents.
■
■
■
The majority of General Secretarial graduates
indicated by their responses to the questionnaire that they were eraployed in a position which required the skills and knowledge of a
general secretary.
Positions of employment unrelated to general
39
TABLE XI
EMPLOYMENT TITLES OF GENERAL SECRETARIAL GRADUATES OF
ALEXANDRIA AREA VOCATIONAL-TECHNICAL SCHOOL
ARRANGED ACCORDING TO FREQUENCY
Title of Position
Number
Per Cent
Secretary
48
60.0
Clerk Typist -
14
17.3
Clerk Steno
5
6.3
Bookkeeper
3
3.8
Clerical
2
2.4
Keypunch Operator
2
2.4
Waitress
2
2.4
Receptionist
I
1.3
Teller
I
1.3
Technical Typist
I
1.3
Credit Clerk
I
1.3
80
100.0
Totals
48 responses indicated title of secretary
5 responses indicated title other than secretary with major
shorthand and/or machine transcription responsibilities
14 responses indicated job title other than secretary with some
dictation, transcription, and correspondence responsibilities
secretarial duties and responsibilities were indicated by 13 of the
80 employed respondents, 16.2 per cent.
Salaries of General Secretarial Graduates and Length of Time Employed
by Present Employer
Table XII, page 4l, indicates the range of. salaries of General
Secretarial graduates.
Of 65 graduates responding to the question re­
lated to salary, 2k respondents, 36.9 per cent, indicated earning a
salary of $351 to $400 a month.
Fifteen graduates, 23.1 per cent,
earned a salary of $401 to $450 a month.
Seven graduates, 10.8 per
cent, indicated earning a salary in excess of $450 a month.
Nine
graduates, 13.8 per cent, indicated they were earning a salary of less
than $300.
The mean salary was $377.80 a month.
between $351 and $400 a month.
The mode salary was
This study of salaries, when compared
to previous reports of salaries on file at this institution, indicates
that salaries for General Secretarial graduates have been increasing
at a rate of approximately $25 a month each year.
General Secretarial graduates were asked to indicate the length
of time employed by their present employer, the number of employers
they have had since graduation, and their reasons for changing employ­
ers.
Tables XIII, XIV, and XV, pages 42, 43, and 44, indicate their
responses.
Table XIII, page 42, indicates the length of time General Sec­
retarial graduates have been employed by their present employers.
4l
TABLE XII
PRESENT EMPLOYMENT SALARIES OF GENERAL
SECRETARIAL GRAEOATES OF ALEXANDRIA
AREA VOCATIONAL-TECHNICAL SCHOOL
Class Interval
Frequency
Per Cent
Mid. Pt.
F x Mid. Pt.
$
$551 to $600
I
1.5
$575.50
$501 to $550
I
1.5
525.50
525.50
$451 to $500
5
7.8
475.50
2377.50
$401 to $450
15
23.1
425.50
6382.50
$351 to $400.
24
36.9
375.50
9012.00
$301 to $350
10
15.4
325.50
3255.00
$251 to $300
8
12.3
275.50
2204.00
$201 to $250
I
1.5
225.50
225.50
N = 65
100.0
Mean = $377.80
’
$24,557.50
($24,557.50 + 65)
$ 27.56
Median = $378.56
M
Crude Mode
Interval $351 - $400
x
*49 =
$27.56
575.50
351.00
$378.56
42
TABLE XIII
LENGTH OF TIME EMPLOYED BY PRESENT EMPLOYER AS INDICATED
BY RESPONSES OF GENERAL SECRETARIAL GRADUATES
OF ALEXANDRIA AREA VOCATIONALTECHNICAL SCHOOL
Period of
time
1968
Graduates
1969 .
Graduates
1970
Graduates
Per Cent
I to
3 months
I
2
4
10.2
4 to
6 months
2
4
20
39.5
7 to 12 months
7
9
O
24.3
13 to 24 months
3
8
0
16.8
25 to 36 months
6
0
0
9.2
19
23
24
Totals
Total Respondents 66
100.0
TABLE XIV
NUMBER OF EMPLOYERS THAT GENERAL SECRETARIAL
GRADUATES HAVE HAD SINCE ENTERING
EMPLOYMENT FIELD
1968
Graduates
1969
Graduates
1970
Graduates
Per Cent
6
8
24
53.5
2 employers
10
15
0
35.2
3 employers
2
0
0
2.8
More
6
0
0
8.5
24
23
24
Number of
employers
I employer
Totals
Total Respondents 71
100.0
44
TABLE XV
REASONS INDICATED BY SECRETARIAL
GRADUATES FOR CHANGE
OF EMPLOYER
Reasons
Number
Per Cent
12
35.3
O
OoO
Did not like the position
IO
29.4
Did not like the location
2
5.9
10
29.4
More pay
Personality clash
Other
Totals
34.
100.0
Forty-nine of 66 respondents, 74.0 per cent, have been with their
present employer less than one year.
Table XIV, page 43, indicates the number of employers that Gen­
eral Secretarial graduates have had since graduation.
Thirty-eight of
71 respondents, 53-5 per cent, indicated that they have had only one
employer since graduation.
An additional 25 of 71 respondents, 35-2
per cent, indicated that they have had only two employers up to the
time of the survey.
Table XV, page 44, indicates the reasons graduates gave for
changing employers.
Changing employers for financial reasons was indi­
cated by 12 of 34 respondents, 35-3 per cent.
Table XV indicates that
graduates have obtained positions in geographical areas that suit their
personal desires; only 5-9 per cent of the respondents changed employ­
ers because of dissatisfaction with the location of the position.
Only
;
10 of the 80 respondents employed, 12.5 per cent, indicated that they
did not like the position and thus changed positions.
On-The-Job Training of General Secretarial Graduates
Tables XVI and XVII, pages 46 and 4?, indicate the number of
General Secretarial graduates receiving on-the-job training and the
type of on-the-job training received after being employed.
Table XVI
indicates that on-the-job training was received by 40 of 64 respondents
■■V
1V -'i
I
46
TABLE XVI
NUMBER OF GENERAL SECRETARIAL GRADUATES
RECEIVING ON-THE-JOB TRAINING
AFTER EMPLOYMENT
Number
Per Cent
Received on-the-job training
after employment
40
Did not receive on-the-job
training after employment
24
37.5
64
100.0
Totals
>
.
.
y
62.5
'/
4?
TABLE XVII
TYPE OF ON-THE-JOB TRAINING.GENERAL
SECRETARIAL GRADUATES RECEIVED
Type of Training Received
Number
Per Cent
28
70.0
Additional training
in secretarial
skills
6
15.0
Other
6
15.0
40
100.0
Orientation in company
policies and pro­
cedures
Totals
‘
Table XVII, page 4y, indicates the types of on-the-job train­
ing General Secretarial graduates received.
Orientation in company
policies and procedures was listed by 28 of kO respondents, 70.0 per
cent, as the type of on-the-job training received.
Additional train­
ing in secretarial skills was indicated by six respondents, IJ?.0 per
cent.
Some employers have indicated to the General Secretarial in­
structors in this institution that orientation to company policies and
procedures and additional training in secretarial skills is required
of all new secretarial employees regardless of prior instruction.
III.
GRADUATES' ATTITUDES TOWARD THE GENERAL
SECRETARIAL CURRICULUM
The General Secretarial graduates were asked to express their
opinions about the General Secretarial Curriculum by indicating if they
would or would not attend an area vocational-technical school if they
could make the choice again.
General Secretarial graduates were also
asked to express their likes and dislikes of the General Secretarial
Curriculum and the training institution.
Unfavorable comments occurred
with less frequency than favorable comments.
General Secretarial Graduates * Attitudes Toward the General Secretarial
Curriculum
Table XVIII, page 49, indicates the General Secretarial gradu­
ates ’ responses concerning their feeling about attending an area
vocational-technical school and the General Secretarial Curriculum.
TABLE XVIII
ALEXANDRIA GENERAL SECRETARIAL GRADUATE ATTITUDES
TOWARD THE GENERAL SECRETARIAL
CURRICULUM
Attitudes
Number
Per Cent
57
86.4
Would attend a private business
school
3
4.6
Would attend an area vocational school
but would take a different
curriculum
Legal Secretarial Curriculum
Medical Secretarial Curriculum
Clerical Curriculum
2
I
I
3.0
1.5
1.5
Would not attend an area vocational
school
I
1.5
Would attend a college
I
1.5
66
100.0
Would attend an area vocational school— »
would take same course sequence
Totals
Fifty-seven of 66 respondents, 86.4 per cent, indicated they would
attend an area vocational-technical school and take the General Secre­
tarial Curriculum again.
Four respondents, 6.0 per cent, indicated
they would attend an area vocational-technical school again hut would
take a different course sequence.
Only five respondents, 7*6 per cent,
indicated they would not attend an area vocational-technical school
again or would attend another post high school training institution.
The Alexandria Area Vocational-Technical School has maintained
a dress code since 1961.
Students are expected to dress in an attire
that is representative of the position for which they are training.
The dress code defines the clothing styles, hair styles, etc.
Table XIX, page 51, indicates the graduates1 responses.con­
cerning the value of a dress code.
Fifty-one of 6? respondents, ?6.1
per cent, indicated that the dress code was of value.
Sixteen of 6?
respondents, 23*9 per cent, indicated that the dress code was not of
value.
Table XX, page 51, indicates the graduates1 responses to the
proposed status of the dress code.
Retention of the dress code without
modification was recommended by 57 of 63 respondents, 58.7 per cent.
Modification of the dress code was recommended by 24 of 63 respondents,
38.1 per cent.
Termination of the dress code was recommended by two
of 63 respondents, 3*2 per cent.
51
TABLE XIX
fGENERAL SECRETARIAL GRADUATES' RESPONSES INDICATING THE VALUE OF
THE DRESS CODE OF THE AREA TECHNICAL SCHOOL RELATIVE
TO PREPARING GRADUATES FOR APPROPRIATE
DRESS APPAREL ON THE JOB
Value of dress code
Number
Per Cent
Dress code was of value
51
76.1
Dress code was not of value
16
25.9
67
100.0
Totals
TABLE XX
GENERAL SECRETARIAL GRADUATES' RESPONSES INDICATING THE PROPOSED
STATUS OF THE DRESS CODE OF THE ALEXANDRIA AREA
VOCATIONAL-TECHNICAL SCHOOL
Number
Per Cent
Dress code should be retained
57
58.7
Dress code should be modified .
24
58.1
Dress code should be terminated
2
5.2
65
100.0
Status
Totals
52
Table XXI, page 55, and Table XXII, page 5^, indicate certain
aspects of the Alexandria Area Vocational-Technical School which
graduates particularly liked or disliked.
Two areas listed most fre­
quently by graduates as being liked were the administration and faculty
interest in students and the variety of training offered by the school=
The aspect of training in the General Secretarial Curriculum that.was listed most frequently as being disliked by graduates was the lecture
series which includes Business Law, Economics, and Human Relations.
IV.
EMPLOYERS' ATTITUDES TOWARD THE ADEQUACY
OF GENERAL SECRETARIAL TRAINING
A survey of employers of General Secretarial graduates was con­
sidered an important part of this study.
Employers' responses were
considered necessary to determine if General Secretarial graduates of
the Alexandria Area Vocational-Technical School were meeting the needs
and standards of the firms in which these graduates were employed.:
The employers cited in this survey were those firms employing
the 1967-1968, .1968-1969, and 1969-1970 General Secretarial graduates
of the Alexandria Area Vocational-Technical School at the time this
comprehensive survey was taken.
Questionnaires (see Appendix) were
mailed to 78 employers, and responses were received from 75 firms,
96.2 per cent.
53
TABLE XXI
COMMENTS MADE BY SECRETARIAL GRADUATES INDICATING
WHAT THEY LIKED BEST ABOUT THE ALEXANDRIA
AREA VOCATIONAL-TECHNICAL SCHOOL
Like
Number*
I
Administration and faculty interest in students
26
Variety of training offered
13
Variety of 'office machines provided
I
2
■ ■
Small class size
2
Opportunity to attend a school that could be afforded
I
54
TABLE XXII
COMMENTS MADE BY SECRETARIAL GRAHTATES INDICATING
WHAT THEY LIKED LEAST ABOUT ALEXANDRIA
AREA VOCATIONAL-TECHNICAL SCHOOL
Dislike
Business lectures
Number
13
Too much emphasis on menial work
I
Lack of laboratory experience
I
Lack of on-the-job training
I
Dress code restrictions
2
Office procedure not as up to date
as classroom instruction
I
55
Adequacy of Training to Meet Employers1 Standards
Employers were asked to indicate to what degree General Secre­
tarial graduates of the Alexandria Area Vocational-Technical School
were meeting the needs of the employers' firms.
Table XXIII 1 page 56,
indicates that 59 of 65 employers, 60.0 per cent, said that the General
Secretarial graduates were performing very adequately.
Twelve of 65
employers, 18.5 per cent, said that the General Secretarial graduates
were meeting the employers' standards exceptionally well.
None of the
employers said that graduates were performing below average.
Need for Additional Training of General Secretarial Graduates
Employers were asked if they thought the General Secretarial
graduates they were employing had received sufficient training while
attending the Alexandria Area Vocational-Technical School.
Table XXIV,
page 57, indicates the employers' responses to this question.
No need
for additional training of General Secretarial graduates to meet employ­
ers' standards was indicated by 4l of 65 respondents, 63»I per cent.
Employers who indicated that additional training was needed for General
Secretarial graduates cited such things as terminology unique to the
industry, operation of computer-related equipment, specialized forms
used by the firm, etc.
Employer Suggestions for Areas of Instruction That Should Be Intensified
1
iEmployers were asked what areas of instruction they thought
should be intensified to enable the General Secretarial graduates to .
TABLE XXIII
EMPLOYERS' ATTITUDES TOWARD THE ADEQUACY OF TRAINING
RECEIVED BY GENERAL SECRETARIAL STUDENTS AT
THE ALEXANDRIA AREA VOCATIONAL-TECHNICAL
SCHOOL TO MEET EMPLOYERS' STANDARDS
Employer Attitude
Number
Per Cent
Exceptionally well
12
18.5
Very adequately
39
60.0 ,
Average
14
21.5
Inadequately
O
0.0
Very inadequately
O
0.0
65
100.0
Totals
57
TABLE XXIV
EMPLOYERS' ATTITUDES REGARDING THE NEED FOR
ADDITIONAL TRAINING OF ALEXANDRIA
GENERAL SECRETARIAL GRADUATES
TO MEET EMPLOYER STANDARDS
Need More Training
Number
Per Cent
Yes
24
36.9
No
■4l
63.1
65
100.0
Totals
58
perform more proficiently on the job.
Table XXV, page 59» indicates
that employers do not emphasize any one particular area of instruction;
their responses are varied.
The categories of assuming responsibility,
meeting the public, following directions, oral communications, and work­
ing well with others have human relations aspects.
Thirty-three of 70
respondents referred to these human relations factors.
Thirteen of 70
respondents, the largest number in any single category, indicated that
assuming responsibility should be stressed more in students' training.
The category of "Other" included remarks from employers, such
as neatness, legal forms, handwriting, electronic data processing,
bank orientation, ability to write up minutes of meetings, etc., with
no particular pattern discernible.
V.
EMPLOYERS' REQUIREMENTS FOR
ON-THE-JOB TRAINING
Employers-were asked to indicate if they required on-the-job
training for General Secretarial graduates.
Employers were also asked
to indicate the type of on-the-job training they required of new em­
ployees.
Firms Which Require On-The-Job Training
Table XXVI, page 60, indicates the number of firms which re­
quire on-the-job training of General Secretarial graduates of the
I
Alexandria Area Vocational-Technical School and whom these firms have
;
hired.
It may be noted that 45 of 66 respondents, 68.2 per cent, said
59
TABLE XXV
.
ABEAS OF INSTRUCTION WHERE EMPLOYERS THINK INSTRUCTION
SHOULD BE INTENSIFIED TO ENABLE GENERAL SECRETARIAL
GRADUATES TO PERFORM DUTIES MORE
PROFICIENTLY ON THE JOB
Type of Instruction
Number of Employers
Per Cent
Assuming responsibility
15
18.5
Other
11
15.6
Letter composition
IO
14.3
Meeting the public
9
12.9
Shorthand skills
9
12.9
Spelling ability
7
10.0
Following directions
6
8.6
Oral communications
5
4.3
Working well with others
2
2.9
70
100.0
Totals
\
60
TABLE XXVI
NUMBER OF FIRMS WHICH REQUIRE ON-THE-JOB
TRAINING EMPLOYING ALEXANDRIA GENERAL
SECRETARIAL GRADUATES
On-The-Job Training Required.
Number of Employers
Yes
45
No
21
Totals
66
Per Cent
68.2
.
31.8
100.0
61
that on-the-job training is required of these employees.
A comparison
of Table XXVI with Table XVI, page 46, shows a correlation Of the em­
ployers' responses and the number of General Secretarial graduates who
were required to take additional on-the-job training.
Type of On-The-Job Training Required of New Employees
Orientation in company policies and procedures was the most
commonly required on-the-job training as indicated by Table XXVII, page
62.
It may be noted that $2 of 65 respondents, 82.6 per cent, said
this type of training was required" of new employees.
The category of
"Other" included five responses, 7*9 per cent, which indicated that
training was given in specialized terminology.
(
Type of Employee That Is Required to Have On-The-Job Training
Table X X V H I , page 63, indicates that the 45 employers who re­
quire new employees to have on-the-job training require that all new
employees receive this.training regardless of any training the graduates
have had prior to accepting the position.
VI.
TYPE OF AND NUMBER OF SECRETARIES
EMPLOYED BY EMPLOYERS
Employers were asked to indicate the number of secretarial
workers they employed in their firms.
The number of area vocational)
technical school General Secretarial graduates employed by firms was
also indicated by employers.
TABLE XXVII
TYPE OF ON-THE-JOB TRAINING REQUIRED"
BY EMPLOYERS OF NEW. EMPLOYEES
ENTERING THE JOB FIELD
Type of Training
Number of Employers
Orientation in company
policies and procedures
Per Cent
52
82.6
Additional business
training
6
9.5
Other*
5
7.9
63
100.0
Totals
♦Terminology unique to the industry
TABLE XXVIII
TYPES OF EMPLOYEE THAT FIRMS EMPLOYING
ALEXANDRIA GENERAL SECRETARIAL
GRADUATES REQUIRE TO HAVE
ON-THE-JOB TRAINING
Type of Bnployee
All new employees regardless
of previous training
Number of Employers
Per Cent
45
100.0
High school graduates only
O
0.0
Other
O
0.0
64
Number of Secretarial Workers Employed by Firms Who Employ Alexandria
General Secretarial Graduates
Table XXIX1 page 6$, indicates the number of secretaries em­
ployed by firms who employ General Secretarial graduates at the time of
this survey.
It may be noted that 55 of 68 respondents, 80.9 per cent,
indicated that a majority of the General Secretarial graduates were
employed in firms having less than ten secretaries.
Number of Area Vocational-Technical School General Secretarial GraduZ
ates Employed by Firms
'
.
Table XXX, page 66, indicates the number of area vocationaltechnical school General Secretarial graduates who are employed by firms.
Thirty-nine of 59 respondents, 66.1 per cent, indicated that they were
employing only one vocational-technical school General Secretarial
graduate.
Employers who indicated employing three or less area
vocational-technical school General Secretarial graduates account for
53 of 59 responses, 89-8 per cent.
Table XXXI, page 6?, indicates employers' preferences to the
type of training secretarial employees should possess.
Responses from
employers, ?4 of 75 respondents, 98.7 per cent, indicated that employ­
ers prefer prospective secretarial employees to have post-secondary
training.
65
TABLE XXIX
TOTAL NUMBER OF SECRETARIAL WORKERS EMPLOYED
BY FIRMS EMPLOYING 1967-1968, 1968-1969,
AND 1969-1970 ALEXANDRIA GENERAL
SECRETARIAL GRADUATES
)S S
P
H
1
Number of Secretaries
Number of Firms
55
■
Per Cent
80.9
10.5
51 - 100
k
5.9
More
2
2.9
. 68
100.0
I
7
Totals
-',1-
66
TABLE XXX
NUMBER OF AREA TECHNICAL-VOCATIONAL SCHOOL GENERAL
SECRETARIAL GRADUATES EMPLOYED BY FIRMS HIRING
ALEXANDRIA AREA VOCATIONAL-TECHNICAL SCHOOL
GENERAL SECRETARIAL GRADUATES
Number of Area School Graduates
Number of Firms
Per Cent
I
39
66.1
2
6
10.2
3
8
13.5
4
2
3.4
5
I
1.7
6
I
1.7
7
I
1.7
8
O
0.0
9
O
0.0
IO
I
1.7
More
O
0.0
59
100.0
Totals
67
TABLE XXXI
TYPE OF EMPLOYEE THAT EMPLOYERS OF ALEX­
ANDRIA GENERAL SECRETARIAL GRADUATES,
WOULD PREFER TO HIRE
Type of Training
Number of Employers
Per Cent
Year of area vocationaltechnical school training
45
60.0
Additional training in
private business school
23
30.7
Additional college training
6
8.0
High school training only
I
1.3
75
100.0
Totals
I
68
VII.
EMPLOYERS' ATTITUDES TOWARD PROMOTIONS
AND REMUNERATION OF SECRETARIAL
EMPLOYEES
Employers were asked to indicate if starting salaries for
General Secretarial graduates were adjusted to compensate the gradu­
ates for their post-secondary training.
Employers were also asked to
indicate if employees with post-secondary training received promo­
tions more rapidly than employees with high school training only.
Starting Salaries of General Secretarial Graduates
Table XXXII, page 69, indicates that 40 of 6? respondents, 59*7
per cent, said that they do adjust salaries for new employees with
post-secondary training.
Table XXXIII, page 70, indicates that 16 of 67 respondents,
23.9 per cent, said that employees with additional training were pro­
moted more rapidly than employees without additional training beyond
high school.
One half of the employers,
of 67 respondents, 50.7 per
cent, said that employees with additional training were promoted on
the same basis as other employees.
Study of the table shows that
25.4 per cent of the employers promoted employees on the basis of per­
formance.
Employers' responses in the categories of this table indi-
i
cated that employees were promoted on the basis of performance in
addition to other factors.
'I"
TABLE XXXII
EMPLOYER ATTITUDES TOWARD ADJUSTING SALARIES TO
COMPENSATE SECRETARIAL EMPLOYEES FOR
ADDITIONAL TRAINING BEYOND THE
SECONDARY LEVEL
Employer Attitude
Do adjust salaries for
additional training
Number of Employers
Per Cent
4o
59-7
I not adjust salaries for
additional training
27
40.3
Totals
67
100.0
70
TABLE.XXXIII
EMPLOYER PRACTICES REGARDING PROMOTION OF EMPLOYEES
WHO HAVE POST HIGH SCHOOL TRAINING VERSUS
THOSE WHO HAVE NOT HAD POST
HIGH SCHOOL TRAINING
Employer Practices
Number of Employers
Per Cent
Employees with additional
training promoted same
as other employees
34
50.7
Employees promoted on basis
of performance
17
25.4
Employees with additional
training promoted more
rapidly
16
23.9
67
100.0
Totals
71
Dress Attire of Secretarial Employees
Employers were asked to evaluate General Secretarial graduates
on their dress attire at work.
The Alexandria Area Vocational-
Technical School has a dress code which adheres to the standards of
dress used on the job.
Table XXXIV, page 72, indicates the employers1
expressed opinions on dress attire of General Secretarial graduates on
the job.
Favorable Comments Made by Employers in Relation to Area VocationalTechnical School General Secretarial Graduates
Employers were asked to make any additional comments about Gen­
eral Secretarial graduates.
Typical favorable comments are as follows:
.
■
1.
She performs her job in a manner and at a level which I
feel is excellent.
2.
I have had only one girl with business school background—
and she is superior in every way.
3.
I recommend all future secretaries attend a school like
Alexandria Area Vocational-Technical School.
4.
She is a well-trained and very cooperative worker.
Unfavorable Comments Made by Employers in Relation to Area VocationalTechnical School General Secretarial Graduates
i
,
I.
Your school should concentrate more on accounting and
math skills.
2.
The development of poise should be stressed more.
: ■■
3 . Your students need more training in work organization
and work priorities.
72
TABLE XXXIV
EMPLOYERS' EXPRESSED OPINIONS CONCERNING ALEXANDRIA
GENERAL SECRETARIAL GRADUATES' DRESS
ATTIRE IN THE OFFICE
Employer Opinion
Dress attire is
satisfactory
Dress attire is
not satisfactory
Totals
Number of Employers
Per Cent
65
94.2
4
5.8
69
100.0
73
4.
Students need more training in telephone techniques.
5.
She sometimes assumes too much responsibility and is in
too much of a hurry.
I
CHAPTER IV
SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS
I.
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
It was the purpose of this study to evaluate the General Secre­
tarial Curriculum of the Alexandria Area Vocational-Technical School to
determine if the General Secretarial Curriculum is adequately preparing
General Secretarial graduates for the duties and responsibilities re­
quired in the business world as measured:
(I) by the types of posi­
tions held by General Secretarial graduates, (2) by the duties and re­
sponsibilities performed by General Secretarial graduates, (3) by
employers' opinions regarding the General Secretarial graduates' capa­
bilities and performance, (4) by employers' recommendations for changes
in the General Secretarial Curriculum,
A survey of related literature was undertaken to establish the
parameters of this study.
Literature related to student success on the
job, employer attitudes toward student success on the job, and litera­
ture related to questionnaire techniques was reviewed.
In an effort to maintain continuity and readability of this
study, the summary and conclusions have been classified into two areas
covered by the study.
General Secretarial Graduate Survey
The questionnaire technique was used in this study to survey 106
General Secretarial graduates of the Alexandria Area VocationalTechnical School.
General Secretarial graduates of the school years
75
1967-1968, 1968-1969» and 1969-1970 were included in the study.
Com­
pleted questionnaires were received from 95 General Secretarial gradu­
ates, an 89.6 per cent return.
General Secretarial graduate placement was one of the criteria
used to evaluate the effectiveness of the General Secretarial Curricu­
lum.
Questionnaires received from the 95.General Secretarial graduates
indicated 80 respondents were employed at the time the survey was under­
taken.
Of the 80 employed respondents, 67 respondents, 83.8 per cent,
indicated they were employed in positions which required the skills
and knowledge of a general secretary.
Thirteen of the 80 employed
respondents indicated they were employed in positions unrelated to gen­
eral secretarial duties and responsibilities.
This indicates that a
majority of the employed General Secretarial graduates are employed in
positions for which they have been trained.
General Secretarial graduates were asked to indicate what means
were used for obtaining employment and where they were employed.
Per­
sonal applications and the services of the State Employment Office were
the major means of obtaining employment.
The metropolitan area of
Minneapolis, St. Paul, and "their suburbs attracted approximately onehalf, 44.6 per cent, of the General Secretarial graduates.
Twenty-nine
of 67 General Secretarial graduates, 43.4 per cent, had obtained employ­
ment before graduation.
An additional 14 General Secretarial graduates
20.9 per cent, obtained employment within four weeks after graduation.
I
76
A total of 51 of 67 General Secretarial graduates, 76.2 per cent, had
obtained employment within eight weeks after graduation.
General Secretarial graduates ^were asked to indicate their
major responsibilities.
The typing of reports and forms was indicated
as a major responsibility by 52 of 64 respondents, Si.3 per cent. - Use
of the telephone was indicated as a major responsibility by 50 of 63
respondents, 79-4 per cent.
Typing of correspondence was indicated as
a major responsibility by 49 of 62 respondents, 79.0 per cent.
Meeting
the public and filing duties were also indicated as being important
responsibilities by more than 50 per cent of the respondents.
Use of shorthand and machine transcription while employed was
another criteria used for evaluation of the General Secretarial Curri­
culum.
The use of shorthand or a combination of shorthand and machine
transcription was indicated by 39 of 53 General Secretarial graduates,
73.6 per cent.
This would seem to indicate that shorthand skills or a
combination of shorthand and machine transcription skills are valuable
and useful skills to possess when' employed.
The large number of graduates, 39 of 53 respondents, using
their shorthand skills would tend to refute the often-heard remark that
shorthand is on the way out.
General Secretarial graduates were asked to indicate their
•
salaries.
V
The mode salary reported by General Secretarial graduates,
24 of 65 respondents, 36.9 per cent, was between $351 and $400 a month.
77
The median salary for employed General Secretarial graduates was
$378.56 a month.
The highest reported salary was $575 to $600 a month.
The lowest reported salary was $201 to $250 a month.
Generally speak­
ing, General Secretarial graduates employed in Minneapolis, St. Paul,
and their suburbs could demand higher wages because of the large demand
for secretarial employees.
General Secretarial graduates were asked to indicate the number
of employers they have had since graduation.
Thirty-eight of 71 re­
spondents, 53.5 per cent, indicated that they have had only one employer.
Twenty-five of 71 respondents, 35.2 per cent, indicated that they have
had two employers.
The main reasons reported for change of employers
were financial reasons and dislike of the positions.
The large number
of positions that have been available for General Secretarial graduates
may offer a partial explanation for remaining with the same employer
for a short period of time.
General Secretarial graduates were asked to indicate what addi­
tional training was required.
On-the-job training was indicated as
required for 40 of 64 General Secretarial graduates, 62.5 per cent.
Orientation in company policies and procedures was indicated as required
on-the-job training for 28 of 40 General Secretarial graduates, 70.0
per cent, who underwent such training.
General Secretarial graduates were asked to rank the subjects
taken in the General Secretarial Curriculum in relation to their
78
importance on the job.
Typewriting instruction was indicated as being
most important by 95-5 per cent of the respondents.
Business English
and Secretarial Office Procedures were indicated as being most import­
ant by more than 75 per cent of the respondents.
The Business Law,
Economics, and Data Processing courses were indicated as being of
least importance by more than 95 per cent of the respondents.
General Secretarial graduates were asked to indicate which areas
of human relations should be given more emphasis in the General Secre­
tarial Curriculum.
Fifty-one of 84 respondents, 60.7 per cent, indi­
cated that oral communications should receive more emphasis in the
General Secretarial Curriculum.
Some respondents indicated that addi­
tional training in personality development and in the ability to work
well with others should be emphasized more in the General Secretarial
Curriculum.
This would seem to indicate that General Secretarial
graduates become more cognizant of the need for good communication
skills after a period of employment.
General Secretarial graduates were asked to indicate which
elements of the General Secretarial Curriculum were liked best and
liked least.
Respondents indicated that the elements liked best were
the administration and faculty interest in students and the variety of
training offered.
The aspect of training indicated as being liked least
by General Secretarial graduates was the business lecture series— Busi­
ness Law, Economics, and Data Processing.
79
General Secretarial graduates were asked to indicate their
value of the dress code.
Fifty-one of 6? respondents, 76.1 per cent,
indicated that the dress code of the Alexandria Area VocationalTechnical. School was of value.
Retention of the dress code with or
without modification was recommended by 6l of 63 respondents, 96.8
per cent.
Employer Survey
The employers surveyed in this study were those employing 19671968, 1968-1969, and 1969-1970 General Secretarial graduates of the
Alexandria Area Vocational-Technical School.
Questionnaires were
mailed to 78 employers; and responses were received from 75 firms, a
96.2 per cent return.
Employers were asked to indicate to what degree General Secre­
tarial graduates were meeting the needs of the employers' firms.
Thirty-nine of 65 employers, 60.0 per cent, said that the General Sec­
retarial graduates were performing very adequately.
None of the 65
employers said that the General Secretarial graduates were performing
below average.
This would seem to indicate that General Secretarial
graduates possess saleable skills which meet the employers’ needs.
Employers were asked to indicate if General Secretarial gradu­
ates should have more classroom instruction to meet employers' stand-
v .
ards.
i
■
No need for additional ,training of General Secretarial graduates
to meet employers' standards was indicated by 4l of 65 respondents,
80
63»I per cent.
Employers who indicated need for additional training of
General Secretarial graduates indicated that such training was usually
unique to the particular business of the employer.
These employers may
not recognize that the General Secretarial Curriculum prepares a stu­
dent for the general business world and does not attempt to prepare
the student for specialized positions in business.
Employers were asked to indicate what areas of instruction in
the General Secretarial Curriculum they thought should be intensified
to enable General Secretarial graduates to perform more proficiently.
Most of the employers' responses focused on human relations.
Some em­
ployers suggested additional training in shorthand skills and letter
composition might be advantageous for General Secretarial graduates. .
Employers indicated that instruction in corporate structure and goals
and more orientation in data processing might be advantageous for Gen­
eral Secretarial graduates in future years.
Other employer responses
did not focus on any discernible general area.
Employers were asked to indicate additional training required
of General Secretarial graduates after employment.
Forty-five of 66
employers, 68.2 per cent, indicated that on-the-job training was re­
quired of new General Secretarial graduates whom they employed.
Fifty-
two of 63 respondents, 82.6 per cent, indicated that orientation in
company policies and procedures was the type of training required of
new secretarial employees.
Six respondents, 9*5 per cent, indicated
81
that additional business training was required of new secretarial em­
ployees.
Employers were asked to indicate the number of general secre­
tarial workers they employed; and of those employed, the number of area
vocational-technical school General Secretarial graduates.
Fifty-five
of 68 respondents, 80.9 per cent, indicated that they employed between
one and ten secretarial workers.
This would seem to indicate that
General Secretarial graduates should receive a variety of training that
will enable them to meet many different office situations.
Thirty-nine
of 59 respondents, 66.1 per cent, indicated that they were employing
only one area vocational-technical school General Secretarial graduate.
Employers prefer prospective secretarial employees to have post­
secondary training as indicated by 74 of 75 respondents, 98.7 per cent.
Employers were asked to indicate starting salaries. A majority
of the employers indicated that starting salaries for General Secre­
tarial graduates were adjusted to. compensate for their post-secondary
training.
Forty of 67 respondents, 59.7 per cent, said that they
adjusted salaries for new secretarial employees with post-secondary
training.
This appears to be a new trend compared to the Heckert .
study (5:65), which indicated that in 1968, 47.8 per cent of the employ­
ers of General Clerical graduates of the Alexandria Area VocationalTechnical School compensated clerical graduates for post-secondary
training.
This would seem to indicate that a majority of employers are
82
becoming more aware of the value of post-secondary training and are
willing to give extra compensation to new secretarial employees who
possess post-secondary training.
Employers were asked to indicate how employees are promoted.
Thirty-four of 6? respondents, 50-7 per cent, indicated that employees
with additional training were promoted on the same basis as other
employees.
Sixteen of 6? respondents, 23«9 per cent, said that employ­
ees with additional training were promoted more rapidly than employees
without additional training beyond high school.
This would seem to
indicate that additional training may result in earlier promotion be­
cause the employees may have attained the employers' performance
standards more rapidly than did employees without additional post­
secondary training.
Employers were asked to evaluate General Secretarial graduates
on their dress.
Sixty-five of 69 respondents, 94.2 per cent, indicated
that the dress of General Secretarial graduates is satisfactory.
'II.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Based on the findings of this study, the following recommendaI
tions appear to be justified.
I.
The Alexandria Area Vocational-Technical School should re­
vise the General Secretarial Curriculum to include more courses and
hours devoted to human relations instruction to better meet General
Secretarial graduates' and employers' needs.
83
2.
General Secretarial graduates should have a broader expo­
sure to different business firms' reports and forms.
Additional type­
writing instruction in the typing of reports and forms should be
included in the General Secretarial Curriculum.
3.
A careful analysis should be made concerning the value of
the Business Law, Economics, and Data Processing lecture courses.
4.
General Secretarial graduates should actively participate
in revision of. the General Secretarial Curriculum.
5'.
There should be increased coordination among business in­
structors, counselors, administrators, employers, and General Secre­
tarial graduates to better meet the employers' needs.
6.
There should be continuing follow-up studies of General
Secretarial graduates to determine future effectiveness of the General
Secretarial Curriculum to meet employers' future needs.
7.
The Alexandria Area Vocational-Technical School should,
annually, examine the General Secretarial Curriculum and update the
curriculum as deemed necessary.
APPENDIX
85
October I, 1970
I
Miss Jane Doe
Breckenridge
Minnesota
Dear Jane;
The Alexandria Area Vocational-Technical School is interested in you
and your work. As a graduate of this school, it is our hope that you
have begun to achieve the goals you set for yourself while enrolled in
the General Secretarial course in 1967-68.
With your help we desire to update and improve the General Secretarial
Curriculum. Since you are in the actual work situation, you can give
us valuable information which we have no other way to obtain.
Please take a few minutes to complete the enclosed questionnaire; and
return it to us in the enclosed, stamped, self-addressed envelope. All
information will be treated in a confidential manner.
Thank you for your cooperation in this project.
Sincerely yours,
Vernon R. Maack
Director
Duane G. Bowen
Secretarial Instructor
DB:il
Enc:
Questionnaire
Envelope
I
86
EMPLOYEE QUESTIONNAIRE
Name;
Present Address:
Bnployment Status:
___________ _
(Check one)
_______ Working full time
_____ Working part time
_____ Working part time and seeking full-time work
______ Unemployed and seeking work
_____ Unemployed and not seeking work
Other
If unemployed, indicate reason.
_____ Marriage
______ No work available
______ Prefer non-secretarial work
______ Inadequate pay in secretarial field
Personal reasons
Complete if employed full or part time.
Present E m p l o y e r __________ _
Immediate Supervisor:_________ _______________________________________
Department:_____ ___________________ _________________ _
Employer’s Address:
What is your present job title?
(Check one)
_____ Secretary (Using Shorthand)
_____ Clerk Typist
_____ Secretary (Not using Shorthand)
_______ Receptionist
_____ Secretary (Using Machine Transcription) ______ Other (Title?)
_____ Secretary (Using Shorthand and
_____ Non-related Field
Machine Transcription)
(Title?)
Please rank the job responsibilities you now have according to their
importance. (Use I for the most important and 10 for the least im­
portant
\
Taking Dictation
Transcribing Dictation
Typing Correspondence
Typing Reports and Forms
Composing Letters
Filing Duties
____ Using the Telephone
____ Meeting the Public
____ Making Appointments
and Reservations
______ Miscellaneous—
(Indicate type of
activity below)
87
When were you hired for your first position?
______
_____
_____
_____
______
(Check one)
Before graduation
I to 4 weeks following graduation
5 to 8 weeks following graduation
9 to 12 weeks following graduation
Other (Please specify)
How did you obtain your first position?
(Check one)
_____ Referred by the school
______ Company came to the school
______ Personail application
______ Private placement agency
___ _State Employment Office
______ Other (Pleatse specify)
How long have you been working for your present employer?(Check one)
______ I to 3 months
______ 4 to 6 months
______ 7 to 12 months
______ 13 to 24 months
______ 25 to 36 months
______ Longer (Please indicate months)
Did you receive additional on-the-job training when you started your
present position? (Check one) yeQ
If you did receive on-the-job training, what did it include?
______ Orientation in company policies and procedures. (This would in­
clude orientation to letter styles used, forms of punctuation
used, compamy forms used, etc.)
•
Additional business training. (Improving secretarial skills)
______ Other (Please specify)
What is your present salary?
Less
$201
$251
$301
(State in terms of salary per month)
8351 to $400
$401 to $450
$451 to $500
$501 to $550
Other (Please specify)
them $200
to $250
to $300
to $350
How many different employers have you had since graduation from Alex­
andria Area Vocational-Technical School? (Check one)
0_____
I_____
2_____
3_____
More (Please specify) _______.
88
If you changed employers, indicate reason for change=
______ More pay
_____ Personality clash
______ Did not like the position
(Check one)
______ Did not like the location
_____ Other (Please specify)
Please rank the subjects you completed according to how important they
were in preparing you for your present job= (Use jl for the most i m - .
portant, use 12 for the least important)
Shorthand
Machine Transcription .
Secretarial Office Pro­
cedures and Charm
Typing
Business English
Business Correspondence
Business Math and Accounting
Business Law
Business Machines and Filing
Economics
Data Processing
Human Relations
In what areas of Human Relations do you think more training would have
been advantageous to you in your present work position? (Check one or
more)
______
______
____ _
_____
_____
Personality development
Oral communication with other people
Ability to work well with other people
Charm development
Other (Please specify)
What is your attitude toward your secretarial training?
(Check one)
______ I would attend a vocational school again if I had to do it over=
______ I would attend a vocational school again, but I would follow a
different course sequence= (Please specify)
______ I would not attend a vocational school again if I had to do it
over.
______ I would attend a college if I had to do it over.
_____ I would attend a private business school if I had to do it over.
Which of the following styles of dress are not acceptable office
apparel where youare employed? (Please check appropriate items)
______ Culottes
_____ Pant Dresses
_____ Pant Suits
_____ Jump Suits
Flirts
______ Midis
______ Bermudas
_____ Slacks :
_____ Knee-high Stockings
Colored or Patterned Hose
89
Do you think that the dress code recommended at the Alexandria Area
Vocational-Technical School was of value in preparing you for
appropriate dress when on the job? (Check one)
Yes _____
No _____
Do you think that the dress code of the School should be retained,
modified, or terminated? (Circle one)
Would you consider actual on-the-job training a worthwhile experience
while attending an area vocational-technical school? (Check one)
Yes
1
No _______
Would you consider a simulated model office training situation within
the classroom as a valuable learning experience in the nine-month
General Secretarial Curriculum?(Check one)
Y e s _____
No _____
Would you recommend extending the General Secretarial Curriculum from
nine months to ten months? The. additional month might be full-time
on-the-job work experience. (Check one) '
Yes ______
No ______
Would you like to see an alumni club formed which would include dues,
an alumni newspaper, and periodic reunions of the technical school
graduates? (Check one)
Yes _______
No
______
What did you like best about Alexandria Area Vocational-Technical
School?
What did you like least about Alexandria Area Vocational-Technical
School?
Please add any additional comments you think might help us evaluate
our program. Thank you for helping make this a success.
October 15» 1970
Miss Jane Doe
905 Irving
Alexandria, Minnesota 56308
Dear Jane:
The study of the General Secretarial curriculum that we began in Sep­
tember is progressing well. When compiling the results of returned
questionnaires from other General Secretarial students, we noticed that
the questionnaire mailed to you on October I has not been returned. We
believe that the study will have more validity and reliability if re­
sponses are included from all General Secretarial students who have
graduated from Alexandria Area Vocational-Technicail School during the
past three years.
Will you please take a few minutes to complete the enclosed question­
naire and return.it to us. Perhaps the thought that your suggestions
may become a peurt of the Generail Secretarial curriculum will be some
compensation for the time spent in completing the quest!onneiire.
Thamk you for your cooperation and may we hear from you soon.
Sincerely yours.
Vernon R. Maiack
Director
Duane G. Bowen
Business Instructor
Enc: Questionnaire
Envelope
November I 1 1970
Mr. John Doe
115 North Third Street
Alexandria, Minnesota 56308
Dear Mr. Doe:
The Alexsmdria Area Vocational-Technical School is interested in your
opinions about our product; namely, Miss Mary Smith, a General Secre­
tarial graduate of our school, who is employed by your firm.
We would like to evaluate and improve our General Secretsirial curricu­
lum, and we believe that you csm give us valuable information to achieve
this goal. We sire interested in your opinions concerning such ques­
tions sis: Are we meeting your employment requirements? Are our Gen­
eral Secretarial graduates performing satisfactory work for your firm?
In your opinion, can our General Secretsirial program be improved? What
suggestions would you make to improve our General Secretarial program?
Please take a few minutes to complete the enclosed questionnaire; and
return it in the enclosed, stamped, self-addressed envelope.
Thank you for your cooperation in this endeavor.
Sincerely yours,
Vernon R. Maack, Director
Alexandria Area VocationalTechnical School
DB/db
Enc: Questionnsiire
Envelope
92
EMPLOYEE QUESTIONNAIRE
Approximately, what is the total number of secretaries you have
currently employed? (Check one)
______ Between I and 10
______ Between 11 and 50
Between 51 and I(X)
More (Please specify number)
Of the total number of secretarial employees» approximately, how many
are graduates of an area vocational-technical school?
What type of person would you prefer to hire for a secretarial position?
(Check one)
______ Someone with ,high school training only
_______ Someone that has had an additional year of training at an area
vocational-technical school
____ Someone that has had additional training at a private business
school
______ Someone that has had additional training in a college
_____ Other (Please specify) ______________________________________________
Based upon the Alexandria Area Vocational-Technical School secretarial
graduates you have hired, do you feel this school is providing em­
ployees that meet your employment standards? (Check one)
______ Exceptionally well
_____ Very adequately
____ Average
______ Inadequately
,
Very inadequately
Do you believe the area vocational-technical school secretarial gradu­
ates need additional training to meet your employment standards?
(Check one)
v
..
If so, in what areas of instruction do you feel training should be
intensified? (Check one or more if applicable)
__ Ability to get along with others
j_Meeting the public
__ Oral communications
___ Following directions
Assuming responsibility
Shorthand skills
Typing skills
Letter composition
Spelling
Other (Please specify)
What future new areas of instruction do you anticipate would be bene­
ficial to prospective employees in the future?
93
Do you require additional on-the-job training for secretarial employ­
ees? (Check one)
- „
If so, for whom?
(Check one)
_______ All new employees regardless of the additional training pre­
viously received
_____ Only new employees that are high school graduates
' Other (Please specify)
’
If additional training is required, what does it include?
(Check one)
______ Orientation in company policies and procedures. (This would
include orientation to letter styles used, company forms used,
etc.)
_____ Additional business training. (Improving secretarial skills,
etc.)
_____ Other (Please specify) _____________________________ ' _____ ____
Do you adjust starting salaries to compensate secretarial employees
for their technical school training as contrasted with secretarial em­
ployees who have no post high school secretarial training? (Check one)
Yes ______
No ______
Does your firm have a policy of promoting more rapidly those employees
who have had additional post high school training than those employees
who have not had additional post high school training? (Check one)
Yes _____
No ______
Do you feel that the area vocational-technical school graduates whom
you have employed present a good appearance and use good taste in
their selection of dress attire in your firm? (Check one)
Yes _____
No
'
Please add any additional comments you may wish to make.
Thank you very much for helping make, this study a success.
I
94
Revised 9/68
ALEXANDRIA VOCATIONAL AREA TECHNICAL SCHOOL
Secretarial Training - 9 months
1st Quarter
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
VII.
Business English— 12 weeks (5 hours a week)
Parts of speech
Punctuation
Capitalization
Dictionary
Spelling
Vocabulary building
Business Machines & Filing— 12 weeks (5 hours a week)
Adding machines
Key punch
Spirit-process duplicator Calculators
Filing
Mimeograph
. Alphabetic card
Accounting machine
Alphabetic correspondence
Requisition & charge procedures
Business Organization & Management— 6 weeks (5 hours a week)
Promoting and selling the product
Types of ownership
Financing and organization
Purchasing
Lines of authority
Credit management
Storage and inventory
Business Psychology
Importance of personality
Personal efficiency
Intelligent behavior
Motives and emotions
Emotional maturity
Human relations and morale
Personal leadership and Group co­
operation
Broadening of interests
Dictation-Transcription— 12 weeks (5 hours a week)
Proofreading
Erasing
Standards of mailability
Carbon copies
Division of words
Letter styles
Punctuation review
Expression of numbers
Shorthand 1— 12 weeks (5 hours a week)
Theory review
Individualized practice dictation
for speed development
Typing I or II*
(5 hours a week)
'■V;. ‘
95
General Secretarial
2nd Quarter
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
Business Machines & Filing— 12 weeks (see 1st Quarter)
Business Mathematics— 12 weeks (5 hours a week)
Fundamentals
Fractions
Interest and bank discount
Compound interest
Financial statement analysis
Percentages
Payroll & Taxes
Basic Economics— 12 weeks (5 hours a week)
Business cycles
Definition of economics
Anti-inflation & depression
Business flow
measures
Federal Reserve System
World trade
Secretarial Office Procedures— 12
Secretary's role in a business
office
Public relations and the
secretary
Making travel arrangements
Financial records
weeks (5 hours a week)
Filing systems and equipment
Digesting the mail
Keeping office records
Using reference materials
Shorthand— 12 weeks (5 hours a week)
Development of dictation speed
Development of transcription speed
VIo . Typing II or III* (5 hours a week)
T
, ■
96
General Secretarial
3rd Quarter
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
V IIo
I
Accounting I— 12 weeks (5 hours a week)
Principles of Accounting:
Basic accounting equation
Basic accounting records
End of cycle procedures
Special journals and ledgers
Payroll accounting
Individual income tax returns
Business Correspondence— 12 weeks (5 hours a week)
Mechanics of good letter writing
Principles of good letter writing
Correct word usage
Writing common types of busiConstruction of sentences
ness letters:
Tone of letter
orders, inquiries, sales
Building good will
promotion, adjustments,
credits and collections
Business- Law— 12 weeks (5 hours a week)
Contracts
Real property
Personal property
Negotiable instruments
Uniform Commercial Code
Introduction
, Background
Tabulating
Electronic
to Data Processing— 6 weeks (5 hours a week)
of automatic data processing
system of ADP
computer system
Machine Transcription— 12 weeks (5 hours a week)
Transcribing practice and actual office dictation material
using IBM equipment
Shorthand— 12 weeks (5 hours a week)
Development of dictation speed
Development of transcription speed
Mailable letters
Office style dictation
Typing I I I or IV * (5 hours a week)
97
Typing Curriculum
*1.
•II.
•III.
•IV.
Keyboard Review
Punctuation
uses of
correct spacing
Knowledge of parts of typewriter
Care and maintenance of machine
Drill on speed and accuracy
Correspondence
Centering
Spelling
Tabulation
Word division
Correspondence
Manuscripts
Outlines
Rough drafts
Production typing
Communication aids
Correspondence with special features
Telegrams
Memorandums
Automation office proc.
Technical papers
Business reports
Statistical typing
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
I
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
1»
Alter, He H. "Ask the Graduate, A Method of Curriculum Improve­
ment," California Journal of Secondary Education, XXXII
(Decenber, 1957), P* ^73«
2.
Claigue, Ewan and Leon Greenberg. "Technological Chainge amd Em­
ployment," Monthly Labor Review (U.S. Depsirtment of
Labor), July, 19^2»
3»
Cook, Fred S. and Edwaurd Gary Shapiro. "Factors Affecting Secre­
tarial Success," Business Education Forum, XXIV (Februaury9
1970), pp. 33-35®
4.
Eyster, Elvin. "Business Education and the Future Secondsury and
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MONTANA STATE
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A current evaluation
of the general
secretarial curriculum
RMTERLlBRARY LOAN
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