--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Cuthers, John collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 20 number: 12 published: 1917-10 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'John Cuthers, "The Ideal Secretary," *Improvement Era* 20, no. 12 (October 1917): 1075–1078.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera20012unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera20012unse start_page: 1075 end_page: 1078 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1917-10) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera20012unse publication_year: 1917 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1917, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # The Ideal Secretary The Ideal Secretary By John Cuthers The duties of the office of Secretary in the various organiza- tions of the Church are pleasing ones; and when once the prin- ciples underlying the complete and successful performance of these duties are fairly within your grasp, you will become fas- cinated with the processes of their application, and the contin- ual charm of their perpetual novelty. Importance of Punctuality Every task laid upon you should be faithfully performed. Be punctual in your attendance upon all the demands and ap- pointments of the position. The continuous adherence to punctuality's seemingly stern requirements, is such a vital fac- tor to your unqualified success that a few words regarding this prime essential will doubtless be timely. Punctuality consists of acting promptly in strict accordance with a pre-arranged plan. It is closely related to and is a vital essential to the acqui- sition of correct system. In its broader sense, therefore, punc- tuality consists not only of acting at the right time, but in the right manner and place. When punctuality is superlatively noticeable in any one person, it is either inherently acquired or acquired through inculcation. Sacred history is replete with instances wherein men displayed such perfect punctuality that they had only to be commanded and they promptly and un- questioningly obeyed. The history of nations furnishes strik- ing examples wherein conquests were won and righteous and progressive principles established through prompt and well- directed action. But for the promptness and coolness of Paul Revere, the results of the battle of Bunker Hill and subsequent similar engagements, would have been in favor of the British, and the Declaration of Independence would have been a remote possibility instead of an historical achievement, out of which was conceived a land of liberty. See to it, therefore, that you possess the due regard for the suggestions of your commander, be he bishop, quorum president, or Sunday School superintend- ent, by carrying out your part of the exercises so uniquely that the characterization of your labors will spell success for the or- ganization as a whole. 1076 IMPROVEMENT ERA Good Penmanship a Desirable Attainment The ability to express your thoughts in writing is allowed by all to be a desirable attainment. If you are to do this with ease and readiness you must previously attend, among other things, to the mechanical process of writing. If others are to read what you have written, your writing should be legible. Therefore, cultivate a neat, legible, business style of writing. The intrinsic value of this accomplishment is beyond computa- tion; and as a concomitant to the study of accounts, indispens- able. The writing of the scholars has probably more influence in determining the reputation of a school than any other sub- ject that is taught. Exact Orthography Imperative Society demands correct spelling from an educated man. Whilst the ability to spell correctly is scarcely considered to be a merit, inability is deemed a disgrace. There is little disposi- tion to make allowance for failures in spelling. It is assumed that bad spelling is the mark of an inferior education. Improve and increase your vocabulary by continual and systematic reading from the best books. Read newspapers spar- ingly as there are abundant evidences at hand where the book reader has acquired the daily newspaper habit and reads the daily to such an extent that it is impossible for him to read books thereafter. He has broken his continuity of thought, and when this happens book-reading is impossible. Then, too, newspaper orthography is not as generally dependable as book orthography. Whenever you hear a word that you don't un- derstand, make a memorandum of same and look up the ex- planation as soon as possible. This system will enable you to use the choicest words and insure correct orthography when reporting the minutes of meetings. Reading the Most Important of the "Three i?'s" Reading is commonly allowed to be the most important of the "three R's." the great means by which you obtain It is an acquaintance with matters that lie out of the sphere of your own direct observation. The chief marks of good reading are: (1) Rate. Secretaries and others who can read fluently are sometimes tempted to read rapidly. Insure due deliberation. There is truth in the odd couplet Learn to read slow, all other graces Will duly follow in their proper places." THE IDEAL SECRETARY 1077 (2) Pause. This is a chief aid to expression. Learn to regard the sense of what you are reading, and to pause accordingly. By pausing judiciously you husband your store of breath and are able to read for a longer time without fatigue. You are able also to let your eye be in advance of your voice, and thus can better comprehend the meaning of what you are reading. (3) Inflection and Modulation. "Read as you talk," and you will then employ such modulations and inflections as would express your meaning most naturally. One sometimes hears a monotonous "lesson-saying" character preserved throughout the reading of the entire minutes of a meeting. Correspondence with Missionaries and Others You should be prompt, faithful, and unselfish in the matter of correspondence with missionaries and others. "Excuse me for not writing sooner" should be foreign to your vocabulary. As a matter of fact it takes five or ten minutes to write a letter and the secretary who pleads for forgiveness through lack of time has wasted a hundred times the minutes necessary to write a letter. The busy man or woman accepts his or her duty as a matter of course, arranges his or her correspondence and work in systematic order and goes at the thing, hammer and tongs and gets the thing done. What is true in relation to the matter of correspondence is equally true in the matter of giving the proper attention and care to the disposition of all reports requested by presiding bishop's office and by other presiding authorities from time to time. Initiative Increases Efficiency Initiative issimply the willingness and ability on the part of a secretary to do things that are not simply routine, to do things he is not told to do, to look for opportunities to improve the duties of secretaryship wherever possible. The secretary who has no initiative in his make up is going around a circle and when you go around a circle you don't go forward. There is no one thing outside of honesty, ability, and hard work that will help the secretary to go forward like initi- ative. In every great business there are many opportunities for the employee to do things he is not told to do and when an em- ployee gets the initiative habit he is not long in attracting the attention of the boss. Acquaint yourself with the plan of operation of each sec- retary of other organizations in your ward and also other wards 1078 IMPROVEMENT ERA and stakes. Whenever you find a plan better than your own, take practical advantage of it. The true initiative spirit and desire to excel is shown in a letter addressed by a quorum sec- retary to a quorum president, as follows: President Dear Brother: — Attached hereto please find the names of the entire membership of the Quorum of and the information required for the full and proper completion of our new roll and record book. I would like to have this data as soon as possible. You will observe I have furnished some of the dat already. I shall be glad to i help you in any way you suggest until we have collected all the data ob- tainable. My aim is to have the neatest and most perfect roll and record book throughout the entire Church. Above all, you must ever seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit in all you may be called upon to perform. Acting in perfect accord with God's Spirit, under all circumstances, is the underlying principle to be considered, if you would finally achieve the illimitable ideal. My Friend Around the corner I have a friend, In this great city that has no end; Yet days go by and weeks rush on, And before I know it a year is gone And I never see my old friend's face, For Life is a swift and terrible race. He knows I like him just as well As in the days when I rang his bell And he rang mine. We were younger then; And now we are busy, tired men Tired with playing a foolish game, Tired with trying to make a name. "Tomorrow," I say, "I will call on Jim, Just to show that I'm thinking of him." But tomorrow comes, and tomorrow goes, And the distance between us grows and grows. — Around the corner! yet miles away * * "Here's a telegram, sir." * * * 'Jim died today!" — And that's what we get and deserve in the end Around the corner a vanishing friend! —Selected.