EMBRACING THEORY AND PRACTICE OF BOOKKEEPING AND ACCOUNTING FOR ALL OTHER SCHOOLS TEACHING THE SUBJECT Head of Commercial Department West Division High School, Milwaukee, Wis. Wilson & Follett .50 12-4-24 PREFACE In preparing this text on bookkeeping, the author has had the gradual, progressive development of the subject in mind. A reaction is taking place in the teaching of bookkeeping in the best schools. There is no good reason why the teaching of bookkeeping, especially in the beginning course, should differ so much from the teaching of other subjects. In other subjects, we do not attempt to teach the pupil at once all the operations necessary to give him a complete understanding of the subject. We teach him an operation or step at a time. The author believes that teachers and pupils alike will welcome a text in bookkeeping that takes up one operation at a time, or a new subject, and explains it before undertaking another. Each subject is well illustrated and sufficient exercises are given to enable the pupil to learn one step before studying the next. The development and illustration of a new subject in practically every chapter is a feature that should appeal to every teacher of the subject. The expression, "learn by doing," has come to mean little more than routine, mechanical work without much thought. Skill in the mechanical work must be developed by a sufficient number of exercises and sets, but that is simply one side of the study of bookkeeping. The author believes that if bookkeeping is to maintain its place as a study in the secondary school curriculum on a par with other subjects, the thought side must be emphasized. It must not be simply an incidental matter. Bookkeeping, as a study, should not depend on its practical value alone for its standing. To develop the thought side of bookkeeping, frequent class recitations are necessary. The arrangement of the text is especially adapted for this purpose. In beginning with the study of cash, the author believes he is beginning with a subject in which the pupil is naturally interested. The average pupil studying bookkeeping knows little about business, but he does know the difference between cash received and cash paid out. V. Whatever difficulty the average pupil has had in the use of the cash book has been because he has been taught entries that he must unlearn when he begins the use of the cash book. The author makes no apology for minimizing the journal as a book of entry. To spend weeks and months learning how to make entries in the journal that are rarely entered in it in modern systems of accounts, is wasted time. Sufficient exercises and transactions are given in the use of the journal to give an understanding of the principles of debit and credit. In developing the subject, the author has constantly kept in mind the principles of accounting. But in doing this he has also recognized the fact that, while the principles of bookkeeping must conform with those of accounting, they must be gradually unfolded. To plunge the pupil into the details of the most advanced accounting methods and practice in his beginning work, is to give him something entirely beyond his mental grasp. The author has also recognized the fact that the very best accountants differ in practice in reference to certain subjects and in the use of certain forms. The author has taken advantage of this fact in the advanced work by illustrating different methods of treating some of these points. No catch problems nor transactions have been given. If a subject is too difficult to be explained according to the principles of accounting, it is omitted until the pupil can grasp it, rather than to present it in an incorrect way. In the preparation of the text and of the business papers, business men, accountants, and teachers have rendered valuable assistance. To all of these, the author is greatly indebted. THE AUTHOR. |