Lyons' Bookkeeping, Vol. 2: Parts I and II (Classic Reprint)

Excerpt from Lyons' Bookkeeping, Vol. 2: Parts I and II

The plan of teaching bookkeeping with business papers is a very popular one and must continue to be the favorite plan for those who wish the course to give the student, in addition to a knowledge of the principles of accounting, a familiarity with the materials and the methods of a modern business office.

There are in general two schemes for teaching bookkeeping by the individual "business practice" plan. The one scheme involves the use of business papers solely to accompany and illustrate the transactions set forth in the text. The other uses the business papers as the basis of the student's entries in his books.

There is a vast difference between these two plans. The former plan makes the business papers a subordinate and auxiliary feature of the work that can be and often is slighted if not absolutely ignored. The latter plan makes the business papers the foundation of the course. The papers come to the student just as they come to him in business; from the data upon them he constructs his bookkeeping entries; and they are then systematically filed and become a part of the records. Thus business papers, a knowledge of which is in itself of value, constitute the central feature of the course, and the student, through receiving them, making his entries, and disposing of them, is taught business procedure, accounting, and office methods.

The plan of using business papers as the basis of the presentation of the transactions is the one which is followed in the business practice sections of Lyons' Bookkeeping and these business practice sections constitute the greater part of the course. The transactions are not merely illustrated by business papers, but they are based upon business papers.

Preceding each of the principal sets using the business papers, a shorter section of the book, in which papers are not used, is devoted to a treatment of the accounting principles which will be involved in the work which is to follow. Thus, the student attempts no work whatever in "business practice" until he has mastered a short chapter without business papers in which he studies accounts and journalizing, and learns how to post and take a trial balance. Again, before taking up the work of the second principal set, he studies in a separate chapter, no business papers being used, the new accounting features which he will use in the second practice set. This plan of teaching accounting principles in separate chapters preceding the business practice sections and without the business papers, presents two distinct advantages: first, the student is enabled to concentrate upon the study of the accounting principles without any distraction, until he gets a thorough intellectual knowledge of the principles studied; second, the accounting principles being intellectually acquired when the student takes up the "business practice," the work of familiarizing the student with forms and drilling him in the bookkeeping operations can proceed without interruption.

The student will find every step explained in detail both as to the principle involved and the procedure followed. Every difficulty is anticipated. There are no pitfalls - no ambiguities. We have avoided the introduction of puzzles and conundrums. The pupil has the right to know what every proposition is, and this right is respected throughout - he is not left to guess the intent of the authors. Nor is it presumed that he knows any of these things which he cannot know without schooling or business experience. The book was written for beginners and it is felt that it meets fully the requirements of such a text book.

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