I SUPPOSE that no practical science is ever studied where
I there is no need to know it. The very fact,therefore, that the
eminently practical science of administrationis finding its way
into college courses in this country would prove that this country
needs to know more about administration ,were such proof of
the fact required to make out a case. It need not be said, however,
that we do not look into college programmes for proof of
this fact. It is a thing almost taken for granted among us, that
the present movement called civil service reform must,after the
accomplishment of its first purpose,expand into efforts to improve,
not the personnel only, but also the organization and
methods of our government offices: because it is plain that
their organization and methods need improvement only less
than their personnel. It is the object of administratives tudy
to discover, first,what government can properly and successfully
do, and ,secondly,how it can do these proper things with
the utmost possible efficiency and at the least possible cost
either of money or of energy. On both these points there is
obviously much need of light among us; and only careful study
can supply that light.
Before entering on that study, however, it is needful:
1. To take some account of what others have done in the
same line; that is to say, of the history of the study.
2. To ascertain just what is its subject-matter.
3. To determine just what are the best methods by which
to develop it, and the most clarifying political conceptions to
carry with us into it.