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Literary
April 10, 1938
Imperial Valley Press
El Centro, Imperial County, California
What is this article about?
Dale Carnegie's essay recounts Ely Culbertson's unlikely rise from poverty to bridge expert, earning $500,000 yearly, emphasizing persistence in teaching. It contrasts with Napoleon's failure to leverage charm for greater political success, like uniting Europe.
Clipping
OCR Quality
98%
Excellent
Full Text
DALE
CARNEGIE
Author of 'How to Win
Friends and Influence
People'
You bridge players, who follow the Culbertson system, may be interested to know that Ely Culbertson, whose name is a synonym for contract bridge, makes half a million dollars a year teaching the Great American Public to play the game.
Was Culbertson trained for the teaching of Bridge?
No, back in 1922 he had not the slightest idea of what Bridge was going to mean to him.
The son of a Scotch Presbyterian mining engineer, he had been taught that cards were sinful. His father made a fortune in Russian oil, but the Soviets confiscated his wealth; so when young Culbertson finally landed in America from Europe he had but $20 in his pocket. But hope beat high in his heart. His ambition? To become a Professor of Sociology. But he couldn't get a job.
Next he tried selling coal but failed at that. He tried teaching French. He failed at that. He tried assisting his brother, who was a musician, again he failed. Then he switched his restless energy to the game of Bridge. Since Ely Culbertson is the type of man who throws himself wholeheartedly into whatever interests him, he delved deeply into the game and held so many Post Mortems that he was a bore to his companions. But he worked out the answers for himself—and, practical-minded, he wrote a book about what he had learned. He wrote five books. Then he awoke one day to find himself a bridge expert, which he had been suspecting for some time he eventually would become. Other people were surprised. He wasn't, for he had developed an aim as he played and he had stuck closely to it.
Out of his half a million yearly Culbertson spends somewhere around $50,000 in answering the questions of those who write to him from every city and town of any size in the world.
Use Culbertson as an example. He liked teaching. He threshed around until he found something to teach in a field where a teacher was needed. If you have made up your mind you like a certain kind of work, get at it and stick to it. That will help success to come your way, though it may come to you, as it did to Ely Culbertson, through a different channel than you first anticipated.
Had Napoleon Bonaparte been great enough to recognize all his talents and realize what they could mean to him, he might have accomplished his desire and established a United States of Europe and the course of the world would have been changed.
Napoleon had a clever way of turning conversation to his own advantage, but he was not truly clever. He did not make people like him! In speaking of the charm which Napoleon could exert, but which he seldom did, Lord Keith, British Admiral, said "Damn the fellow! If he had obtained an interview with his Royal Highness, George IV. (then Prince Regent) they would have become warm friends."
CARNEGIE
Author of 'How to Win
Friends and Influence
People'
You bridge players, who follow the Culbertson system, may be interested to know that Ely Culbertson, whose name is a synonym for contract bridge, makes half a million dollars a year teaching the Great American Public to play the game.
Was Culbertson trained for the teaching of Bridge?
No, back in 1922 he had not the slightest idea of what Bridge was going to mean to him.
The son of a Scotch Presbyterian mining engineer, he had been taught that cards were sinful. His father made a fortune in Russian oil, but the Soviets confiscated his wealth; so when young Culbertson finally landed in America from Europe he had but $20 in his pocket. But hope beat high in his heart. His ambition? To become a Professor of Sociology. But he couldn't get a job.
Next he tried selling coal but failed at that. He tried teaching French. He failed at that. He tried assisting his brother, who was a musician, again he failed. Then he switched his restless energy to the game of Bridge. Since Ely Culbertson is the type of man who throws himself wholeheartedly into whatever interests him, he delved deeply into the game and held so many Post Mortems that he was a bore to his companions. But he worked out the answers for himself—and, practical-minded, he wrote a book about what he had learned. He wrote five books. Then he awoke one day to find himself a bridge expert, which he had been suspecting for some time he eventually would become. Other people were surprised. He wasn't, for he had developed an aim as he played and he had stuck closely to it.
Out of his half a million yearly Culbertson spends somewhere around $50,000 in answering the questions of those who write to him from every city and town of any size in the world.
Use Culbertson as an example. He liked teaching. He threshed around until he found something to teach in a field where a teacher was needed. If you have made up your mind you like a certain kind of work, get at it and stick to it. That will help success to come your way, though it may come to you, as it did to Ely Culbertson, through a different channel than you first anticipated.
Had Napoleon Bonaparte been great enough to recognize all his talents and realize what they could mean to him, he might have accomplished his desire and established a United States of Europe and the course of the world would have been changed.
Napoleon had a clever way of turning conversation to his own advantage, but he was not truly clever. He did not make people like him! In speaking of the charm which Napoleon could exert, but which he seldom did, Lord Keith, British Admiral, said "Damn the fellow! If he had obtained an interview with his Royal Highness, George IV. (then Prince Regent) they would have become warm friends."
What sub-type of article is it?
Essay
What themes does it cover?
Moral Virtue
Political
What keywords are associated?
Culbertson
Bridge
Success
Persistence
Napoleon
Teaching
Ambition
What entities or persons were involved?
Dale Carnegie Author Of 'How To Win Friends And Influence People'
Literary Details
Author
Dale Carnegie Author Of 'How To Win Friends And Influence People'
Subject
On Success Through Persistence, Using Ely Culbertson As Example And Napoleon As Contrast
Key Lines
Use Culbertson As An Example. He Liked Teaching. He Threshed Around Until He Found Something To Teach In A Field Where A Teacher Was Needed. If You Have Made Up Your Mind You Like A Certain Kind Of Work, Get At It And Stick To It.
Had Napoleon Bonaparte Been Great Enough To Recognize All His Talents And Realize What They Could Mean To Him, He Might Have Accomplished His Desire And Established A United States Of Europe And The Course Of The World Would Have Been Changed.
Damn The Fellow! If He Had Obtained An Interview With His Royal Highness, George Iv. (Then Prince Regent) They Would Have Become Warm Friends.