Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1847-10-07
THE APPRENTICE SYSTEM.

! Al ~ "A J. 1tIIlN 4NL ~
We have been somewhat surprised
that it has never occurred to any OF
the good friends of public ordor and
morals, who are continually depIoring
the evidences of recklesSness in the
rising generation, to examine into the
present system, almost universally a
dopted, ofengaging and remunerating
apprentices. Such an examination
in our opinion, would convince them
at once, that the present relations be-
tween master and apprentice are radi-
'ca,ly wrong, and that to those wrong
relations, much of the wrong doing
should be Justly attributed. which they
deprecate as all unfortunate character
'iStic Of the times.
In using the term master, we do no.!
desire to be understood in sIavish
sense, but in that old.fashioned and
comprehensive sense, which included
not only mastership over the work
and thelabor Of the youthful artizan,
but also supervisory care and father
ily soicitude for 'tle rectitude Of his
habits and the purity Of his morals
We are aware that the term master is
highly offensive at this age of the re-
public, to the ears ofyou'hftil rephbli-
cans, and in many cases, perhaps,
not less so 20 their republican
parents: but it was not always
so, and under its rigid exactions,
in times past, some of the best inform
ed men, some of the most industrious
and worthy republicans ofour country
were given to her councils and to her
halls Of legislation.
We think, indeed, that it viii no.
be denied, that we are indebted to the
relationship OF master and apprentice
for almost all the great men who have
preceded our times, and who are re-
'nowned in the history of our country,
not more for their virtues and patriot
ism, than because they sprung, as it
were, from tie work bench and the
anvil, from the plough and the shop
board, from The loom and the printing
press, and competed successfully and
triumphantly with those who had, to
all appearances, enjoyed far greater
privileges during their minority than
they had. Had they been neglected
by their masters, and permitted to take
their own course, and to form their
own minds, and regulate their own
wills, it is hardly possible that we
should have been able to point to such
biographical records, SO worthy of the
example of our youth, as are bound up
with the annals of our country.
Unfortunately, however, for the gen.
erality of apprentices, under the pre-
vaiIing system, they are cared for nei-
Their by master nor parent, and there
fore, why should we be surprised TO
find that they have SO little care for
themselves The time was, that a
long apprenticeship under rigid but
paternal discipline, was thought in
,d:spensably necessary to prepare a
young man for the duties ofhis profess
sion, as well as for the equally impor-
tant duties ola good and faithful citi-
zen. But how stand the generality of
cases now! Look around you, and
observe for yourselves. On yonder
corner is a mob of idle boys, from
twelve to sixteen years Of age. Many
of them are engaged in importuning
the passers-by TO purchase "extras,'
or a copy Of one Of the regular papers.
Their very vocation, although the most
that could be said for it has often been
presented in the most favorable light,
Is nevertheless immoral AM. degra-
ding, because i: establishes early hab.
its Of dependenceupon street importu-
mites for that subsistence which is the
result and the reward Of frugaiity and
honest labor.
In short time, many Of these boys
will be rendered utterly unfit by. their