Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1855-03-14
I SHAN'T LEARN A TRADE.

OHAN LEAhN "A AADE.
Shan't youi should like to know why not
Hundreds and tens of thousands have learned
one before you, and more will do the same thing.
A trade well learned may make name and a
fortune earned. If you ever get either without
working for it, you will be either very lucky"
or very unfortunate. .l.r
| don't think much of boy who says he is
not going to learn trade. If his place in the
world is such that he can learn trade and have
good situation, he will be very unwise not to
seize the opportunity. A boy who goes to a
trade determined to make himself master of his
business, and be we'll informed and intelligent
workman, will soon rise to the head of his pro-
fesslon, if ne pursues the right path. The faith
ful apprentice who delights to do his work well,
and to the best of his ability, so as to earn the
praise of his employer, will feel happier and be
more honorable man than he who does just
enough to shuttle along through the day, and
hurrles away from his work as though it were
nuisance or curse.
l know boy who was too poor to 90 to
school and college, although he would have liked
that course very well. But he had to work.
So he went to learn trade He tried to do his
work always to the best of his ability. He went
to place and one day his master came to look
at what he had done, and after closely examin-
ing it he turned round and said to the foreman,
"James this is very excellent work for a new
boy" Did not that little fellow feel as proud
as if he had won triumph! He was rewarded
from the start with the good opinion of his en-
ployer, and he never forgot the pleasure with
which he heard his masters encouraging words.
lie always tried to do his work well-to do in
fact the very BEST and while the other apprenti-
ces did not seem to care how their work was
done, or how they spent their masters time, he
took pride in working as though he was in a
higher post, and is now doing we'll in more ways
than one in this world.
| Not long ago boy was leaving school, and
as had chance of ofspeaking to him said,
"What are you going to dog
81 am going into merchants jobbing house, -
"Going to be clerk then! why don't you
| learn trade"
"Trade?' said he, al amt going to learn a
trader
Not going to learn trade? | should like
to know why n trade is not as good as q clerk
ship. suppose you think it is more genteel
and respectable! what would you do with job.
bng house, wonder"
Learn trade! Did you ever hear of such O
man as Ben Franklin, who learned the printing
trade, and became one Of the most distinguished
men Of modern times! Have you heard of car
penter named Rittenhouse, or man who made
philosophical instruments, and afterwards revo
lutionzed the world with his discoveries in tle
steam engine? Have you heard of James Watt
or is it genteel not to know anything abou
trades or those who have learned them? Whc
was Arkwright, that followed the trade of bar
ber? or Whitney, or Fulton! Who was Gov
Armstrong, of Massachusetts,, or Isaac Hill o
New Hampshire, who learned the trade of a prin
ter? Did you ever hear of man who swung
his sledge on an anvil, and became the dstn
guished Eihu Burritt? Did you ever hear O
the distinguished cobber named Roger Sher
man! Or Of the illustrious lame cobbler o
London, named John Pounds who founded rag
ged schools, and put in operation one of the
greatest pieces of machinery of the age!