Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1867-11-13
Importance of Learning a Trade.


nc american, the highest authority on the
subject in the world, and should be read by
every young man in this country:
W e do not intend, under this heading, tC
speak of the importance of becoming an
apprentice to any mechanical business. but
OF the Importance of learning-acquiring-
trade, of becoming workman at the bu-
sIness chosen. 1t is no: enough that a
young man goes into shop and work for a
longer or shorter period as a neophyte,
but that he becomes master of the rudiments
OF his business. The country is filled with
unfinished mechanics, every trade is over
| burdened with the miserable hangers on
who, protesting knowledge of a business,
bring it into disrepute by their incompeten-
| cy. There is no bond in this country, 10y
| which a master can control the time of an
apprentice for period sufficient to remu-
nerate the employer for the losses sustained
in the early stages of the apprenticeship,
or to give the apprentice proper knowl-
edge of his business. The apprentice Is free
to leave his master and employment, when
ever, in his opinion, he has collected scraps
enough of superficial knowledge to set up
as an independent worker. He becomes
| dissatisfied with this character of his work
or the amount OF compensation, and, finding
other work and larger pay he quits his mas
ter S employment Just when his servise have
begun to be valuable, thus committing a
fraud upon his employer and doing great
injury to himself.
In no case is the term required to learn a
trade too long According to the value and
difficulties of the business, it varies from
three to seven years, and the most faithful
and Observant apprentice, after having fill
ed his full term of apprenticeship, finds he
has much to learn before he can honestly
claim to be entirely and thoroughly compe
tent. For at least few months the ap-
prentice is a constant source of anxiety and
expense. From want of experience, or
from heedlessness, or dislike to the particu-
lar job given him, he breaks tools and ruins
work enough in week to cover all che prof
it OF his work for months. The employer
bears with this patiently or impatiently, as
the case may be, in the hope that during
the last part of the novitiats S apprentice-
ship he may reap some return from the
profits of his work. Under such circum-
stances it must be very vexatious to have
an apprentice leave just when he is becom-
ing, in some measure, useful. Yet it is a
common occurrence in this country. APP
prentices seem too often to be devoid of con-
science and wanting in the principles of
common honesty.
nent advantage to the apprentice. He be.
comes the Bohemian of the workshop, a
waif driven hither and thither, having a
slnattering of knowledge and yet understan-
ding no one thing thoroughly. His seryi-
ces are not sought; he is only ''Sackat-a-
pinch, to be used merely to fill a space
otherwise empty. Scores of such half bak
ed mechanics can be picked up at any day !;
they JnfeSt shops, torment employers, enG
disgrace the business they falsely profess to
understand. They are industrial vasrants,
it such a term Is permissible, to be stunned
and despised by every honorable workman.
Unstable as water, they cannot excel. y
The ambition of the apprentice to be
ranked among journeymon is laudible one
when properly directed, but it can only be
realized by an honest and persistent stick
ing to his obvious and plain duties. If he
everexpects to teach he must first be taught;
if he desires to direct he should submit to
direction. What this country needs in the
industrial arts is finished workmen. They
are scarce and always in demand. A COM
pe.ent and intelligent workman is seldom
wanting good job. When business is slack
the ipcompetents are first discharged, while
the valuable workman is kept often at Sc
rious pecuniary loss to his employer, sim
ply because it is difficult to fill his place.
These considerations have nothing new in
them, but because they are SO trite andhack
neyed they are not enough Considered by
apprentices. We earnestly invite their st
tention to the subject, believing it will be
to their present and prospective advantage
to deal honestly in this as well as other res
pect.