Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1867-09-06
THE IuPORTANCE OF LEARNING
4 TRADE.

We do not intend, under this heading, to
speak Of the importance Of becoming an
apprentice to any mechanical business, but
Of the Importance Of learning acquiring
trade, OF becoming 4 workman al the bu-
sIness chosen. IL is not enough that q
young man Voes into a shOp and aznrEs for a
longer ov "a shorter period as a neOphyte,
but that he becomes master of the rudi-
ments Of his business. The country is fill
ed with unfinished mechanics, every trade
is overburdened with the miserable hang
ers on who, processing a knowledge of a bu-
siness, bring it into disreputc by their in
competency. There Is no bond IN this coUn-
try, by which a master can control the time
Of an apprentice for a period sufficient to
remunerate the employer for the losses sus-
tanned in the early stages Of the apprentice
ship, or to give the apprentice q proper
knowledge OF his business. The aEpren-
tice is free to leave his master and employ
ment, leuever, IN his opinion, be has col
lected scraps enough Of superficial knowl-
edge 10 set UP as an Independent worker.
He becomes dissatisfied with the character
of his work or the amount fc0mpensation,
and, finding other work aud larger paw, he
quits his master employment just when his
.orvIces have begun to be valuable, thus
a ttNtNs A lfA Ills Ell 4D1t4 anu
doing a great injury to himself
In no case IS the term required 20 learn
trade toe long. According to the value and
difficulties OF the business, il varies from
three to seven years, and the most faithful
and obseryant apprentice, after having filed
his full term Of apprenticeship, finds he has
much to learn before he can honestly claim
to be entirely and thoroughly competent
For at least few months the apprentice is
constant source of anxiety and expense
From want Of experience, or from needless
ness, or dislike to the particular Job given
him, he breaks tools and ruins work enough
in a week TO cover all the profits Of his work
tor months The employer bears with this,
patiently or lmpatlently as the case may be,
IN the hone that during the last part of the
nOYitiate apprenticeship he may reap some
return from the profits OF his work Under
such circumstances 1t must be very vexatious
TO have an apprentice leave Just when he is
( becoming, IN some measure, useful. Yet It
Is a common occurrence in this country.
Apprentices seem too Otter to be devoid of
conscience and wanting in the principles of
common honesty.
Nor is such conduct Of any real perma-
nent advantage to the apprentice. He be-
comes the Bohemian of the workshop. A
waif driven hither and tGither. having a
smattering Of knowledge and vet unoer-
standing no one thing thoroughly. His
services are not sought; he is only Jack
at a-pinch, to be used merely to fill a
space otherwise empty. Scores of such
half baked mechanics can be picked UP any
day; they infest shops, torment employers,
and disgrace the business they falsely profess
to understand They are industrial va
grants, il such a term is permissible. to be
Stunned and despised by every honorable
workman. Unstable as water, they can
not excel.
The ambition of the apprentice to be
ranked among journeymen is a laudable one
when properly directed, but 1t can only be
realized by an honest and persistent sticking
to his obvious and plain duties. If he ever
expects to teach he must first be taught: if
he desires to direct he should submit to d.
rectlor. What this country needs in the
industrial arts Is finished worlmen They
are scarce and always in demand A com
petcnt and intelligent workman is seldom
wanting good job. When business is
slack the iucompetents are first discharged,
while the valuable workman is kept often at
a serious pecuniary loss to his employer,
simply because it is difficult to fill his place.
These considerations have nothing new in
them, but because they are so trite and
hackueyed they are not enough considered
by apprentices We earnestly invite their
attention to the subject, believing it will be
to their present and prospective advantage
to deal honestly in this as well as other
respects. ~ Scientific american