The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1867-06-20
From the New Bedford Mercury
Advice to s*Oys ard young Hsen-
The value Of Serving an AD-
premiership and EcarMing "a
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kfsaUc.
Few things better mark the impatien
and hurrying spirit of Americans, thar
the disappearance Of apprentices. The
law, it is true, still recognizes an appren
ticeship system, and prescribes its rules
pointing out the correlative duties Of thu
parties to an indcnture, and the peualtie:
for their neglect. Barely, if ever, now
do we hear of a man in easy circumstance.
of life, putting son to ap apprenticeship
The idea Of enforced service is distasteful
But the great reason we appreiend, fol
the abandonment ofthc system, is the sup
posed loss of time and r.oncy and SO boys
now go to Learn trade, free to leave at
any moment when more profitable employ
ment, or an opportunity to start in busi-
ress offers .fhe result is that the rcla-
tiors between the parties is entirely chang
cd Fhe obligation to study the employ
er's interest is but little regarded by the
nominal apprentice, and the duty of exer-
cising parental care, and especially in all
the mysteries Of his craft, is neglected by
the master. # the boy Is clever, he will
pick up a knowledge of the tools and ac-
quire some skill in their use and in nine
eases oct ct ten, with such fragmentary
and imperfect knowledge, ambitious to
earn money and be more independent, he
will start forth in a few months as jour
newman o. set up as an employer. The
result is that the number of thoroughly
taught and skilful mechanics has decreas-
ed. There arc worllmen enough, but not
finished workmen. This is the complaint
of American employers. The old fash
ioned workers. who obtained thci. craft by
years of service who gained their skill
by ample experience.
But the falling into desuotudo o. TIE
apprenticeship system is attended with a
worse evi. than this loss Of skilled labor
Under that system, the master is author
lied and obliged to exercise parental con-
troll over his apprentice, and this is gen
orally done. The boy was made men,
ber OF his employers family, and his man
ners and habits were looked after as well
as his work. But now the boy is left to
run at alrge. All the employer feel bound
to do, is to protect his own interests and
yet as much work as he can out of the
boy; while the latter, after the hours of
labor, consorts with whomsoever he pleas
es, running the risk of acquiring vicious
and dissolute habits, and becoming at last
a loafer or sot The worst type of
young America" is the offspring of this
want of system, which is not only degra-
ding the character of labor, but running
thousands of young men.
Remarks of Thurlow Weed in the
New York commercial.
Would that it we're possible to present
this question with force enough to practi
calIy arrest the attention of parents and
guardians. The question is strong in its
public aspect-an aspect which deprlves
the country of skillful mcchanics. And
it is much stronger in its individual bear
ings The neglect of parents to appren-
tce their sons fill our streets with 'dlers,
while it adds largely to the inmates OF aims
houses ana peniteatiarics. Parties with
moderate incomes, or in reasonable pros
perous business, from a mistaken tender
ness, or from false pride. refuse to appren-
tce their sons.
The consequence is, that any reverse of
fortune either throws their sons upon pre-.
oarious occupations, or caste them forth to