The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1868-11-05
HANDTNESS

among our exchanges, credited to Henr,
Ward Beecher. We are glad that tht
Press Gang" have had the grace to ac
knowledge the author, but no matter who
he is, the talk is of the right sort, anG
worthy of all the dissemination and per
manence that 1ur columns can give it:
L mean, by nd-by, to write you some.
thing in favor of extending the sphere Of
labor in which women may support them
selves. But just now l wish to urge the
importance Of extending the education of
men to manifold minor Offices of useful
ness. Handy and handiness express a
peculiar aptness in small matters, versa
tility and tact. American boys who are
breaght up to labor are usually disting-
uished for the knack of turning their
hand to anything. No one, in this coun-
try, ever dreams of confning of himself
to single manual craft For though he
may pursue but one regularly, he knows
a great deal about many; and, at pinch,
a mason will be found plastering, or car
pentering. 1t is not uncommon to find a
man who builds his bwn house, and per-
forms the several parts belonging to all
trades which concur in housebuilding.-
"Jack of all trades, and good at none,"
has been held at terror over men for |
don't know how long. Yet, in America,
the maxim has been fairly trodden under
foot, and is practically disowned. My
was physician. He bought
o farm, and few farmers in that town ex-
celled him. He had also small stithy
where he mended his tools, shod his
horses, and performed no small share of
smiths work. He seldom sent harness
off from the place to be mended, and much
Of the cobbling was done in the house.
His children were all brought up to turn
their hand to anything.
1t is true,that by this course no one could
attain to supreme excellence in any one
of all the departments, bat that is not ne
cessary. For the ordinary purposes of
life, general hardness is better than skill
in only one thing. If hard times befal
one trade, Yankee betakes himself to
another. He looks about to see what
things are thrifty, and puts his hand to
them without waiting seven years, ap-
premiership. In old times, when men
had few meaHs or indictments to intelli-
gence, long apprenticeships might be
needed, and in some callings they still
are. But q reading, thinking, courageous
man, with confidence in his powers, can
do hundred things well enough for or
dinary purposes without serving any ap-
premiership, except with his eyes-learn-
ing as he goes along.
To large extent this handtness is like
ly to be confined, however, to our labor
ing classes. The children of wealthy
parents, and boys who are set apart for
some learned profession, are seldom ex-
pected to deal with anything but ideas
When they grow up, if they fail in the
particular calling to which they belong,
they become helpless, and feebly strive
to get along, with poor success, until
kindly death has compassion on them.
Every boy, no matter to what he as
pires, should be taught while young the
use not only of implements for the farm,
tools for the shop, the management of
animals, &C., but he should be taught as
well many parts of domestic economy
Every boy should know something about
se,oing, cooking, and the management of
a house.
AS autobiographies are in fashion, l
will insert a chapter of my own. When
l was about eight or nine years cid l took
care of horse, COW, and the pigs, split
and brought in the wood, and did consi-
derable housework. The confinement OF
the district school was exceedingly dis
tasteful to me- To sit for hours with a
spelling book or a reader without an idea,
forbidden to whisper, and made to drone
or drudge, was so irksome that, when
was nine years old, L petitioped to stay
at home. | was told that should grow
up ignorant and stupid. Very well, ignor-
ant and stupid L would be. Not think.
ing that | would agree to it, my mother
said that | might stay at home if | would
do the housework. jumped at the
chance A long checked apron was made
for me. 1t was my duty to set the table
to wait on others during meals, to clear
off the things, shake the table e-cloth, the
dishes, scour the knives and forks, sweeE
up the carpet, dust the chairs and furni
ture, and, in short, to do the whole of q
second girls work. With such relish dit
| pursue my task that my mother coulC
not withhold her commendation, though
she was always sparirg of praise. II
these tasks | soon added the hemming o
towels and napkins, and of coarse fabrica
tions-bags, ticks, and such like. Dur
ing this period | also continued my sta
BILE work Being healthy and vigorous
enjoyed the training, and was never hal
so good boy at home as during the 81;
months thus employed Nor would / 70
any consideration spare the knowledge
then obtained 1t has been of incalcul
able value to me all my life. hav
never been afraid of breaking down an
having nothing to do. The world is flu
of business if a man has a head and han
to attend to it with. | am not naturall
eYnert in mammal craft vet there are fe'