The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1868-07-18
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Ne d. n0i .nfcui. undrr this heading. to speak
OF ile importance uf becoming an apprentice TO
any mechanical husiuGss. bat Of the importance
of i,arr;n, -acguifine--a trade Of becoming a
wo!kmna ~ the business chosen. Il is not
enough that young man goes into shop and
works Tor longer or a shorter ieriud "a
neorhtic. bai that hc becomes master Of the
rudimouis % his business. The country is filled
with unfinished mechanics every trade l.
overburdentl with the miserable hangers on
who. protesting knowledge OF n business. bring
il into disfcpuie 10y their incompcirncy. There
IL no bond IN this country, by which a master can
control the time Of an apprentice for a period
sufficient 10 rcmuneraie the employer Tor the los.
ses sustained IN the early stages Of the apprentice
ship, or 10 give the apprentice ptopcr kn0wl-
edge Of his business The apprentice is free 80
leave his master aud employment. whenever, in
his opinion. he has collected scraps. enough OF
superficial know ledge 10 set Up A. M independent
worker. IT, becomes dissatisfied with the char
ac,c- Of bis work or the smoun, ofcompcnsaion
and finding other work and larger pay, be quits
bis master employment just when his services
have hesun 10 hc valuable. thus committing a
fraud upon his employer and doing "a great ia
jury 10 himself.
ln no case is the term required 10 learn a
trade too long. According 10 the value and
difficulties Of the bnsircss l. varies from three 10
seven wears ani the most faithful aud obscrvan,
NtlN tlAtAAt AtNl tttflNE UttfA ulr AAtl HtiE ~
apprentices ship. huds he has much 80 learn before
l., can honesii, claim 10 be tniiiel, aud thorough
j. competent For ai least a few months the aI-
prentice j. a constant source Of anxiety and eX-
ptugc From want Of experience, or from heed
lcssness dislike TO the particular job given
hin, he breaks tools aud ruins work enough in a
week to cover all the profits Of his work for
months. The employS bears with this, patient
!, as the ease NAV be. ia the hope that during
the last part Of the novi,iaies apprenticeship he
may reap some return from the profits Of his
work Under such circumstances /, must be
very vexalous 90 have an apprentice lea1c lust
when he ,s becoming, ia some measure, Gs'iul
Yet Il is "a common occurrence in this county
Apprentices sccm too often 10 he devoid OF Con-
science and wanting Ia The principles Of com
mon honesty.
Nor is such conduct oi any real. permanent
advantage TO the apprentice Tie bcconlcs the
Bohemian Of the workshop. wlif driven hiiher
aud ihiihcF, having u sinaiicilug Oi knowledge
aud vet understanding no one ihing thoroughly
Ills services are not sought he IS only a "Jaca-
al-a.pinch, 10 b. used mege. 10 Gil space
otherwise empty. Scores Of such half baked
niechsnics eau be picked up ANY day ; they in-
fest shops, torment employers, aud disgrace the
business they falsely profess TO understand
They are industrial vagranis, II such n term Is
permissible. to be Stunned aud dcspised by
every honorable workman Unstable ~ VA
VT, tuel ehuuuA tAcci
The ambition of the apprentice to be- ranked
among journeymen Is laudable Que when proper
ly directed, but II can only hc realized by an honest
ahd persistent sticking 10 his obvious and plain
duties. II he ever expects To teach be must first
be taught II he desires 10 direct be- should submit
10 direction. What this country needs ia tue
industrial arts Is hnished workman They are
scarce and always IN demand. \ competent
aud intelligent workman Is seldom wanting =
good lob. When business - slack the incompc.
tents are fret discharged; while the valuable
workman Is kept ofien at aserious pecuniary loss
10 his employers simply because Il V difficult "a
fill his place
These considerations have nothing new IA
them, but because they are 80 tri,c aud hackney
ed ,hey are not enough considered by aPprenti-
ces We earnestly invite their attention 10 the
subject believing Il will be Ia their present aud
prospective advantage 10 deal honestly In this ~
we'll rs other respects - scientific iH'r'cfr