The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1869-02-05
"WANTED-A CLERK"
The Rush for Geuteel 0ccupation-Pov
ertu pyeferra6 In Tn1epnrdeff Toll

The Rush for Geuteel Occupation Pow
erty Preferred to independent Toll,
The Philadelphia Ledger says: A few
days ago gentleman advertised in this
paper for a clerk, and requested applicants
to address their notes to him at the Ledg>
err office. By the close of the first day on
which the advertisement appeared, there
we're four hundred aud eighteen applicants
most forcible Illustration of the extent TO
which the occupation Of clcrking and
bookkeeping is overstocked in this city.
But few months previous, the head Of a
business establishment, who wished some
help In the way OF writing, but in which
some literary ability was required, adver'
tised for an assistant, at moderate salary,
and having accidentally mentioned that the
position might suit lawyer Or physician
not in good practice, got more than bum
bred applicants, OF which fifty three We're
from young lawyers aud doctors. Here
was another illustration OF an over supply
of the professional or 'genteel occupa-
tons. F." Another advertiser in the Ledg>
er, who wanted person to take charge OF
the editorial work of a weekly newspaper,
got over tifty-seven applications, not more
than half dozen of the applicants being
recognized newspaper writers, but nearly
all of them clerks, bookkeepers and profess
| sional men. Still another advertised ter
two apprentices in a wheel-wright and
smith shop, in one of the semi-rural wards
OF the city, requesting applicants 10 give
their address and age. He got three APP
| plications, but in every case the applicant
was too old, two of them being over eigh-
teen, ard one nearly twenty. Stil.another
I advertised for an office boy about fourteen
years old, and had so many applicants that
his place was crowded for more than five
hours, and the applicants were of all ages,
from mere children not more than twelve
years old to full grown men of twenty~one.
These are not very cheerful encourag-
ing signs They are such, however, as ey,
cry man and woman in Philadelphia should
give attention to. The present generation
of young men seem to have a strong AYERS
ion to every kind of trade, business, call
| ing or occupation that requires manual La
Dor, and an equally strong tendency to-
wards some so-callcd "genteel' employ
mcnt or profession. The result is seen in
such lamentable facts as those above stat
ed-a superabundance of elegant penmen,
| bookkeepers and clerks of every kind who
can get no employment and are wasting
lives in the vain pursuit of what is not TO
be had and terrible oycrstock Of law
yers without practice and doctors without
patterns. The passion on the part of boys
and young men to be clerks, Office attend
ants, messengers, anything, so that it Is
not work of the kind that will make them
mechanics or tradesmen, is deplorabe
sign to those who have full opportunities
to see the distressing effects of it in the
struggle for such emptoymcnts by those
unfortunatcs who have put it out Of their
power TO do anything else, by neglccJing to
learn some permanent trade or business III
which trained skill can always be turned to
! account.