The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1869-02-20
"Wansed A Gicrk.'

A few DAYS ago, a g"ntlcman advcr-
tsed in this paper for clerk aud re
quested applicants to address their notes
to him at the Ledger Office. by the
close of the first day on which the adver-
tisement appeared, there were four hun
dred and eighteen applicants for this
one clcrkship. This afforded a most for
chile illustration of the extent to which
the occupation of clerking and book-keep-
ing is overstocked in this city. But a
few months previous, the head OF busl-
ness establishment, who wished some
help in the way of writing, but in which
some literary ability was required. ad-
vertised for an assistant, at moderate
salary, and having incidentally mention
ed that the position mig ght suit lawyer
or physician not in good practice, got
more than a hundred appalications, of
which ffty-three were from young law
vers and doctors. Here was another H.
lustration of an over supply of the pro-
fessional or ''genteel occupations" An
other advertiser in the Ledger, who want
ed person to take charge Of the edito-
rial work of a weekly paper, got fifty
seven applications, not more than half a
dozen of the applicants being recognized
newspaper writer's, bu: nearly all of them
being clerks, book-keepers and profess
sional men. Still another advertised
for two apprentices in wheelwright and
smith shop, in one of the semi-rural
wards of the city, requesting applicants
to give their address and age. He got
three applications, but in every case the
applicant was too old, two Of them being
over eighteen, and one nearly twenty
Still another advertised for an office boy.
about fourteen years old. and had so
many applicants that his place was
crow ded for more than FIVE hours, and
the applicants were Of all ages, from mere
children not more than twelve years old
to tull-grown men of twentyone.
These are not very cheerfulor encourag-
ing signs. They are such, however, as
every man and woman in Philadelphia
should give attention to. The present
generation of young men seem to have a
Strong aversion to every kind of trade,
business, calling or occupation that re-
ouires manual labor, and an equally
strong tendency towards some so-called
"genteel" employment or profession.
The result is seen in such lamentable
facts as those above stated-a supera-
bundance of elegantpe book-keepers
and clerks of every kind who can get
no employment, and are wasting their
lives in the vain pursuit of what is not
to be had; and terrible overstock of
lawyers without practice and doctors
without patients. The passion on the
part of boys and young men to be clerks
office attendants, messengers, anything
so that it is not work of the kind that will
make them mechanics or tradesmen, is a
deplorable sight to those who have full
opportunities to see the distressing eff.
fects of it in the struggle for such EN-
ployments by those unfortunates who
have put it out of their power to do any
thing else by neglecting to learn some
permannent trade or business in which
trained skill can always be turned to ac
count. The applications for clerkshipS
and similar positions in large establish
ments are numerous beyondanything thai
would he thought of by those who have
no chance to witness it. Parents and re
latives, as we'll as the boys and young
men ii themselves, seem to be afflicted witt
the same infatuation. To all such We
saw, that the most unwise advice yot
can give to your boy is to encourage hin
to be clerk or book-keeper. At the
best, it is not we'll paid occupation
| Very frequently it is among the YER!
poorest. This is the case when the clerl
is fortunate enough t. he employed; bu