Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1869-01-28
WANTED--A CLERK"

notes 10 MN ut the Ledger OUlcc bN
the close Of the FIRST day on which the
advertisement appeared, there were
four hundred and eighteen applicants
for this one clerkship This afforded
most forcibe illustration of the OK.
tent to which the occupation Of clerk
ing and bookkeeping is ovcrstocked
in this city. But few months pre-
vious, the head of a business establish
ment who wished some help in the
way of writing, but in which some
literary ability was required, adyer-
tised for an assistant, at Il moderate
salary, and having incidentally men
toned that the position might suit n
lawyer or physician not in good prac-
tice, got more than hundred appli,
cations, OF which flty-threo were from
young lawyers and doctors. Here
was another illustration of an over
supply of the professional or "genteel
occupations" Another advertised in
the Ledger, who wanted n person to
take charge Of the editorial work ola
weekly paper, got fiity-seven appica
tions, not more than half q dozen of
the applicants being recognized news
paper writers, but nearly all of them
being clerks, bookkeepers and profes-
sionul men. Still another advertised
for two apprentices in wheel-wright
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 crowded
for more than FIVE hours, ahd the ap.
plcants were of all ages, from mere
children not more than twelve years
to tull-grown men Of twenty-one.
"These are not very cheerful or
encouraging 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 requires manual
labor, and an equally strong tendency
towards some so-called "genteel" en-
ployment or profession. The result
is seen in such lamentable facts as
those above stated-a superabundance
of elegant penman, 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 a terrible overstock of
lawyers without practice ana 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 tradcsmen, is a deplorable sight to
those who have full opportunities to
see the distressing effects of it in the
struggle Of such empIoymcnts by
those unfortunates who have put it
out Of their power to do anything else
by neglecting TO learn some perma-
nent trade or business in which trained
skill can,always be turned to account.
The applications for clorkships and
similar positions in large establish
ments are numerous beyond anything
that would be though of by those
who have no chance to witness it.
Parents and relatives, as well as the
boys and young men themselves, seem
TO be afflicted with the same infatua.
tion. To all such we say, that the
most unwise advice you can give to
your boy is to encourage him TO be
clerk or ook-keeper At the best, it
is not we'll paid occupation Very
frequently it is among the poorest.
This is the case when the clerk is
fortunate enough TO be employed !;
but if he should happen to be out of
place; then comes The weary search,
the fearful struggle with the thousand
of Others looking for places, the never
ending disappointments, the hope
deferred that makes the heart sick,
the strife with poverty, the humilia.
rions that take all the manhood out Of
the poor souls, the privations and suf.
ferngs Of those who depend upon bis
earnings, and who have no resource
when he is earning nothing No
father, no mother, no relative should
wish to see their boys or kindred
wasting their young lives in striving
after the genteel positions that bring
such trials and privations upon them
in after life.
How do these doplorably false no.
tions as to choice of occupation get
into the heads Of boysl Why do they
or their parents consider IL more
"genteel" or desirable to run errands,
sweep out offices, make fires, copy
letters, &c than TO make hats or shoes,
or lay bricks, or WELD the saw or Jack
plane, or handle the machinist's file,
or the blacksmiths hammcrg We
have heard that some of them get
these notions at school, If this be
true, itisa sad perversion of the means
Of education provided for our youth,
which are intended to make them use.
tl, as well as intelligent members Of
society and not useless drags and
drones. Should it be so, that the
present generation Of boys get it into
their heads that, because they have
more school learning and book accom-.
plishment than their fathers had, they
must therefore look down upon the
trades that require skill and handi.
craft, and whose productions make up
the vast mass Of the wealth Of EVERY
country, then it is time for the Con
trollcrs and the Directors 20 have the
interior walls Of our school houses
covered with maxims and notices,
warning them against the fatal error
Philadelphia Leiger.
n Philadelphia short weight is
made short work with Tnke Gor ;n