Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1869-01-09
MISCELLANEOUS.
Boys, learn a Trade.

the present age to bring their sons up to any
other vocation than that of the mechanic is
a grievous error, and is one of the causes of
so many young men being turned loose upon
the world, helpless, shiitless and dependent.
The young man who is master of any branch
of the mechanic art is independent for life.
He can start out in any direction to seek his
fortune, carrying with him that which will
generally enable him to earn his daily bread.
1t is worth to him, in the battle of life, more
than purse containing thousand dollars,
provided be possessed the money and not the
trade. The money will soon melt away in
fruitless search for employment, but the
trade is never failing mine, to which he can
always resort in case of need. Some young
men have the tact necessary to enable them
to ge: along prosperously without trade,
but the majority who are thus brought up
become utterly helpless if they should happen
to be thrown upon their own resources TO
secure the means of livelihood.
There are thousands of business men in
| Baltimore, and some of them among the
most prosperous, who were journeymen me-
chanics in early life We know of a very
successful wholesale clother, who was once
Journeyman carpenter; retired tobacco,
mist, who worked as journeyman printer 10
his younger days. journeyman printer,
who is now prosperous wholesale grocery
merchant; jourueyman tailor, who is at
the head of one of the largest wholesale shoe
houses in the city a journeyman shoemaker,
who is conducting life insurance company,
and several journeymen mechanics who have
| become successful members uf the bar. The
experience gained, and habits of industry
and perseverance acquired in learning
trade, sharpen young mans wits, and if be
| has native capacity for other business pur-
suits, they are still open to him, with his
mechanical profession to fall back upon in
| case of adversely.
The mechanic, if he cannot obtain work in
dis native place, can go out upon the world
with confidence that he can find employment
| somewhere. The young man brought up
behind a counter or at a desk is a bold man
ifhe ventures away from home without funds
sufficient to bring him back again. He feels
that he must remain within hailing distance
of friends or relatives, and that his chances
among strangers are not such as to warrant
him in travelling far. The mechanic is indie.
pendent, and, if industrious and sober, sell
dom becomes a dependent. Let a clerk get
out of employment and unless he is very
efficient book keeper or an expert salesman,
his chances for new situation are very poor.
If he should have family dependent upon
him, his situation is desperate, and he be-
comes gloomy, despondent and hopeless He
is ready to go at anything that will secure
bread for his children, and must accept " hat
ever wages he can get
"Give all the boys good trade" were the
dying words of a mother of five sons, uttered
in our hearing many years ago. All FIVE of
these sons were given good trades, and when
they came to manhood were fatheress
motherless, almost friendless and pennless.
| rbau ,vOrlyaA for q tn,a
scattered around the country They are still
living and fathers of families, but not one Of
them has for many years followed the
mechanical profession to which lie served an
apprenticeship. They learned with their
trades habits of industry, and acquired gen
eral intelligence, which has enabled them to
take to more lucrative pursuits than those of
iourneymen mechanics. Some of them in
their first attempt failed, and fell back upon
their trades for IA livelihood, but are now all
settled for life, tolerably prosperous, and will
in all probability never again handle the
tools which they learned to use in their boy
hood. But there are thousands of journey.
men mechanics who, being possessed of good
business capacity, become master mechanics
and accumulate wealth by steady adher,
ence to their profession.
There is, however, difficulty in cities TO
secure places for boys to learn trades. The
Trades Unions prohibit an employer from
taking more than two apprentices. If he
takes more than the given number, the mem.
hers of the Union will not work for him.
This shows :he independence of the mechanic
over the clerk or book keeper, but we do
not think that it shows his wisdom. Tie
mechanic in Baltimore, under this stringent
rule, can with difficulty find places to put
his own boys to learn trades. If he finds a
place for him, he has no choice either in the
character of'the business he is to learn or the
character of the master to whom he linden
lures him. Instead of keeping up the sup
ply, and filing up the increased demand foi
mechanics with his own children, the city
workman keeps down the number to make
room for the thousands of only partially
skilled workmen who come from the country
towns where Trades Unions do not prevail
This may be wisdom, but We must confess
that we do not see it in that light.
There are some master mechanics who are
capable of bringing up boys, and making
them good workmen and good men, whilst
Others are wholly unfit to have charge o
them in any way. Some employers could
make money with boys, whilst Others canno,
manage them, and have no desire to take
upon themselves the responsibility. Still
each is limited the same, and probably moi
more than two.thirds Of the number of ap
prentices the Unions allow are at any tim,
Learning the various trades. 1t 10 remnant
Of the old and Esnselsss war against labor