The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1869-06-25
give The Roys N Trade.

The old custom of giving boys APP
prenticeships to trades has almost pass
cd away in this country, remarks an
exchange, much, 1--WE think, to tho injury
of boys and TO the interests of the me-
chanical arts. The propriety of its re-
vival is being discussed in several quar-
ters, and the advantages of the old sys-
tenn are clearly set forth. SO far as the
boys are concerned the question is,
whether they shall be trained to some
honorable trade which will secure them
q comfortable living or whether they
shall be turned out upon the world to
seek their fortunes as adventures, rath-
er than as persons who can produce
something useful at a trade which they
have mastered in its details. To very
large class of boys this is vital ques-
ton; their thrift, happiness, morals
and usefulness to society depend upon
its judicious settlement.
A cOtempOrary remarks that few
boys in the United States now learn
trades, and majority of those who do,
learn them only in an incomplete and
superficial manner. Relatively to pop
ulation, the number of native born skill
cd laborers grows less and less every
year, the deficiency being supplied by
importation from Europe. Meanwhile
an increasing multitude of boys are
crOwding into professional, mercantile
and financial pursuits. The walks of
journalism and instruction are over
crowded. Law, medicine and divinity
have ut least four times as many engag-
ed therein as are needed or can find re-
muerative employment. Banks, insur-
ance offices, counting rooms and sales
rooms could be supplied dozen times
over with all the help required without
materially lessening the importantly
for en- gagements.
Those employments which are
thoughtlessly rated as lighter, are, by
odds, more severe than those requiring
the largest outlay of muscular strength.
Nothing conduces more to bodily health
and mental comfort than vigorous ply
steal exercise, and nothing so wears up
on the human frame, consigning it to
premature decrepitude and decay, as to
be shut up in a room and bowed over IA
desk, engaged in writing. In the long
run the pen or pencil becomes heav-
ier than the sledge hammer OF crow bar.
Nor have artisans and mechanics the
advantage only in the matter of health
and contentment. On the average they
are better paid than any other class of
men in the country, though they are
most Of the time grumbling as if they
were oppressed beyond endurance.
Taken as body ,and on the average, ar
nsand mechanics are regularly in re-
ceipt of larger yearly incomes than cler-
gymen, lawyers, doctors, editors, school
teachers, accountants and salosmen.
Their net incomes are greatly in excess
of those enjoyed by farmers, especially
IL from the incomes of farmers be de-
Quoted an amount sufficient to cover
interest on the capital invested. A few
professional men acquire liberal compe-
tencies and enviable regulations; but
the same is just as true of artisans and
mechanics. The great prizes are about
equally distributed between these two
sorts of workers, while, rs to average
results, the professional class fall long
way behind.
1t was a wise provision Of some an
cient nations that every boy should
learn a trade, no matter, whether he
followed it in after life or not. A trade
was not optional, but compulsory. The
Apostle Paul thus became tent-maker,
and admirably did his craft come to his
help even after he was elevated to the
apOStleShip. 1t would be most whole
some for every State in this Union TO
provide by law that every boy in it
should be apprenticed, in due form, and
for from fiv. to seven years, to some
trade, profession or employment, where
by, upon arriving at manhood, he could
in any contingency or stress make de-
cent living for himself or family. A
return to the old system of long appren-
ticeships would have several beneficial
effects. 1t would turn out workmen,
proficient in their trades, which the
present system does not. 1t would
bridge over, i'm the best manner, the
perilous period of early manhood, when
character is in its formative condition.
More substantial men would be turned
out under this than by the shorter pro-
cess ..