The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1869-07-06
Trades and, Professions.

Jews to teach their children some USE
full handicraft; and in accordance with
this wise custom we find that the learn
ed Paul was a sail-maker, the eloquent
Peter fisherman, and Christ himself a
a carpenter. The fact that they labored
with their own hands is proof not Of
their poverty, but of their recognition
of the fact that productive labor is the
privilege as well as the duty of man.
But the Christian world appears to have
strangely reversed the teachings Of it's
religion. For generations together the
badge of labor has been one of disgrace
and the king, the priest, the knight and
the merchant have lorded it by turns
over the farmer and the craftsman,
| whose toll supported their idleness. Yet
the reason for this is not wholly an un-
worthy one. 1t is the homage paid by
material force to mind. There is really
neither dignity nor disgrace in manual
labor. 1t derives its quality from the
amount of intellectual and moral force
infused into it. So long as the priest
and the merchant monopolized the brain
power of the world, they were fairly
entitled to its respect and submission.
AS to kingship, it was humbug from
tho beginning. Kings never have reals
ly ruled, unless they were more than
kings.
! AT the present day, this principle is
obtaining recognition, and the ancient
prejudice against manual trade is Civ
ing way. But there are still too many
parents, even in democratic America,
who shrink from the idea of teaching
their children anything but genteel
profession Young men, who go
through college are expected to become
either clergymen, physicians or lawyers.
/ Perhaps, after almost starving in the
attempt to establish themselves in one
i of these oyercrowded professions, they
set up as brokers or merchants. II is
certainly not our purpose to deride any
OF these occupations They are honor
only avenues to honor and usefulness.
/ What we insist upon is this That the
choice of life work shall be untram-
meled by any false notions of relative
responsibility since nowadays an ed
ucated and upright man can make any
business respectable Parents, in di.
recting the choice of their children,
should take cogn.zancc of two facts
above all l. The natural bent of the
child's MUD; and ?, tie condition of
the various trades and professions, and
the prospects of advancement in each.
| The difference between the labor which
and that which merely exchanges, if
there be any difference, is to the advan-
tage of the former.
Laboling men are as apt to scorn ed
ucation as educated men to scorn man.
ual labor, and this double folly degrades
both labor and learning. If men of
culture would learn trades, then men of
trades would seek culture, and many
antagonisms of society would be dis
solved.
This question sometimes presents it.
self in a more troublesome shape. II is
no unusual thing for men of learning to
find it hard to earn their bread. There
is many book-keeper who works long
err every day and earns less than he
would as O house-painter. just now the
opportunity for men of brains and am
bition in the trades is fine one. There
is general complaint of the quality of
labor. People say their furniture does
not last as long as it used to; their
household repairs are unskillfully per-
formed; the workmen are careless.
Good workmen, faithful, conscientious
and skillful, can command the market
| in spite of trade unions on one side and
capital on the other. Brains and hon.
esty, intellectual and moral force, will
speedily tell in any handicraft.
We say, therefore, to parents, if your
children show mechanical genius, by all
means let them choose path in life
where it will have full scope. More than
this, whatever may be their chosen pro
| LESSONS, see that every one Of them,
boy or girl, learns a handicraft. They
will be all the stronger for the indepen-
dence which such resource will give
them. Women in particular ought to
learn somethng thoroughly. Plain sew
ing they understand, and the ranks of
consumptive seamstresses are constant
ly full to Overlooking. Teaching they
catch by instinct; but it must be either
| primary elements or fancy ACCOMPLISH
ments that they teach. Hence, women
teachers are overnumerous and conse>
quently underpaid. The other things
they attempt, such as clerkships, type
| lor