The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1871-10-18
Boys to Learn Trades.

';If there is sprightly lad in
Monroe who can read and spell
well, and wants a trade that will
render him, as man, independent,
he can find permanent situation
at this office"
The above little notice, from
the Monroe Telegraph, forcibIy
brings to our mind the antipathy
that the generality Of Southern
people have to teaching their
children useful occupations and
professions. Whether this feeling
grows out Of the results Of the in
stitption Of slavery or not, we arc
unable to say, but that it exists,
and 80 inherently that it is cx.
tremcIy difficult OK eradication,
we have no chance to doubt
Physical laoor was wont to be as
sociated so closely with the posi-
tion Of the negro, that custom
made It almost Il degradation for
i white man to be necessarily so
occupied. \ recollection going
back some fourteen years in
Shreveport, assists US to the con-
cIusion that during that length Of
time We know Of but few cases in
dccd-Dot more than half Il dozen
of her young men acquiring
knowledge of really any good
trade. To become 4 good black
smith, carpenter, brick layer, sad
dlcr, practical engineer, or any
other artizan, was at once to take
up the badge Of intcriority-to
the mlddle-class Southerncr re-
voting if applied to their children.
aud even to the most impecunious
families the idea would have been.
spurned as an insult. When any
useful knowledge outside Of agri-
culture was to be acquired, young
men were planted out as it were to
grow up lawyers and doctors-at-
tention as to their capacity tor
these professions never once being
thought of-and the great mass
who could not afford this training
to their children allowed them to
become statesmen, clerks, deputy
officials, etc., or, what was more
to be regretted, permitted them
to do nothing at all, and live as
their wits best dictated. a good
trade would have been scorned by
people claiming to be respectable,
or desiring to hold their heads up
in society, and the consequence is
that our community is not, and
never can be, sclf:sustaing until
there is q change in such senti-
mcnt.
We do not underestimate the
Importance of a knowledge Of the
professions, or Of any Of the light
occupations wo have enumerated,
but we do reprobatc the senti-
mcnt that throws odium upon the
mechanic or tradcSmen. When
we say that these occupations
may be we'll enough for others,
but that they will not do for us,
we utwittingly brand those who
follow the same: and do more to
keep our men imbccile and our
women frivolous than possibly is
thought for. When lads are afraid
to swing the hammer or drive the
jack plain, misses must necessarily
preserve their dainty fingers, for
the hero OF the yard measure will
not descend from his high estate
to smile upon beauty adorned
with a rough hand gained in the
kitchen. The result is that we
have both sexes striving against
the common lot, and society is at
variance with the spirit Of the in
stitutlons upon which our govern
mcnt was first founded.
We all prate well enough about
the dignity Of labor, but seeming
ly admire it only in theory, What
better fortune can young man
have than fair education and
useful trade? Men should be edu-
Gated and trained according to
their circumstances in life, and
fitted to perform the part for
which they are best adapted. 1t
does not certainly follow that d
man must always remain Il car
penter or u blacksmith because
he has been raised one. Give him
moderate education and good
calling and ten to one he gets
away above it if the stuff Is in
him. If it is not, then nature de-
signs that he should remain a
hewcr of wood and drawer OF wa
ter. But the boy who has the
courage, under existing circum-
stances, to learn a "trado that will
render him, as Il man, indepon-
dent" has already achieved q good
deal, and he has nothing to tear
from a vain although injurious
idea. Before we can achieve
greatness, materially or otherwise,
as section, We shall have to dis
pcnso with certain tests Of gentll-
ity, and learn to hold the honest
artizan in esteem commensurate
with the good be does in society.
Will parents think OF this in fiji
ture as they fit their children Tor
the battle Of life?
[Shrereport South Wcst.