Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1876-08-19
What VIII we do With the
Boys?
BY Az OLD BOY.


II isa perplexins question, or
rather they are q series OF ques-
tions, all psrplexing-ought we
send them to college, or to count
ing-house, or workshop, or
where 80
A short time ago a collegiate "sf
the class OF rs" wrote me q note,
and in such poor school-boy hand
that ID seemed impossible that he
could be Of the class OF '76-on the
very threshold of the worlds work
without most necessary of all
requirements: namely, . decent
handwriting.
The college in his case was der
elicit; the Greek that it was SO care
full to impart would not come int
use once in a year, with a prospect
Of having it 70. gotten in FIVE years,
whilst the handwriting is for all
time and all important to the
young man who intends to turn
his though into business pursuits.
Should the majority Of boys go
to college at all?
This question cannot be answer
ed off-hand. If a boy is intended
for commercial life, he ought to be
in the counting-house not later
than the age Of II or IS. Mer-
chants do not like the trouble of
teaching young gentlemen, grad
yates OF colleges, and in fact will
not undertake the task. They give
preference to 8 smart lad who will
commence doing errands and who
will step by step move up, master
ing the various stages. Given a
boy who knows enough of gram
mer to make his verbs and nouns
agree, and who will not cram dou-
ble-barreled negatives into his SEN
fences, and you have the most de-
sirable candidate for the mer-
chants office, and the most likely
to become the future merchant.
The young gentleman Of twenty
year. and upwards, graduates OF
college, "honor men" and orators
mayhap OF their class, fill the
waste-paper baskets OF the editors
Of the magazines with rejected
addresses" they crowd the news
paper offices, finally settling down
as penny-a-liner. in the city de-
partmcnt Of the daily papers. And
50 numerous are the candidates
for that kind Of work that they bat
snatch from the fates an unbattsr-
ed crust.
Trde, occasionally one goes to
the top, just a. occasionally a gam
bier "brakes = bank. In both cases
the chances T against success.
The contingencies, banks, in
sarsace Offices, and the gentsel en-
ployments ale crowded and poorly
paid. Advertise TOR Q clefk, and
you will have applicants by the
hundreds. The majority will tell
you that salary is no object; they
have watched the papers long and
have been catchingat straws. Here
and there in your bushel-basket Of
letters \ writer will say that he is
In great distress, his wife and little
ones need bread! Such is the con-
dition of things with men who
started in the gentSel employment.
The carpenter Of the first centu-
~ Of the Republic is not willing
that his son should roll up his
sleeves ana ply the plane, and if
he is willing the sen is not. Nor
indeed dc the farmery sons care to
harrow their lives by kindly tax
ing to the plow. 40 q nstarel con-
sequence the farms are seias into
the hands Of Hans and Patrick,
Just as the good wholesome food
and liberal wages and gooG clean
bed ROOMS Of the servants on Fifth
Avenue 60 10 Bridget and Crotch
en-, whilst Libby and Lofty work
for small wages in the shops, have
poor food and . scant quantity Of
it, and bedrooms that are very h.
walls as compared to tho rooms of
Bridget and Gretchsa.
The rush is for the city; payer
collars and paper cigars are chssp,
and delicate hands are fashionable,
and the real progress And wealth
Of the werld in making two
blades Of grass grow where bat
one grew before" is igAorsa.
The learned professions are
crowded..
Ia 1861 the law-school of Column
bia College numbered less than
thirty. The class for the current
year exceeds three hundred. The
avenue Of Columbia College has
been too inviting and easy. DR..
Ewight makes a new and sensible
regulation, and hereafter candi-
dates for the law.school must stand
an examination for entry, and the
test will be similar to that imposed
by the college for admission. That
will stop the flow of candidates for
the bar. AT the bar, az elsewhere
in the trades and professions, there