The Russellville Democrat., 1879-10-02
Teach Your Children to be Far merS or McchanicS--Not
 Clerks or rBook-kceperS.
From the Ft. smith Eleyator.l


 From the Ft, smith Eleyator.l
 in agriculture and mechanics there is always something new some new discovery being made, something to bring out and to de velop the mind, to occupy the thought of the ablest minds; they lead to science and knowledge. What is there in clerkship? What noble mind wants itself measured by the yard stick2 Such places are the proper places for the women, but what can a parent hope for who brings his son up to sell pins and calicoes2 From the Scientific Amer ican we learn that an advertisement in Boston paper "A clerk wanted" 347 applications for the situation came next day. But one for s25 shoe-fitters to work in a factory" only l application came next day. In Detroit paper an advertisement for clerk brought l30 applications the first day, and one for carpenter brought only 4. Is not this satis- factory to parents and to every one having care of children that all such places are crowded?
 ''It IS probable that in any and every city the average earnings cf clerks are nowhere near so large as the earnings of workmen of average skill in the various trades.
 Further, it is fairly certain that, with equal capacity, industry, and thrift, the young man who learns any trade will achieve reasonable competence sooner than the young man who sticks to clerking; while the chances for materially improving ones condition are more numerous in the trades than behind the coun- ter or at the desk.
 Why is it, then, that the boys all want to be clerks? Why is it that intelligent parents encourage them in looking for a chance to "get into business" and in looking down on mechanical employment--as though there could be any calling more wretchedly mechanical than average clerking? Why is it that teachers almost invariably train their pupils to ''look above" mechanical pursuits?
 What the country wants now is workmen-intelligent, industrious, thrifty workmen; men who can do skillfully the work that waits for the doing-who can invent new and bet ter processes for developing the crude resources of the land, and for converting brute matter into life sustaining and life-enriching wealth. Mere clerks and record keepers are at discount. There are too many of them. And the professions, so called, are almost equally crowded with men who hate nothing to do. There never was q time when ability to do something real and practical was worth so much as now. Yet our young men swarm after clerk ships" Why is it?
 We say dismiss every teacher and professor who dares to teach your children that the occupations of me chanics, artisans, manufacturers az riculturists are not honorable occu- pations, or that any one ought to obtain good footing in polite socie ", unless his moral conduct. cduca- tion and intelligence, and not his business or profession, gives it to him. In short, those who teach the boys to look so high they cannot sec their fathers occupation, and the girls so high they will stumble over broom, and faint at the sight of pots and kettles and be everlastlngly disgraced to be caught at any house "drudgery" as they term work.