Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-11-28
L0glrnGymen and Machinery.

From TIE Springfield Republican
Prof Francis A. Walker would have the Young
men at Boston OF mechanical turn of mind 90
more thoroughly into industrial pursuits What
he says is profitable enough only it should be
remembered that the system of the workshops
Is being completely revOlutioniZed. In former
days the yo1ng man who bound himself out as
an apprentice was expected to pass through all
TIE steps OF the painters or carpenters trade
doing everything we'll and nothing as an expert
should do it. From drawing a chak-line and
planning board to the making of a door or a
house the learner was not confronted by the dis
turhng element of trade-uniOns or the COMPETE
ton OF SPECIALISTS or OF machinery. Originate
ana intelligence was at a premium. the motive
power was tho arm and not steam or electricity '.
tut this IS all changed. The introduction of ma
chimes has made machines OF the great body of
apprentices and journeymcn. and also developed
Il lew specialists. AS Il rule. poor :0urnevmrn
i'll the old sense are at present in demand in our
shops. since only a little practice is demanded
10 cNah" Il man to turn Il screw or run Il wood
turning machine all his life. The status of the
trades aS trades is very much ioNercd. Tie
Ok. rs OF Tie "Orincn sleep. and labor becomes
more AID more Il mechanism.
Inc master mechanic and the manufact Urer
are not It ali c,yerse to this In Invention that
Iouh.c5 the production and reduces the nll.nbe r
of mcn only takes cut OF the problem of h,.si-
ness u margin OF uncertainty. \ machine which
toes not require any special skill to manage
VIII not 70 Oh = strike. i, not killed by bad air
OF BAD beer. and at the same time it liberates
many hands which are thrown upon the land in
search Of work With all thar has been said
about Northumberland and handmade chairs
and tables. the demand Tor the former is so in
crcaSIngly great that the advice to Young men
To enter the field should be taken after serious
concern. Ii any rate many OF the trades now
put premium upon the unSkied workman
The general character OF cur workshops has I'M
doubteJly degcneratcd. and we in this country
nave not made the provisions for education of
wOrkIen that prevail in the English towns
1t Wo:i!d he much wiser. therefore. in view Of
the und enable tendencies Of the trades and also
their OvcrcrGwdcd condition. to hold up the adj
yaAtarcs. financial and moral and physical. that
attend an agricultural life for example Not only
Is IL better for the country at large that there
should De wide agricultural interests. but the
tilier OF the soil is personally more independent
ana more man and Il citizen. We nave not
yet reduced agriculture generally speaking to
system. French peasant makes more money
out OF his five acres and his poultry than the
average Of our small farmers because he utilities
10 the full his small opportunities. But how
ever that may be. it will not do to argue a
return to the trades upon the old lines
special schools there are for the education and
training OF lads in certain departments where
machinery is and always will be at discount
But even these institutions are not doing the
work Of the old apprenticeship days. They lead
directly to specialists. The ordinary mechanic
viii not be drawn there. To use the words of
the Manufacturers Gazette: IF a workman has
no higher or broader mission from day to day
ana from week To week than to shape the heel
al Il boot. or cut the thread OF il screw, and to
do II all by machinery ut that it can make but
little difference to him whether or not he is
Versed Ill the higher mathematics, or what are
the natural laws and scientific principles involved
III the operation.