The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1883-11-14
Reeds of the south.
From the Knoxville Chronicle. J


The one great need of the South is
skilled labor
Whenever an iron furnace is built,
the mechanics must be brought from
the North
Whenever great factory is built,
the builders must be brought from the
North.
Whenever cotton mill is to be built
the architects must be brought from the
North.
Whenever some great work Of cngl
neering il to be constructed, the en-
ginecrs must be brought from the North
Indeed, very large proportion OF
the skilled mechanical industries Of the
South are operated by men from the
North.
The Southern youth who is ambitious
Of fame and fortune, studies law or med
icnc, theology or educational literature,
The mechanical arts arc looked on with
disiavor
The result IL the Southland is run
ming over with lawyers, doctors, teach
crs and preachers, while there is Il sad
dearth Of mechanical and mining engi
neers, scientific surveyors, architects
iron, steel, brass, copper, silver and Tin
workers, furnace.bUildcrs, cabinet-ma
kcrs, wood and stone carvers, bridge
builders, book binders, carriage.makers,
confcctioners, cotton, silk and WOODEN
mill operators, hnl.hcrs Of fine leather,
tool and cutlery.makcrs, boiler-makers
glass workers, plumbers and gas-fttels
harness, saddle and trunk.mGkers, piano
and organ-makers, machinists, paper
mill operatives, blcachers and dyers
dentists, tailors, shoomakcrs, house
builders, painters, ircscocrs, watch-ma
kcrs, prcscriptlonists, and II hundre'
other occupationists requiring sklllc'
hands and intelligent heads.
1t is true we have native Sou.herner
winning respectable fortunes in many o
the foreign departments Of educated la
Dor, but after all the majority Of til
skilled Iaborcrs Of the highest grades ar
either from elsewhere or have bee
trained by those from elsewhere.
We rejoice, however, to note the fac
that the South is alive to the importanC
, Of the skilled industries. Our yonn
; men are looking with more favor o
: those pursuits requiring skilled heac
and skilled hands Our parents al
/. pondcring over the problem Of educ
g ting their sons to become "glitterlr
= gcncralitics" or substantial specialize
: And the day is dawning when the m
a chanical arts aud sciences, the practic
= pursuits of life, the studies of the arr
~ san and the triumphs Of skilled hand
70 will be deemed more glorious and
~ more valuable than the cgcrdcmain
~ the legal shyster, the quackery Of I
~ medical fraud, the half inhdclity Of t
iIl-oducatcd preacher or the misintorn
ton Of the non-educatcd teacher.
In vain have the better class Of Ia
!, ycrs, doctors, preachers and tcach'
@ struggled to keep out Of their homo
49, bic professions those who are untitled
enter them. There has been gene
d lowering Of the tone Of the prOiessio
T. in consequence Of the infusion Of in
d rior material, and the ilI.mannerod co
"A potion resulting from the exasperatl
" struggle for II livelihood in these ov'
" crowded walks Of life
tc Oar Southern young men must be
Is couragcd by the public good will to p
a. fer the career of an Independent, fiji
=, class, rcmunerativc, skilled mocha
- clan to that Of II iourth-ratc altorn'
IL preacher, doctor or teacher, Pub
y, opinion has much to do in shaping
Of course of young men in life.
Id And, in conclusion, We will say u
- young ladies have much to do in $
Nv ping the careers Of young men and
tc long as young ladies worship at the
III tars Of lawyers, doctors, preachers n
al teachers, and desert the affairs cree
., to skilled heads and hands-as long
- young ladies prefer to struggle with /
W pcctabIe poverty as the wife Of n prof
d sional man to becoming the honor
h. mistress Of II home of comfort as
Mt wife Of II skilled artisan, 50 long will
H. professions be overcrowdcd, and so l.
~ will the South have to look to Euro
IT. and the North for its skilled labor.