Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-07-18

that these two knights, after fighting
till they were tired, at last discovered
that both were right; for the shield
was silver on one side and gold on
| the other. Let US not repeat that
folly, but acknowledge that the shield
is both silver and gold, that the true
education must regard both our earth
ward and our heavenward life. Or
in another form, that we must settle
what we shall do in life as we'll as
what we shall be.
Let US consider each by itself, and
see what sort of an education each
demands in these times in which we
/ live.
First. What shall we do in life, and
how shall we be prepared to do it?
| a question meets us here on the
| threshold, as to whether any business
is needful for those who can afford to
| live without work. 1t is conceded
| that the mass of mankind must work
in order that they may live. But
fortunate few of both sexes, in our
country, chiefly of the fairer sex, are
in one way or another, released from
| that prlmeVal curse, In the sweat
of thy brow shalt thou earn thy
| bread
Second The kindness of parents
or the favor of fortune has placed
them above the law of hunger. What
| shall we say for them? God has
placed us in this world to work. and
no one who refuses to engage in useful
work gains any good result of his
life. ldleness is good for no one; it
breeds friYolity or vice; it eneryateS
the character, and it promotes selfish
ness. Gods great law of labor cannot
be disregarded with impunity. 1t is
fortunate thing that most of us have
to work whether we wish to or not.
And it would be Il good thing if all
those who now are released from the
stern compulSion of poverty were led
by by some ambition or by some sense
of duty, to choose some honorable
work. In their case the question of
pay could be laid aside, and many
things which need to be done by
somebody, but which have no market
value could be taken up 10y them.
Some could undertake works of char
ity OF of missionary effort, some could
work in literature or art, some could
seek for inventions in the practical
arts or discoveries in the sciences,
and others could take up the ordinary
business of life in the professions or
trades, and seek to elevate these in
ways impossible to those who must
make their living by them. The fact
that one is able to live without work
is no reason for him to be idle. 1t
is only a fortunate circumstance which
allows him to choose his work for
its intrinsic merits, and suitableness
to himself without regard to its
market value. Every person then.
man or woman, should have some
work in life, and that every one
should be thoroughly prepared for his
work so as to be able to do it well,
needs no argument. And yet what
hosts of burglars we have: preachers
who do not understand the subjects
on which they preach, or the correct
use of the language in which they
preach; lawyers who cannot draw Il
mortgage correctly; physicians who do
not know the effects of their own
medicines; teachers who cannot even
read and spell; architects whose build
ingS fall down before they are built;
farmers who cannot build q wheat
stack so that it will stand without
propping with a rail, or keep dry with
out roof over It,
The old rule that required seven
years apprenticeship to every trade,
and then many years of practice and
study before the degree of master in
any art was given was a good rule
in SO far as il required thoroughness
Of preparation for every trade; and
the old rule that required from seven
to ten years study beyond the COM
mon school for every professional
man, was also a good rule, because it
required thorough preparation before
entering profession. We have no
reason to boast of the thoroughness
of our practical education. 1t is prog
reSS backwards. We have raised our
academies to the grade at which our
colleges were century ago, we have |
raised our colleges to the rank of !
universities; we have covered the land |
with a network of common schools, |
but our trades and our professions are |
not filled so well on the average as |
they were century ago. Why is this |
1t seems to me that we have forgotten |
that the essential thing in learning |
a business is to learn it. No general |
information, no high culture, good as |
these are in themselves, can make |
up for ignorance of our business in |
life Elihu Burritt was no better |
blacksmith because he knew a dozen |
languages, perhaps not so good one.
Horace Greely's general information |
did not make him a farmer; nor did |
George Grote'S knowledge of Greek |
history make him a better banker |
General culture is far more needed |
for a profession than for a trade or
for business life. But even in pro-
fession the essential thing is knowledge |
of the profession, not general |
knowledge. The trouble with us ma
ton is that we are Jacks of all trades |
and masters of none. We ought to
know some one business thoroughly |
in every part and detail, so that we
are master workmen in that business. |
A farmer ought to know how to do |
every operation on the farm from |
hoeins corn TO building a stack of |
grain. A printer ought to know all |
about type setting and press work, |
and not be satisfied with himself until |
he is competent to be foreman i'll a |
first class Office. \ lawyer ought to !
have a comprehensive knowledge of |
the principles of law as well as a |
knowledge of the practice in court. |
Whatever cur business is we ought |
to be masters of it. This does not |
preclude cur knowing other things. |
Indeed a person who is master in one
thing has gained habit of thorough |
ness which will help him to become |
more nearly master of other things. |
And after We have gained a thorough !
knowledge of our own business the |
more we know of other kinds of work |
the better it will be for us. There is
no harm in any ones having a |
knowledge of more than one business,
if he only knows them all. But if |
we must choose between knowing
one thing thoroughly and half dozen |
things specifically, il is best for us
- ~. 70 = rhin1r fhnrnnc1lxy
What business shall we choose |
Two elements enter into the answer |
to this question: What are we best
fitted for. and what does the world
most need to have done. Look at
yourself and see what you are fitted
To do; and then look at the world and
see what there is most demand for cf
the things for which you are fitted,