The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1884-07-10
"a JACK AT ALL TRADES"

There is a certain remark floating
about that seems to be a homeless sort
of thing, belonging TO no one, and much
in want of a reputable father. 1t does
not often get into print. 1t seems to
prefer to avoid publicity. Nearly every
boy has this street proverb repeated to
him by some well meaning, but igno-
rant person, just as he leaves the school,
The remark is this: "a Jack at all
trades and good at none"
Solemn subject, is it not? Let us see
about that. You observe it does not
come out il square, manly fashion and
tell us that 't,Iack'' at all trades is
good as none For all that, this may
be SO. What is ''Jack?'' 1t appears
to mean clownish, awkward fellow, or
simpleton. 1t is quite possible that
such fellow is not good in any trade,
is not good workman in any business.
If we look deeper into the matter we
find jack also means common kind
of workman, like a peasant; and from
this meaning we got our words ''iack
plane,' .'boot jack, '.smoke jack
and any others, all meaning some COM
mon rough kind of WORK or tool. Now
we begin to see what solemn nonsense
this is. Of course, a stJack" is good
i'll none. Such a fellow is never good
in anything. The whole thing can be
stated in this way. A poor workman
is never good for anything. So far
there is only kind OF dreary wisdom
in the proyerb. "A Jack at ala>rades
and good at none.n The whole thing
would not be worth remembering, if it
were not for the fact that so many peo-
pie repeat it under the impression that
they are saying something very fine. 1t
sounds well and gives the speaker
comforting sense OF superior wisdom.
My son, listen to the words of a
sage. Do not be a Jack at all trades
and good at none.'"
Now sensible boy on hearing this
would say:
Thank you, do not intend to be
Jack at anything. / mean to be a
Hrst-class workman, whether / make
sermons or carriages, poems or sewing
machines. am not Jack at all.s'
The whole trouble with this thing is
just here. 1t is q cowardly saving be-
cause it implies dishonesty. It is a
sheer at every one to whom the Lord
has given two talents, and that means
nearly all of us. 1t does not suiarely
say you must have but one trade,
and talks about Jacks when nobody
ever means to be Jack. Z 1t has
done vast deal of harm by the very
dishonesty of the wording and the way
people use it. If it means a Jack at
all trades IS good in none, it is simply
stupid. But, no, people give it false
twist as though it meant to say: 'sYou
must never have but one trade, for, If
you do, you will be good in none Of
them" which is not true.
This remark plainly originated in
Europe, because the word Jack is from
the French and meant peasant. 1t is
not an American saying; it is, in the
usual sense given to it, wholly false and
it is not the right thing to say to any
American boy or girl.
Boys and girls just leaving school. /
have seen much of trades and work.
and know this to be true: The good
Workmen, the men and women who
succeed, who accomplish things, almost
invariably have two trades. They are
not "Jacks' in either, but master work
men in both. They never play on one
string. They always have two or four
strings to their fiddles, or they could
not make such excellent music. Once
III awhile some celebrated violinist will
take out three strings from his instru-
ment and play something on only one.
He only does it for display, and if he
wishes to play grand concerto he
would never trust to one string.
Now, taking the regular trades, car
pentry. bIick-laYing, painting, shoe
making, and 80 on. let rs observe that
any Intelligent young person with fair
conlmon-sehoal education can ia d few
moatha learn all thst iapeeded tn be !