, 1884-10-16
THE MANUAL TRAINING SCHOOL
Adds New Dignity TO LAbor-ArtIsans
Nowadays seldom Americans.

[St. Louis Globe emocfat.l
"Its a very good thingi7 said an old gem
tlsman energetically, as he looked at the dis
play OF tools made in one OF the galleries on
the Olive street side Of the exposition build
ing by the Manual Training school
What's u good thingg' a reporter in
quired.
This school, said the gentleman, ADJUST
ing his glasses as he glanced admiringly at
the long tables and decorated walk. 1T Id
a new and fresh dignity to labor, and gives
hope that the trades, and all branches OF the
mechanical arts. will receive the attention
from Americans which they deserve"
The reporter asked for an explanation.
How many OF your friends have learned
tradesf'
The reporter could not recall u half dozen.
They've all taken to the professions, - said
the old gentleman. They've all started out
10 balAwyers, doctors, artists, actors, and
things OF that sort, haven't theyi or course.
Well, u few more schools Of this kind will
break up that sort of thing. 1t Will make
young men feel proud Of work they can do
with their hands, and teach them that it is as
noble and honorable as the work that folks
do with their heads
Il talk this way, the speaker continued,
~because 1 have given some attention to this
matter and find that the trades are gradually
slipping out of the hands Of Americans. Your
artisan nowadays Is seldom an American.
Foreigners build your houses and fashion the
metals that are used in the construction of
your machinery. Go to any house In process
Of erection and count the carpenters
there employed. You will find them
Scotch, English, or German, but not
American. Count the bricklayers; they are
usually lrishmen or the sons Of Irishmen. Go
to your foundries, the employees are Of all ma
tionalities except American The same state
Of affairs will be found in nearly every fac
tory and place Of product in the country.
Question the bosses, and they will tell you
it is the most difficult thing in the world for
them 10 obtain good apprentices of the home
made pattern. The foreign element FREEDOM
mates to an alarming extent in every depart
ment of industry, in every branch OF skilled
labor, particularly of the middle order.
"ltis not only curious-it is really painfully
absurd to see the neglect with which the
skilled lines Of labor are treated by American
boys and American parents. As said DO
fore the industries are now in the hands of
our f~oreign-born citizens OF their sohk, and it
takes two generations OF these to find out
that the trades are beneath them and not
worthy their time or attention. That's what
makes the so-called w~orkingmnn's vote a mat
ter OF everyday barter in these United States
the fact that it belongs to the new element
coming constantly in, like a wide and deep
stream filling the gulf that submerges and
sinks out OF sight the real American
What becomes Of Young American the
reporter asked.
Young America was the straightfor-
ward and empha tic reply; "is a glorious
fraud. Young Americans want 10 hold lilies
in their hands, part their hair in the middle
and walk like a lot OF minated saw bucks
strutting around on their hind legs. The
young American wants to be adored. He is
~ lOOths ambition and l-l00th ability, as a
general thing. He always starts out in life
with an object, and a poor one ut that. or he
is started out the wrong way. He puts in
all the time his parents can pay Tor at
school, and when he lays aside his calculus,
piano and Indian clubs he turns up his nose
at the smoke Of our factories with an "Oh,
dear me, how horriblel' and turns his eyes
In the direction OF the arts-the professions
something at which he can sit for n few
hours with his heels on u desk. and spend the
major portion OF his time regre,ting the fact
that he is Ashamed n beg and afraid to
pilfer.n