The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1888-07-21
Boys. Don't Do 1t.
SOME WHOLESOME ADVICE o DIS
SATISFIED APPRENTICES.

SATISFIED
A few days ago u young man came
in who had started a year before in Il
machine shop and foundry, intending
to serve his time Of three OF more
years and become a thorough master
OF his trade. He had begun with
small pay, less than one dollar a day,
but being apt, quick to .aearn, compre-
bend and execute, he had been gradu-
ally advanced and his Pay increased
till he was getting ten dollars per
week and a good line Of work. He
had just received an Offer of twelve
dollars per week to quit his place and
take an entirely different position, in
fact a fireman's job, and he came in
for advice and to talk it over with us.
AS his case is analogous to many young
men who are similarly situated and
tempted, and us we hold that the con-
tinued supremacy Of the United States
in machinery and mechanical eonstruc-
ton is in the keeping of Ike young
men who are to-day learning their
trades, we feel impelled to rise and re-
mark: "Boys. don't do it. Your firm
took you on trust you were not worth
to them, when you began, a dollar q
week, but with al abiding faith in
your ability and honor, they gave
time, tools and patience to get your
dormant, untutored ideas bent ia the
right direction. You occupied a lathe
and spoiled stock and secured them a
loss that even a medium workman
would easily have changed into a
handsome profit. As you advanced,
became shopwise and could do passa-
BILE work they advanced you, went all
Ove the same or similar ground with
you again, until you were again wor-
thy of an advance.
"And so it goes on. Some Of you
have put it one, some two years on
your trade. If you've been smart,
faithful and done for yourself what you
could and ought to have done and
what the firm designed you to do, you
can take this or that journeyman's
place when he is absent for a day or
two.
"You are worth something to the
firm that has made you what you are.
Then somebody comes along and offers
you two dollars per week more than
the firm is paying you. Seeing that
you are active. smart and capable they
wish to acquire land hat is a mild
term to apply to it, the benefit of the
schooling the other firm has given you.
"Boys, don't do it. You stultify and
debase your Unborn noble nature when
yon take it; you disgrace an honora-
BILE record, the best heritage you have
got or can get, when you entertain
seriously such proposals. But you say,
you want to do the best you can for
YOURSELF Exactly, that's what we
want You to do. We want you, as the
coming representative men of Ameri-
can progress, to be able to point to
your apprenticeship and shop record
with as much, yea, greater pride, than
the doctor or lawyer or minister points
to his alma mater.
"Your possibilities of influence on
the destiny Of the country, its pro-
gress, its standing among nations of
the world, are worth treble of all of
them. Then perfect yourself in your
trade, stick to it, regard and cherish it
as the foundation on which YOU will
erect for yourself an honorable and
respected social structure and personal
character. 1t will pay you better in
the end. You will respect yourself
more and besides you will be doing
right."-Stotionory Engineer.
s>-
A Farmers Eynndionf