St. Landry democrat., 1888-06-09
LEARNING A TRADE.
Some of the More Important Points to Be
Considered by Apprentices.

/
Considered by Apprentices.
The first and most important step to
be considered is adaptability. Never
attempt to learn trade simply because
of its pecuniary prospects. This is just
where too many young men fail, and is
the reason for SO many failures both
from business point of view and as a
mechanical success.
There is no question but what nature
with all the resources at her command,
has in the germ of every human being
deposited right proportion of the in
gredient of adaptability. Beyond this
germ she can have no control, and
whether or not it is developed in its
proper form, depends, of course, upon
the individual himself
If the young man has natural in
clination for mechanics, he can not do
himself worse injury than to attempt
to learn ano Their trade or profession.
When this point has been settled,
and the young man has decided upon
the trade which best suits his nature
and inclinations, the next question to
be decided is where and how he can
best perfect himself in this trade
As the best is none too good, it is all
important that the first step should be
a right step. Go where the trade you
wish to learn is most perfectly and
horou ghly practiced.
If you are fortunate enough to OBJ
tain position, accept it, and begin at
the beginning, with determination to
work up, not to be carried up, or yet
to jump up. for you will fail if you do.
Don't be too anxious to graduate;
the longer you live the more you will
find you have yet to learn. No man
was ever yet too old to learn. nor yet
SO thoroughly competent but he might
be taught oftentimes by those he looks
upon as interiors. Attend strictly to
business, and mind your own business;
keep your eyes and ears open, be ac-
commodating and gentlemanly, always
prompt and punctual, do always as you
are told; remember you are not teach
ing, but being taught; by some little
inattention to orders or instruction,
you may do your employer damage;
and injure your reputation; do what
you do well, no matter if it is only in
sweeping the floor or cleaning the
tools; as the twig is bent the tree in
clines. If you are slack and slouchy
you will be the same rs
journeyman; be truthful and honest.
If you do an injury to your employer,
spoil piece of work, injure tool or
forget to obey an order, acknowledge
your error. Don't try to cover it; your sin
will find you out, and you will be the
sufferer. Choose good associates, and |
keep good company; read and study |
your art Don't criticise your superb
ors, for they may know more than you;
neither Chose less advanced than your
self, for you were once where they are
low; avoid those who are always fault
hiding md backbiting; they are like
makes IN the grass; be temperate in all
Kings, and man at all times. The
'oung man who will remember and
practice these things must succeed,
nd W.T. find that it pays in the long
I'm.
1t is very difficult matter to i'm
ress upon the mind of a youth the inn
'ortanre of the above, and there are
cry feY young men who start out to !.
sarn Trade nowadays who are will
1g to observe such course. But the
act stii: rsdaips, and is every day
roven, b It a strict observance of these
oints i~a solutely necessary i--~order
, become atsorougRy s4cesssful and
racticasly &C npetenth tadesman.-
on. Boston BIZ lqstse-'