Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1889-06-21
A LITTLE LEARNING.
BY HARLEY HARKER.

makeup that is willing to learn n bust
ness or trade after he graduates. II
almost seems rs If we were very soon to
have useless class in this country; that
is II class OF literally educated young
men who cannot set themselves to
work. They have little learning.
They know theories. But that en-
haustive knowledge Of any one thing
might makes "a man success or puts
him in demand, seems lacking.
Success in life is to-day such a
scramble. The victory turns on II
small accuracy. II is the perfect know
ledge OF some one or two little things
that give one man all the advantage
and makes his fortune. You must
read all the books that pertain to your
calling. Then you must reflect on
what you have, study it deeply, widely
and thoroughly. You must know all
that is to be known about it, Obser-
walton, trained down To catch the
smallest detail Of fact Facts are
what are wanted. Facts are the gold
in the "mill-dirt," as miners call it.
The man with IA brain fullest of facts
is going TO distance all others.
In business to-day il is a fight for
life. a man may not know how even
to read and write, but he must know
the facts in his business; if he does. he
will come to the front. We all know
such men. And we think we have all
seen men with great advantages OF
classic schooling at the start, who yet
failed because they did not know facts
in their own line
Adaptation comes from calculation.
More men fail by not fully knowing the
obstacles before them than by any
other fault A thorough business edu-
cation means knowledge of the difficult
ties. How much Partially we all show
ourselves. We think we shall be fav-
ored, have no enemies, few trials; or
we miscalculate our abilities. You
must teacn yourself. School teachers
help their pupils too much. My chill
dren want me TO show them evenings,
chow to get the right answer" Scold
as | will, there are yet too many about
our library table who, in mistaken
kindness, are willing TO thus "show."
and rob my children OF the real good
of education namely, self-develop-
JOllu DitN arr Mill TIDUllN say :,
LAS TO difficulty, II pupil from whom
nothing is ever demanded which he
can not do, never does all he can; and
the real standard should be, not what
other people do, but what man could
and ought 10 do" Yet il is safe to say
that none but the most gifted minds
would ever insist on the above for
themselves or for their pupils. You
must insist upon il, however, young
reader. if you would rise in the world.
You must learn how TO study the
passing crowd, analyze deeply the
causes of successful or defeated ca
reers, the tendency of certain actions
seen in others, how men are acted
upon as well as how they act on others.
You must become Il master OF details,
and yet also broad and comprehen-
sive observer Of your trade as whole.
You must know customers wants, and,
what is more difficult, know how to
find out beforehand the secret, growing
want that is going to be public to-mor-
row. You must be quick TO adopt real
improvements at the same time that you
are wise enough not TO fool with we'll
enough and triile with approved meth
DDS
He is in peril who must ask too
much advice. A son ought TO advise
with father; but, as a rule, If you are
known to want advice, men will sus-
pect you. In a procession, he who
hesitates IS soon trOdden upon. If you
are poor, do not tell OF it; if you are
ignorant. try TO find out way without
making known your ignorance. Study,
dig for facts, reflect, read, go 10 the
very bottom of things, all alone if pos
sible.
Remember God helps those who help
themselves. You must know yourself,
your strength and weakness. You
must know your country, whether you
know Greece and Rome or not. You
must know your market, whether you
know the pictures in the Vatican and
have read Virgil or not. You must
know to-day and tomorrow, whether
you know history or not.
1t is painful to think how much
grumbling there is in the world at the
expense OF capital, the times, and
luck. Workingmen, your hope is in
yourselves and your trouble is in your
self. Accept life as you find it; aud If
it does not suit you resolve TO fit your
self for something better by self-disci-
pine, training, and knowing how.
Study is the key.
IL is a common thing TO see younger
partners take well-established bust
ness and run 1t into the ground; then
they complain of the times. Poor
fools. they should complain of them
selves. They lacked the necessary
business capacity, and they would not
apply themselves TO obtain IL. They
are in the same sad fix, by thousands.
all over this prosperous land, that dis
contented working men are. So that
the possession OF fortunate surround
ings or antecedents is nothing unless
one uses the key OF self-help. That
is, know the things that you can
DO and the things you can
not do; know what can be done
by others, what is being done by 9th
ers, as it relates TO you. Know all you
can of your fabric; never think an hour
wasted that you give to study OF the
goods, the raw material, or the ma
chine that manufactures it. Aspire TO
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