Sharp County record., 1890-06-19
COSTLY NEGLIGENCE.
How Tramps and Convicts Are Made Out
of Many Promising Boys.

OF Many Promising Boys.
If an observer will take stroll about
Boston and the other cities and largo
towns of the State, he may find at street
corners, railroad stations, and other
places, many idle men.
If he should mingle with these men
he would find that they may be divided
into two classes-laborers who expect
employment later in the spring, when
work of one kind or another usually be-
gins; and young men, mostly graduates
of grammar or high schools, who feel
little too nice to work at common la
Dor, yet have not acquired the skill to
do any thing else And though there
is a demand for skilled labor, the maxi
ings Of many skilled mechanics stand
aimlessly about because they have not
had the opportunity to learn some trade
for which they are adapted,
1t is this latter class of idlers that
would arouse the concern of the thought
full observer; for among them he would
sec many youths whose future seems
any thing but hopeful. AS far as teach
ing its youth book learning is concerned,
society does much Of its duty; but in the
equally important matter of teaching
them how to make an honest living So
cicty does little or nothing.
"Twenty per cent. of the mon engage
in mechanical industries" said q prom
mont builder, "aro really skilled mo-
chanics; tho othor eighty por cent, arc
fair or Indifferent workmon," At first
thought 1t seems strange that only ono
IN five OF these men Is really skilled,
but whom we consider the nero matter
of chance by which boys are drawn into
mechanical industries it would seem
strange II this were not tho case.
A green boy, soekinga chance to learn
trade, but ignorant Of what no Is
adapted for, Is more likoly to drift into
tho wrong trade than into the right ono.
lie may mako u poor carpenter whom ho
might mako good mason, or poor
machinist when he might make good
architect Or, II he does know what ho
Is adapted for, tho chances arc that un.
less he Is OF unusual perseverance, no
can never obtain tho chance TO learn 10
we'll, for master mechanics and thoir
forenoon do not want TO bother thom-
selves with teaching green boys,
II Is for this class of boys that pub.
lie industrial school system ID much
needed. A littlo practical instruction
would dovolop II boys taste TO such an
oxtont that II no desires to loom n trodo
no will know which one he Ia best
adapted for, and bo taught accordingly,
The tendency of such q systom would be
toward placing youths whore they can
do the most good for themselves and
society, And tho people would bo re-.
paid for tho extra burden Of maintaining
the system; for who can estimate tho
present loss TO society In the waste of
the genius and powers of 40 many Of its
mombers2
For people not TO provide their youth
with tho means OF obtaining an lndus.
trial education " Inoood u costly nogll,
Peneo--a negligence that leaves eighty
por cent, OF our mechanics fair or lndIf.
ferent worlmeni negligence that
leaves great numbere Of boys and young
men washng In idlonoss the bost part Of
their livosi II negligence That tcnds To
mako tromps or tonyIcis out Of many
once premlalng boys. lloaton Globe