Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-01-26
MECHANICS AND MANUAL TRAINING
short-sighted Policy of the American
Worlkingmen.

Short-Sighted Policy of the American
wor1<ingmen.
[From the Safety Valve.
We have enjoyed numerous opportuni-
ties to discuss with intelligent working
men the ultimate destiny of the American
boy; We have heard the views of the most
thoughtful among them with regard to
the apprenticeship system, or rather the
lack of it, in this country, but we have
found but very small number willing to
say even good word for the introduction
of course of manual training in the pub
lie schools. The argument they use
against it is invariably the same; they are
opposed to any movement that would re-
suit in overlooking the market for skilled
labor by encouraging young men to enter
the ranks of labor. 1t is useless to point
out to them that their selfish action in
this respect has already resulted in crowd
ing the legal and medical professions, and
forcing into them large numbers of young
men who are but poorly equipped for their
practice, in depressing the demand for
clerks, statesmen, etc, until the services of
those who have learned no other calling
are drug in the market, while the ranks
of our artisans are recruited mainly from
the immigrants arriving on our shores.
They use the very facts quoted to point
their own case, and assert that the condi-
ton Of the thousands of struggling law
yers, doctors, clerks, ETC., is warning to
them.
This is selfish view to take of the sit
uation, and one that is bound to recoil on
the heads of these by whom it is enter
tanned. Already we hear on all sides COM
plants as to the number of half-trained
mechanics, whose work brings discredit on
their calling and trouble to those who
place reliance in it; and it is easy enough
to discover the cause. Whereas, former
claimants to the artisan ranks were COM
PEELED to undergo thorough preparation
and instruction, in the shape of an appren-
ticeship, and enjoyed an abundant oppor-
tunity for practice as journeymen before
being accepted as masters of their craft,
they are freed from all such restrictions
nowadays. A man with bare smattering
of business finds little difficulty in secur-
ing employment provided he will make
himself cheap enough, and he is soon able
to fill, however imperfectly, the place of
the mechanic.
hduudl udlulHS dt sCllOOl WOulu De the
first step towards remedy for this state of
affairs. In place of starting in, after com
plotting course of schooling, during
which no taste for manual work has been
encouraged, to master the rudiments of
mechanical trade, the aspirant would soon
be able to take hand in practical oper-
ations ct point from which he would
soon be able to reach position where he
would prove of value in other words, be-
fore attaining the age at which his re-
sponsibilities as amember ofthe community
commence, he would have gained by actual
practice fair knowledge of his business.
A knowledge of the first principles of
mechanical work gained at school can not
but tend to make the student better me-
chanic, and with the advent of better
class of mechanics, the existence of the
botch workman, who is after all the most
dangerous competitor Of skilled labor, will
become impossible.