Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1891-07-18
AN ARMY OF c0LLEGIATES.
At this season Of the year, school

colleges, &C., of higher education,
law, ministry, business,
&c., are turning out graduates by
the thousands everywhere. The
question presents itself as to what
will become of this small army OF pro-
aspirants,-where will they
all find room for successful careers +?
Time no doubt solves the problem
and fills up the vacancies with these
recruits. Many no doubt get no
farther, but take up an honest work
and make good citizens and useful
men and women. Though they new
er attain to fame and distinction
obey are none the less filing high
and important positions in life. In
this age there is an ambitious rush
for high life, and easy life in the
professions and as clerks rather than
as workmen, so much needed. We
read in the papers every day of
young men accepting Positions"
when in plain English language it
means honorable manual labor and
though the work is the same as
that performed by our fathers as
tradesmen and laborers, the differ
euce in title encourages the more as
piring youth of this ambitious age.
The want most felt by the world
to-day is not professional, but prac.
tical, help in the house, on the
farm, and at the rougher trades.
The world is fast coming to that
point when everybody will want to
travel in private car.
dissatisfied ambition and aspira-
tion cause much of the discomfort
and agitation which now trouble
the social and labor world.
Read the essays of the men, NO.
men and children, who step off of the
graduating platforms;-how grand
and ideal they are what world
of work and wonder enfolds before
them poetic visions of success, of
accomplishments, of fame,-smooth-
sailing waters on every side ;-en-
chanting views, bright inducements,
hopeful promises,-all deceive the
ideal student.
We can't all be lawyers, doctors,
statesmen, clergymen, or great men
in any sense; we can't all be bishops,
professors, writer's, travellers, or en-
inent men in every sense.
The essays read, the college door
closed, life's struggle is only begun.
You must master the profession or
trade from Office boy or apprentice
up, and to the thousands of us all
our struggles only bring an ordinary
life. The few gain wealth, success,
reputation, fame; the masses but
liye,-a few friends know them liv-
ing,-a few friends weep for them in
death.
1t was never otherwise and never
will be. The fault is with the age
and its progress and enterprise. We
make too much of our great men,
and notoriety passes for greatness
more than real merit or ability.
The newspaper is the fault to
great extent in putting the few and
ignoring the many.
Society is to blame in drawing dis.
tinctions of wealth and family and
church, tile sacred portals ola tenn
pie that perisheS with the seclusIve
crowd.
The young men OF today learning
trades and professions are forced
by these circumstances to make sal
airy more of an object than close APP.
plication to work and Il desire to
master the trade, business, or pro.
fession, forgetting that in the end
skill and mastery would be power.
full aids to success.
The same difficulties confront the
young men and women desiring to
start ont III life together as man and
wife. Custom and necessity make
marriage "A calamity rather than a
blessing, without well furnished
house and means to live up to the
times and demands of society. The
advantages OF a help.mate are no
longer felt. There would be less
trouble, less lives wrecked, more
social stability, could young PEG
pie follow the good old custom of
starting life with stout hearts, helpful
hands and hopeful desires, and learn
to appreciate life's blessings as they
earned them.
The school is to blame for putting
up the mind and sentiments of the
child with the ideal rather th-n the
real with theories rather than prac.
tical every day experiences and
needs.
The whole world is bent on schem-
ing theories that blind the young to
the true situation of life.
The Church, Society aud the State
are crazed on records and monu.
ments,--one vast enterprise of gen.
iuS, capital and invention, for every
one of which they must provide a
jail, poor house and a lunatic asv.
lum.
But the world MUST MOVE
It's the purest air that blows.
r..