Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1892-08-06
APPRENTICES.
GOOD ADVICE ON THE SUPJECT -;
LEARNING A TRADE.

An Erroneous Idea Prevalent Eown-
days Among Young Minds !" Refer
enr~to serving an Apprenticeshir-A
Thorough knowledge Pays.
\ writer makes the statement :|iat
"ths business Of learning a trade Ivy
means of serving an apprenticeship has
passed away" and adds that Young
America can not stand it to be bound TO
serve his time, or bound to srrve any
given time, or be bound in any manner
to learn of others the art and mystery OF
the trade he proposes TO follow.
This seems to be the fact. no matter
how unsatisfactory or damaging ii may
appear, and we are sorry to be Oh, scd TO
admit the truth Of the statement.
There is no question but Wit, with
natural adaptablity, the youth Who
serves an apprenticeship with man M!'o
has the object OF turning out good wor'-'
men, rather than having some one to run
errands and wait upon the other work
men, will become a good mechanic. We
are we'll aware of the fact, as this cores
pondent further remarks, that in many
cases the apprentices are not properly
instructed, but are made simply the
Irudges OF older workmen. ! have seen
this often in shops, where the apprentices
for the first year was nothing but a car
rier OF water, or an errand boy to tho
beer shop; and can point to more than
one mechanic whom l believe acquired
his love for beer from this very service
he was made to perform for the older
workmen." This is deplorable fact, and
one that does not reflect to the credit of
any employer.
There seems to be an idea prevalent
among the young minds of to-day that
it is not necessary to serve an apprentice
ship in order to become proficient at any
particular trade. and the evil effects of
this mode of thought is apparent in tho
great number of "blacksmiths, or pre-
lentious journeymen of the times.
No man, no matter how lavishly ma
ture has show cred her blessings upon
him, is able to grasp all the principles OF
4 trade or profession; neither is it proba-
BILE that lie is so we'll stocked with
knowledge that he may not be taught. or
gain some information from those Older
The only way he can ever expect to be-
come proficient is by working up" anG
learning from others. That man who.
with the bravado born of ignorance, at
tempts to place himself at the head Of
the profession he is feigning to under
stand and expecting to be able to repre-
sent by sheer "bull-headedness, will one
lay be found out, and then he may ex'
pect to receive the discharge and disdaiE
he so richly merits.
Modesty is becoming virtue, and il
its own reward. The young man who
has mastered his trade by perseverance,
and self denial, at the expense of few
wears of servitudc as an apprentice, will,
f he has been faithful over few
things, be made "ruler over many"
Asa general rule, the man who has tho
least particle of inherent intelligence
and foresight will be willing to acknowl-
edge that the longer he lives the more he
finds he doesn't know, and the man who
is so self-willed and headstrong as to
think that he cannot be taught, or is un
willing to be told any ything-and we are
sorry to say there are too many such-ia
surely too good and intelligent to inhabit
this mundane sphere, where no one man
is capable of possessing all the knowl'
edge obtainable.
The best workmen and most thor
oughly competent mechanics we ever
saw are the most modest and unassum.
ing of men, who have learned by ex.
perience that they do not know it all.
A. I.
that is least likely to receive any help or
information from others. 1t is pleasure
to them to see him enjoying his ignor.
ance. and they are in no hurry to forego
this pleasure, W hen well aware that they
would not receive even courteous thanks
in return.
1t pays to begin at the bottom and
"work up" we must creep before wo
can walk, for in the first place we may
receive fall if we aim too high, and il
we disregard the latter teaching we are
apt to become bow-legged. knock-kneod
and generally deformed.
Let no young man think he is demean.
ing himself by becoming an apprentice.
but let him improve this opportunity.
and the time will come when he will be
glad to say that he was once the errand
boy and general butt OF the jokes and i'm
putations of his fellowworkmsn, and
know how to appreciate the position.
1t will help him to use more discretion
toward others, and be more willing to
impart the knowledge he has gained to
others who are striving to acquire 4
knowledge in the same direction.
Goo6 gupeeafiom.