The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-01-20
npyICE FOR BOYS.

One OF the problems which causes no
end of worry to parents, is that often
discussed i~nterrogatory, "What shall w
do with our boys?" The friends of the
boys and the parents as we'll, have writ
ten on this subject since George Wash
ington and Benjamin Franklin we're
youngsters, and after all that has been
taught and said, it is by no means GER
tam that the average boy as good today
as his grandfather was at similar age,
nor that our knowledge as to what to do
with him has been materially increased.
We know that he should be taught to
work and seek al occupation adapted to
his talents, but the problem seems to
be to induce the young man into a line
of work where promotion shall continue
with the development of his brain and
body. The New York Sun makes some
very excellent suggestions on this sub
ject when it says:
ut is to be regretted that 80 few of our
American boys learn any trade, or are will
ling to serve an apprenticeship for the term
of four or five years. Almost any good and
smart boy can procure employment in some
one of the hundred skilled Industries that
are carried on In this city; and the boy who
serves his apprenticeship faithfully gets q
training that will be advantageous to him
all through life, and that will very surely
enable him to earn q living as long as he
lives. We should suppose that any real
sensible boy would like to think Of becom-
ing a skilled workman in a good trade;
wouid like to look forward to the time when
he could stand up as an independent jour.
neyman, for example, in the carpenters
trade, or the brassworker's, or the tailor's.
or the stonemason's, or the watchmaker's,
or the bookbinder's, or the fiesco painters,
or the weaver's. or the printer or the ma
chinist's OF the locksmith's, or the gilder's,
or some other trade worthy of his man
hood. 1t is q splendid thing for a young
fellow to start out in the world with a good
trade. He can be as stiff as he pleases,
and doesn't need to knuckle down to any
body, neither to the boss nor the foreman,
if he minds his own business and steers
clear OF g~allivanting. He can nearly al
ways get a job at fair pay, and can often
have a chance of travelling to some other
part of the country to look for a better Job
at higher pay. What iong- headed American
boy would not like TIC have such a show in
life?
Yet a vast number of our American bows
bon't want TO learn n trade. They are
anxious to be office bows, or counter Jump
ers. or salesboys, or clerks, or something of
that kind. Stupid follows, when they can
,.f a chorca tn t,apnyna ukilIn,J ,nnab,.sa ,l
Why, we were told by a gentleman the
other day that he knew OF three youthful
Americans who were serving as door boyi
in q large uptown six-story apartment
house. What show for promotion hav,
they2 They osn hardly hope even to get
janitorship.
We say that boys who need to earn o liy
ing do we'll to learn 4 trade. and then strik,
out in life, free as the American flag"
The same advice applies to Montana
boys fortunate enough to have beer
raised in the west instead of goinl
there rs Horace Greeley suggested. The
opportunities for learning trades in THU
country are not so many as in the cas-
and for this reason the boy who learns
Rocu tIhue III MoHtdIh Hnu BUCKS "
the state will have a decided advantan,
r over h new conner, because he knows tn
conditions OF Ifs here and has the &C
: qualntance.
There are other occupations to b
learned which will offer many opLortu
mites for future prosperity. The Nor
tana boy, for instance, can &c out on
ranch and learn the sheep business.
: he is quick. active, honest and industr
i Gus he will find men willing to ava
themselves Of his talents which con
bined with their capital viii give III