Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1893-02-23
LEARN a TRADE.

Every Boy VIII Make a Mistake II He
DOes't Adapt Himself to Some business.
-'Do yen think boy ought to learn a
trader
This was the query that came to us
the other day. Judging from the re-
mainder of the letter it came from a
bright boy, and that made the question
more surprising.
Is it not astonishing that anyone
should doubt for moment the advisa-
bility of learning trade? II is almost
as il one should ask if two hands were
better than one.
In some counties the learning of
trade is considered so important that
the law steps in and requires the par
ents to teach their boys, if sound in
mind and body, trade or profession,
as some sort of a guarantee that they
will not become burden to the state.
Governmental supervision over private
affairs is not popular in this country,
but in this case it should not be needed.
Parents themselves ought to realize its
importance, and, indeed, there are
very few who do not.
In no other country are fortunes so
evanescent as in America, Here we
have no landed estates, no families"
in the English sense, and the spirit of
ambition and unrest is so great that
few boys are content to remain in the
home where they were born, or follow
in their fathers footsteps.
There are many rapid rises from pen
ury TO wealth, but as many and perhaps
more fall from riches to poverty. A
great fire, the failure Of banking firm
or the defalcation of trusted clerk
may undo in a day the labor OF years.
When these changes come the boy
who has been reared in luxury may be
compelled to earn his living. How can
he do it? II he is fair penman and ac-
curate at figures, he may get minor
clerkship at a salary which formerly
would not have kept him in clothes. He
is dependent on the whims of his en-
ployers, and the chances are that he
drags out miserable existence.
Take time by the forelock. and learn
a trade. 1t need not be in blseksmith
shop or rolling mill; it may easily be
something which combines with muscle
and brains in the highest degree.
There are many such occupations
and the time to choose is before stern
necessity compels choice, which may
be hasty and ill-advised.
Perhaps il is not strange that fathers
do not always realize the vicissitudes OF
fortune and It's attendant response
bilities, but there are signs Of an awsk-
ening.
Even the boys are getting ambitious
to be something more than money
spenders, needing only proper encour-
agement from their parents TO realize
the dangers in their path which may be
avoided by care and forethought-
A gentleman who had induced large
publishing house to take his son into
it's employ at a moderate rate of pay,
not very long since, was especially
anxious in his request that the young
man should be m ade to work and learn
the business.
This instruction was needless, as, al
though modern fashion has done away
with much Of the janitor and porterage
work of old times, yet the young man
found the selection of stock for orders.
packing the same, entering, charging
ditto and occasional errsnds kept him
actively employed for about ten hours
a day, with an hour out for dinner
At the end of three weeks time he
failed 10 put in an appearance, but the
father walked in one morning with the
Information that John would not re-
turn to the position.
why not?'' asked the publisher.
well, John has 70 have his break
fast at half-past seven every morning
TO get here, and then he is not used to
carrying bundles, and sometimes he's