The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-07-09
THE DECLINE OF VILLAGE EMPLOG-
MENT.

A few weeks since the Journal called at
tention TO an article in the North American
Review. entitled 'The Curse OF Education"
In which the writer attributed to our system
of public education the increasing number
Of people who are idlers because they have
been led to seek employments which will
enable them to live without manual labor.
The drift of the article was to show that
our system of public instruction units the
young for those general employments which
are essential to the well-being of any COM
munity. The writer complains that while a
considerable number of persons could be
found in villages who could teach schools
or engage In some Of the professions, 1t was
impossible to find a carpenter, a cobbler, a
blacksmith or other mechanic who could do
a good job Of work. In the July number
Of the North American Review is a reply
to this attack upon public schools by
Mrs. Van Rensselaer,. who shows that IL Is
not the overeducation in the high schools of
which Mrs. Davis made complaint which is
responsible for class of people who are
too good to work." since comparatively few
Of those who attend the public schools ever
enter or graduate from the high schools
The figures presented in the reply show
that in several Eastern cities at least 90 per
cent. Of the children attending schools do
not enter the high schools. but are put at
work by their parents.
II there are more idle men in villages now
than formerly, it is due to the fact that the
larger towns in the vicinity have absorbed
the industries which were once local. The
village shoemaker Is no more because the
shoe factory with it's, machinery can make
really better shoe for less price than
the mechanic who did everything by hand.
The harvesting machinery has taken the
place of armies of laborers. In the villages
near large towns the larger establishments
and the railroads have taken the business,
because they can do It cheaper. 1t will be
found that considerable villages within
twenty or thirty miles of city like Indian
apolis no longer have bakers. because those
who retail bread can purchase 1t cheaper
of the extensive bakers in the city. Not
many years ago the butcher in the village
slaughtered and cured the meat he sold
Now the farmer sells to dealers. who in turn
sell at the large stockyards, and the dealer
In the village purchases his meats from the
packing houses in the large cities. So with
other branches Of industry. Articles which
were once made in the homes or in the viii
lagos are now manufactured exclusively by
the larger producers in cities, who have cap
ital to introduce labor-saving machinery.
Not many years ago there was a carriage
factory in every village, but they have
passed away because they cannot compete
with the extensive establishments, and the
repair shop is all that remains Inherent
aversion to earning bread in the sweat of
the face. not the education OF the common
school. is responsible for the loafers in viii
lage. country and city. There is a good deal
of land in the vicinity of villages that needs
better tillage. The systems OF electric roads
which are certain to connect the villages
and the farmers with the larger cities seem
to promise much for both. There are many
people in the cities who will choose the
| village for their homes when the cheaper
| transportation of the electric railway, al
| convenient hours, will enable them to attend
| to employment in the city.