The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-10-25
D0LLAR-A-DAY PEOPLE.


Success.
What can you dor" at don't think
can do much OF anything: I was not
brought up to anything, and never had to
work." But what do you think you can
do?" "I don't know; I never tried any
thing" do you write good handr II
don't know; couldn't say" do you write
rapidly?" mot very" 'will you write me
a letter of application so that / may get
an idea OF your handwriting and general
education?' ct don't believe can do that"
This is the substance OF a conversation
that recently took place between the fore
woman In charge OF the clerks in the SUBJ
scriptions department Of a popular monthly
magazine and a young girl who had called
in answer to an advertisement for addi-
tional Office workers.
This girl is typical of hundreds OF people
in New York. and in every other large city
in the country, who are haunting publish
ers officers, clamoring at the doors or great
business houses. and wandering the streets
footsore and weary in search OF work they
cannot find.
Is it any wonder that such people fail
in their efforts? Is IL surprising, under
such conditions. that an advertisement for
a clerk at s. Sc week floods the adj
vertiser with hundreds of answers. while
one for a man or woman at $1,000 year
calls out not one.
We boast of our educational system, and
the unrivaled opportunities OF every boy and
girl living under the American nag 10 OBJ
tain not only a common school, but also
a college, education, IL they have grit and
vim enough TO work their way to IT. yet
our land is full OF incompetents.
The twentieth century. with nineteen hum
dred years OF preparation and experience
and culture back or II. Is turning out a
greater number OF probable failures than
any OF the middle ages, considering the rel
alive advantages OF the times.
When We compare Lucy stone picking
berries to carr the right 10 go 20 college.
or a Lucy Larcom working IN factory
at the age Of ten, yet through her own
unaided efforts attaining high rank as
teacher and poet, with this other girl liv
ing in the MIDST OF the opportunities Of
fered at a great educational center, who
couldn't write simple letter. when We
compare a boy Of the same type with
Garfield sweeping floors and ringing bells,
or an Elihu Burritt learning 10 translate
Hebrew during the pauses or his work at
the forge. we must answer that the fault
Is with individuals. The young people or
our land are not awake TO their ad.an-
tages.
Gray-haired men and women OF middle
age or more are working IN Offices or fac
tories, side by side with boys and girls,
and for the same pittance. They failed 10
educate themselves. Youth Is past. and
they are reaping what they have sown.
There are. OF course, many amongst them
who are victims Of circumstances and are
not really responsible for their present po-
sitions hut the majority are where they are
because they neglected the opportunities
that called mistakenly 10 them when they
were boys and girls. Grammar schools.
high schools. evening schools. lectures and
libraries offered them their treasures. but
they would have none OF them. Now they
complain that they are unlucky, that fate
Is against them. and that others. no bet
OF the ladder. while they remain at the
foot.