The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1903-11-23

burg as rule are not making an effort
But few apprentices are to be found in
any trade. Some try to learn trade,
after they have reached their majority,
but, then only, when necessity presents
itself. They meet with difficulty and are
handicapped. Years are required to over.
come these defects. Ultimately they may
become artists in their respective
lines, but this is not the natural way, as
a youth should be brought up in the way
he should so. Still others make no pre-.
tensions toward and effort to become
skilled, and they merely exc out an ex,
istence by common labor. 1t is they whc
must feel most keenly their deficiency
in coping with their fellowman. 1t i
they who bear the brunt,
/ Take the boy who enters a grocery
store. He hangs on until the time come.
that his services are not needed Hi
knows nothing else and has no claims
on any other line OF work. Out Of iol
he must stay out or 50 to common labor
at low wages. Suppose he remains, he
seldom works himself up to that posi-
tion where he is able to command Tho
wages a skilled mechanic receives; ant
he dies, leaving only the memory OF hay.
ing weighed country butter, wrapped up
coffee and sausage and the like. No one
points to any work he has done as a
monument He is soon forgotten. OF
course there are exceptions to the rule
and errand boys have risen to the po.
sition of ownership and promoters of
large business concerns. But, if the
young man who enters grocery store
as clerk, only had good trade, h,
would have something good to fall back
upon, should he lose his place In 4
measuse he is Independent and can de.
mand ample remuneration for his work
Without something to 90 back to he is
practically helpless and is forced to hold
on to his job, however unsatisfactor,
it may be.
Again, if the plan OF bcstowing trade
upon the boys were carried out, there
would be radical change in the condi
ton of wages. 1t would be put on a
strictly business basis. There would b,
no imitation of wages, and as the natu.
raj result no inequality Of prices TO,
commodities, propertic, and rents. MOI
would there be the annoying delays, til,
n,ive drawbacks and other obnox
ious features the scarcity of skilled labol
brings about. Men who work for liy
ing would get a fair apportionment OF
the money that is paid out for labor
There would not b. % many men doing
she drudge work at small wage, but
there would be more getting a wage
that justified the manual effort, as well
as the trained, put forth. There would
be an equality in wage conditions.
Even if boy, when he grows to man.
hood, should be 50 fortunately situated
as not to be under the necessity of fol
owing a trade, it is best that he should
learn one. There is nothing like being
prepared for misfortune. Necessit,
might require him some day to work
md he would certainly find it to his ad.
vantage to know a trade. The same may
be said about some professions. For in
stance, civil engineering. 1t may b,
pointed to with pride that one OF the
leading business men Of the city learned
surveying in early lie, taking complete
course and then going into the field and
putting the theory into practice and max
.ng himself thoroughly competent. He
lid not have to do it, but il was a splcn.
lid step and forms an inc,timabIe part
of his education, a knowledge that has
served him well in many Of hi, business
transactions and is of great value to him
although he will never be under the ne.
costly Of deyoting himself to that line
Il work. 50 it is with every boy. Let
him be prepared for lineofwork,wheth
e he ever follows it or not.
Along this line the thought comes
again that there should be more indus.
trial features OF the schools Of the coun.
try. There are industrial and manual
schools, it is true, but they are not OF
sufficient number to meet the general
demand, and in many instances the train
ing is not practical. 1t is doubtful wheth,
er industrial training in the schools of
the country in general could be success
fully carried out, but that is no reason
why boys may not learn trades, aud es-
pecialIy so if they are taken out of school
so early in life.
Common sense teaches that there
should be more than a general prepare
ton for lifcs duties, and it Is certain
that the boy who is started out as one
10 do errands does not stand the chance
for success that the boy who learns
trade and Is ready to engage in it, if
forced to that. 1t is also plain that the
boy who learns trade is more likely
to reap the reward OF his effort than
the one who has none and depends solely
an nrnnOf;nn M, ,,;rE,,o az ,,aoy, cf a.,