The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1906-05-31
COMPETITIONS GRIND.
Many College Men Drift to
New York'S BOwery.
DIFFICULT TO GET EMPLOYMENT.

ene-third Of Applicants at Y. Nj. c. A.
Branch Are Graduates Who Fit
Themselves For Special Work. but
Find Supply Bigger Than Demand.
Difficulty In Obtaining Work of a
MeniaI Nature.
One-third of the applicants at the
Bowery branch Of the Y. M. G. A. in
New York city are college graduates,
says the New York Evening World.
This is the statement given in the
report of the superintendent OF the
branch at 153 Bowery, and Assistant
Secretary ]. G. Camp says that the col
tege man is d frequent visitor at the
headquarters. Three-fourths of the
men who go to the Bowery branch are
Americans.
"The reason l should give for SO
many college men drifting in here"
said Mr. Camp, lis the fact that the
colleges are constantly turning out
graduates many of whom have the
same goal in sight. The supply is big
ger than the demand. The college man
fits himself for a certain career which
is. Of course, much higher than that
followed by men of little learning.
When he cannot find this opening he
has reached a difficult situation.
cat last, reduced to desperate cir
cumstances, he starts out to find any
kind of work. Now. from my expert
ence here of five years ago l know the
college and university men have diff
fcult time finding positions in the hum
bier lines of work.
1.-THE first thing an employer does is
to look a man over. When he sees he
is a fellow of culture and education he
begins to be suspicious. He is afraid
he is too much of gentleman to do so
called mental labor. L have had col
lege men tell me that they had tried
in vain to get any kind Of rough en-
ployment before they applied here. but
were refused.
"Of course that is only one reason
college graduates drift here. There
men who are too weak to resist dissi-
patton and drink. The fact that they
are educated men makes their cases
more striking, to be sure. when you
And them here, but they are really I'M
der the same influences that affect any
man.
'sThis place is not a mission; it is
really an employment agency. We find
positions for men and take care OF
them until they get work. When q
man comes here we look him over, and
IL he is a derelict we cannot take him.
We only try te--help those who can
make something of themselves. For
those who merely want a nights lodg-
ing there are other places.
"You would be surprised to see the
refined and cultured men who come
here. Right now we have a man who
was at one time connected with one Of
the largest hospitals He had bad luck
and drifted here. We are going to get
him in touch with hospital again and
set him on his feet.
Another man who has been shell
tered in the Bowery branch had once
been a clergyman at $4,000 year. On
the other hand. former applicant for
admission who was saved through the
institution is now acting consul Of the
United States in foreign country, and
only few nights ago one of the speak
ers at the branch was man now high
up in big manufa curing concern who
twenty years ago was drinking in ev-
cry saloon On the Bowery.
81 have never taken any statistics on
the subject, but from an offhand OBJ
servation I would say that don't be-
iieve we ever had college man who
worked his way through college among
those who apply here for help.
F'There are all kinds of stories back
Of the college men who drift here An
Irish medical student, son of an Irisl,
clergyman, took a turn at drink and
wound up here one night with a bottle
of poison in his pocket. We helped and
encouraged him, and now he is back in
Ireland at the head of his class in
Queens College Medical school,
OF the men who have been helped at
the Bowery branch IS per cent were
between the ages Of eighteen and thir-
ty-five. They come from all over the
United States and from twenty nine
foreign countries. AS to citizenship, rs
per cent were American and "a foreign.
The causes Of distress given were con-
Gftfons in the industrial world. sick
ness, accidents, discomfort, drink and
ether forms Of dissipation.
The Bowery branchSis- now raising
100000 to enlarge it's field Of work.
Matter Of Economy.