Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-06-06
DIGNITY OF LABOR.

We have been fond as nation of speak
ing of the dignity of labor, meaning there
by manual labor. Personally don't think
that we begin to understand what a high
place manual labor should take and it
never can take this high place unless It
offers scope for the best type OF man. We
have tended to regard education as a
matter of the head only. and the resul.
is that great many of our people, them
selves the sons of men who worked with
their hands, seem to think that they rise
in the world If they get into a position
whore they do no hard manual work
whatever: where their hands will grow
soft, and their working clothes will
be kept clean. Such a conception
Is both false and mischievous. There
are. of course. kinds of labor whero the
work must be purely mental. and there
are other kinds of labor where. under
existing conditions, very little demand
indeed Is made upon the mind, though |
am glad to say that think the proportion
of men engaged in this kind of work is
diminishing. But in any healthy COM
munity, in any community with the great
solid qualities which alone make a really
great nation. the bulk Of the people should
the body and the mind Progress cannot
permanently consist IN the abandonment
of physical labor but in the development
Of physical labor so that II shall represen.
moro and more the work of the trained
mind in the trained body. To provide
such training. to encourage in every way
the production of the men whom It alone
can produce, is to show that as a nation
trIe &C
and importance Of labor The calling of
the skilled tiller of the soil the calling
of the skilled mechanic, should alike he
recognized as professions. Just as en- |
phatcally as the callings of lawyer. Of
doctor, of banker. merchant, or clerk.
The printer, the electrical worker, tho
house painter. tho foundry man shoujd
he trained just as carefully as the stenox-
raphcr or the drug clerk They should
be trained alike in head and in mind. They
should get over the idea that to earn $40 |
week and call it salary" is better than
to earn s25 a week and call IT "waR "
The young man who has the courage and
the ability to refuse to enter the crowded.
field Of the so-called professions and to
take to constructive industry is almost |
sure Of an ample reward in earnings. in
health, In opportunity to marry early. |
and to establish home with reasonable |
freedom from worry We need tho train
ing the manual dexterity, and Industrial
intelligence which can be best given in q |
good agricultural. or building or TEXTILE |
or matchmaking. or engraving. or me
chanical school. II should be one Of orr |
prime objects TO put the mechanic. the
wage worker who works with his hands !
and who ought TO work in n constantly |
larger degree with his head. on a higher
plane of efficiency and reward so az IN |
increase his effectiveness In the economic
world, and therefore the dignity. the re- |
Enumeration. and the power Of his position
in the social world. To train bows and
girls In merely literary accomplishment |
TO the total exclusion of industrial man
ual, and technical training tends to unit
them for industrial work; and in real llf,
most work Is industrial.
NOT A SINGLE PROBLEM
The problem OF furnishing well-trlined |
craftsmen, or rather journeymen fitted in |
the end to become such, is not simple - |
few problems are simple in the actual |
process OF their solut!on-and much car,
and forethought and practical common |
sense will be needed, in order to work 1t |
out In fairly satisfactory manner. 1t
should appeal to all our citizens. am |
glad that societies have already been |
formed to promote industrial education |
and that their membership includes man
ufacturers and leaders of labor unions |
educators and publcsts, men of all con-
ditions who are interested in education |
and In Industry 1t Is such cooperation |
that Offers most hope for a satisfactory |
solution OF the question as to what Is the |
best form Of indusirial schnnl n To the