The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-01-14
MONDAY. JANUARY ii. 1906.
Man Is never so manly as when t,e
feels deeply. acts boldly, and expresses
himself with frankness and with fer
vor.-Disraeli.
The Trades and the Professions,

The Trades and the Professions,
Disparity between the earnings Of the
professional classes and those Of the
skilled trades has frequently been pointed
out in the columns of The Times-Dis-
patch. Striking testimony to this dis
parity Is given in q brief article in Col
lier's Weekly, which is reprinted in air
other column to-day. The tables con-
trast the income of teachers in severa
States with tho wages OF bricklayers
masons and other skilled artisans. and
show that the average OF the latter is
far in excess of the former. You can
in short, hire six teachers in Bucks
county, Pa. for less than the full years
earnings of one able-bodied bricklayer.
These figures are not unusual or ex-
traordinary in any way. They are not
we believe, fixed with view to prove
case They merely represent fairly
enough and palpably enough an economic
condition. School-teaching is not the
worst paid Of the learned professions.
The average income of lawyers in this
country is estimated at some $500 year.
The average doctor. IL our memory serves,
makes no more. Many country parish
pays its parson much less. Nor have
only the highest waged workmen been
elected for comparison. There are many
who earn much more than the bricklay-
er's $500 per day. A hammersmith in a
great manufacturing plant not wholly
unknown to Rchmonders earns, we
are told on excellent authority, approx
matcly $4,000 year. Reflect upon that
,l,aEure for moment. You could employ
the most learned college professor in
America for less.
The meaning OF these figures is not to
be controverted. Trades pay better than
professions. Changing economic condi-
tons. oversupply of teachers and lawyers
and the growing strength of the unions
has quite reversed the old order of
things. The so-called educated classes
have retained their dignity" and the
working. classes have got nearly every
thing else.
Nor. if this disparity of earning
capacity is increased or long maintained,
can there be any doubt what the result
will be? We shall See young men leaving
college, we'll educated and qualified to
enter professional life. turning their
Backs upon that prospect to go in for
carpentering, tile-laying and cabinet
making. Not to DO 50 wo3ld be piece of
purest folly Why should an intelligent
man teach school in Bucks county for
s35 a month. when he can get $40 q
month for hosting engines?
Apropos of DR.. Pages remarks before
the Education Association. we had some
thing to say on this general subject a
day or two ago. The truest education is
that which helps most to establish the
proper relation between society and
democracy. The practice OF law has no
Inherent superiority in dignity over that
OF laying bricks. If moro of social pres
tge appears TO attach to 1t, that Is
to possess that prestige have gone In for
law than for briclllaying. Changed GUS
toms. growing irresistibly out of the
law OF supply and demand. might readily
make steam-fitting as highly esteemed a
calling as medicine. What is known as a
mans position IN society should not,
and, generally speaking. does not, depend
upon his vocation. If our educated young
men can do better in the trades than in
the overcrowGed professions, it will be a
very mistaken sense of dignity indeed
I that would keep them out. Our educa-
tional endeayors must turn in this direc-
ton II We gain the best results.
DIR. Frissell said at the meeting above
referred to that the aim of Hampton
Institute was to make its pupils useful
Should the aim OF the white schools fall
short of that? Should they not aim 10
make their pupils as useful as possible to
train. every pupil according to his peculiar
talents. to develop that which Is best
within him, to turn his capacity, what
ever 1t may be. to the best account? Edu-
cation which fails In this will fail at the
vital point, and at best can only be
partially successful. Education is con-
structive force.
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~ Cnnceptration II, Educa+;o,