Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1912-02-08
SHOP TALK
AT MCRUM- HOWELL PLANT.
Rev. c. H. Ricketts, Talked to En-
pIoyes on The Grand Trunk, the
Straight Pathway to Success.

The thirteenth in his series of shop
talks at the McCrum- Howell compa-
nys plant was given on Wednesday
noon by Rev. c. II. Ricketts,, VINO
spoke on The Grand Trunk, meaning
by that term that straight pathway to
success which men can reach only as
some great passion possesses them.
When to any man life means purpose
that is worthy Of the very best he can
put into it, he will then put forth a
supreme effort to attain it. Every
man is called upon to make supreme
choice in life, and carrying that choice
out is his life mission. If there is one
thing in life more than another that a
boy wants to do, and seems to have
special adaptability for doing it, and
if that one thing takes possession OF
him by day and he dreams about it at
night, in all probability that is the
boys life work. If that is So then
sacrifice and struggle, failures and re-
verses will only be steppingstones to
his final success. When that boy gets
on to the grand trunk he will suck to
it until the great south terminal Of
triumph has been reached.
Next to finding his God, the biggest
thing a man can do is to find his true
place in the worlds workshop, and
every man able to work who is not in
some workshop, mental or manual, is
miserable parasite feeding on the pro-
duct of the other fellows labor The
man who discovers his true sphere in
life, and has a passion for it, who sees
the word purpose" written larger on
each new horizon; who refuses to be
sidetracked at the behest of ease and
comfort; who will not let habit or
pleasure diminish his capacity as a
lNss
equal, nature crowns with success
Even death cannot wrest from such a
man his laurels. He goes on, and on,
forever on, into eternity, where the
grand trunk has no terminals!
The whole industrial situation today
is permeated with a spirit of unrest
that is perplexing. We cannot blink
our eyes to the presence of uncertainty
everywhere as to the disposal of the
overplus that now stuffs our ware
houses. I am inclined to think that
one cause of this situation is due to
aimlessness or lack of purpose and
clear direction. Nothing so damages
labor as an aimless, purposeless Ia
borer. And whatever contributes to
individual failure must, sooner or
later, contribute to corporate, failure.
Let all the laborers in our various
workshops once get on to the grand
trunk, then the whole industrial situa-
ton will begin to clarity.
Now the grand trunk runs right
through this foundry as it does
through every workman who means
business to board it, 1t throws out
no sops by way of reduced rates for a
holiday excursion. You must pay the
full fare by giving yourselves to some
thing definite purposeful and noble in
life. 1t means that you must not be
satisfied in merely making steam heat
ers. you must strive to make the best
steam heaters in the market, if you
want to hold the market, and only the
very best can do that And. finally,
think Of the terminal. The Pennsyl-
vania road has put millions into its
palatial terminal in New York city
What are you putting into yours
What is the goal you are aiming for
Are you drifting towards the mud hut
or are you moving steadily on toward
the palace? I mean the terminal pal
| ace a man builds by putting character
into his purpose, energy and ability
it. must be one or the other. The man
who goes through life making such a
use of the grand trunk of opportunity
will experience what is best in life,
and will have heaven to crown il ALI