Norwich bulletin., 1916-10-07
Sunday Morning Talk
"BoYs WANTED, TO LEARN"

The above advertisement by big and reputable manufacturing concern has been printed fl reg ularly- in the newspapers for some time now. The standing notice suggests that the sup ply of boys who are anxious to learn is, at least, not greater than the de- mand. If the request had been for boys ito draw good wages" it would have appeared once and been with drawn. The supply would promptly have exceeded the demand.
 It takes time and pains to learn, and that is why so many people hate the process. It seems a stupid and un- grateful waste of energy. People want to go to work at once on the things that count, and that pay salaries.
 A certain young fellow has been ex- hibiting what his friends regard as an unfortunate eagerness to be through with school. The quick and 1lashy success of one or two companions who gave up study early has led him to desire the same sort of career. High school he would greatly aobraviate, eliminate all thought of college, and plunge directly into the work Of life Why waste time,'' he asks, lon lot good?"
 The manager of a working girls club. proposing evening classes in sewing, cooking, and stenography, was met with this reply from one of the members: "On, we girls don't want to learn things! We just want to sing, and dance, and play, and have 8 good time." The sentiment is a very com mon and a not unnatural one. If one slaves all day in a store or factory the evening, surely ought to bring a degree of recreation. Hundreds of thousands of young workers feel that keeniy, and no one can blame them They shy at continuing toilsome pro cesses into the hours of leisure. Hay ing money to square the weekly board bill, to buy a few trinkets, and to pay for a ticket to the movies, they are content. 4
 No sympathetic observer will con- demn this attitude, but it is a, regret table one. nevertheless Your boy or girl who does not want to learn things" is the boy or girl who is go- ing to stay at monotonous and un- remunerative labor all the days of his or her life. Twenty-Five years from now, these unanbitious people, no longer young, are likely to be walking in just about the same treadmill as at present. They will have had their share of the cheaper pleasures, but the greatest pleasure of iife-the sense of getting ahead and achieving some thing, they will never know.
 Every great business and every great industry cries out for workers WuO df0 I0dlly CO11lp0EGHC to uO some one thing well. The demand is un- ceasing for those who have undergone the discipline necessary to learn how. What a seven days wonder it is that more of the millions of young work CTS that throng our streets do not qualify for the bigger prizes. When Abraham Lincoln was reading all the books he could borrow in the neighborhood and working out sums on smooth pine slab, he spoke sen tence that many a young man should paste securely within the lining of his hat: "I will study and get ready, and maybe, my chance will come.'' His chance did come, and it found the rail splitter prepared.
 The youth who plans to capitalize the long evenings of this approaching winter wiht some form of useful study has set his face toward power and competency. He has found something more interesting than the vapid and a1nlless quest for pleasure His study is reasonably certain to mean more l money for him in days ahead. It is absolutely certain to mean a richer empire within his soul.
 Young man, be one of those willing to learn, willing to get ready. Life is a great career and the days we can devote to preparation for it are, at best. none too many Why not take the best equipment obtainable-like those ships that must be well provis- toned, when they sail for a long yoy- ago and a distant harbor?