Year: 1867

Persistence in any chosen vocation is an
essential 10 success. This Is a general rule,


but we desire now oaly TO apply it to the
business Of the mechanic. Constant Drac-


tice. constant study, and eonstantapphcatio
are conditions precedent to perfection. But
even these will be Wssted if the occupation
| chosen Is united to the natural dualifca-
tions of the workman. Some are born with


out anv natural aptness for the mechanical


arts. E,ger7 meehaHe understands what is


meant by a 'mechaaicai eye The want
| in the visual organs fhus characterized does
not necessarily imply that there is disease
or maIformati0n eF the optic nerve hut
rather that there ii 10 judgment to direct
aud guide tho eye 1hs infant grasps as
readily at the moon as at his rattle within a
/ few inches of his face. In time, by repeated


experiments, he learns the relative distances


and dimensions Of objects All are capable
of this amount Of Judgment, but in the
pr.setice of mechanic. a much higher degree
Of experience Is required and much closer


exercise Of the judgment. There are some
men who may practice at mechanical trade


their whole life long and never be even rass-
able workmen. TheT never can tell wheth-
er a line is straight. 81 a surface level, even


with the aid of legds and straight-edges.
We remember an instance in point, where a
young man ar3ently lesirouS of becoming a
machinist was compelled to forego his favor
| ite business because of this imperfection-


the want of mechanical eye. His first


job was the centerlng Of some pieces Of round
iron, seven inches long and one and one
eighth inches diameter He worked with


vice, hammer, center punch, and bench cen
ters half day on twelve pieces, yet he did


not correctly center single one, although


he received repeated instructions and exam
pies from the foreman. Indeed he could


not, even with the aid Of chalk held against
the revolving surfaces Of the cylinders, see
in what respect they were not true. Such


an apprentice could ueEeF become a work


man and his failure would result from no
fault capable Of remedy. Many employers
have had a similar experience with their ap-
prentIces, or with those who called them


selves workmen. The first requisite, there
fore, is to have a proper object, one fitted to
the capabilities.


Another of more importance is to stick to
ii. We take it for granted that every be-
giBncr at a mechanical business enters it
with the intention and purpose of becoming
a FIRST class workman If not 1t is more
than probable he viii never reach even me.
diocriiy. If be is satisfied to serve his time,
blundering through his work without under


Standing it, he viii come out one of those
nuis2nces to employers and disgracers to
workmen, poor tool Such profession
al wOrkmen cannot stay long In any situation
and are conFelled to accept the most dis


tasteful work with the lowest wages. Even
under these circumstances there might be


hope for them if tsey would, thus late, en-
deaY0r to stick to their business but, being


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and succeeding in nothing because they viii


not thoroughly, and honestly, and persist
entity apply themselves TO their business.
Soon apprentices think that when they
have achieved the triumph Of doing one job
/ in a single department of their business their


trade Is learned and their position secure.
1 They do not seem to realize that although
/ the customary or legal term of their noviti-
ate has expired they are still learners. New


methods Of doing work, new tools, new de-
( scriptions OF work, new combinations Of ma


terials are continually being brought for
ward, and the mechanic who has attained
| the position of first class workman by pa
/ tient practice. must preserve and hold that
! position by constant endeayor.


/ There are others who stick to it, in 4
! different way. These are they who having
/ spent limited time in shop assume to
know all they have ever had to do and also
/ all they have seen others do. They have
/ done with learning In their own estimation
I they are perfect When seeking lob they


assume a thorough knowledge Of the work


to be performed and the method Of doing it.
/ These men soon find their level We knew
oncc Of such a proGigy who hired into a
machine shop and had for his first job the


turning of connecting bars taperiug from
center to ends He asked fellow workman
! how he should turn item. The answer was:


Set the tail of your lathe over, meaning
/ to move transversely the upper portion of
1 the tail stock to the proper angle. He IN
( derstood it literally and procuring crOw-bar
! was swinging the lathe frame out of line


with the driving shaft when the foreman
/ discovered him. His services were iuconti-
/ nently dispensed with.


Mechanical art does not need such helpers.
! Ii needs men with purpose men who are


willing and ardent to learn; men who are


not dismayed at obstacles, but who take a
1 pride in either removing or overcoming
/ them. Only such viii ever become mechan-


les worthy the name. The others are abor-


tons. Scientific AflleticaH.