Year: 1871

';If there is sprightly lad in
Monroe who can read and spell
well, and wants a trade that will
render him, as man, independent,
he can find permanent situation
at this office"


The above little notice, from
the Monroe Telegraph, forcibIy
brings to our mind the antipathy
that the generality Of Southern
people have to teaching their
children useful occupations and
professions. Whether this feeling


grows out Of the results Of the in
stitption Of slavery or not, we arc


unable to say, but that it exists,
and 80 inherently that it is cx.
tremcIy difficult OK eradication,
we have no chance to doubt
Physical laoor was wont to be as
sociated so closely with the posi-
tion Of the negro, that custom


made It almost Il degradation for


i white man to be necessarily so


occupied. \ recollection going
back some fourteen years in


Shreveport, assists US to the con-


cIusion that during that length Of
time We know Of but few cases in
dccd-Dot more than half Il dozen
of her young men acquiring


knowledge of really any good


trade. To become 4 good black


smith, carpenter, brick layer, sad
dlcr, practical engineer, or any


other artizan, was at once to take


up the badge Of intcriority-to
the mlddle-class Southerncr re-


voting if applied to their children.


aud even to the most impecunious
families the idea would have been.
spurned as an insult. When any


useful knowledge outside Of agri-
culture was to be acquired, young


men were planted out as it were to


grow up lawyers and doctors-at-
tention as to their capacity tor
these professions never once being
thought of-and the great mass


who could not afford this training


to their children allowed them to


become statesmen, clerks, deputy


officials, etc., or, what was more


to be regretted, permitted them


to do nothing at all, and live as


their wits best dictated. a good


trade would have been scorned by


people claiming to be respectable,


or desiring to hold their heads up


in society, and the consequence is


that our community is not, and
never can be, sclf:sustaing until


there is q change in such senti-


mcnt.


We do not underestimate the


Importance of a knowledge Of the


professions, or Of any Of the light


occupations wo have enumerated,


but we do reprobatc the senti-


mcnt that throws odium upon the


mechanic or tradcSmen. When


we say that these occupations


may be we'll enough for others,


but that they will not do for us,


we utwittingly brand those who


follow the same: and do more to


keep our men imbccile and our


women frivolous than possibly is


thought for. When lads are afraid


to swing the hammer or drive the
jack plain, misses must necessarily


preserve their dainty fingers, for


the hero OF the yard measure will


not descend from his high estate


to smile upon beauty adorned


with a rough hand gained in the


kitchen. The result is that we


have both sexes striving against
the common lot, and society is at


variance with the spirit Of the in
stitutlons upon which our govern


mcnt was first founded.


We all prate well enough about
the dignity Of labor, but seeming
ly admire it only in theory, What


better fortune can young man


have than fair education and
useful trade? Men should be edu-
Gated and trained according to


their circumstances in life, and


fitted to perform the part for


which they are best adapted. 1t
does not certainly follow that d


man must always remain Il car


penter or u blacksmith because


he has been raised one. Give him
moderate education and good
calling and ten to one he gets
away above it if the stuff Is in
him. If it is not, then nature de-
signs that he should remain a
hewcr of wood and drawer OF wa
ter. But the boy who has the


courage, under existing circum-
stances, to learn a "trado that will
render him, as Il man, indepon-
dent" has already achieved q good


deal, and he has nothing to tear
from a vain although injurious
idea. Before we can achieve
greatness, materially or otherwise,


as section, We shall have to dis
pcnso with certain tests Of gentll-
ity, and learn to hold the honest
artizan in esteem commensurate
with the good be does in society.
Will parents think OF this in fiji
ture as they fit their children Tor
the battle Of life?


[Shrereport South Wcst.