Democratic Sentinel, Volume 4, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 January 1881 — Boys as Mechanics. [ARTICLE]

Boys as Mechanics.

Almost all boys are naturally mechanics. The constructive and imitative faculties are developed, in part, at a very early age. All boys are not capable of being developed into good, practical working mechanics, but most of them show their bent that way. There are few cases in which the boy has no competent idea of the production of a fabricated result from inorganic material, but such cases are. Given the proper encouragement and the means, and many boys whose mechanical aptness is al-

lowed to run to waste, or is diverted from its natural course, would become good workmen, useful, producing mem bers of the industrial community. The mechanical boy ought to have a shop of bis own. Let it be the attic, or an unused room, or a place in the barn or wood-shed. Give him a place, and tools. Let him have a good pocket knife, gimlets, chi els, gouges, planes, cutting nippers, saws, a foot rule, and material to work. Let the boy have s chance. If he is a mechanic it will come out, and he will do himself credit. If he fails he is to follow some calling that does not demand mechanical skill. .