Rensselaer Republican, Volume 17, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 May 1885 — Learn A Trade. [ARTICLE]

Learn A Trade.

During a conversation with a foreman of a large manufacturing company he said incidentally: “We have had no American apprentices in two years,” and in reply to my interrogation said that American parents were more desirous of their sons learning to dispise labor than to adorn it. Looking the matter over carefully I have reached the conclusion that he is right. It is a pity. Young man, look forward a few years. You have good homes to-day and homes where every comfort poss - ble to have is in your grasp. You do not apprec ate these things. They come to you without effort, they are retained to you without effort on your part and you permit yourself to slide along on the greased pole of confidence in the ability of your parents to provide. Did you ever think that money, sometimes, yes, often, takes wings? Well, it does; it goes in the twinkling of an eye sometimes and then your father has to work, and you, if you have anything in your composition and make up which has the appearance of a man, will go to work to help out your father. Now, if you had learned a trade you would not be obliged to search for $6 positions as clerks, but could step into places that are waiting for just such men as you might be, at a fair salary. Don’t think when you light your cigarette and walk'down the street tiiat you are any better than anybody else. Don’t imagine that the mechanic as he passes you envies you. Don’t imagine that society could not get along without you. You must know that society thinks oniy of your money and nothing of you, and your father was to lose his dollars to-day that to-morrow would find you knocking at society’s ' closed doors. And the inachanic pities you and says: “Well, I would not exchange places with him,” and he means it Suppose you put on an old suit of clothes and go down to the machine shop or the factory, or the printing office and commence at the bottom round and work up. There will be boys there that will laugh at your white skin and delicate looks and yet secretly they will admire you for having the good sense to do what you ought to do. Your employer will advance you as fast as you deserve and with your natural ability there is no reason why you should not reach the top round of the ladder in a lew years. Then if your parents have money >nd yml feel a desire to do something else, do it; and if days of adversity come, as is very probable they will you will have something to fall back on which will support you and your wife and babies in comfort. A hat this countr y needs is more of its young men to learn trades. There are enough who will De bound to make fools of themselves and try to navigate life without it, and look to the pro essions for a dry and uncertain living. It is no disgrace to be poor, but it is a disgrace tq any young man who, having the opportunity to learn a trade which will be of use to him in after years, throws it away and with it his comfort and that of those dependent on him, 10 satisfy the pride of society which looks simply upon the wealth and not the worth of man.— Arkansaw Traveler.