The Importance Of Learning A Trade

Why is it that thero is such a repugnance on the part of parents to puttiDg their sous to a trade ? A tkilled meciinuif is an independent man. Go wbcre bo will his craft will briug him support. He need ak favors of none. IIo bas literally, his fortune iu his own bands Yet foolish porentg, ambitious tbat their Bonsshould "rise in tha world," as they say, are moro willing that they should study for a profesión, with the chances of even moderate succojs heavily against thein, or ruo the risk of spending tlieir manhood iu the ignoble task of retailing dry goods or of tciliog laboriously at tbe accountant's desk, tban learn a trade which would bring tliem maaly strength and independence. In poiat of íáct, the niethod they ohooso is the one least Hkely to achieve tho advancement aimed at ; for the supply of eandidates for positions as "errand-boys," dry goeds clerks, and kindred oecupations is notoriously overstocked, while, on the otiier hand, the demand for really skilled mechonics, of every description, is ai notoriously beyond tho supply. The crying need I of this oountry today is for skilled labor ; and that father who neglects to provide his son with a usuíul trade, and to see that he thorcughly masters it, does him a grievous wrong, ond runs the risk of heiping, by so tnueh, to inorease the steek of die and dfper.dent, if not vicious, menibers of society. It is atated in ihe report of tle Prison Association, lateiy issued, that i-f fourteen tliousand five huiulred nnd ninotysix prisouerí, iu 18C7, ecvout, --even per cent., or over !en tbousttfkd of ttie tjumber, had never learred a irade. T;:e fiioi conveys a lesson of proloui.d interest to thnse who liave in cliargs the trbining of boys, and girli too, for the actie duties of life. - JJanu'inlurer and Iiiiilder.