"THERE'S ROOM AT THE TOP."

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume I, Issue 2, 17 April 1880, Page 3 (Supplement)

"THERE'S ROOM AT THE TOP."

The young man; ambitious to succeed in any line of business,* should always bear this in mind. Therefore those in;j>lenty of mediocre ability, superficial acquirements, and inadequate preparation, bat the thoroughly trained and competent are scarce. The standard of modern professional requirements has been greatly elevated by ihe advances which the w,orld has made within a few year 3 past and still higher demands are constantly being made. The demand for men who have a complete knowledge of every department of their business has always been felt. The extent of that knowledge 'widens every year, as improved methods and facilities are introduced. The ship captain, for instance, wbo a few years ago, needed only to 'be acquainted with centuries — old theories of navigation, with what more recent geographical explorations had added toereto, now finds himself, ,in this age of steam, working under totally different conditions. What he formerly knew is equally necessary now, but the successful management of a ship propelled by steam, calls for an entirely new set of ideas and experiences, and the captain who would at present be a thorough master'in his profession, should not only know how to run a steam engine;, but be a practical hydraulic engineer,_ with a good knowledge also of pneumatics and electricity, in order to avail'nimself of all the advantages which' recent discoveries ancl inventions have placed «.t the disposal of navigators, whereby more efficient work may be done, and a higher degree of safety attained. There are' captains in plenty who are sailing masters only, but in proportion as they are also competent .in these other departments, whereby fhey become in fact independent of their subordinates, do they attain the higher positions and greater responsibilities of their profession. And what is true in this instance may be said of nearly every branch of business, as we find a like necessity for greater amplitude and thoroughness of preparation in all lines of professional activity. The discoveries in chemistry within a few years past have been of far reaching importance, and many of them have been such that a first class doctor cannot remain ignorant of the advances made and retain his position in the front rank of his profession. With lawyers, also, a greater familiarity is expected with all departments of modern science, so that many members of the bar at the present day may be really classed as experts in the technicalities of important industries. And, with. these demands for a higher standard of preparation the facilities for its attainment have been so multiplied that they are easily within the reach of all who have the disposition and the energy to avail themselves of the opportunities offered. One peculiarity °in the conduofc of our leading industries, however, has operated rather to hinder the Attainment of this higher standard of excellence among workmen in many casea. The "divhfon of labour" now carried out in such detail in most; branches of business has given, us great numbers of workmen who know, only a small portion of a trade, and, unless the mechanic be ambitious to rise in his avocation, he becomes little better than a machine. Blacksmiths, machinists, carpenters, masons, painters, shoemakers, etc., are now divided into separate classes of workmen who are masten only of some specially in their trade, rather than the whole trade, and but seldom endeavour to reach a practical knowledge of all the other departments cf their own businoas. To . illustrate from < what Is Certainly one of the least complicated of oar trades? in a modern ahoe factory' we find, besides the cutters, fitters, and makers of the npp«rs, there-are- diff«<rei*i>-eeto~^»£-H»«* employed for lasting, heeling, trimming, burnishing, finishing, etc., the finished boob or shoe in most cases being the work of bix to ten hands, each of whom knows only how to do hiß particular pact. This division of labour undoubtedly gives the -bent results in i the aggregate for the community, bat the ease with which workmen attain proficiency in one small item of a whole trade undoubtedly tends to check that ambition to exael< which hat thus' far been the most marked characteristic of mechanics. " I have taken all knowledge to be my province;" wrote Lord Bacon, in 1592, when he was only thirty-one years of age. The expression often occurs to us when we consider what is now expected from firstclass mechanics as well as from professional men. Bacon excelled all other men of his. day in a "knowledge of the mutual relations of all departments of knowledge," and his philosophy,' more than that of anyone else of his time, taught " the art of inventing arts/ Taking his meaning in this. sense, there axe many to-day who might fitly; say what Bacon said' of himself. But this is pre-eminently a practical age, and,' while it ; shows the best possible development pi the Baconian philosophy, it requires, of all who would stand at the head , in any department of the world's activity, an amount of practical knowledge of which he had only a general., conception. The multitudes which now crowd; upon each other in the competitions of life are 'of those who do not. meet the. call' for that better culture and more complete preparation of which - society can. .never have enough, and. which, .'the diversified industries and. great enterprises, of modern times will always find, ample i employment for. " There is alwayß room at the top," said Daniel .Webster, in reply, to the inquiry of a young lawyer as to the chances of success in his profession, and only those who pursue their avocations, of whatever nature, with this in mind, are certain to succeed.