Concerning the Education of Young Men. VI: Selecting an Occupation

CONCERNING THE EDUCATION OF YOUNG MEN. BY MILTON BENNION, M. A., PROFESSOR OF PHILOSOPHY, UNIVER- SITY OF UTAH. VI—SELECTING AN OCCUPATION. An occupation is commonly viewed as a means of making a living. It is, however, much more than this. IJ is a means of self-development, and furnishes one of the chief opportunities for the individual to serve his fellows. A little reflection will make it clear to anyone that in civilized society there is an economic interdependence between individuals and between communities. This interdependence has become very complex, and unites, in an industrial way, the whole civilized world. Every individual shares the products of this united labor; he is, therefore, under obligation to share in the productive activities, or otherwise to render service to his contemporaries. In choosing an occupation a young man should not consider primarily the financial reward, but should rather consider how he can best apply his talents for the good of society, and, at the same time, provide a living for himself and for those who are or who may be dependent upon him. The man who loses sight of the ideal^ in his struggle for every dollar he .can make, is an object of pity. He may get the dollars, but "what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" and what satisfaction is there in a life in which all the finer sentiments are crushed out, and in which the good will and the fellowship of men are sacrificed for the sake of material gain? "The love of money is the root of all evil." Where this love of money is the dominating force, life

790 IMPROVEMENT ERA. becomes destitute of real joy and real worth. Wealth is properly a means to higher ends and it should always be regarded as such. The pursuit of it should ever be subordinate to the fundamental principles of life. These principles are summarized as the love of God and the love of man, from both of which the love of money is excluded. It does not follow that a man should not exercise his abilities in a legitimate way in the creation of wealth. Riches can be used very profitably in the promotion of civilization and culture, and even in religion, however spiritual its aim, money is an important means. Money, then, is not to be loved or hated, to be adored or despised; it may, however, properly be gained in peaceful and legitimate ways to be used as a means to further worthy, ends. Thus to make money is the aim of many occupations, while the aim of others is to render service that is not directly connected with the creation of wealth. Of these latter occupations the professions of teaching and medicine are examples. Either sort of occupation is,properly measured in terms of social service. Preliminary to selecting an occupation, a young man should ask himself, what am I best fitted by nature to do? and what industrial and professional opportunities are within my reach? It may take years of education and experience to answer the first question. No one should try to answer it hastily, but rather he should take time to develop his powers and explore his capabilities thoroughly. It is very important that this question should be correctly answered, since upon a correct answer depends, in large measure, a man's success in his business or profession. The large percentage of those who, after spending years in the study of a profession, fail in its practice, fully supports this contention. In this connection some thought should be given to the question, what occupation will be most congenial? A few extra dollars is poor compensation for following an occupation that is very distasteful. The same work may be fascinating to one person but very tedious to another. Other things being equal, one should select an occupation in which he is interested, or in which he can become interested. Interest tends to increase the efficiency of work, besides contributing much to the enjoyment of life. In attempting to determine one's capabilities and interests, great caution must be taken that they be correctly judged. A

CONCERNING THE EDUCATION OF YOUNG MEN. 791 young person is very likely to misjudge his capabilities, either to overestimate or to underestimate them. To avoid error he must be thoroughly honest with himself. He should also seek the candid opinions of his friends, especially of teachers and parents. Again, there is danger of mistake in conceiving one's possible interests, especially in reference to an occupation of which a person knows little, has only a fanciful notion. There are many difficulties to be overcome and many troublesome experiences in every occupation. If a person is deciding on one that he thinks is devoid of these, he should investigate more fully, talk with people who are engaged in it, and get them to show him the rough as well as the smooth places. I do not mean to intimate that one should be frightened of difficulties, by no means so. It is one of the joys of life to overcome them. But to avoid mistakes and disappointments, it is well to understand at the outset that there are difficulties, and to steel the will to attack them with courage and determination. What are the industrial and professional opportunities? A young man should be wide awake to his industrial opportunities, and fit himself to take advantage of them. It is immoral, if not criminal, for him to be a pauper, a dependent, a wanderer over the face of the earth, when there are about him natural resources and professional opportunities by means of which he might support himself and family, and at the same time contribute towards the economic independence of the community in which he lives. Of course, he cannot do this by loafing on the street corners while the opportunities go by. If he has not yet discovered these opportunities, and does not know what to prepare for, this is no excuse for inactivity. He may prepare, in a preliminary way, for any occupation by cultivating vigor of body and mind, increasing his intelligence,and by forming habits of industry and frugality. Then, when he has discovered himself and his opportunity, he may add whatever special preparation is needed. What are these opportunities? In the intermountain states their name is legion. Here are a few of them: Agriculture is in its childhood, notwithstanding the facts cited in this regard under High School and College. The scientific distribution and use of water will greatly increase the amount of land that can be irrigated. The more intense and scientific cultivation

792 IMPROVEMENT ERA. of this irrigated land, and especially its more general use for fruit and vegetable production and sugar beet culture, will make it possible for several families to make a good living from land and water rights that now furnish the basis of support for but one. Again, the application of science to arid farming promises to revolutionize agriculture in the West. There is here a great industry in process of creation. While the use of the public domain for stock raising is becoming less possible, animal industry will become of more rather than of less importance. Dairying, the production of beef, mutton, and wool, poultry-raising, and bee-keeping are to be great industries in the future. It is only the old unscientific method of conducting them that is to pass away. Mining and metallurgy are among the greatest wealth producing industries of the West, and the outlook is towards greater production from this source. These growing industries will furnish excellent opportunities for mining experts, metallurgists, and chemists. The construction of roads, canals, and reservoirs, and the growth of manufacturing industries will create a demand for civil and mechanical engineers. The more extensive use of electricity will require the services of an ever increasing number of experts. In all these engineering professions a man should qualify himself to work with his hands as well as with his brain. If he has to spend some years in doing the things that he, as an engineer, is to direct, it will be so much the better for him and for his profession. With the increase of wealth and population there will be greater demand for architects, and here again it is well that the architect should have some first-hand knowledge and experience in one or more of the building trades. Besides, if a man can put his hands as well as his head to the work, he will be more independent, and will lose nothing in dignity. There is, at the present time, too little disposition on the part of young men to learn the ancient and indispensable trades of mason, carpenter, blacksmith, and others of like utility. Men frequently fail in the professions when they might have been very successful in one of these trades. In new and rapidly growing communities there are sometimes good opportunities in merchandising. The fact that a man may get rich in this occupation is no indication that he is robbing the public, since the annual profit, in large measure, results from making rapid

CONCERNING THE EDUCATION OF YOUNG MEN. 793 sales, and this, in turn, commonly comes from giving the public the best service. Those having teaching ability and inclination will, when qualified, find good opportunities in both public and private schools. Not opportunities to get rich, but to serve mankind. There is likewise a growing demand for skilled, conscientious physicians, not only to prescribe for the sick, but, by their advice, to promote health and prevent the spread of contagious diseases. In public opinion the lawyer is, perhaps, one of the most abused of professional men. No doubt in the legal profession, dealing as it does in proparty rights, there are exceptional opportunities for the attorney to enrich himself at the expense of his clients, and to create trouble instead of preventing it, a practice akin to the patent medicine business in the medical profession. This chance for plunder attracts some bad men to the bar, and makes bad men of some lawyers who, in the beginning of their career, had no evil intentions. Nevertheless, the ideal of the profession, and the practice of its worthy members, are good. As it is the business of physicians to promote the health of the communities they serve, so is it the proper business of lawyers to promote justice, and to protect the individual in his life, his liberty, and his property. A man should not be attracted to any profession because of a desire to escape productive activity, to avoid manual labor. Neither should he reject a profession because it is not one that creates wealth. I repeat that every occupation is to be measured in terms of social service. Applying the standard, the honest lawyer may be just as much a moral man, and be just as serviceable to the community, as is the honest farmer. In selecting an occupation, then, his own fitness for the work, and the needs of society, are the main principles by which a young man should be guided. Salt Lake City, Utah.