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DEVOTED TO
VOL. VII.
CHOOSING A PROFESSION.
Few questions of greater import-
tance are presented to young men
for consideration. What avocations
are best suited to certain individ-
uas, may be a question for the spe
cialist to ponder. For what occupa
tion am I best suited, and what call
ing in life do my talents seem to
point as best calculated for me to
fili, are questions for every young
man to look at in every possible
light before a final conclusion is
reached. It is a lamentable fact
that many avocations of mankind
are burdened with men who have
been pushed into them, so to speak,
by mere circumstances of light im
portance, or else they are filled bv
men who just drift into them with
out any consideration at all of the
important question. Frequently
young men, by the influence of fond
parents, are induced to enter call
ings in life for which they have no
taste, nor inclination, nor talents!—
Thus the doting mother has her fa
vorite preacher, and her boy is con
stoutly persuaded to take as his
model the said preacher, and it is
■whispered to him what a joy it
would be to mother for him to be
such a man. The proud father has
his favorite pl»3 r sician or lawyer,
and the praises of such an one are
sqng to the young man until the
calling is invested with a fascina
tion that renders action less akin to
reason than infatuation. The young
man himself may see or hear some
distinguished man, and from the
trifling fact that he has great admi
ration for the man, may decide on
his life’s course for no other reason.
While this is obviously the case it
does not require a second thought
to see the folly and absurdity of
such a course. By careful observa
tion on the part of parents certain
traits of character and disposition
may be noted in a child of very ten
der years. Thus it may be noted
that one child seems to reach a con
clusion, as it were, by magic, with
out evtfli seeming to be conscious of
any mental action, while another
seems to expend an enormous
amount of mental energy. Shall the
father choose such a calling for the
latter as may require rapid thought
and quick conclusions as in the case
of sudden emergency? And must
the child with a quick perception
be advised
Y
ilfT
H
f HE INTERESTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA.
ATHENS, G-A., SATURDAY JAN. 14, 1888.
NO. 12
to fel'ow some calling
requires long and laborious
jht? Limy wMl show a fond-
for leruin things at a very
which
thou
ness
early age. fit may be noted that one
child is paid*'! ately fond of horses,
and will spend hours riding an im
aginary hors; 1 made from a stick,
while he is nu-er so happy as when
allowed to take the reins in his
hands. Shall such a boy be sent off
to a business college and receive a
mercantile ed ication with a view of
entering the calling of a merchant?
One child is noticed to be passion
ately fond of reading, and may be
found with a book or paper in his
hand nearly 11 the time; another is
fond of using tools. Shall the boy
who is fond <f books be advised to
enter the c lling of a carpenter,
while the one with love for tools be
made to entei the calling of a lawyer
or divine? Thus we may safely
conclude thai one of the very tirsi
things to emsider when we are
choosing ^{ling or profession in
life is whetlW we have a fondness
for such woiii as may be required. If
one does not love his work there is
high probai iiity that he will neglect
it, and will trove a failure.
Another mint to be well consid
ered is our nentsl capacities and in
clinations. As much as we hate to
admit the f: it, it is nevertheless true
that nearly all of us are deficient in
some parti;ular mental capacity.
One of us has a fondness lor lan
guages, an kher for mathematics,
and anotlie for philosophy or physs
ics. True I is the old maxim—
“Many nun of many minds.” It
would beat absurdity for a student
who is a socially bright boy in
chemistry, ind who takes a delight
in performing experiments, but who
has a hatif cl for searching out Greek
roots or breading the intricate
mazes of Latin Syntax—it would be
the highest absurdity for him to
seek to ma ie himself a professor of
ancient lanjgunges. Again it is well
to consider the feelings, as well as
the preference, for certain branches
of study. If one’s feelings are re
bellious at the idea of public speak
ing, how can he ever hope to make a
public speaker of any note? If one
sickens at the sight of blood, must
he take up the calling of a surgeon?
Though there are some disagreeable
duties connected with nearly every
calliug in life, yqt there are certain
dispositions which seem suited to
perform certain duties. Many men
can face a cannon's mouth without
a quiver, but they quake and trem
ble at a sheet carelessly left on a
clothes line. Another point to con
sider is our physical fitness for any
calling in life. If a man be small
of stature, weak of body, he cannot
befitted for any calling that requires
much fatigue, exposure, or bodily
exertion. If a man has a weak or
harsh voice he can never fill accept
ably the position of public speaker.
A man who is maimed or deformed
can never stand before an audience
without exciting in some degree, in
some of his hearers, an unpleasant
feeling. His language may be beau
tiful and his reasoning perfect, but
EXCHANGES.
Again we take pleasure in noticing
tlie exchanges which have reached
n during the past week. They
hue been few, but those which have
Ten received are very high in the
S ale of merit.
The Pennsylvanian is among our
liw weekly exchanges, and among
o r best. Its editorial department
is very strong, while its locals might
it; improved upon. On the whole
htwever, it is an excellent paper.
The Adelphian comes to us filled
’ with interesting pieces. Among
p liers, we note its selections from
rl ffereut authors which are very
tb'od.
As a proof of our regard for the
literary merit of the Messenger, from
there is a vague feeling of uneasi-fe clmiond college, we place on out
ness, of uniest, in the audience - . .. -
which it is impossible to overcome.
We cannot afford to overlook our
physical adaptability when choosing
our life work. The quick and im
pulsive temper is hardly suited to
such a calling as requires tedious
and laborious work. The quick
tempered man cannot hope to make
a good teacher until he has acquired
such control over his temper as few
with such tempers ever attain.
Many other points should be con
sidered, such as our patience, ener
gy, perseverance and zeal. It is
important to choose a calling in life
as early as practicable, in order to
so direct and shape our training as
to best fit us for our lile work. But
it is equally important to take time
for mature consideration. No young
man has a right to rush headlong
into some vocation for which he has
no talents, and in which, so far from
being useful, he is a burden and a
hindrance. Nor has he a right t(
neglect the means God has givei
fiont page a very fine selection from
its many articles.
We are glad to place on our ex-
jciange list the Georgia Cracker
ifiom Atlanta, Ga. It is edited by
-j lido Ramsdell, an expert in the
no upon which the Cracker is run*
Uthough it is not a college paper,
re wish to see it often.
him by which he may judge of hi|
fitness to fill any position and
seek to find out by experiment wha
may be found out by a little reason
ing. Will we not be held account*
ble for such portions of our lives as
we may waste in such experiment ?
Fellow-students, let us ponder well
before we enter into our life work,in
order that we may act well our part,
and do credit to the work as well as
gain honor for ourselves.- Richmond
College Messenger.
VNIVERSITT PRATER MEETING.
The exercises of the University
Prayer meeting were resumed after
a long cessation on last Friday night
at 7:30 p. m. Quite a number of
students were present, and every
thing seemed to indicate that much
interest is being manifested in these
meetings, and that the meetings in
the future will be well attended.
Mr. J. D. Mell led the meeting, read
ing as a lesson the 103rd Psalm, and
taking as his leading verse a portion
of the verse “The fool has said iu
his heart, there is no God.” In his
clear, logical, and impressive way,
he disproved all the assertions and
arguments of the infidel and pointed
out the benefits to be derived from a
Christian life. His remarks were
greatly enjoyed by all present. Mr.
T. W. Reed will lead the next meet
ing, aud Mr. W. A. Davis will lead
the one following. The attendance
of all students is earnestly solicited.
Go to W. A. Jester’s for Fishd an
Oysters, served in any style.
W. A. Jester has just received a
shipment of Malaga grapes, Banana
nas, Oranges, Apples, etc., to which
he calls the attention of the stu
dents.
