Carpenter Architect

Excerpt from "Carpentry for Boys"

A carpenter has a trade; the architect a profession. It is not to be assumed that one is better than the other. A profession is defined as a calling, or occupation, to which one devotes himself and his energies. A trade is defined as a task "which a person has learned and engages in," usually involving the skill of his own two hands.

To the ambitious young man, the carpenter's trade offers a way into the learned professions that cannot be equaled. In his work he deals with mathematical problems, geometry, the calculation of strains and stresses, as well as laying out angles and curves.

This is a trade where he must keep in mind many a wide range of materials, numbers, sizes, and methods. He must remember all the small details which go to make up the entire structure. This exercise requires a mental picture of the finished product. His imagination is thus directed to concrete objects. As the mind develops, it becomes creative in its character, and the foundation is laid for a higher sphere of usefulness in what is called the professional field.

A good carpenter naturally develops into an architect, and the best architect is he who knows the trade. It is a profession which requires not only the artistic taste, but a technical knowledge of details. He needs to know how to carry out the work, how to oversee construction, and what the different methods are for doing things.

The architect must have a scientific education, which gives him a knowledge of the strength of materials, and of structural forms; of the durability of materials; of the price, quality, and use of everything which goes into a structure; of labor conditions; and of the laws pertaining to buildings.

Many of these questions will naturally present themselves to the carpenter. They are in the sphere of his employment, but it depends upon himself to make the proper use of the situations in which he finds himself.

It is with a view to instill that desire and ambition in every young man, to make the brain do what the hand has done. The learned profession is yours if you deserve it, and you can deserve it only through study, application, and perseverance.

Reading Comprehension Questions

1) The above passage was written for which of the following audiences?

a. a young man hoping to find a job in agriculture

b. a young man getting ready to choose a trade

c. an older man working in a respected profession

d. an older man retired from the field of architecture

2) In the above passage, it is clear that the author feels that a boy working as a carpenter should feel which way?

a. sarcastic

b. jaded

c. unconcerned

d. optimistic

3) According to the above passage, which of the following is usually true about a "trade" that will NOT be true about a "profession"?

a. a trade requires longer working hours

b. a trade relies on learning to work with your hands

c. a trade demands a higher level of formal education

d. a trade stresses a greater level of passion for the work

4) The 1^st paragraph of the above passage states that a profession is a calling where "one devotes himself and his energies." In the context, what is the meaning of word “devotes”?

a. arranges

b. applies

c. avoids

d. advertises

5) The author of the above passage has most likely worked in which of the following areas?

a. the raising and selling of cattle

b. the study and teaching of mathematics

c. the building and designing of buildings

d. the care and maintenance of machines

Answer Key