The workingman's advocate., 1866-06-16
ApprentIceshiPt s'- Rights and
1GS Dulles.

and wants VI all classes Of working men, il
V OR deSjgn 10 pay, due regard to the re.
quirements of the great body Of Apprentices
in this country. During many years &C.
uusintAnce with all ranks Of the working
classes, we have had frequeat opportunity
of observing the unsatisfactory relation in
which the apprentice often stands to his
employer, and the want, on both sides, Of
clear and Just views as to what apprentice
ship resliy Is, and the duties II involves on
either hand. 1t is our object, in the present
paper, to explain briefly the origin and pur.
pose Of apprenticeship-what is due to the
apprentice and TO the master--with the pro-
visions established by law to meet the diff
cuaies from time to time arising between
them.
Ths very word Apprentices is itself an in-
dication that the custom now known as ap-
prenucing took its rise at an early period OF
cur history. IL comes from the French
word appreRdre, to learn, and was adopted
at time when Norman French was the pre-
vsiling language among the higher classes OF
our people. Ia feudal times II was found
p'cessary by persons engaged IN trade 70
associate together for the protection Of their
mutual interests, for the maintenance OF
their privileges, and for the security Of indie.
pendence and freedom III their transactions
In this way combinations or companies Of
citizens were formed, and rapidly acquired
great influence and consideration. The next
step was TO secure that no persons but those
duly qualified aid be admitted to practise
any particular trade; and with this object il
was insisted that, before q man could exer-
else n calling, be should have been appren-
ticed, or tGksH 10 learn, by some oue already
q member Of that trade fraternity.
THIS was tho origin of apprenticeship,
which Is supposed TO have sprung up in The
twelfth cen,ury, and in time became 8 esta-
blished custom throughout Europe.
Itwould be highly interesting to trace the
history Of apprenticeship and apprentices,
~ body, In England; but we can only
briefly touch on this branch Of the subject.
SO prevalent had the practice Of spprenticng (
boys become about the year l400, that com
plants were made that sufficient lsborers
could not be found TO follow the pursuits OF
huSbandry. Il was therefore enacted, by a
statute passed in the reigo Of -enry ",
that no person who had not land or rent to
the value Of twenty shilhngs per year-a
much larger sum in those days than at the
son or daughter apprentice. This statute
was afterwards repealed, 50 lar as regarded
London and one or two ether important
towns; but the estimation 10 which appren-
ticeshp was held, in the metropolis especi.
ally, at that time, and down 10 far later
date, may be gathered from an old writer,
who says :--".From all shires and counties
Q. the kingdom Of England and dominion Of
Wales, the sons Of knights, esquiers, gentle
men, ministers, and yeomen, and trsdesmen,
come up from their particular places Of ma.
tivity, and are bound to be premises in
London."
The term Of apprenticeship Is supposed to
have varied in different trades and different
paris of the country. II was however, set.
tied and made uniform by an Act passed in
the fifth year Of Elizabetb's reign, which
established seven years as the period IN al
trades throughout the kingdom, and persons
who bad 8ot served this appren ticeship were
expressly excluded from entering any parti-
cular calling. Down to the beginning oi
the present century this Act remained in
force; but It was then felt to be far too ex-
elusive in its provisions for the advancing
spirit Of the times, and SO much Of it as en-
forced apprenticeship as q means Of entering
q trade was repealed By q statute passed in
the reign Of George Ill. At the same time
q reservation was made in favor Of London
and other corporate towns, which were
allowed to retain, at will, their established
customs.
Apprentice slip, therefore, IL no longer q
necessity, by tats, to any one who would
work at handicrah. Practically, however,
it 10 still! insisted on in mary trades, which
are either wholly or partially closed 70 per-
sons who have not duly served their time
as apprentices. And, although no longer
enforced, il is still recognized by the law,
which provides for the rights Of both master
and apprentice, and the settlement of dis.
putes between them.
The identure, or deed Of apprenticeship,
is q contract between the master or trades
man on the ore nand, and the apprentice on
the other the forTuer undertaking to teach
the youth his trade, In consideration for
which instruction the latter agrees TO serve
him for a certain time. In many cases the
youth, or his friends for him, pay premium
TO the master whose trade he is TO learn !;
and in !. maturity of insta 1ces the master
undertakes, by clauses in the indenture, to
pro ,lde his apprentice with food and neces-
sary clothing, or the means of procuring
them, during the whole term Of the engage
ment. The advantage arising to both parties
out Of this contract is, or ought TO be, inu-
tual. To the apprentice the most obvious
benefits are the following:-
]. He is enabled to become thoroughly
proficient in trade or handieraft, by the
exercise Of which, with industry and skill,
be may at oil times obtain the means Of
livelihood. 1t is highly probable that he
may even 60 beyond this, and in time ac-
quire a competence Ia the trade 90 learnt
But IN all cases it provides the means Of
securing the immediate necessaries Of life,
and position Of honorsbe independence
bssore the world. For the man who has
been taught q trade, and has il, In common
phrase, at his fingers ends, can scarcely be
placed in position Of permanent want or
distress, unless unforeseen afiicton pAralyse
his energies. .tlt
Q. Another advantage which apprentice
ship cdnfers, 10 the fact that by ils m>.ns a
man 10 enabled TO go forth inso the world,
stamped and guaranteed, as Is were, ~ .
proficient In business. Whatever may be
said ss to apprenticeship not being actrally
necessary Ia any trade. no one would con-
tend lthst the man who has spent many
years in learning Il is not 10 q better posi-.
ion 10 practise IL, with advantage both to
himself and bis employer, than be who has
received no such continued training. All
hinas being DeQuAl-neturea aptitude indus
nv. &c.-he must. on the contrary, be a.
luoerior workman, and would therefore OBJ
= .r---iovvcant .rhsr.l thn other WOULD fail |