Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-11-19
Apprentice Schools.

what being an apprentice means. al.
though it was formerly the great event
of most boys lives. This was the case
not merely with those who learned
trades. All the vocations and profess
sions had their apprentices. Knights
had their pages; physicians and law
yers took their apprentices; and almost
every man who understood vocation,
had some boy with him to whom he was
mparting it.
Business was then conducted upon q
very small scale. A man would be o
roadside blacksmith for fifty years, and
never have any other assistance than
that of two or three apprentices, who
would come to HIM ut the age of
fourteen, serve him until they were
twenty-ore, and then give place to
others.
In large towns. like Philadelphia
and Boston, mechanic whe kept two
or three journeymen, was thought to
be very thriving person indeed; and,
as we see from Franklin's bequest to
the city Of Boston, a mechanic could
set up in business upon two hundred
dollars capital.
In those days, going apprentice was
an event to which boys looked forward
for years. 1t was like changing parents;
for the apprentice used to live in his
employers family, and was under his
government and control. The boy en-
tered into a solemn covenant with him.
Here is part OF an indenture of the
last century, such one as young Ben.
Franklin signed In IT'S:
1.-THE said apprentice, his master
faithfully shall serve, his secrets keep,
his lawful commands everywhere gladly
do. He shall do no damage to his said
master, nor see it to be done of others,
but to his power shall let (prevert),
or forthwith give notice to his said
master of the same.
1.-THE goods of his said master he shall
not waste, nor the same without license
Of him to any give or lend. Hurt to his
said master he shall not do, cause, nor
procure to be done. He shall neither
buy nor sell without his masters H.
cense. Taverns, inns, or ale houses he
shall not haunt. At cards, dice,
tables, or any other unlawful game, he
shall not play. Matrimony he shall
not contract; nor from the service of
his said master day nor night absent
himself"
The employer, therefore. was both
master and father. This absolute
power was frequently abused.
The first two years of the boys ap-
premiership he was in many cases SER
want of all work. He blackened his
masters boots, fed his pigs, turned the
grindstone, drove the COWS, and, as Sir
Walter Scott reports of Scotland, was
liable in some strict families "to spend
half the time across his mistress knee.
The hours of labor then were from
sunrise to sunset in the summer, and
from sunrise to nine o'clock in the
evening in the winter.
The wages Of an apprentice were
about sufficient to buy the material for
his clothes; and if he had sixpence
week over, he was a lucky boy.
Usually, however, he die succeed in
learning his trade. His master had
time to teach him, and it was to his
masters interest that he should become
a competent workman as soon as posi-.
BILE.
But all this has passed. The steam
engine has changed everything. The
master, what is he now? Where is he?
He is q capitalist, director, presi-
dent Of company. He may never see
his workmen, if indeed he ever enters
his factory.
Nor is there any one else to teach ap.
prentices, for each foreman has in
charge large roomful of men and
machinery, and cannot spare from his
exacting and ceaseless duties, much
time for instructing an ignorant boy.
Hence, it has become a matter of ex-
treme difficulty for q boy in the United
States, England, Germany or France,
to become really skillful in any trade,
Too many boys, it is impossible. @
To meet this difficulty, which in
oreases every year, apprentice schools
have been established in Europe, to
which boys are regularly bound, as of
old, and at which they acquire trade
and an education at the same time.
Some large private establishments in
France maintain such school for the
express purpose of training the super.
Tor workmen whom they need, and
must have.
NuAAn6 SAO AAoe cdI tuo young ap'
prentice spends about half the working
day in the shops, and two hours in
school. When is older, and has served
three years, he works seven and q half
hours in the shops, and three hours
In the school-room.
English manufacturers are becoming
awake to the necessity of rearing
workmen who can compete with the
skilled artisans of France and Ger
many. We, too, are following slowly
in the same course.
1t has been lately suggested that
part of the huge bequest of Stephen
Girard should be expended in found
ing apprentice schools of this kind,
which would carry out the will of the
donor more effectually than has hither-
to been found possible. The trustees
have more income than they know
what to do with, and in this way their
surplus could be advantageously ex-
pended.
The army may find occupation in
the oil regions. There seems to be an
opening there for artillery-at least
is required sometimes to