The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-09-07
APPREN7ICING A boy.
Easier to Learn a Trade
Nowadays Thanta Quarter
of a Century Ago.
THE OLD WAY AND THE NEW
Labor Unions Have Done Much to
Simplify Methods - The
Several Trades.

nowadays compared with the boy of q
quarter Of q century ago who was farmed
out to learn a trade. The apprentices Of
today can begin thii week TO learn one
trade. and, tiring of it, leave it next week
could not do that without the consent OF
their masters.
7 he boy who started In to learn a trade
a decade q day or two age, once inden-
tpred. was q veritable slave to bis master
and = b utt for the journeymen. In those
days the parents or guardians Of q 0ov
were compelled to slgu legal papsrs by
when they practically gave up all claims
to him during the Term OF his apprentice
ship. The terms were longer tnan they
are now. The unfortunate apprentice
was poorly paid; sometimes he received
no pay at all; and many were the hard
ships he had to endure. II. after working
q year or SO. he took u dislike 20 the
trade and ran away. he was advertised
for in about the 50 me mahuer al escaped
convict Is looked for at present. When
captured he was subject to imprisonment
and various other penalties.
In the course of u year a boy can now
be apprenticed to half Il dozen trade un-
til he inds one that suits him. Modern
exigsucies and the labor unions hav
simpliied the apprenticeship methods.
md in many instances have placsd re-
strictions upon the system to prevent the
overcrowding of 3 particular trade. These
restrictions are not always agreeable to
the employer, out wnere the union Ia
powerful Its rules govern.
In some of the trades the apprentice
system Is made and governed by the
bosses. In Others. as has just been said,
the trade unions fix the rules, and again
In other trades there are no fixed rules,
aud a boy learns the rad IL Ne happens
to- remain at IL long enough.
sTRICT RULES.
Strict rules govern the apprentices In
the following trades:-Hat mAkiuk and
hat finishing. straw hat making, type
settiug, cigar making, brown and granite
stone cutting, carpentry, mason work,
blacksmithing, h~orseshOsing, plumbing,
tailor cutter and electrical. work. The
two hatters' uniOns-makers and finish
ers-bave stringent rules on the su aject.
The boy il indentured for three years.
aud on entering the trade il registered in
the union. When he has served out his
tesm be is admitted to the union wi lhouL
the OF initiation sees. During MS
apprenticeship he is practically under
The contrtl OF the union. A hat fuisner
apprentice is paid sixty cents III every
dollar he earns, aud he is supposed to
earn as much as the full-fledged journey
men. In some shops 10 aud Is per cent.
Is kept of the apprentices' wages for task
money. or, as it is sometimes called.
shop rent. Each local hatters' union
makes It's own rules as to the number Of
appre nticss 1t will register. The usua
rule 10 Que apprentice to ten men.
The rules governing apprentices to the
c~igarlnaking trade are similar to those of
the hatters' unions The boys ha We to
serve a three years term aud are paid
from 80 to s. a week. according To their
ability. A BOY who wants to become u
baker must work for thu ee years for So or
81 y week. and IN the fourth and last year
OF his terni he IS paid at tue rate OF Lwo-
thirds of the wages paid to an experienced
baker.
WHERE THE BOSSES BOSS.
Until recsnsly tins jo~urusyneu sto me-
cutters had stringent rulcs governing the
learn the trade. The iourneyulen and tn Q
bosses had a disagreement on that sut ject
about a year aUo. The bosses won aud
their rules now prevail. The union stone.
cutters do not care to nave more than one
apprentice at q time In q S~tOneyard. The
bosses at present have rs many as they
please. but The ,urneymeu are quietly re-
organizing the uuion and expect TO iusist
upon the old rule In the near future. A
boy TO learn the stone cutting trade,
either granite or brown stone cutting.
must serve four years. He receives a
few dollars q week at first, and TOWARD
the eud Of his term, II he is a good work
man, he is paid IS or $40 u week. The In
PRODUCTION OF machinery IN the stonscut-
ting trade Is making it easy for aug one
| to learn certain branches of It..
The Journey mau mASOns formerly ex-
| ercised a strict supervision over the ap-
| prentices TO that trade. Now the bosses
have full charge OF the apprentices. The
latter's term depends upon tbs ability ana
workmanship displayed. Tn, time of
apprenticeship is usually three or fonr
years. TIE bsglnner starts for IL few dol
lars . week, and his wages are Increased
every year, according TO the quality of
Ills work or the generosity of ths boss. A
| good apprentice at the eud Of two years
| can get IS or sl0a week.
CARPENTERS APPRENTICE
The apprentices 10 the CARPENTER trade
| nave no set rules now. In former times
d car penter's apprentice mad to serve a
long and severe term, but when he
iniihed he was equippea to do any kind
of carpentry. from planning a plank to
building y house. Now a boy learns only
one OF the many branches of the trade Ia
a few years. aud sets himself up as a fail
| hedged carpenter. Eacn boss carpenter
has his w rules and rates Of pay.
The blacksmith. wheeiright aud horse
shooting trades have 10 set rules. Three
years apprenticeship serves 20 equip the
l UOI - q A1Ak Az "a VI 0a0 il AIA
parts of the trade. The same applies to
plumbing aud gas fitting. Tue electrical
workers have a strong union and limit
the number Of apprentices. A young
iineman has to serve Two years apDren-
| ttceship before being admitted Co the
union. A young mantwho goes to learn
garment cutting has to work q year for
| nothing, and sometime has to pay a
bonus Of 500 or $3.50 70 be taught the
trade.
TO BE A PRINTER.
The Typographical Union has very
strict rules governing apprentices, their
number aud the msnner of their work.
These rules are inforcsd To the letter, ex-
cept tu country districts. A boy, to
equip himself 10 become = 1rst-class COM
position, must nave as q foundation q
good common school educat!on an be
bright, quick and intelligent. With
the Improvements that are being
made in the methods OF ,scoupositton
tue apprentices of the future will have
to be well educated aud OF
more thau average. Intelligence
to become o first-class workman.
Tbs Jersey City Union allows but QUE
apprentice to eve y ten j,urneymeu EN-.
pioyed In a newspaper conpusing-rootn
ana one for a fraction thereof. In book
or jo6 printing rooms two apprentices
are allowed to ten men or Il. fraction
thereof. Th apprentices have to serve a
term OF five yssrs, aud during this last
year OF their term thew are allowed TO
become silent IN smbers of the union.
After having served out their term the
apprentice Is admitted to the union by a
vote II ns has shown himself a competent