The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-05-20
WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK
A Trade School.
TO the Editor of The journal.

Professor Moneys suggestion that the
city of Minneapolis commemorate its fif-
tieth anniversary by the establishment of
a trade school is a good one. Is there not
as urgent need Of schools to educate
mechanics in the various trades as there
is to educate men for the higher profess
sions so-called of medicine, dentistry and
the law?
In this connection 1 have been much in
terested in an article by s. A. Wolf on the
labor system of the Baldwin Locomotive
Works Of Philadelphia in the May number
of the Business Mans Magazine. Bald
wins is the largest single establishment
for the manufacture of locomotives in the
world. It's payroll includes over 1000
men, A constant supply of skilled labor
is necessity and to insure such supply
the firm became satisfied that it must
educate it's own mechanics. The following
extract from Mr.. VOLTS article explains
the firms method:
about four years ago Mr.. Sample.
veteran of the shops, was called upon to
systematic the apprentice school, His
first class graduated recently as full
fledged mechanics and entered upon regu-
lar employment in the shops at the usual
wages.
1.-THE apprentices-there are $50 of them
and the course is four years In dura ton
Into the first class are introduced the boys
not more than II years of age or less than
Is. They must have common school
educated and they are paid cents an
hour. Their. parents or gardians are re-
quired, under the provisions Of the state
law, to sign indenture papers. 1t is made
imperative upon the boys that they go to
school, either public or private. three
night a week Written reports of their
progress are turned in monthly to Mr..
Sample by the school principals AS an
inducement to finish the apprentice
course the company offers bonus OF
s125, to be paid the learner on the day
he becomes a graduate mechanic. The ap-
prentices in the class are advanced in
wages every year at the rate of cents
an hour, until the fourth year, when
they receive II cents an hour.
'In the second grade the student must
be IS years old and have high school or
manual training school education. He
must know the ordinary branches OF
mathematics thoroly; but he, too, must
keep UP his school work during unem-
ployed hours He starts at cents an
hour and receives 500 bonus at the end
Of three years.
I'm the third grade are the pick of the
apprentices. usually CoiieSe eiduodeeo VI
men who are versed in the higher mathe-
matics They must be q years old or over.
With their trained minds, such appren-
tices grasp the demands of the work more
swiftly, and are converted into skilled
mechanics within two years. They are
| paid II cents an hour, and receive nc
| bonus.
"From the day the apprentice enters
| BaIdwin's he is taught that faithfulness
to duty will be rewarded with promotion
He knows that, upon graduation, his next
test is in the role of the skilled mechanic
If he succeeds, he knows that he can be-
come a contractor, and then foreman
And there is not a man in the whole es-
| Establishment who is not aware that every
| one Of the seven men composing the