The San Francisco call., 1908-04-08

UNION WILL TEACH
PRINTERS BY MAIL
Correspondence School 0rigi-
mated to Take Place of Reg
ular Apprenticeship
Detailed Criticism Designed to
Aid Men in Country to Keep
Abreast of the Times

One of the most interesting recent
Developments in national industrial
circles is the announcement by the in
ternational typographical union of the
Il. L. q. course in printing. corre-
spondence system of instruction de-
signed to meet the lack of an appren-
tice system in this craft.
The official announcement, issued by
the /. T. U. commission on supple
mental trade education. says
The International typographical union has
gone into the trade educational field with much
seem = to % refute M the popular belief that trade
unions opposed to industrial education.
Union men say their opposition is reserved for
to elevate the student, but have some ulterior
purpose in view. The unions course does not
undertake to make" printers In few months
or years. 1t does aim to aid the man at the
business who is a sufferer from lax-or lack
ofaapprentieeship system to become a more more
make it impossible at this time to establish
schools with an adequate equipment at suf-
Fortunately however important phases os
the craft lend themselves to instruction by cor.
these methods the unions commission on sup
Elemental education believes 1t has developed.
meet the needs OF eompositors more satisfac-
torily than the old apprenticeship system could
The Tn Dnnes will Be grounded
and then taken through various branches Of
the trade.
Having firmly grasped the fundamental
principles the students mental powers will be
fred to know and do. Under the tutelage Of
the instructors of the he will travel
farther and a safer road than he could e
learning by the rule of thumb picking up
ideas or half developed ideas here and there
without any well defined conception as TO
their origin or purpose.
OF information to almost every printer. but
the merit of the lies IN the detailed
criticism of his work which Is given every stu
dent by an expert on the subject Of the lesson.
This close touch does not cease with the 81
lessons, but continues indehnitely--that is,
the successful student may at any time con-
suit those experts on any technical problem
which may arise to vex him. The advantages
Of this will be apparent to every artisan who
has at times yearned to know what he should
do and why be should do Ii.
The course costs but $50 (which includes an
outfit which would retail at about $5). This
IS as near actual cost could be approximated.
To encourage printers in taking the course. the
union offers a rebate prize of SIS to every
one who shows persstency and diligence. En-
ployers are invited to supplement the union S
prize and some. are doing so. This system of
reward was adopted in preference to giving
prizes to a few of the exceptionally proficient
particularly desirous Of reaching and helping
the average man. who Is the greatest sufferer
from our lack of apprenticeship system. Full
information can be obtained by writing the
l. T. u corpmission, 100 Sherman street Chi
cago. ILL.,, which is charged with the duty OF
promoting supplemental trade education among
printers