Arizona republican., 1909-04-26
THE UNIONS AND
 TRADE EDUCATION LATEST VENTURE OF PRINTERS
 ORGANIZATION. Seven Hundred Students in a Year Some from Great Britain and
 Distant Colonies.

During the past two or three years the American public has been treated to much comment and suggestion on the matter of trade education. In the industrial centers there are local so- cieties actively promoting this object, while the National Society for the Pro- motion of Industrial Education is de- signed to advance the interests of the new idea in a national way.
 Meantime Americas oldest and most progressive labor organization-the In ternational Typographical Union-has formulated and launched system of technical education that furnishes dis play. job, and all other compositors an opportunity to acquire a knowledge of the principles underlying good typog- raphy. which cannot be taught In printing offices. owing to the diversi- fled needs of it's nearly fifty thousand members, including printers in small country towns and those in the largest metropolitan offices. the union was compelled to adopt the correspondence system, but the instruction is impart- ed along the lines of the best and most modern educational methods.
 The art schools have been levied on for the benefit of the working printer. The principles of design and color har- mony are taught scientifically, the stu dents applying them to practical work (done in type or by pencil sketches) under the personal supervision of com petent instructors. Heretofore educa- ton in topography has been by the empirical method. but the l. T. U. course aims at showing the how" and why of good typography in scien- tific manner. The student first mas ters the underlying principles, and then solves the trade problems submitted to him in the light of that knowledge. The keynote of the instruction is found in Ruskin's aphorism. Unity and sim plicity are the sources of beauty"
 The course is sold for $20, which does not cover the cost of outfit, tui- tion. postage, etc. AS a purely com mercial venture. it would cost at least $6O, but the International Union, in order to stimulate and encourage the study of their art by printers. defrays all advertising and other promotional expenses out of its funds. and, in ad- dition, gives a rebate or prize of s5 to each student who finishes the lessons with diligence and intelligence. Many local unions supplement this by offer ing additional prizes to their members and apprentices working in union of fees. It is estimated that the total union expenditure on account of the educational scheme is between $S,000 and s1O,OO0 a year
 The l. T. U. commission on supple mental trade education. which has this work in charge. promulgated it's first advertisement asking for students last March. and in a year has secured an enrolment of more than seven hun dred. These include expert printers as old as SO. and youths of r and IS. The experienced compositions say they find much in the course that is valu able. the first graduate being one of the highest salaried men working at the trade
 There have been schools of typog- raphy in continental Europe and Great Britain for many years, the idea being given it's great stimulus in the latter country by the many sided William Norris. who did so much to improve the appearance of the printed page. but British employing printers who have examined the l. T. U. course methods of instruction, as well as the secretary of the British Typographical Union (for many years a director of Manchester's famous Municipal Technical schooD, agree that in teaching principles the International Typographical Union has started a revolution in trade education. These comments have had their effect on across seas craftsmen. While for eign students pay considerably more than Americans and Canadians. there are several British, Australian and South African printers taking the course. One mail recently brought an from Canada's most north erly province. and another from Bloem- fontein, South Africa.
 The course is open to those working at the printing trade, and the officers and interested members of the Typo graphical Union are sure that it is but a beginning of what is to become a prominent feature of union work. AL ready the question has been advanced of making a study of the course pre- requisite for an apprentices admission to membership in the union. The laws will not be changed hastily, but there is no doubt that-now an opportunity to learn is open to them-the union will in the near future pay more attention to the technical qualifications of youth full applicants for admission.