Weekly journal-miner., 1917-09-26
MAY ESTABLISH SCHOOL FOR
 APPRENTICES
OPPORTUNITY OFFE RED BY ANTA FEE FOR BOYS TO LEARN ANY BRANCH OF THE TRADE THEY MAY DESIRE.
From Wednesdays Daiiy.0

r. w. Thomas, SuperNlsor or ap- prentices for the Santa Fe system with headquarters at Topeka, is in Prescott lconferring with General Manager Drake and Master Mechanic DeSilva in reference to establishing an apprentice school in the local shops. The apprentice system now in vogue at all division points on the Santa Fe system is pronounced the most effective and comprehensive of any scheme for the education and training of mechanics of any scheme on any railroad in the country.
 Boys between the ages of Is and 2l who have at least a grammar school education are taken into the shops and are taught any trade they may desire to master. Ii he goes in as a machinist apprentice he is taught how to operate every machine in the shop, bench and vice work, the various fea- lures of erecting work, all the parts of a locomotive, how to make or to- repair each part, etc. During each step he has had the benefit of the guiding hand of an apprentice instruc- tor. The latter is man selected for his fitness to instruct, who is thor oughly skilled in the trade, who is patient, boy-loving and capable of i'm parting his knowledge to others. In addition to this practical work the ap- prentice must go 10 the apprentic, school room given number of hours each week where he is taught various subjects needed in his trade. Free hand and mechanical drawing. shop mathematics, the Federal as well as the railroad rules for the mainten- ance and operations of locomotive, cars and shop tools, elements of me chanica, business letter writing, etc. The railroad company provides the school room, furnishing each appren- tice a first class set of drawing in struments, trianglcs, tee squares. drawing boards, paper, pencils, etc. free of charge and moreover the boy is paid his regular rate while in the school room. The apprenticeship is cf four years duration. They are paid a given amount per day depending or location. The rate paid here is the highest of any point on the Santa Fc system. When the apprentice com pletes his apprenticeship he is award cd handsome diploma bearing tho signature of the master mechanic, the mechanical superintendent, the vice president and the signature and seal of the supervisor of apprentices. h. addition he is given S75 in cash and an additional S75 when he has remain. ed in the service six months.
 Here is a splendid opportunity for the boys of Prescott to learn trade under the most favorable conditions They will be at home with parents and friends and under the guiding eye of an instructor who will not only look after their mechanical welfare but who will help and guide them in other matters and train their minds and hearts in clean living, clean habits, not only make good mechanics but strive to make good, clean, honorable citizens.
 MT. Thomas states that the policy of the Santa Fc system is to promote those who are in the service and not go outside for its mechanical super vising officers, so the young men who enter its service, who show they have the right stuff in them stand better chances for climbing up high" than any set of young men on any railroad He said the average earnings of the journeymen mechanics on the Santa Fe system is from 10 to Is per cent higher than the average earnings of the lawyers and doctors of the entire country