Evening star., 1923-04-29
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.


the country today is skilled
artisans in the trades and
trained operatives in indus
try. This has resulted from the fail
ure of trade craftsmen to train ap-
prentices and Il misguided notion OF
youth that "A white collar job was
preferable to one where he could
fashion something with his hands.
The need Of apprentices. especially
In the building trades. was recently
emphasized by Herbert Hoover. Sec
rotary Of Commerce and member of
the Federal Board for Vocational
Education.
Organized effort is being brought
to bear upon this great national prob
lem by trade associations, by coop
erative efforts of employers aSsocia-
lions with employees associations and
10y the federal government co-operat-
ing with the states all of which or
Tanized effort is looking to educa-
tion III trade schools. trade training
in part-time schools and trade and
Need Is Apparent.
1t is we'll recognized that there
will in the future be nothing like
the time type of apprenticeship
the old relations between master and
learner. where the apprentice lived
with his master. All this has been
changed by modern manufacturing
and industrial conditions. but par
ticularly in the last two years the
need for apprentice training has been
glaringly apparent, and the largest
associations in the country have been
putting their heads together and dig
ging down into their pockets to cor
rect the skilled labor situation for
the future.
The revival of public interest in
apprenticeship training has been en-
phasized by the action of Wisconsin
in enacting an apprenticeship law
providing for the proper training of
apprentices and similar Legislative
proposals in a number of other states,
conspicuously New York.
The concern of the employers to
meet The situation is shown espe-
cially in the so-called building trades
by the campaign for education car
ried along by such organizations as
the International Master Painters
and Decorators Association. the Mas
ter Plumbers Association through
it's trade extension bureau. the Ma
tional Builders EXCHANGES all over
the country. The New York Building
Congress and many others. Every
great industry in the country is TAX
ing a vital interest in this problem
and seriously seeking solution
concerted tINOrtS.
In some instances the concerted
effort is being made by employers
and employees associations co-operat-
ing \ shining example Of this is in
Cleveland. Ohio. where $50 employed
hrickmason apprentices are attend
ing a trade school four hours week.
Private schools have been estab-
lished by the employees ASSOCIATIONS
in many cities-more in the west
than in the east-for painting. plumb
ing carpentry. bricklaying. masonry.
pIastering. etc. For example, the
Tile manufacturers Association Is
making a study of the training OF
apprentices for the tile-setting craft.
According to latest figures reported
hN the chamber of commerce of Los
angeles. there are more than 200 en-.
rolled III the plasterers classes OF
The vocational education department
nf the city schools in Los Angeles.
This course was organized under
plan devised by members of the
school board. the vocational educa-
lion director. chamber of commerce
officials and trade associations. Day
and night classes in the Los Angeles
schools offer courses in bricklaying,
painting. plastering, plumbing mousse
wiring. carpentry, etc.
Proba bly no one organization repre-
senting any one trade has been moro
concerned or taken greater pains TO
meet the already existing shortage OF
skilled labor than the Internatioal
Painters Association. because there
IS hardly anything made which does
not have to be painted repeatedly to
prolonE it's life. This association,
through it's education committee, re-
Gently published a text book on paint
ing and decorating particularly for
use in schools where painter ap-
| prentices are being trained. This was
edited by A Washington man, A. NJ
McGhan. for many years secretary of
the association, and who more than
any one man in this country has been
preaching the gospel of industrial pre-
paredness through the education of ap-
prentices. He has toured the entire
continent, visiting trade associations
and schools to get them behind this
|campaign of trade education.
Big Program Undertaken.
Another comprehensive program has
heen undertaken by the National Trade
Extension Bureau, representing the
Employing Plumbers Association. A
hook has been published containing
ia tional apprenticeship program, which
outlines courses of training taken
from courses actually conducted in the
David Rankin School, St Louis; VAL
paraiso University. Indiana: the
Trade School of Philadelphia and the
Evening Trade School of Erie. Pa.
This employing plumbers survey