Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 82, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 April 1911 — APPRENTICE BOY OF TODAY [ARTICLE]

APPRENTICE BOY OF TODAY

Principal Feature of New Bystem Is Individual Attention of Shop instructors. Twenty years ago an apprentice hoy entered a railway shop down east He was Indentured and began his service with happy anticipation of the pleasure of learning the trade of machinist as many have done more recently. He worked six monthß “snagging” castings, gave up hope and quit. No one in the shop paid the slightest attention to him. No one thought of teaching, him anything. He could not induce the foreman to put him on any other work and he became discouraged. That kind of'apprenticeship Is of course a failure. Do you realize that the new,apprenticeship contains two elements which the old never had? The first of these is ihe Individual attention of shop instructors who are competent mechanics and who have nothing else to do. The second Is mental development In Bchool coincident with the shop development. Do you realize the advantage which you as Instructors enjoy over the teachers in public schools and even over college professors? Your pupils have not only selected their callings, but they are actually following them and they are holding their own and making their way among men earning their own living.