The Printing Trade in Philadelphia1
- Author:
Charles L. Wood, Jr., B.S. in Ed.
Assistant in Psychology University of Pennsylvania,
CONTENTS
I. A History Of The Trade 1. China 2. Advent in Europe 3. Holland 4. Germany 5. France 6. Italy 7. England 8. Spanish-America 9. United States 10. Pennsylvania and Philadelphia 11. Present Status and Economic Importance of the Trade III. Description of the Jobs Within the Trade 1. Hand Compositor (a) Type Setting (b) The Proof (c) Stone Work 2. Linotype Operator 3. Job Pressman (a) The Machine (b) Make Ready 4. Job Press Feeder 5. Cylinder Pressman 6. Cylinder Press Feeder IV. How The Printing Trade Is Learned 1. Necessity of An Apprenticeship System 2. Compositor’s Union Plan 3. Pressmen’s Union Plan 4. The Philadelphia Plan 5. Wages 6. School V. Job Specifications and Job Psvchographs L Apprentice Hand Compositor?specification and psychograph 2. Apprentice Machine Compositor?specification and psychograph 3. Apprentice Job Pressman?specification and psychograph 4. Apprentice Cylinder Pressman?specification and psychograph 1 A study prepared for use in vocational guidance in accordant ‘ ^ principles suggested in ” Vocational Guidance and Job na } ‘ _ . ,pIIE chological Viewpoint,” by Morris S. Vitelos, appearing in this numoe Psychological Clinic.
Conclusions
VII. Bibliography. HISTORY OF THE TRADE Earliest record: The earliest piece of printing known to exist is found in the literature of China. It is an example of zylographic printing (printing from wooden blocks) and dates from the T’ang dynasty, which would place it in the early years of the 7tli century. There are records which prove that the Chinese used movable type as early as the 10th century but neither of these inventions had any known effect in Europe.
Advent in Europe: In Europe the art of printing from wooden blocks was first practised in the closing years of the 14th century. As in China the art consisted chiefly of printing on one side of the paper, designs and occasional texts. Holland: The use of wood blocks probably originated in Holland; but both the Germans and the Dutch claim the honor of having invented movable metal type. Whoever may have been first in point of time, the truth seems to be that Koster, the Hollander, and Gutenberg, the German, discovered independently and about the same time, a method of making metal type and printing books therefrom.
Germany: Koster did not have the ability to train others in the use of his invention, and the art disappeared in the Netherlands. In Germany Gutenberg was more successful in interesting other artisans; but like many inventors he became involved in debt and lost control of his invention. One of his successors was Fust, who improved the method so that in 1453 he could print Bibles in sufficient quantities for export. When he offered them for sale in Paris, the hard headed Parisians said that no man could produce Bibles at his price unless the devil was in league with him. From that time on apprentice printers have been known as “the printer’s devil”! Germany produced many skilled printers who spread all over Europe carrying the new invention with them.
France: In 1458 Charles VII of France sent some of his best engravers to Mayence to learn the new art of printing. While these men were abroad they heard of the death of the king and so, instead of returning to France, they went to Italy and carried the art there. It was not until 14G9 that a printing press was established in France and then this was not a public press but was very definitely linked with the church and the university. Henry Estienne or Stephanus was the founder of this business and he established a House of publishers and scholars that lasted for 150 years. Shortly after printing appeared in Paris, a press was established in Lyons and it was here that artists first found employment in the new trade. Holbein was employed by LeRoys to illustrate one of the popular works that came from the Lyonnaise press.
Italy: The engravers of Charles VII who went to Italy were not veiy successful in their attempts to introduce the art of printing, but in interesting Aldus Manutius with their press they indirectly made a contribution to the world for which too much praise cannot be given them. Aldus was one of the leading scholars of his age and when he had learned the printing trade he used it to spread the influence of his great attainments. His ability was so great that men like Erasmus, Reuchlin and Sir Thomas More were his friends and assistants. It was mainly through his efforts and his press that the newly discovered Greek classics became the common property of Western Europe and in turn have influenced all thinking of Europe and America up to the present.
England: William Caxton was the first and foremost printer in England. While living on the Continent in Bruges he had translated several French and Latin works into English. These translations had proven so popular in England that he was attracted to a printing press that Colard Mansion was operating in Bruges. When Mansion failed, Caxton bought the press and type and moved the material to England, lie set up his press within the confines of Westminster Abbey. By studying the wants of his reading pubHe Caxton established one of the most successful printing ventures in the early history of the trade. He discovered Malory and did much to popularize Chaucer. Shortly after Caxton introduced the art, the Oxford University set up a press. It was from these beginnings that American printing traces its descent, although the Spaniards were the first to introduce it into the New World.
Spanish-America: It is probable that Mendoza brought a printer to Mexico in 1535 and there are definite records of Spanish printing there in 1540. Mexico was quickly followed by Peru and a yast amount of work, for those times, was turned out before the introduction of printing into the English speaking part of America. The United States: The first printing press in the colonies t’ame to Massachusetts in January, 1G39. The first in Pennsylvania was established “near Philadelphia” in 1G86 and by 1775 there were fifty presses in operation in the Colonies.
Pennsylvania and Philadelphia: The first printer in Pennsylvania was William Bradford, who because of differences with the rulers of the Colony moved to New York. His son, however, maintained a press on “Second Street, at the Sign of the Bible,” in Philadelphia. Andrew Bradford on December 22, 1719, published the first newspaper in Pennsylvania.
Franklin on his first visit to Philadelphia in 1723 boarded with Bradford although he worked for a printer named Keimer. Franklin in paying his respects to both these men says, “they were both,’destitute of every qualification necessary to their profession.’ The first ‘was very illiterate’ and the latter, ‘ignorant of the world.’ ” Whether or not Franklin’s criticism was correct we cannot tell. At any rate Franklin was more astute in affairs of business than Keimer and he was able to buy out Keimer’s interest in a gazette from which The Saturday Evening Post traces its descent. The above is a brief outline of the invention and introduction of the art of printing. While many prominent men have been omitted, enough have been mentioned to give an idea of the caliber of those who devoted their lives to this “art of arts,” in its beginning.
PRESENT STATUS AND ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE OF THE TRADE
The report of the Census Bureau for 1910 states that there were 355,674 persons engaged in some capacity in the printing trade. Those of this number that pertain to the subject of this article were divided as follows: 125,170 compositors, 19,780 pressmen and 12,311 apprentices of whom 935 were girls. These figures for apprentices were for the entire trade and thus include the book-binding apprentices. It can be readily seen from these figures that the number of apprentices is alarmingly inadequate for the needs of the trade. In 1910 there was invested as capital in the trade, $588,345,708 and the trade produced in value of products $737,876,087. Pennsylvania ranked third in the trade in the number of establishments. The complete report for 1920 has not been distributed but from a comparison of the figures available one can see that the trade has made enormous strides in the last ten years. There was $1,150,505,247 invested as capital, and the value of its products was $1,699,789,229. There was an increase of more than 100,000 in personnel, the number jumping to 455,822 in 1919. In PhilaTHE PRINTING TRADE IN PHILADELPHIA 187 delphia the value of the products of the trade was $72,515,822, an increase of 122.1% in five years.
The conclusions from these figures are self evident. From the point of view of the apprentice as to the desirability of entering the trade, here is a trade that is necessary to the very life of the country, that has back of it a large capitalization, manufacturing products that are valued at nearly two billions of dollars and which needs a large number of skilled artisans that are well paid.
DESCRIPTION OF THE JOBS
The printing trade is to-day, not a trade but a number of trades. The United States Census Bureau includes within the trade job-printing, publishing and book-binding. In this report no attention is paid to the book-binding trade as in most cases this is an entirely separate branch of the business and is carried on by firms devoting all of their equipment to this business. On the other hand job-printing and publishing, while differing in output, still require the same qualifications for the jobs and the workers find it possible to shift their employment from an establishment specializing in job-printing to a publishing house.1 Within the printing trade proper there are a number of different occupations each requiring a particular training in preparation. However, the trade restricts the term “printer” to the compositors and pressmen. These two general divisions are again divided into hand-compositors, linotype-compositors, job-pressmen and cylinderpressmen. Hand Compositor: The hand-compositor, as the name implies, sets type by hand. The separate pieces of type are distributed in a case” which is a shallow box subdivided into a number of compartments each containing one letter or figure. The cases are contained in racks, one above the other, like drawers, so that any case may be withdrawn without disturbing the others. Each rack usually contains one particular style of type and the cases the various sizes in that style. The most used size is placed on the top of the rack, which is so arranged that the case slants up from the front to the back, then above this and slanting at a greater angle is the case containing the capital letters. The top of this last case 1A complete description of the qualifications necessary for success in each job is given in the job specifications and job psycJiographs appearing below under the heading Job Specifications and Job Psychographs. is about six feet from the floor so that the compositor must be of at least medium height in order to work efficiently.
Type Setting: In setting type, the compositor stands in front of the case and holds in his left hand a “stick,” in which he places the type as he picks it up from the case. The stick is a flat piece of metal, broad and long, with one end and a side bordered by a fixed raised edge. Parallel to the end and moving freely on the long raised edge there is an arm which can be adjusted by means of a set screw to the length of the line which is to be set. The compositor holds the stick so that the long raised edge is away from his body and his thumb rests upon the movable arm. He picks up the type with his right hand and places it in the stick, building the line from right to left. The thumb of the left hand holds the type in place and also tells the compositor whether or not he has placed the type in the stick in the correct position, as each piece of type is nicked on the side that corresponds to the bottom of the letter. When the line has been set, that is, all the words possible for the length of the line, the compositor must exercise great care in spacing the composition so that the type fits the stick snugly. To do this he puts pieces of lead or brass at each end of the line or between letters and words. It can be seen that if each line is not exactly of the same length it would be impossible to hold the type in place while printing. When the stick is full, the type is transferred to a “galley” which is usually a brass tray open at one end and on this galley he ties the composition together by wrapping around it a piece of string several times. On the galley the compositor often has to space the lines apart. The amount of this varies of course with the job. It is done by inserting lengths of lead of varying thickness which are the same length as the line, or if the space between the lines is great, lengths of wood are used for spacing.
The Proof: The next operation is making or “pulling” a proof. This may be done in two ways. Probably the best way is that which uses a proof-press which is an adaptation of the old fashioned printing press. The type is placed on the bed of the proof-press and well inked. Then a sheet of paper is laid on it and a platen which is similar in size to the bed is forced down upon the paper by means of a scrcw or in some cases by simply pulling upon a handle. This gives the pressure which causcs the transfer of the ink from the face of the type to the paper. The other method of pulling proof is to lay the type on a stone (cf. beloJ)’ surface of the letters, cover it with a sheet of paper an a mallet and block of wood hammer the paper down upo until an impression has been made.
Stone Work: The compositor then gives this proo wi1 ? original copy to a proof-reader. If there are anyeriois o tions, appropriate changes are made in the composition an type is placed on a “stone.” (The blowing operations are ft* quently performed by the compositor, especia ymsma in all cases it is done by a man who is a compositor y The “stone” is a large table about four feet high which has smooth, level stone for its top. , . The stone-hand -locks up” the form. To dottato* ? moves the string which the OQmposito^use c^n ^ ^ that an and then surrounds the composition P ^ . dual pressure can be exerted upon eachfit the as well. Around this he then places a meta^ ^ ^ ^ press upon which the work is to be pr.n ^ ^ q{ wood or between the type and the edges of the ^ ^ ^ ^ metal prepared for this purpose and metal or “quoins.” The quoins are are wedged shape pie > wooden wood which when moved together, expand an ig1 ^ blocks against each other and against the t} pe so the can be lifted from the table and still retain the ype. work has been printed, the form is again ai on e , quoins are released, the blocks removed, the type placed on g y and some compositor or apprentice distributes 1 mo places in the case.
Linotype Operator: The linotype operatoi or mae . positor operates a machine that gives as its product a so type, cast in lead. The operator sits in front of the mac n operates a keyboard which looks like an enlarged typewn e board. By pressing the keys of this keyboard the opera leases matrices from a magazine at the top of the mac me. matrix is in reality a mold so formed that when molten ea forced against it, the face of the letter or figure will e r When enough matrices have been released to comp ete e the operator can then space them so that the line will e u then pulls a lever which controls the operation of that par machine which casts the line. When this is complete an scends, picks up the matrices, carries them to the top of the magazine and they are there automatically distributed. The cast line is automatically trimmed by a knife to the required size and is delivered to a receptacle at the side of the operator. The operator must listen constantly to the operation of the machine for a matrix may not fall, or it may jam in its descent, if his line is not spaced out sufficiently the casting operation will not follow the pulling of the lever or the trimming knife may refuse to cut the cast. In addition to this he must be sure that his metal is of the required temperature and that he has enough of it. In some shops the operator is required to pull his own proofs. For this, the procedure is the same as that of the hand compositor. The linotype distribution is simply the melting down of the casts. Job Pressman: If the work is to be printed 011 a job-press the form will be given to a job-pressman who will place it in position on his press. This press is in two main or large pieces which alternately come together and open. When the press opens, a set of rubber rollers moves down over the surface of the type and covers it with ink. As the press shuts up, the rollers move up and a platen or flat plate carrying the paper to be printed moves up against the type. The pressman’s job consists of covering this platen with paper and then by “under-lay” and “over-lay” bringing out each piece of type or part of a cut so that it will print according to the demands of the work.
The under-lay is done by pasting pieces of tissue paper on the back of the type that is too low or for some reason does not print clearly; over-lay consists of pasting paper on the bed of the platen so that greater pressure will be exerted on the type or portions of cuts which can be made to print more clearly by extra pressure. The bed of the platen is made up usually of a sheet of card-board covered with one or more sheets of paper and these are held in place by metal bands that are attached to the press. If the type is too high then some of this bed is cut away so that pressure is reduced at that point.
On the top sheet of the bed or “packing,” as it is sometimes called, the pressman attaches guides so that the paper will be in the proper position when it is printed. These guides arc placed on the bottom and left of the bed and the press-feeder has to get each sheet of paper against both sets of guides. As the pressman has to serve some time as a press feeder a description of that job is pertinent.
Press Feeder: The feeder stands in front of the job-press and picks up the sheets of paper with his right hand. The paper or stock is placed in a pile on a small table attached to the right side of the press. Before he starts the press he usually riffles the stack of paper so that the top sheet projects slightly and is tlierefoie easier to pick up. Then depending upon the kind of work required and the kind of paper used he either turns the paper over after he has picked it up and before it goes into the guides or he feeds it straight into the machine. As he feeds the paper into the press he takes out the printed sheet with his left hand. The job-presses run at varying speeds depending upon the kind of work and the weight and size of the paper; but a feeder ought to be able to turn out 1,500 impressions or printed sheets an hour on most work. The feeder should be watching the ink to see that the type is getting enough and that it is properly distributed over the type. This is also one of the duties of the pressman. He has to pay attention to the color of the work, watch for dropped letters, see to it that the guides have not shifted and in general supervise the job until !t is off the press.
In addition to making the press ready for straight color work such as has been described above the pressman often has to make ready a press for multiple color work. For the pressman this is chiefly a matter of setting the guides so that the second or third colors will register exactly in their proper places. This class of printing also makes extra work for the stone-liand, for he has to arrange the type and cuts in the different forms so that the pi essman can get them to register exactly. To do this the trial and error method is used. The form is locked up as nearly correct as it is possible, put on the press and an impression is made, then if the second form does not register exactly on the first impression the form is sent back to the stone and the necessary adjustments are made. This is often an irritating point of contact between the composing room and the pressroom for the stone-hand will swear that the form is all right but that the guides on the press are wrong, while the pressman will with equal emphasis assert that his guides are right but that the stone work is at fault.
Cylinder Pressman: In some shops the same man may take eare of a cylinder press and a job press, but in the larger houses the cylinder presses are made ready by men who do nothing else. With the cylinder presses the forms are much larger and heavier than the job-press forms and hence while some under-lay is done, especially with cuts, most of the make-ready consists of over-lay. Here instead of a platen that moves up to meet the type there is a large cylinder that rolls over the type carrying the paper with it. The cylinder is packed in a similar manner to the platen of the other presses and this packing is cut out or built up as the type and cuts demand. For cheap work little attention is paid to the makeready and instead a rubber blanket is used. This brings out the faces of the type sufficiently for the work being done. The cylinder pressman usually has a helper to assist him with his work not only in the interest of speed but also because of the weight and size of the materials that have to be handled.
Cylinder Press-Feeder: The cylinder press-feeder feeds the sheet of paper up against a series of small blocks, as the cylinder revolves these blocks are lifted and a series of grippers attached to the cylinder catch hold of the sheet and carry it around until it has received the impression when it is released and carried out of the press. These grippers play the same function as the guides do on the job-press. The pressman has to set them so that the paper will be in the proper position for the impression. The press-feeder stands on a platform attached to the side of the press and because of the size of the sheets that he handles, uses both hands in feeding. He picks up the edge of the sheet with his right hand and starts the sheet moving toward the stops and continues the motion with his left hand. While his left hand is holding the sheet against the stops his right hand is picking up the next sheet. If lie should miss getting a sheet up to the stops in time for the grippers or if he did not get it straight, he treads upon a lever that trips the cylinder so that it does not touch the type.
The above descriptions of the more important jobs are by no means exhaustive. For instance in many shops there are high speed off-set presses which require a special training on the part of the pressman. Then there are automatic feeders for presses that require technical knowledge to regulate. Then trade customs vary with localities and within localities. The descriptions given are for those jobs which are general to the trade, while the specialized jobs have been omitted.
HOW THE PRINTING TRADE IS LEARNED
In the Medieval Ages and until the Industrial Revolution the Printers’ Guilds regulated the number of apprentices that should be employed and their training program. Under this system the apprentices or their parents paid a certain sum to a master foi the instruction of the boy into the art, trade and mystery of the tiade. With the disappearance of the guilds, the individual employeis decided how many apprentices they would employ and as it ^as often cheaper for the employer to use apprentices than journeymen, it became possible for boys to learn the trade without paying foi tuition and even to be paid some small wages. However, the old indenture system was still in force and under this old system the apprentices were little more than slaves. In fact, in law books current in this country in the nineteenth century apprentices and slaves were discussed together.
Necessity of Apprenticeship: The rapid introduction of machinery and the intolerable conditions of apprenticeship contributed alike to the gradual decrease in the number of true apprentices. As a consequence the quality of workmanship in the United States has become alarmingly low and many of the best minds both in the industrial and educational fields have for several years been trying to find a solution for this problem. In this the piinteis ia”^e apparently taken the lead. All of the unions and the national organization of employing printers have developed training programs for apprentices. In addition to these programs many of the larger firms have developed training systems of their own. At the present time in Philadelphia there are excellent oppor ^unities for learning the printing trade. The procedure is in general as follows: a boy obtains employment as an errand bo} 01 general utility worker in a printing shop, after he has served eral months in this capacity he may be listed as an apprentice, if he shows the ability that is thought requisite by the foreman or employer, and if he evidences the desire to learn the trade. “VN hile it is true that this judgment of the boy’s qualifications is a matter of untrained personal opinion and therefore subject to many errors, there is promise that in the near future definite scientific standards will be utilized in selecting apprentices for the various divisions of the trade. If the boy is selected as an apprentice, there are several possibilities open to him.
Compositors’ Union: lie may be listed with the International Typographical Union and after he has served two years as an apprentice he is required to subscribe to a course of “Lessons in Printing.” This course consists of thirty-seven lessons and costs the apprentice $25.00, which is payable in installments. The ByLaws of the International organization require the apprentices to pass examinations at the end of the fourth and fifth years before membership cards will be issued to them. At the end of the fifth year the apprentice is entitled to his Journeyman’s card. The Typographical Union as well as the Pressman’s Union require that there shall not be more than one apprentice to every four journeymen or major fraction thereof. Pressman’s Union: If the boy joins the Pressman’s Union he is registered as an apprentice for four years and he may subscribe to a correspondence course issued by the Technical Trade School of the union. Or if he is vouched for by his local union he has the privilege of attending this school which is located at Pressmen’s Home, Tennessee. He is required to pay $30.00 for tuition and to support himself while attending the school. In the Technical Trade School the apprentice is trained by competent instructors in everything pertaining to the pressman’s trade. As the Typothetae of Philadelphia, which includes 80% of the employing printers, is not under contractual relations with the unions, the boy may decide not to become a member of either union in which case the above mentioned courses of instruction are not open to him.
The Philadelphia Plan: There is in Philadelphia a very good system of training for apprentices that is entirely independent of the unions. Boys and young men who are in the employ of a printer may become Indentured Apprentices. In one of the Typothetae shops with which the writer is familiar, boys are hired as errand-boys and are then carefully watched. If they show an interest in the business and are making an effort to learn the trade on their own initiative, they are given the opportunity of becoming apprenticed to the firm. In order to have this opportunity the boy must show that he is sincere in his desire to become a printer, that he is trustworthy and that he has a certain amount of education. Some High School training is preferred but occasionally boys are indentured who have only passed through the Grammar schools. The employer in this shop has devised several tests which he gives to his boys in selecting them. The most important of these is one on language composition. This is judged for sentence structure, spelling and punctuation. The indenture paper that the boy signs is somewhat similar to the old indentures, but with the objectionable features removed.
Wages: The boy is paid a wage that amounts to something over $6,000.00 by the end of his apprenticeship, which lasts five years. The scale of wages in force at present is as follows: $1^.00 per week (at start) for six months, then a raise of $2.00 per week and these increases come regularly every six months until the apprentice has reached $24.00 per week. From then on he gets an inclement of $4.00 per week every six months until he reaches $36.00 per week when he is given Journeyman’s papers and is entitled to the Standard Scale which is at present $44.00 to $48.00 per week for hand-compositors.
School: During this period of training, if the employer thinks the boy is worth the expense, he may send him to the school operate by the Typothetae and in this way advance him through the trade a a faster rate than he would make ordinarily. On the other han the boy can enter the school, if he wishes, by paying for his own tuition. The Indenture system as outlined above is advocated y the Philadelphia Typothetae and in those shops which have pu it into effect, it is working successfully. The Typothetae School is 0nly equipped to train compositors. Usually the employers will finance the boys to study hand composing in the school; but it they wish to study Linotype operating they have to pay their own way. The indenture system works with benefit to all concerne First the boy is assured of an increasing wage scale and this forces the employer to see to it that he is properly trained so that he will be worth the wages he has agreed to pay. The employer is Protected by the agreement of all shops not to employ an indentured b?y from another shop. This keeps the boy from constantly lookiftg for a new job. During the apprenticeship various social functions are ai ranged by the Typothetae and those who become journeymen are honored in some fitting way. At present the Apprenticeship Committee of the Typothetae is discussing with the Public School authorities the installation of Part-Time courses in the schools which apprentices could attend on the employer’s time. That the Philadelphia Typothetae is aware of the opportunities f?r the advancement of the trade through a sympathetic handling of the apprentice problem, is shown by the following quotation from “The Apprenticeship Idea in Philadelphia,” 1 “The object of apprenticeship is to make better Americans . … a country is known by its products, and the products are dependent in great measure upon the training given our workers, particularly in tlicir youth.” Also, “The most important feature in arranging for an apprenticeship is the guarantee of faithful performance on both sides …. The apprentice wants to be assured of the opportunity of learning his trade in a thorough manner, of receiving fair pay for his work, and of not being discharged or otherwise disciplined without just cause … .”
JOB SPECIFICATIONS AND JOB PSYCHOGRAPHS
The Job Specifications and Job Psychographs which are given with this article are intended primarily for use in Vocational Guidance, in accordance with the program suggested by Viteles in his article on Vocational Guidance and Job Analysis, The Psychological Viewpoint, this issue of The Psychological Clinic. In preparing the “job psychographs” which follow, the writer made use. of a form suggested by Viteles in his study re: ferred to above. The definitions of the terms used for the various abilities and the quintile method of grading the importance of the abilities are described in that article. In the psychographs a check opposite any ability represents the judgment of several employing printers of Philadelphia combined with the writer’s as to the minimum amount of any ability required by the job for success in it. For instance a check will be found in the 5th column of the psychograph for Pressman, opposite “alertness.” This means that the combined judgment was that pressman should have the maximum amount of alertness. On the other hand a check will be found in the 1st column of the same psychograph opposite “initiative.” This indicates that initiative is of practically no importance for job success.
The next step in such a study as this should be to devise a battery of tests that will accurately measure the amounts of the abilities possessed by men who are making a success on the various jobs. Until this is done the Job Psychograph can be used for purposes of comparison with the Individual Vocational Psychograph obtained by means of an analysis of tests results for vocational guidance in the manner described in the preceding article.
1 Prepared by the Apprenticeship Committee of tho Typothetne of Phi’a delphia, in 1920.
THE PRINTING TRADE IN PHILADELPHIA 197
JOB SPECIFICATIONS
Name of job. Apprentice hand compositor.
Preferred age. 16-20.
Preferred sex. Male (females are admitted).
4. Physical requirements. Normal height, weight and strength. Jon PSYCIIOGRAPH FOR HAND COMPOSITOR I Remarks 1. Energy 2. Rate of Discharge 3. Endurance 4. Control 5. Co-Ordination A 6. Co-Ordination 7. Initiative 8. Concentration 9. Distribution 10. Persistence 11. Alertness 12. Associability 13. D iscriminability: a/V b/A c/T : A. Space Perception B. Form Perception 14. Accuracy 15. Memory: a/V b/A c/K.. 16. Understanding A 17. Understanding B 18. Observation 19. Planfulness 20. Intelligence 21. Intellect 22. Judgment 23. Logical Analysis 24. Language Ability 3 Pre-requisite qualifications. (a) Specific abilities. See job psychograph. (b) Education. Completion of Grammar school or its equivalent. (c) Temperamental qualities. None. (d) Experience. None. (Some shops prefer boys who have had one or two jobs so that they will appreciate the apprenticeship.) 6- Conditions of work. Standing, walking, occasional errands, usually inside, 8 hr. day, dirty from type and inks. 198 THE PSYCHOLOGICAL CLINIC 7. Wages. Start at $12.00 per week, advanced at regular increments to $36.00. Journeymen receive $44.00. 8. Statement of duties?a description of the duties of the job. See description of the jobs. 9. Analysis of operations?statement of units of operations in the job. See description of the jobs. 10. Time to learn. Four years, extra ability may lessen this. 11. Amount of training in the job. 12. Opportunities for promotion. Journeymen become foremen, superintendents, salesmen, depending upon ability. 13. Advantageous and Disadvantageous Features. Steady promotion during apprenticeship, work is educative, employment is not seasonal. Confining, often monotonous and repetitive in character.
Job Psychograph for Machine Compositor Remarks 1. Energy 2. Rate of Discharge… 3. Endurance 4. Control 5. Co-Ordination A 6. Co-Ordination B 7. Initiative 8. Concentration 9. Distribution 10. Persistence 11. Alertness 12. Associability 13. Discriminability: a/V b/A c/T A. Space Perception. B. Form Perception. 14. Accuracy 15. Memory: a/V b/A c/K 16. Understanding A…. 17. Understanding B …. 18. Observation 19. Planfulness 20. Intelligence 21. Intellect 22. Judgment 23. Logical Analysis 24. Language Ability…. xx xx THE PRINTING TRADE IN PHILADELPHIA 199 JOB SPECIFICATIONS 1. Name of job. Apprentice Machine Compositor. 2. Preferred age. 21-30. 3. Preferred sex. Male or female. 4. Physical requirements. Eyesight must be normal and must have use of both hands.
5. Pre-requisite qualifications. (a) Specific abilities. See job psychograph. . (b) Education. Grammar School required and High School preferred. (c) Temperamental qualities. None. (d) Experience. Varies, in Typothetae school 8 weeks in the hand-composing room is required. In other places none. 6. Conditions of work. Sitting. In some shops apprentice may be employed in composing room part of the time. 7. Wages. None for apprentices in the Typothetae school. Depends upon length of employment in other cases. Never less than $12.00. 8. Statement of duties?a description of the duties of the job. See job description. 9. Analysis of operations?statement of units of operations in the job. See job description. 10. Time to learn. If full time is given to the school apprentice should complete course in 8 weeks. 11. Amount of training in the job. 12. Opportunities for promotion. Foremen and superintendents selected from employees. Not as good as for hand-compositors. 13. Advantageous and Disadvantageous Features. Pay is good and depends to large degree upon ability?steady employment?good working conditions. It is, however, confining and exacting.
JOB SPECIFICATIONS
Name of job. Apprentice Job Pressman.
Preferred age. 16-21.
Preferred sex. Male (some women admitted).
4. Physical requirements. Average height, weight and strength with no deformities. 200 THE PSYCHOLOGICAL CLINIC 5 pre-requisite qualifications. (a) Specific abilities. See job psychograph. (b) Education. Grammar school or its equivalent although it is possible to get into the trade with 6th grade schooling. (c) Temperamental qualities. None. (d) Experience. Same for apprentice hand-compositor. Job Psychograph for Pressmen 1. Energy 2. Rate of Discharge… . 3. Endurance 4. Control 5. Co-Ordnation A 6 Co-Ordination B 7 Initiative 8. Concentration 9. Distribution 10. Persistence 11. Alertness 12. Associability 13. Discriminability: a/V b/A c/T A. Space Perception. B. Form Perception. 14. Accuracy 15. Memory: a/V b/A c/K.. 16. Understanding A 17. Understanding B 18. Observation 19. Planfulness 20. Intelligence 21. Intellect 22. Judgment 23. Logical Analysis 24. Language Ability….
Remarks
Conditions of ivork. Standing, inside, wet and oily in washing presses and rollers.
7. Wages. $12.00 per week to start. Regular increments to $44.00-$48.00. 8. Statement of duties?a description of the duties of the jobSee job description. 9. Analysis of operations?statement of units of operations in the job. See job description. THE PRINTING TRADE IN PHILADELPH 10. Time to learn. Three to four years. 11. Amount of training in the job. -hand-compositor. 12. Opportunities for promotion. Same a Interesting 13. Advantageous and Disadvantageous iar emwork?-artistic in some details-good W ^ ployment. Work is often dirty and is said to be con to tuberculosis although this is doubt u . JOB SPECIFICATIONS 1. Name of job. Apprentice Cylinder Pressman._ ^ 2. Preferred age. Same as for Apprentice Jo -P 3. Preferred sex. Same as for Appre^Ce prentice job-pressman. 4. Physical requirements. Same as o 5. Pre-requisite qualifications. (a) Specific abilities. See job ^ job-pressman. (b) Education. Same as for PP (c) Temperamental qualities j0b.pressman. (d) Experience. Same as fo PP 6. Conditions of work. Standing, msi e, 7- Wages. Same as for apprentice job-pressma . 8. Statement of duties. See description o 3 9- Analysis of operations. See dcscnptiono^ ^ philadelphia 10. Time to learn. Three to four years. 8 ^ ^ 6 months. claims to have trained a selected group o This is not usual however. 11. Amount of training in the job. 01-.r?pvintpndents 12. Opportunities for promotion. Foremen and supeuntcnd of press room are promoted from 3?nrnc3-m -n_ 13. Advantageous and Disadvantageous Features. teresting and often differs in detail from day day. Av prentice often feeds press and this is monotonous. W asking presses and rollers is dirty, oily job. pressman. The Only one psychograph has been prepare printing abilities required for the work on the various ki Press presses are so similar that any boy who is apprenticedI to ^ pressroom can become either a cylinder pressman oi a^? kinds 0? As a matter of fact many men are competent on both kinds^ Presses although the writer has been told that it is ress creasingly more difficult for job-pressmen to become cy men.
CONCLUSIONS
The opportunities for apprentices in the Printing trades are better to-day than they have ever been, both from the point of view of apprenticeship and in view of the opportunities of advancement after becoming journeymen. The earning power of the young man in the trade to-day is limited only by his ability and ambition. If he has the ability to direct the work of other men and to take responsibility there are many positions as foreman, superintendent and manager open to him. If he has creative ability and can sell printing products he can command his own salary. The salesmen probably make more in the trade than any other class when they have been properly prepared for the position. The consensus of opinion among employers is that the best salesmen have come up through the trade. They are men who can advise their customers as to kind of type, paper, and color, etc., that should be used on their work. They can show the customer how the job ought to be printed and in short create the work.
Then the dream of apprentices used to be to become ‘’masters.” This is possible to-day just as it used to be. Most of the printing establishments in existence to-day are owned and operated by men who worked their way up from the bottom and the same road is still open. The psychograph and an analysis of his own abilities can tell the boy whether or not he has the ability to succeed, but only his own soul can tell him whether or not he has the pluck and grit that is demanded for success in any line of human endeavor.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Brightly’s Digest, Pennsylvania Reports (U. of P. Law Library). Dunlap’s Boole of Forms, Rev. Ed., 1852, E. C. & J. Biddle, Philadelphia. Encyclopedia Americana, Ed., 1921. Gowin and Wheatley, Occupations. Ginn and Co., Boston, 1916. Johns Hopkins Univ. Studies, Vol. 25, 1907 quoting E. Stewart “Early Organizations of Printers” from Bulletin of Bureau of Labor, No. 61, Nov. 1905. Jones, Guy M. Company, publishers of Trade Foundations, Indianapolis, 1919. Putnam, Geo. Haven, Books And Their Makers During The Middle Ages, Vols. I and II. G. P. Putnam’s Sons The Knickerbocker Press, N. Y., 1896. Shaw, Frank L., “The Printing Trades,” Cleveland Education Survey, The Survey Committee of the Cleveland Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, 1916. Thomas Isaiah, The History of Printing In America in two Vols., 2nd. Ed. Joel Munsell Printer, Albany, N. Y., 1874. United States Bureau of Census, Reports of 1910 and 1920. Weaver and Byler, Profitable Vocations For Boys, The A. S. Barnes Co., New York, 1915.
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