With the addition of Kale Vogt to our staff at Lost Art Press, I have been pondering the meaning and implications of the word “apprenticeship.”
For me it is a real thing. Apprenticeship requires papers that lay out an agreement. Something like: I will do this. You will do that. And in the end, this is where we will be.
I bristle at people who use the term “apprenticeship” in a casual way. As if it were something that could be completed in a few weeks or months of training. That’s not the way I see it. After traveling and teaching in Germany for the last 15 years, I have developed a respect for their system.
There are rules. And following them (or not) ends with opportunities (or problems).
And while I believe in the system, I am a bit shy about its terms. I would never use the word “master” to describe a person unless he or she possessed a meisterbrief. Even then, the word “master” is problematic in America because of its association with slavery.
And then we have the word “journeyman.” What about the women who have been engaged in the trade for centuries?
All this is to say: I want to train Kale in a traditional way without traditional labels. What does that mean exactly? Stay tuned.
On the Abuse of Apprentices
The other aspect of apprenticeship that is troubling is the abuse. I know that Jane Rees is working on a book on woodworking apprenticeships, and I hope she will find examples where the apprentices were treated with respect and honor.
However, most of the old sources I know of paint apprenticeship as time of abuse and manipulation.
Then there’s the alcohol.
One of the books in our library is a doozy: “The Philosophy of Artificial and Compulsory Drinking Usage in Great Britain and Ireland” (1839). It was published by the teetotalers of the time and was an account of how alcohol was used to control and wreck the working people of the United Kingdom.
What is “drinking usage?” It is a social or business norm where drinking is required. You enter a shop as an apprentice, so you must pay a “footing.” The payment is used in drink for your shopmates. You are taught to dovetail and therefore must pay another fee in alcohol to learn that skill.
What if you refuse to pay? You are sent to “Coventry.” When a worker is sent to Coventry, no one will help them with their work, answer questions or even acknowledge them. And if the poor sod complains to the owner of the shop, then the fees and abuse are doubled.
For the last few days, I have revisited “The Philosophy of Artificial and Compulsory Drinking Usage in Great Britain and Ireland” and pulled out some of the more interesting accounts of what happened to apprentices in Scotland, Ireland and England.
Settle in, because this will probably stop any historical fantasy of traveling back in time to become Duncan Phyfe’s apprentice. We start in Scotland.
Scotland
Scarcely has the stripling commenced his apprenticeship, in some towns, to the business of the joiner or cabinet-maker, than he is informed that the custom of the shop is to pay a sum as an entry, or footing, to be disposed of in drink by the workmen.
He receives charge of the fire in the premises; and at every failure of kindling, mending, or extinguishing at night, he is fined in a small sum, to be expended in whisky: failure in putting out candles at the proper time, or in watching the work at meal-hours, and a number of other petty offences, are met by small amercements for the same purpose.
A journeyman carpenter, in a town north of the Forth, having declined to pay the customary drink-money, found one morning his tools removed.
He received no satisfaction, but in about three months they were found in the side of a dunghill, which was being taken away for agricultural purposes.
Interestingly, at this time, it was unthinkable to drink alone (except in America).
In Scotland there still exists a loathing terror, even in the regular drunkard, at being considered a solitary drinker; and, but for the amazing number of drinking usages, (so convenient for Scotch topers) this would be an element of transcendent usefulness in temperance reformation.
A cabinet-maker assured me, that such as would not comply with the drinking usages in the shops in which he had wrought, were outlawed (the same as being put into ‘Coventry’); that pieces of wood were thrown at them by their fellows, and that their tools were hid as frequently as possible, to make them comply. Another cabinet-maker informed me that his slippers had been frequently nailed to the floor in front of his bench, during his absence at meals, because he would not regard the oppressive usages of his trade.
There is a bailie in the shop in which he works, and when a court is to be held, the ‘hold-fast’ is used as a bell, to summon the men to attend.
Ireland
Not surprisingly, many of the same abuses occurred in Irish shops.
Although the habit of taking a dose of whisky in going to work, technically called a “morning,” be not in general compulsory, yet it is rendered somewhat of this character, when the custom of treating in reference to the morning dram has obtained in any workshop.
And apprentices had it the worst.
If the apprentice be dilatory in coming forward with the footing, the men will show him nothing of the business; if he ask a question, they will “shy the answer;” they will cease to teach, and the master not being always present, the boy will remain untaught: this circumstance is what weighs most with parents, and even widowed mothers will stretch every nerve to provide for the apprentice footing.
And it wasn’t just the apprentices who were abused. The suppliers who sold glue or other materials to the shop were also pressed for alcohol.
Those dealers that supply a workshop with articles necessary in the trade, find it absolutely requisite to treat or “mug” the men, otherwise they will complain of the items supplied; thus in the trade of nails, wood, putty, and other articles, lovers of drink have it in their power in various ways to deprive sober men of their place or job, by false complaints, and oblique hints. We shall often have occasion to notice this circumstance.
The iron of the plane is sometimes glued to the wood for non-compliance with drink usages.
The workshop rules extended to every aspect of life, even to the appearance of the workers in the shop. You had to show up to work looking clean and tidy.
“When a man comes to work with a dirty shirt on Monday morning, he incurs a drink fine.”
But even if you do everything correctly, you are going to be fined. And the price to be paid is in alcohol.
When an apprentice comes to be able for man’s work, he is set to a bench and assumes the apron; on this occasion he is fined 1 shilling for drink: when his apprenticeship expires he pays 10s. 6d., which is called “washing him out.” When the apprentice remains in the same shop, he is “washed in,” by 10s. 6d. of a journeyman’s footing. For the first new job he is set to perform, which he has never done before, he pays 1s. for drink; thus for his first chair, bedstead, or veneer work, and this for each new job. When married, a cabinet-maker pays 10s. for drink. Having a child produces a quart of whisky. At each fall of the year there is a way-goose. Teaching any part of the business that is new to the scholar, requires 1s of a drink premium: this is severe on the boys.
What if you cannot pay? What if your family is poor and your friends are penniless? Well, it’s not good.
When a poor boy is unable to pay these demands, and his friends are backward in advancing him the needful funds, he is put under severe discipline; besides being taunted and jeered at continually, he is subjected to a process of coercion denominated “cabbing,” which is so administered as to make it impossible to discover the perpetrators. A favourable opportunity is watched, the lad is approached behind by a man having the cloth that covers finished furniture in his hand; this is dexterously thrown entirely over the head and shoulders; several spring upon him, and by their help the cloth is wound round the culprit’s head in such a way as to prevent sight: his hands are then tied, and he is laid on his face along a bench, his shoes are taken off, and he is sharply beat on the soles of the feet with a flat board.
And there are fines for all manner of small workplace infractions.
When tools are not kept in the right place, there is 3d. or 6d. charged as a drink fine; 6d. for a long beard, or dirty shirt. “Wetting of new clothes;” this is a cant phrase for a libation of liquor on obtaining anything new. The new occupation of a favourite bench costs a quart of whisky at least; sometimes more, for the highest bidder gets the prize: this may be a station near the window, or otherwise particularly convenient.
Glueing the pockets, and tying things to coats, are also tricks imposed on recusants of the usages.
And then there is the talking of the smack. If you engage in insulting other workers, you could be put to trial.
Speaking ill of a shopmate in a public-house, incurs a fine. That all fines may be duly enforced, proceedings of the nature of process or action at law is established. The oldest hand is styled the father of the shop; he presides in the judgment and infliction of these fines. The case is regularly stated, the accused afterwards makes his defence, he is then sent out, and a decision is come to. I have understood that occasionally there is an extraordinary exhibition of native talent at these opportunities. To ring the holdfast is to strike a tool that will emit a sound, in order to convene a court. It is rung three times on a charge against any man.
The book then details the same sort of charges against English shops (though the author cuts the English shops some slack because the author is clearly English). But after reading more than 300 pages of this account – biased as it was – I’ve decided not going to fine Kale for… well… anything.
Like many people learning a trade, Kale observes the activity in the shop and tries to emulate. Megan and I put our tools away every day. Kale puts their tools away every day. We clean up after ourselves at the end of each day. Kale does the same.
I suspect we’ll never have to send Kale to Coventry.
— Christopher Schwarz
How do you question the word “journeyMAN” but not “woMEN”?
Better to keep thoughts like these in your head than on the internet forever
I’m guessing this is a response to me? What’s wrong with the question? I love Chris’ writing and his thought process. I am genuinely interested in his response.
I am a tradesman who currently has an apprentice that joined the Union based on a google search of “what’s the best trade to join?” I love the challenge a green female presents. Both in my approach to work and my approach to people.
I prefer gender-neutral language. I wouldn’t want to be called a “charwoman” if I opened a cleaning business. So I say “mail carrier” instead of “mailman,” or “firefighter” instead of “fireman.”
When I was a kid I lived Ned door to a firefighter who got all riled up if you called him a fireman. “Firefighters put out fires. Firemen shovel coal in a bolier.”
But gender-neutral is the best first choice. In addition to the more obvious advantages, it’s one less thing to need to remember.
Having lived in a small Bavarian town for six years, I was very aware of the formal apprentice system there. I grew very quickly to admire the benefits of the system and many times have bemoaned the lack of such a formal system in the US. Work quality and skill was always the goal in that system and skills and work ethic were passed down journeyman or master to the apprentice
Was it by chance the carving school in Oberammergau? I visited there once and that is such a cool little town. Great gingerbread too
As a union Drywall Finisher, we have apprentices. They go to school at our hall and also work on site with journeymen. I like to refer to our time together as OJT. On Job Training. I’m not as rough or nasty with said apprentices. It’s kinda nice to see them progress. Good on ya Chris.
A skilled person is a journeyman regardless of male or female. It’s nothing more then a title. While I have no problem believing there to be some truth in the accounts in the books, consider the source of the books. Teatotalers writing these books had a severe bias in how this would be presented.
The good old days are good only because they’re old. It is good to learn that some things have gotten better. Keep up the good work.
I keep telling my bosses that apprentices and interns need to be given the best of our intentions, attention, and efforts (but too often we just dump the crap work on them that we are too d*** lazy to do ourselves), and that they (A & I) need to have a genuine interest in being here to learn to do a job. Way too many college interns that I see use the summer internship as a way to only earn some money, especially when their field of study has nothing to do with the job at hand. (Then why were they hired?) And then they spend the day farting around on their phones while we don’t hold them accountable to perform the job we’re training and paying them to do.
And this country wonders why we can’t be the global leader… Chris and Megan, and Kale, thank you for doing your parts to change the tide of mediocrity by encouraging the path to success and instilling personal pride in a job well done.
I’m very excited to hear about the future Jane Rees book. She’s fantastic.
You should contact Paul Sellers of British woodworking fame!
He worked in the apprenticeship style in England back in the 1940’s-50’s. He also mentions some of the issues he faced and how his mentor, “George” helped him survive and prosper.
He is still woodworking, today, although he was just attacked in his beloved English neighborhood and suffered several broken ribs and other ailments.
The old school guys, such as he, Graham Blackburn, and others are fast disappearing and our ability to learn directly from them will be lost forever!!
Paul Sellers, like myself started work in the English apprenticeship system in the 1960’s and it was nothing like what is described here back then, possibly 100 years before that.
My. And to think that people voluntarily left such a societal paradise, for America…
Or reminisce about the “good ol’ days”
Here, you could drink, not drink, and have no “master.” But get out of line and we’ll send in the national guard or the Pinkertons.
Being “Sent to Coventry” also has roots in the British military, for officers convicted of lesser, but still treasonous offenses. An interesting term for shunning. Humans are social animals. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Send_to_Coventry
Pretty fascinating stuff. From a woodworking perspective I have only read/watched about apprentices from Paul Sellers and Toshio Odate. It seems from reading a few of Odate san’s works that the Japanese system was pretty harsh as well.
It never ceases to amaze me that so much of humanity chooses to prey on the weak and poor for quick selfish gain, despite the results always being worse than a positive nurturing environment.
This was a horrifying read over morning capp! This is absolutely cruel, and making a decision to not perpetuate it was roughly discouraged. So much for the glamour of using old tools. For all we know, that owner was an abuser. I wonder how the US compares.
On a side note, the sketch of the Surprise had a serious flaw in it. Im guessing the artist dreamed up the scene, or based it off an anecdote. Two, really… all about the faller.
Thank you, Christopher! That was a great way to start off Easter Sunday.
By the way, my spouse, a historian of the 18th Century South, says that a noted Confederate Civil War diarist, Mary Chesnut, was given to writing, “Perhaps, he will have to be sent to Coventry”
When I was in medical school I moonlit as a bartender at a country club. When a member got a hole in one they were required to buy a round of drinks for everyone at the club that day… probably another social-drinking cultural vestige of a game that has Scottish roots.
I’ve heard that terms like “journeyman,” “workman” and the like are not a gendered term at all. The “man” in the title is derived from “manus,” Latin for hand. The term thus means one who has the capacity for work in that trade. Could be a load of crap also.
But you’re already there according to my map!
Now we will say “send them to Covington!” I.E to mean a respectful, empowering woodworking training where the drinking is purely optional…
Geez that must have been terrible. They must not have all been like that. It might have been worse in the cities? I once worked for an Amish cabinet shop. One day we needed a load of two by fours and sixes to build some shop storage or something and a new work table. Well I went to the big box that was maybe fifteen minutes away. I selected the straightest one out of the pile. I hate working with twisted lumber and the selection was not the greatest that day either. I took them back. I was gone probably an hour and a half. The owner of the shop came out to meet me and said “you were gone too long I am only paying you for an hour.” I told him that’s not right. I did not work there very long after that. He also would say things like “one of these days I’m gonna hire a real carpenter.” Anything to make someone feel small. It’s a common thing among the Amish. Not all of them are like that though. On a lot of construction sites the new person is sent after the sky hook or something similar. I don’t support making new people feel stupid.
My grandfather was a finish carpenter and cabinetmaker. When I started school at age 5 I was given a kid-sized (but totally real) toolbox and became my grandfather’s “apprentice”. That meant I spent all my school holidays and summers working with him. I think it was cheap “childcare” so my mom could go back to work, but I learned things nonetheless. One day, I showed up for work missing my hammer from my toolbox. I won’t say the penalty was as bad as in that book, but I couldn’t sit down for most of the day.
When I first started, I was mainly his “step-and-fetch” but also remember spending most of my time removing nails from boards and straightening them. I also learned how to count to 100 before I even got to first-grade. I got a penny for every one I got straight enough to use again. It was incentive to do good work – a penny could get you a lot of candy in 1970. I got caught eating candy in class one day. My teacher was fond of saying, “I hope you have enough for everyone.” She did. And I did. She also sent a letter home to my parents. Uh oh. No more milk money.
Later, once I got past the straightening-nails stage, I was earning $2 a day. Half of my “wages” were put into a savings account and the other half was given to my parents to dole out as they saw fit. I remember when I was a Cub Scout, I worked my *ss off the entire summer to earn the money to get a REAL camping backpack. That thing was almost as big as I was.
As the years went by, I learned more things like how to drive a nail straight, saw to a line, plane an edge and chamfer corners, cope molding to get a seamless corner, layout angles using rise and run, and a whole lot more. He even taught me to use simple power tools like a drill, jigsaw, sander and even the circular saw – under close supervision of course. He was missing a finger from a table saw accident and he would never miss a chance to remind me of it.
My grandpa died of cancer when I was 12. I can only imagine where I might be if I’d been able to continue. He would always say to his customers, “He’s my apprentice. He’s going to take over my company when I retire”.
How I miss that man. Thank you for stirring those memories and allowing me to share them.
Im surprised all the old timers didn’t cut their fingers off being drunk and working with chisels. Or worse…throw their back because they are feeling great and getting too much work done.
I’ve been thinking about this a lot recently. I’m an expert in Internet engineering with a 27 year career and counting. I’ve taught a lot of people over those years, and I myself learned from folks older than myself rather than at a school. It’s like an apprenticeship, but not formalized. I also don’t like the terminology for the reason you mention. I’ve been toying around with alternate terms. So far, I like using “mun” instead of man. As in “mmmmmmmundefined”.
Apprentice
Journeymun
Munster (I like cheese)
Thanks Chris. I did postdoctoral studies in 1996 and 97 in the UK. Alcohol consumption was much more prominent there than in the USA. If having a pub lunch, it was not uncommon to drink two pints (40 oz total of beer) and then go back to work. I was a lightweight drinker then and still am. I got teased for it. Fortunately, nothing as onerous as what you outlined above. When I did need something done more quickly than standard lead times, I used to show up with my sample for testing and a bottle of port. That seemed to help speed things along. Probably would have done it for me without the port, but I wanted to express my gratitude for the favor.
Wow. And even after centuries of destroying families, breaking down industry, and generally demoralizing society, alcohol and drug use continues to be openly celebrated, even by intelligent and educated people… Look how far we (haven’t) come.