TRADK SCH'Hn.S AS AIDS TO l^■|)L'STK^•. 58 1 



i^ive preference to Trade School pupils when vacancies for ap- 

 prentices arose. 



9. Indcnturcship in Trades School— -'[ht Association was of 

 oi)ini(Mi that no useful purpose was served by ha\ ing^ an inden- 

 tureship system for pupils in the Trades School. In view of the 

 fact that it insisted upon indentureship in the commercial work- 

 shops, it preferred to regard the Trades School training as pre- 

 paratOT\- course ior indentured apprenticeship, and would be 

 satisfied with a certiticate. from the Principal of the school, that 

 the pu])il had satisfactorily completed the two years' ccnirse. 



10. Value of Trades School Training. — The Association was 

 • of opinitm that the time spent at the Trades School should count 



for such a period as the employer might consider adequate after 

 a sufficient individual test had been made during a probationary 

 term, provided that such period did not exceed the period spent 

 in the school ; the wages received to be the standard rate of pay 

 to ordinary apprentices who had served the period allowed in 

 respect of the trade school training. 



11. Nature of Work done in School. — Whenever possible, 

 the work should be of a useful nature. Imt there should be no 

 unfair competition with (,utside firms. 



The Amalgamated Society of fuigineers endorsed all these 

 views, and added : 



( 1 ) That with regard to improvers, such should be recog- 

 nised for a ])eri(ul of six months onlv after completion of 

 ai)prenticeshi]j. 



(2) That apprenticeshi]) shotild not begin before the age 

 of 16, and, including the period of exem])tion for Trades School 

 pupils, .'hould be for five years. 



(3) That attendance at continuation classes should be made 

 compulsory on the part of all apprentices, who should be allowed 

 ofif at least one afternoon ])er week for i')urposes of study and 

 attendance at classes. 



One immediate result of these conferences was the decision 

 of the Governing Body to recommend that the course become a 

 two-years' one, and that the .system of indenturing at the school 

 be abandoned ; this was not done in a day, but the changes have 

 been made, and they have proved entirely satisfactory. 



Steps were then taken to ascertain by actual trial the com- 

 mercial value of the trade-school course as regards reduction in 

 the period of apprenticeship. One of the mines afrreed to take 

 three pupils on trial, with the result that they were accepted as 

 apprentices, with an allowance of two years off the normal period, 

 and with the corresponding rate of wages. 



.\ word may now be said with regard to the work done at 

 the school. Quoting from the prospectus : — 



The object of the school is to afford a preparatory traininji for llic 

 different trades. It must he clearly understood that no attempt is made 

 to train the pupil for any hut a workinj? career as an artisan or " hench " 

 hand, i.e., as a mechanical fitter, and not as a mechanical engmeer. 



