THE PRINTING TRADE IN PHILADELPHIA1 By Charles L. Wood, Jr., B.S. in Ed. Assistant in Psychology

University of Pennsylvania, CONTENTS History Of The Trade 1. China 2. Advent in Europe I. A

3. Holland 4.

Germany

5. France 6.

Italy England 8. Spanish-America

7.

9. United States 10. Pennsylvania and Philadelphia Trade 11. Present Status and Economic Importance of the III. Description of the Jobs Within the Trade 1. Hand

2.

Compositor

(a) Type Setting (b) The Proof (c) Stone Work 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. 2.

Necessity of An Apprenticeship System Compositor's Union Plan

3. Pressmen's Union Plan 4. The 5.

Philadelphia Wages

Plan

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 '

study prepared for use in vocational guidance in accordant principles suggested in " Vocational Guidance and Job na } chological Viewpoint," by Morris S. Vitelos, appearing in this numoe 1

A

^

'

Psychological

Clinic.

. _

,pIIE

THE PSYCHOLOGICAL CLINIC

184

VI. 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 There as

years of the 7tli

century.

records which prove that the Chinese used movable type as the 10th century but neither of these inventions had any

are

early

known effect in

Europe. Europe: In Europe the art of printing from was first practised in the closing years of the 14th wooden blocks 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 HolAdvent in

land; but both the Germans and the Dutch claim the honor of having invented movable metal type. Whoever may have been

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 first in

books therefrom.

Germany: the

use

lands.

Koster did not have the

ability

to train others in

of his invention, and the art disappeared in the NetherIn 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,

improved the method so that in 1453 he could print Bibles in 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. who

sufficient

France:

In 1458 Charles VII of France sent

some

of his best

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

engravers to

185

THE PRINTING TRADE IN PHILADELPHIA or

Stephanus

was

the founder of this business and he established

a

House of publishers and scholars that lasted for 150 years. after

Shortly in the

in Paris, a press was estabhere that artists first found employment

printing appeared

lished in Lyons and it

was

employed by LeRoys to illustrate 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 one

new

trade.

Holbein

was

of the

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 comgreat that men like

mon

property of Western Europe and in

turn have influenced all

thinking of Europe

and America up to the present. Caxton was the first and foremost printer William England: in England. While living on the Continent in Bruges he had trans-

lated several French and Latin works into English.

lations a

These trans-

had proven so popular in England that he was attracted to press that Colard Mansion was operating in Bruges. Mansion failed, Caxton bought the press and type and moved

printing

When

the material to of Westminster

England, lie set up Abbey. By studying

his press within the confines the wants of his

reading pub-

He 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.

art, the Oxford University

ginnings

that American

Spaniards

Shortly

set up

printing

a

after Caxton introduced the

press.

traces its

It

was

from these be-

descent, although

the

the first to introduce it into the New World.

were

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

introduction

of

work, for those times, was turned out before the printing into the English speaking part of America.

The United States: t'ame to was

Massachusetts

in

The first

January,

printing 1G39.

press in the

The first in

colonies

Pennsylvania

established "near Philadelphia" in 1G86 and by 1775 there were fifty presses in operation in the Colonies.

THE PSYCHOLOGICAL CLINIC

186

Pennsylvania

and

The first

Philadelphia:

printer

in

Pennsyl-

vania 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 Andrew Bradford

Philadelphia.

December

on

22, 1719, published

the first newspaper in Pennsylvania. Franklin on his first visit to Philadelphia in 1723 boarded with

although he worked for a printer named Keimer. Frankpaying 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 Bradford lin in

world.'

"

Whether

or

not Franklin's criticism was correct

At any rate Franklin was than Keimer and he was able to

not tell.

more

ness

buy

we can-

astute in affairs of busi-

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.

prominent men have been give an idea of the caliber this "art of arts," in its be-

While many

omitted, enough have been mentioned of those who devoted their lives to

to

ginning. 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 follows: were 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-binddivided

as

ing apprentices. It can be readily seen from these figures that the 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 numnumber of

ber of establishments. The

a

complete report for 1920 has not been distributed but from 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 There was an increase of more than 100,000 was $1,699,789,229. the number in personnel, jumping to 455,822 in 1919. In Phila-

187

THE PRINTING TRADE IN PHILADELPHIA

delphia

the value of the

products

increase of 122.1% in five

of the trade

was

$72,515,822,

an

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 that has back of it

country,

products that

are

needs

number of

a

large

a large capitalization, manufacturing nearly two billions of dollars and which skilled artisans that are well paid.

valued at

DESCRIPTION OF THE JOBS

The

trade is

printing

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

attention is paid to the book-binding trade as in most cases this 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, no

is

an

still

qualifications for the jobs and the workers employment from an establishment to a in publishing house.1 specializing job-printing 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 cylinderrequire

the

find it possible

same

to shift their

pressmen. sets

Hand Compositor: The hand-compositor, as the name implies, type by hand. The separate pieces of type are distributed in a

case" which is

a

shallow box subdivided into

a

number of

partments each containing one letter or figure. The cases contained in racks, one above the other, like drawers, so that

comare

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 that the case slants from the

front

the

arranged

to the

case

back,

up

then above this and

containing

the

capital

slanting

letters.

at

a

greater angle is

The top of this last

1A complete description of the qualifications necessary for each job is given in the job specifications and job psycJiographs below under the and Job Job

heading

Specifications

Psychographs.

case

success

in

appearing

THE PSYCHOLOGICAL CLINIC

188

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

positor holds his body and

length

the stick

of the line which is to be set. so

that the

long

raised

his thumb rests upon the movable

edge arm.

The

com-

is away from 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

tween letters and words.

It

or

brass at each end of the line

can

be

seen

or

be-

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

PRINTING TRADE

THE

IN

PHILADELPHIA

189

the type on a stone (cf. of paper an surface of the letters, cover it with a sheet down upo a mallet and block of wood hammer the paper until an impression has been made. this proo wi1 Stone Work: The compositor then gives o are anyeriois original copy to a proof-reader. If there an are made in the composition

of

pulling proof

is to

beloJ)'

lay

?

tions, appropriate changes ft* blowing operations are type is placed on a "stone." (The ymsma quently performed by the compositor, especia y a is compositor in all cases it is done by a man who which has feet high four table about The "stone" is

a

large

level stone for its top. the form. The stone-hand -locks up"

smooth,

moves the

string which

the

.

,

To

dottato*

OQmposito^use c^n

?

^ that an ^ P and then surrounds the composition ^ dual pressure can be exerted upon the a as well. Around this he then places ^ ^ ^ be pr.n press upon which the work is to q{ wood or ^ ^ between the type and the edges of the ^ ^ ^ ^ metal prepared for this purpose and metal or shape pie "quoins." The quoins are are wedged wooden an ig1 wood which when moved together, expand ^ so blocks against each other and against the t} pe the retain the ype. can be lifted from the table and still e , on ai work has been printed, the form is again y on g placed the type quoins are released, the blocks removed, .

eachfit meta^ >

and

compositor

some

places in the

or

positor operates

a

cast in lead.

operates

distributes

1

mo

case.

Linotype Operator: type,

apprentice

The linotype

machine that gives The

operator

operatoi

as

its

or mae

product

.

a so

sits in front of the

mac

n

enlarged typewn e keyboard which looks like an the opera By pressing the keys of this keyboard me. a

board. leases matrices from

at the top of the mac molten ea matrix is in reality a mold so formed that when will e r forced against it, the face of the letter or figure e ete When enough matrices have been released to comp u e the operator can then space them so that the line will that of par then pulls a lever which controls the operation an machine which casts the line. When this is complete a

magazine

THE PSYCHOLOGICAL CLINIC

190

up the matrices, carries them to the top of the magathey 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

scends, picks zine and

to cut the cast.

In addition to this he must be

sure

that his metal

required temperature and that he has shops the operator is required to pull his

is of the some

this, the procedure is linotype distribution

the

same as

that of the

enough of it. own proofs. hand compositor.

In For The

melting down of the casts. Job Pressman: printed 011 a job-press the will place it in position who form will be given to a job-pressman This press is in two main or large pieces which alteron his press. and open. When the press opens, a set of come together nately is

simply

the

If the work is to be

moves down over the surface of the type and covers 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

rubber rollers

it with ink.

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

is made up usually of a sheet of card-board sheets of paper and these are held in place bands that are metal attached to the press. If the type is too by of then some this bed is cut high away so that pressure is reduced

covered with

at that

platen

one or more

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

pertinent.

time

as a

press feeder

a

description

of that

job

is

THE FEINTING TRADE IN

PHILADELPHIA

191

The feeder stands in front of the job-press and or picks up the sheets of paper with his right hand. The paper side stock is placed in a pile on a small table attached to the right of the Before he starts the press he usually riffles the stack Press Feeder:

press.

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 the kind of work and the run at

varying speeds depending upon weight and size of the paper; but a feeder ought to be able to turn The out 1,500 impressions or printed sheets an hour on most work. is the that getting see type feeder should be watching the ink to enough and that it is

the type. This has to He pay attention letters, see to it that

properly distributed

is also

over

one of the duties of the pressman. to the color of the work, watch for dropped

the guides have not shifted and in !t is off the press.

general supervise

the

job

until

In addition to making the press ready for straight color work such as has been described above the pressman often has to make is ready a press for multiple color work. For the pressman this third or second chiefly a matter of setting the guides so that the 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 esserror man can get them to register exactly. To do this the trial and it is as correct method is used. The form is locked as nearly up

if the put on the press and an impression is made, then 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

possible,

room and the pressroom for the stone-hand will swear that the form is all right but that the guides on the press are

composing

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

wrong,

houses a cylinder press and a job press, but in the larger the cylinder else. presses are made ready by men who do nothing heavier With the cylinder presses the forms are much larger and eare of

THE PSYCHOLOGICAL CLINIC

192

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

than the

the materials that have to be handled.

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 Press-Feeder: The

Cylinder

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 or if miss getting a sheet up to the in time for the starts the sheet

stops

he did not get it straight, he treads upon cylinder so that it does not touch the type. The above

descriptions

of the

a

grippers trips

lever that

the

important jobs are by no many shops there are high special training on the part

more

exhaustive. For instance in off-set presses which require a speed 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 means

are

ized

for those

jobs

jobs

which

are

general

to the

trade,

while the

special-

have been omitted. HOW THE PRINTING TRADE IS LEARNED

Ages and until the Industrial Revolution the Guilds Printers' regulated the number of apprentices that should In the Medieval

THE

PRINTING TRADE

IN

PHILADELPHIA

193

this system the training program. Under foi the to a master a certain sum apprentices or their parents paid the tiade. and mystery of instruction of the boy into the art, trade the individual employeis With the disappearance of the guilds, it ^as employ and as decided how many apprentices they would than journeymen, often cheaper for the employer to use apprentices paying foi without trade it became possible for boys to learn the the old wages. However, tuition and even to be paid some small old system the

be

employed

and their

and under this indenture system was still in force in law books slaves. In fact, apprentices were little more than and nineteenth century apprentices current in this country in the slaves were discussed together. of maThe

rapid introduction

contribNecessity of Apprenticeship: of apprenticeship chinery and the intolerable conditions number of true apprentices. uted alike to the gradual decrease in the in the United States As a consequence the quality of workmanship in the best minds both

of the has become alarmingly low and many been trying for several years industrial and educational fields have ia"^e In this the piinteis to find a solution for this problem. national the and of the unions apparently taken the lead. All training pro-

organization of

employing printers

have

developed

of the

many to these programs apprentices. In addition their own. of larger firms have developed training systems are excellent oppor grams for

there At the present time in Philadelphia The procedure is in gen^unities for learning the printing trade. 01 as an errand bo} eral as follows: a boy obtains employment eral after he has served general utility worker in a printing shop, if he as an apprentice, months in this capacity he may be listed emor the foreman shows the ability that is thought requisite by hile "VN learn the trade. ployer, and if he evidences the desire to is a matter it is true that this judgment of the boy's to many errors, of untrained personal opinion and therefore subject scientific standthere is promise that in the near future definite the various diviards will be utilized in selecting apprentices for there sions of the trade. If the boy is selected as an apprentice, are several possibilities open to him. listed with the International Compositors' Union: lie may be an served two years as has Typographical Union and after he "Lessons in a course of apprentice he is required to subscribe to costs lessons and Printing." This course consists of thirty-seven

qualifications

THE PSYCHOLOGICAL CLINIC

194

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 The year the apprentice is entitled to his Journeyman's card. 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 of these is one on important language composition. This is judged for sentence structure, spelling and punctuation. The indenture

THE

PRINTING TRADE

IN

PHILADELPHIA

195

the old indentures, is somewhat similar to paper that the boy signs removed. but with the objectionable features over amounts to something a wage that is The paid boy Wages: which lasts five years. $6,000.00 by the end of his apprenticeship, follows: $1^.00 per is as The scale of wages in force at present and of $2.00 per week raise a week (at start) for six months, then months until the apprentice these increases come regularly every six inclement then on he gets an has reached $24.00 per week. From until he reaches $36.00 per of $4.00 per week every six months the and is entitled to week when he is given Journeyman's papers week for to $48.00 per Standard Scale which is at present $44.00

hand-compositors.

thinks if the employer him to the school operate the boy is worth the expense, he may send trade a him through the advance way this in by the Typothetae and other han ordinarily. On the a faster rate than he would make for his own by paying the boy can enter the school, if he wishes, y above is advocated tuition. The Indenture system as outlined have pu shops which the Philadelphia Typothetae and in those School is School: During this

period

of

training,

The

Typothetae

will effect, it is working successfully. Usually the employers 0nly equipped to train compositors. but it in the school; finance the boys to study hand composing own have to pay their they wish to study Linotype operating they concerne all with benefit to way. The indenture system works scale and this forces First the boy is assured of an increasing wage trained so that he the employer to see to it that he is properly The employer is to pay.

it into

will be worth the wages he has agreed indentured not to employ an Protected by the agreement of all shops lookconstantly from This keeps the boy b?y from another

shop.

iftg

for

a

new

During

job. the

apprenticeship

various social functions

are

ai are

become journeymen ranged by the Typothetae and those who Com-

the Apprenticeship fitting way. At present with the Public School discussing is mittee of the Typothetae schools courses in the authorities the installation of Part-Time

honored

in

some

time.

which apprentices could attend on the employer's of the opportunities That the Philadelphia Typothetae is aware handling f?r the advancement of the trade through a sympathetic the following quotation of the apprentice problem, is shown by

THE PSYCHOLOGICAL CLINIC

196

1 Apprenticeship Idea in Philadelphia," "The object of a country is apprenticeship is to make better Americans 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 The apprentice wants to be assured of the opportunity sides 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 ."

from "The

.

...

....

.

.

.

JOB SPECIFICATIONS AND JOB PSYCHOGRAPHS

Psychographs which are given 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: The Job

Specifications

with this article

ferred to above. abilities and the abilities

are

and Job

intended

are

The definitions of the terms used for the various quintile method of grading the importance of the

described in that article.

In the

psychographs

a

opposite any ability represents the judgment of several employing printers of Philadelphia combined with the writer's as check

to the minimum amount of any success

of the means

in it.

For instance

psychograph

a

ability required by

the

job

for

check will be found in the 5th column

Pressman, opposite "alertness." This judgment was that pressman should have of alertness. On the other hand a check

for

that the combined

the maximum amount

will be found in the 1st column of the

same

psychograph

op-

posite "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 batof tests that will accurately measure the amounts of the abilities tery 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 1

described in the preceding article.

Prepared by delphia, in 1920.

the

Apprenticeship

Committee of tho

Typothetne

of Phi'a

THE PRINTING TRADE IN

PHILADELPHIA

197

JOB SPECIFICATIONS

1.

Name of job.

2.

Preferred age. 16-20. Preferred sex. Male (females are admitted). Physical requirements. Normal height, weight

3. 4.

Apprentice

Jon

hand

compositor. and

strength.

PSYCIIOGRAPH FOR HAND COMPOSITOR I

3 1. 2.

Remarks

Energy

Rate of Discharge Endurance Control 5. Co-Ordination A

3.

4.

6.

Co-Ordination

7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13.

Initiative

Concentration Distribution

Persistence Alertness

Associability D

iscriminability:

14. 15.

A. B.

a/V b/A c/T : Space Perception Form

Accuracy Memory:

Perception

a/V b/A

16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24.

c/K..

Understanding A Understanding B Observation Planfulness

Intelligence

Intellect Judgment Logical Analysis Language Ability

Pre-requisite qualifications.

(a) Specific abilities. See job psychograph. school or its (b) Education. Completion of Grammar equivalent. (c) Temperamental qualities. None. who have (d) Experience. None. (Some shops prefer boys the had one or two jobs so that they will appreciate

6-

apprenticeship.) Conditions of work. Standing, walking, occasional errands, inks. usually inside, 8 hr. day, dirty from type and

THE PSYCHOLOGICAL CLINIC

198

Start at $12.00 per

advanced at

incre-

7.

Wages.

8.

$36.00. Journeymen receive $44.00. Statement of duties?a description of the duties of the job.

week,

regular

ments to

description of the jobs. Analysis of operations?statement of units of operations in the job. See description of the jobs. Time to learn. Four years, extra ability may lessen this. Amount of training in the job. Opportunities for promotion. Journeymen become foremen, superintendents, salesmen, depending upon ability. Advantageous and Disadvantageous Features. Steady promotion during apprenticeship, work is educative, employment is not seasonal. Confining, often monotonous and repetitive See

9.

10. 11. 12. 13.

in character. Psychograph for Machine Compositor

Job

Remarks 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13.

14. 15.

16.

17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24.

Energy

Rate of Discharge. Endurance

Control Co-Ordination A Co-Ordination B Initiative Concentration

Distribution

xx

Persistence Alertness

xx

Associability Discriminability: a/V b/A c/T A. Space Perception. B. Form Perception. Accuracy Memory: a/V b/A c/K Understanding A. .

Understanding

B

.

.

..

..

Observation Planfulness

Intelligence Intellect

Judgment Logical Analysis Language Ability....

199

THE PRINTING TRADE IN PHILADELPHIA JOB SPECIFICATIONS

1. 2. 3. 4.

Name of job. Apprentice Machine Compositor. Preferred age. 21-30. Preferred sex. Male or female. Physical requirements. Eyesight must be normal have

5.

and must

of both hands.

use

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.

of work. Sitting. In some shops apprentice may employed in composing room part of the time. Wages. None for apprentices in the Typothetae school. Depends upon length of employment in other cases. Never

Conditions be

7.

less than $12.00. the

8.

Statement of duties?a See job description.

9. 10.

Analysis of operations?statement of units of operations in the job. See job description. Time to learn. If full time is given to the school apprentice

11.

Amount of

should complete 12.

course

description of

the duties

of

job.

in 8 weeks.

training in the job. Opportunities for promotion. selected from employees.

Foremen and

Not

as

good

as

superintendents for hand-com-

positors. 13.

Disadvantageous Features. Pay is good large degree upon ability?steady employment?good working conditions. It is, however, confining

Advantageous and depends and

and to

exacting. JOB SPECIFICATIONS

1. 2. 3. 4.

of job. Apprentice Job Pressman. Preferred age. 16-21. Preferred sex. Male (some women admitted). Physical requirements. Average height, weight Name

with

no

deformities.

and

strength

THE PSYCHOLOGICAL CLINIC

200 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

Remarks 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6

7 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13.

14. 15.

16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24.

6. 7. 8. 9.

Energy

Rate of

Discharge...

.

Endurance Control Co-Ordnation A Co-Ordination B Initiative Concentration Distribution Persistence Alertness

Associability Discriminability: a/V b/A c/T A. Space Perception. B. Form Perception. Accuracy Memory: a/V b/A c/K.. Understanding A Understanding B Observation Planfulness

Intelligence Intellect

Judgment Logical Analysis Language Ability....

of ivork. Standing, inside, wet and oily in washing presses and rollers. Wages. $12.00 per week to start. Regular increments to $44.00-$48.00. Statement of duties?a description of the duties of the jobSee job description. Analysis of operations?statement of units of operations in the job. See job description.

Conditions

THE PRINTING TRADE IN

Three to four years. training in the job. promotion. Same

10.

Time to learn.

11.

Amount of

12.

Opportunities for Advantageous and

13.

PHILADELPH

-hand-compositor.

a

Interesting

Disadvantageous

work?-artistic in some details-good W and is said to be ployment. Work is often dirty doubt u to tuberculosis although this is

^

iar

em-

con

.

JOB

1.

SPECIFICATIONS

of job. Apprentice Cylinder Pressman._ ^ Jo -P Preferred age. Same as for Apprentice Preferred sex. Same as for prentice job-pressman. as o Physical requirements. Same 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 Conditions of work. Standing, msi e, Wages. Same as for apprentice job-pressma o 3 Statement of duties. See description Analysis of operations. See ^ philadelphia 8 Name

2. 3.

Appre^Ce

4. 5.

^

6. 78. 910.

11. 12.

.

Time to learn.

^

^ 6 months. o claims to have trained a selected group This is not usual however. Amount of training in the job. and 01-.r?pvintpndents supeuntcnd promotion. Foremen

Opportunities for of press

13.

dcscnptiono^

Three to four years.

room are

from 3?nrnc3-m Disadvantageous Features.

promoted

-n_

Advantageous and teresting and often

day.

Av

differs in detail from day is monotonous. W asking prentice often feeds press and this 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 to Press that any boy who is apprenticedI presses are so

pressroom

As

a

similar

become either

matter of fact many

Presses

more

oi cylinder pressman on men are competent

a

^

a^? both kinds 0?

that it is the writer has been told to become cy difficult for job-pressmen

although

creasingly men.

can

kinds^ ress

THE PSYCHOLOGICAL CLINIC

202

CONCLUSIONS

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 The

to-day is limited only by his ability and ambition. 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 man

in the trade

If he has the

as

type, paper, and color, etc., that should be used on They can show the customer how the job ought to be

to kind of

their work.

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

printed

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.