Printing a Textbook for Printers Apprentices, Continuation Classes, and for General Use in Schools #250496

Each of these methods has its own special sphere, but there are numerous points of contact. Letterpress is by far the most important; and the most important branch of letterpress is typography. This treatise is devoted to typographic printing, but, as stated in the preface, it makes no pretense of fully covering the subject. The student of typography is urged to acquire at least a smattering of the various other ways in which things are printed. He will certainly have a broader and better conception of his own branch of the work. He should also have a general knowledge of all the trades allied to his own, such as typefounding, electrotyping, paper — making, etc. Teachers of printing should take their students on shop visits, and see that they get first-hand information on these topics. To the uninitiated, the setting of type seems the simplest of mechanical operations. Apparently, all that is necessary is for one to know the lay of the case; the operation of placing the type in the stick is assumed to be so simple that even a child should do it. If this were all there is to typesetting, there would be no need for schools of printing. The student soon learns, however, that he must possess considerable special knowledge and skill before he can be considered a good com positor. The boy who makes the greatest strides in printing is he who has attained at least the eighth grade in public school, and has a fair knowledge of punctuation, capitalization, spelling, and the division of words. If he is to be a job compositor he should have a predilection toward art. He should possess mechanical ability. Above all, he should be studious, for he will find that if he is to advance in his chosen field he must be continually studying to keep pace with progress. A boy who does not possess these requisites had better not undertake the work. There are entirely too many men of mediocre ability in the business now, much to the annoyance of employers. It is to be regretted that such men do not strive to improve their earning capacity by judicious study. There is constant demand for men of ability.