The old tradition in Great Britain of entering a boy, immediately on passing his pre liminary examination, or its equivalent, as an articled apprentice, has encounter-! ed a severe jolt. Few firms to-day manifest any desire to accept apprenticed pupils; and those that are willing demand a premium far beyond the scope of the average father's purse.
One firm in particular wanted £500 for only three years' tuition, with nothing returned for pocket money. - In addition, says a father, "I should have the outlay of five years' board and lodging, fares to Pale covert cloth suit with coarse; scall cat with pagoda sleeves. Narrow buttons, sable collar. Imitated pockets on the skirt. and fro, clothing and pocket money, approximating £200 per annum. It simply cannot be contemplated in viously quite unreasonable, these hard times; and it is ob-
"Tu the old days the whole of an engineering education did not exceed a third of that amount; and that seemed an average for my boys, For firms were then rational in their demands; and they also encouraged industrious youths by rewarding them with small, really well-earned salaries, Now, however, conditions that obtain are different. Just left school" boys are never wanted as pupils. Firms will not be bothered with them; they prefer ex-officers on Government grants; and, of i those on the waiting lists. course, there are still thousands of "A friend is in the same unenviable position. The large Midland j engineering works that trained his elder son and gave him an excellent report, being at the time enthusiastic over teaching young engineers, now refuse to take on his younger son, except on terms which are, from a " parent's point of view, preposterous.
"As far asI can see there is only one remedy: that is for the profession-controlling institutions to fix a reasonable limit to premiums, and to compe] their members to accept one or more pupils at intervals according to the circumstances in which each happens to be situated." material bay cin ec pockets, stitching. Blouse jacket'
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.