[This department is conducted by the International Commission on Supplemental Education. Inquiries regarding the International Typographical Union Course in Printing and the work of the commission should be addressed to "The International Typographical Union Commission, 120-130 Sherman street, Chicago, Ill."]

VALUE OF KNOWLEDGE OF LAWS OF DESIGN.

Probably the most illuminating and helpful lessons in the International Typographical Union Course to the compositor who is "making good" is the group treating of the principles of design. There are some who say good printing is being done now and has been done before without a knowledge of the principles of design and there is no need for what they call high falutin' at this time. Those who hold thus speak without due deliberation or consideration. Typography has been "good" or "bad" just in proportion as it adhered to or violated the principles of design. The fact that the compositor or critics are ignorant of these principles doesn't alter the fact that they are the standard by which decorative composition is measured, so to speak. Ignorant of the reason, we call it "personal taste," and say this or that compositor is a "born printer," whereas he quite unconsciously, perhaps, has been following some paratively simple laws of design. Not knowing or understanding the cause of his success, this compositor works hard to obtain results that would be achieved much more easily and give him immensely more satisfaction if he knew and understood.

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How do we know that, as a rule, printers are ignorant of the principles underlying typography? For the reason that when their work is attacked they can not defend it scientifically. In every other industry the men who work at it are regarded as experts-thought of and spoken of as the men who know what is and what is not correct. It is not so with the printer. Journals which circulate among buyers of printing teem with assertions that if you want good work from printers you must stand over them and see that they do it right. Employing printers who profess to make a specialty of high-class work fairly screech about the non-printer designers that are on their staffs. In many instances these designers are regarded as jokes by the compositors. They get good salaries and amend their jobs from two to five times, while the compositor who has to reset many of his jobs is regarded as inefficient.

These commercial artists have no more intelligence or artistic taste than the compositors who take orders from them, and frequently they are inferior in these respects to the compositor. Then, why do they get such pre-eminence? Largely because they know something about what they are doing they are not working in the dark. The contemptuous attitude toward the printer rife in many quarters is the offspring of the generally accepted idea that he doesn't know his business. That in turn is begotten of his inability to con

vincingly and logically defend his work either before a person of culture or a gross barbarian.

For proof of this look at what happens in ninetynine cases out of a hundred when the average customer objects to a job. He comes to the front with the declaration that the job is rotten. Immediately the representative of the office-be he employer, solicitor, foreman or compositor-becomes apologetic. "Very sorry, indeed; it is the work of one of our best men, who has always given you satisfaction heretofore. Strange that he didn't hit your taste this time, but we'll reset the job with pleasure." The only variation to that sort of thing is when the "front office" sets up a wail about the incapacity of compositors, etc. This manner of retort is a most emphatic confession of not knowing as much about the business as the customer, and we may be sure that view does not escape Mr. Customer; for poor, weak man is prone to take such implied compliments and hug them to his bosom. If the printer were a master of the principles of design, and did not admit that his work was planless, unscientific and without an underlying reason, he could challenge the customer to show wherein the job was faulty. Or if that were not thought judicious, he could take up the job and analyze it, showing that it was well proportioned, that it balanced properly, and was correct as to shape and tone harmony. The customer might persist in his demand to have that particular job reset, but it would dawn on him that the printer knew something about the essentials of his trade. This thought would flower in the shape of greater respect for the printer and ultimate confidence in his ability to accomplish results. The designer knows enough about his work to reply if it is attacked-and that is one of the reasons confidence is reposed in him. The printer can readily acquire the same desirable quality by taking the International Typographical Union Course. Some one has said you can not teach a man anything he does not already know, but you can make clear and bright the things he knows but hazily and dimly. That is what the lessons on design do. Every person who has set a good job or ad or any one who has a sensible opinion to offer on a printed sheet, has notions of design. In this connection the average compositor knows a lot that he doesn't know he knows, and the course makes him wise.

BRITISH LABOR LEADER WANTS COURSE FOR UNITED KINGDOM.

Herbert Skinner, one of the fraternal delegates to the American Federation of Labor from Great Britain, is, as readers of THE JOURNAL know, secretary of the Typographical Association. Roughly speaking, this organization has jurisdiction over Ireland and England outside of London. In that territory there are some local unions not in active affiliation, but the association is a lusty organization of some twenty thousand members, and issues

a paper-the Circular-with a total circulation of 25,000. Like many British printers, Mr. Skinner has taken some part in the civic life in his home city, his particular position being that of trustee of the famed Municipal Technical School of Manchester. According to the report issued by the United States government in 1902, this school has more than 4,000 students, who are taught in a building which, with plant, cost $1,000,000. There is a typographic department, with comprehensive courses for apprentices and journeymen. Long official connection with such a school, and said by a British employer to be an excellent printer, it is not surprising that Mr. Skinner should be interested in the International Typographical Union Course. With his colleague, Mr. John Wadsworth, M. P., he visited the headquarters of the commission at Chicago, and as the methods of the course were unfolded expressed his gratification at what he saw and amazement that the inculcation of the principles underlying typography had not been developed in other countries where so much attention had been given to typographical instruction.

"It is a revelation and will work a revolution in the trade during a decade or so. The scope and plan of the commission is so broad and catholic that it rather staggers one at first, but there is no doubt as to it being the best and wisest course to pursue."

Then Mr. Skinner wanted to see the quality of the instruction given, and examined minutely copies of letters of advice that had been sent students. As exercises are always returned to students, the "show me" Englishman wanted an opportunity to compare a student's work with the criticism and advice vouchsafed him. At that moment no letters had been transcribed from the phonograph recorders to which the instructors dictate, and Mr. Skinner had his introduction to another novelty. With job or exercise in hand and ear tubes adjusted, he listened to the technical wisdom emitted by the reproducer and pronounced it excellent craftsmanship.

It may be proper here to give a hint of what sort of man Mr. Skinner is. One gentleman who has attended many federation of labor conventions, and who is not a printer, said: "Skinner is a very able fellow. His style is less ponderous than that of the usual British delegate-in fact he has quite a sense of humor. His codelegate is an able man, but of the usual type, and Skinner seemed quite brilliant in comparison." A printer who is probably the best judge of men in the International Typographical Union said of him: "He impressed me as a student of industrial affairs and endowed with an unusual amount of good, hard sense." Here we have two estimates of the man who made a thorough examination of the course, not only its purposes and theory, but its methods and manner. This director of one of the best technical schools in the world expressed the desire to have the course exploited in Great Britain. Just to show his good faith, he offered space in his journal for this purpose. So the printers across the sea are to be made intimately acquainted with one of the features of the International Typographical Union's work. The cost of postage, tuition, etc., eats up

all of the fee of $20, and foreign students are charged extra to cover increased cost of postage, expressage, etc., and are not eligible for the International Typographical Union rebate of $5.

An educational method that makes such an appeal to an experienced man like Mr. Skinner is surely worthy the enthusiastic support of every member of the union that is promoting it.

FIRST GRADUATE OF course.

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The first student to finish the International Typographical Union Course is also one of the best-known printers in the world and occupies one of the most desirable positions in the craft. bert Ward Dippy is his name, and he is chief of the typographical designing department of the International Correspondence Schools at Scranton, Pa. He was born in Philadelphia in 1876, and at an early age secured work in a pressroom. made his way into a composing room and ultimately decided to make a specialty of job work. From 1897 to 1902 he worked in several of the leading union offices in Philadelphia. In the latter year he accepted a position as head jobber and designer of the specimen department of the Keystone Type Foundry. He remained with this firm until the International Correspondence Schools induced him to accept the responsibility of designing the printing done in their $250,000 plant. He made good, and in time developed the department of which he is now manager. It is the duty of this department to design and pass on every job turned out for the schools, specifying size, paper, cover stock, illustrations, color schemes, etc.

The schools are about to announce a new and improved advertising course, and Mr. Dippy has written and designed the technical instruction incident to the lessons. This is not specially intended for printers, but it embraces many subjects that are of interest to them, such as book, job and machine composition, layouts, presswork, papermaking, line, halftone and three-color engraving, color harmony, designing of newspaper, magazine and trade paper advertisements, window cards, covers, title pages, catalogs, booklets, folders, etc., illus trated by hundreds of specially designed examples of typography, the various kinds of engravings, paper and type specimens, color schemes, etc.

Mr. Dippy has been a voracious student of all educational projects pertaining to typography. Trade journals and specimens published by manufacturers have been closely studied by him. Nine years ago he took up the study of typographical designing; then many said he was wasting his time trying to become an artist, but from his present position Mr. Dippy asks: "Who wasted time?" He saw the trend of the trade ten years ago and prepared himself for the future. The same foresight prompted him to take the International Typographical Union Course last spring; he saw in it another chance to equip himself for the present and be in the van of the procession in future. After trying out the course, this indefatigable student, with all his research, says it "is unqualifiedly the best technical instruction ever placed on

the market relating to printing and the allied trades."

Mr. Dippy is not a theorist or artist, but a commercial printer who has declared his belief in "practical typography-the kind that sells goodsnot the ornamental gingerbread termed by some 'art' printing. I have always endeavored to combine high-grade typography and color work with high-grade selling value."

NO. 6'S METHOD OF BOOMING TRADE EDUCATION. The committee having charge of the course in New York is making an endeavor to interest chair

performing its work. The report may then be returned to our secretary at the time that dues, etc., are turned in, or earlier if convenient.

A helpful interest will result if this introduction is brought before your chapel meeting. Fraternally yours,

CHARLES DESROCHES, Chairman,
GEORGE H. BETTS,

CHARLES T. PEYTON,

J. J. BROSNAN,

GEORGE STEIN, Secretary.

1. How many persons (including beginners) are employed in your chapel?

2. Of that number, how many have made inquiry concerning the course in printing?

men, and has addressed a circular to each chapel official as follows:

To the Chairman and Members of the Chapel: GENTLEMEN-The International Typographical Union having made large expenditures to place before the members of our craft the now wellknown Course of Instruction in Printing, and several local unions having responded with much credit to themselves, we, the undersigned auxiliary committee, who give our services free, ask your co-operation to help make a showing in this matter of securing students-young or advanced-that will be in keeping with the large way in which Typographical Union No. 6 does things.

To assist in the accomplishment of the end sought, please fill in blanks after each of the following questions. This will take but little time and will be of much service to the committee in

3. If there is any apathy concerning the course, what are the general reasons given therefor?

4. Give names and addresses of apprentices and others in your chapel who seem to favor the course, but who need a little urging to become students.

5. What suggestion can you offer that will advance and popularize the course?

IF all the men whose names are on the union rolls were union men, organized labor would make mighty strides. The real union man looks for advance, but the drones are continually hanging to his neck, retarding progress for the worthy member and trade unionism generally.-Ex.

THE NEW PUBLIC PRINTER.

As briefly announced in THE JOURNAL for December-it was of necessity a brief announcement, as the forms of this paper are supposed to close on the 20th of the month-another change has taken place in the headship of the government printing office. On November 26 the resignation of John S. Leech, who had occupied the post since the early days of last June, was announced, and the day following the president named Samuel B. Donnelly to take charge of the largest printing office in the world, and on December I the new appointee was sworn in as public printer.

As a matter of current historical interest to the printers of this country, it may not be amiss to state that this great office has been held by more men (either as principal, acting, or deputy) during the three years last past than in all the former years of its existence. Since the president suspended Public Printer Palmer the office has been successively held by Oscar J. Ricketts, acting public printer; Charles A. Stillings, public printer; Capt. Henry T. Brian, deputy public printer; John S. Leech, public printer, and now Samuel B. Donnelly, public printer.

"Mr. Donnelly," says the brief note of THE JOURNAL, "needs no introduction to the membership, as he served as president of the International Typographical Union during the years 1899 and 1900." While that statement is true in the main, it is entirely proper that fuller information should be given of this official in even so unambitious a sketch as this.

Mr. Donnelly was born in the state of Pennsylvania, the town of his nativity being Concord, in Franklin county, and the date of his birth being the year 1866, thus showing him to be 42 years of

age.

After attending the public schools and taking the course at the Cumberland Valley Normal School, he taught in a country school for three winters, after which he became a reporter on the Herald at Bayonne, N. J., and later was employed in the circulation department of the Jersey City Argus. In 1887 he went to New York city, in which place he has resided ever since. In the metropolis he soon became active in union affairs, and in 1895 he was elected president of Typographical Union No. 6, serving for three years. During his terms of office at the head of No. 6 he effected what was then considered, and what has since proved to be, a most thorough and necessary reorganization of the book and job offices in that city. His good work in the largest of our locals attracted the attention of the craft all over the country, and in 1898 he came forward as a candidate for the highest office in the International, and was elected, holding the office for two years. As the head of the great printers' organization of North America he was sincere, industrious, capable and clean.

Shortly after the close of his term as president of the International, he was elected secretary of

the General Arbitration Board of the New York Building Trades by the employers' association and the unions composing that body. In 1902 Mayor Low appointed him a member of the board of edu cation, and Mayor McClellan reappointed him in 1905. In these two last-named assignments Mr. Donnelly's duties were so well performed that his work attracted wide attention and much favorable comment from newspapers and public men, and when President Roosevelt wanted a man to personally investigate labor conditions at Panama he selected Mr. Donnelly for that work. "After the national authorities had become acquainted with Mr. Donnelly and his work," said a New York paper of recent date, "it was only a question of time when he would be called to Washington to take a responsible position. He has long been a labor leader and a student of educational conditions." Of his good work another paper of that city said this in discussing his appointment to the office of public printer:

But Mr. Donnelly is much more than a printer. He is a man of broad experience in other directions. He has been a member of the board of edu

cation since 1902. On that board he has been a most efficient worker on various committees, and his work on the building committee has been especially acceptable. His loss will be greatly felt. In this connection he has been able, through his office of secretary of the joint board of arbitration of the building trades, to overcome many difficulties between employers and employes, when there have been strikes, or when strikes have been threatened. He was also for a short time secretary of the civic federation.

As showing the interest Mr. Donnelly takes in industrial education, a recent article from School, a New York educational publication, is here given:

Mr. Donnelly read a paper at the Chicago convention of the National Association to Promote Industrial Education, which was entitled, "The True Ideal of a Public School That Aims to Benefit All," and which attracted considerable attention. The spirit of the paper is expressed in the following quotation:

"We ask for a system that not only reveals the genius of music, the genius of art, the genius of statesmanship, but one that reveals the genius of mechanics, and the genius of industry."

Mr. Donnelly believes that it would be imprac ticable to establish trade schools in the public school system, but that it is the imperative duty to have workshops in the schools in order to teach pupils the theory, the science, and the underlying principles of the great industries in order that pupils may be versed both in the theory and practice thereof. He also favors the German night continuation schools for the training of apprentices and the bringing about of a closer connection of the evening schools and industries of the country.

Mr. Donnelly might be described as a progressive conservative. He wants to see the schools make progress in industrial education, but he would remind the enthusiastic leaders of the new movement that, while manual industrial training is a success, it has not proved to be an educational cure-all. He holds that there can be no further specialization in instruction and school methods until the classes have been reduced in size. There is too much specialization in methods of mental development. The schools are tending toward professional service. According to the last census, there were 10,381,765 people engaged in agricultural pursuits, 4.766.964 in trade and transportation, 7,085,309 in manufac

turing, mechanical and mining industries, and 1,288,538 in professional service. Yet those in professional service are only one-twenty-fourth of all those engaged in gainful pursuits. Therefore, Mr. Donnelly holds that the curriculum should be reorganized.

Mr. Donnelly quotes President Eliot's saying, that "If a man practices blacksmithing studiously, or agriculture thoughtfully, he is getting culture.' Mr. Donnelly believes that the schools have featured literature and devoted too much attention to the literary development of the imaginative faculty. The time allotted to the study of languages and lit

the printing trades except electrotyping and stereotyping."

Discussing the conduct of the public printing office, he said: "I shall make removals and promotions and demotions only for the good of the service. I am quite well acquainted with the civil service laws and rules."

Along in the early fall, when it became evident that Mr. Leech would not continue in the position of public printer, among the thousands of em

erature has been unreasonably extended. Extensive school libraries have been established and omniverous and ill-directed reading and study of literature unduly encouraged. There has been too much one-sided presentation of great men to the children of the great schools. Washington as the agricul turist, and Jefferson, the architect and builder, have been neglected. It is the duty of the schools to teach that all labor necessary for man's existence, physical and mental well-being is respectable and dignified.

Speaking of his knowledge of our trade, Mr. Donnelly said: "I have worked at all branches of

ployes of the printery there was grave anxiety as to who would succeed him-and naturally so, when one considers the recent history of the nation's greatest workshop. That grave anxiety passed with the incoming of Mr. Donnelly. To use Mr. Roosevelt's own kind of expression-something I rarely do the president of the United States made good when he appointed Mr. Donnelly public printer, and I believe Mr. Donnelly will make good in the office. W. N. BROCKWELL.

Washington, D. C.