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The Printery

With a purpose to occupy a field of usefulness which is untouched by most of the other schools, and with a plant that is in itself a source of education and inspiration to a student, the class in Printing is one of the features of the Carlisle Indian School.  The purpose of this industry is to increase the artistic and industrial capacity of the student, thereby adding to his worth to himself and his employer.  The newspaper proprietor, the publishing and commercial printing concerns know of the hindrances which stand in the way of the youth who takes up the printing trade as an apprentice.  In time the apprentice comes to a realization of the narrow opportunities which have come to him in his efforts to acquire a thorough, general knowledge of printing.  On every hand in newspaper plants, with commercial printing attatched, where many or few youths may be employed, and who in too many instances are striving to learn the intricacies from some one who is an incompetent teacher.

Going into the larger printing establishments of the cities, one finds that the youths who are learning the trade are being turned into specialists--job printers, machine compositors, and pressmen.  In recent years there has come a wonderful change into the character of the printing trade.  It has developed to the point where it is nearer a profes ion that any other kind of trade, with alliances reaching into photography and drawing.  In color printing the calling is taking on new values, which lift it into the place of art.  But opportunities for ambitious young printers have not kept pace with this general advancement.  The class in Printing of the school purposes to open wide the door to such students.  During the period of instruction, the School undertakes to polish off the students, and make higher newspaper and book compositors of them; make them adepts in setting display advertisements, and the artistic side of job printing is extensively dealt with.

The range of instruction includes book and job composition, stone and press work, feeding, color

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work, display advertising and a general run of commercial job work such as is found in all printing offices throughout the country.  The course covers four years and is only open to the students of the advanced grades.  A weekly paper, "THE ARROW," is published by the apprentices and all the printing required by the institution is executed at the Printery, thus giving the students PRACTICAL instruction in their chosen line.

That the Indian youth make good printers is mainfested by the fact that many of our graduates are employed in Philadelphia, Chicago, and other cities, and are giving entire satisfaction,

The Printery is equipped with four modern job presses, a Babcock Cylinder Press, paper cutter, and an assortment of modern job type sufficient to impart instruction in all classes of printing.

Photography

In the well equipped photograph gallery, a limited number of students are taught the theory and practice of this art, in the following order:

First lessons in Printing.  The use of the different kinds of paper.  Printing out developing paper and proper mounting for different sizes of photos.

Secondly.--Developing and Toning.  Treatment of Printing out paper, caring for plates, use of dark room.

Thirdly.--Retouching.

Fourthly.--Use of camera, adjustment of screens and curtains.  Taking of portraits, position of subject, pose, etc.  Out-door work, focusing, selection of object and perspective, length of exposure, etc.  By this time he becomes a good operator, retoucher and all-round photographer.  During the various steps he is taught the component parts of the chemicals used in developing.

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