A few times the discussion of a master's project gun has come up over the years. I really do think it is topic worth discussing.

Here is brief period account of the gun making school at Liege. This was a time when the guilds were changing, adapting to the ever increasing use of high volume production methods.
Bulletin By United States Bureau of Education Published by U.S. G.P.O., 1914
http://books.google.com/books?id=vZ8VAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA59&dq=liege+school+gun+making#PPA59,M1

Quote:
GUNMAKERS' SCHOOL,
Liege, Belgium.

The Gunmakers' School represents an organization which was originally established by manufacturers, but is now administered by a committee of that body in conjunction with city officials. Its purpose is to make fully rounded-out mechanics specialized in the gunmakers' trade. This is due to the locality being a large gun- making center, the Fabrique Nationale or National Factory for Gunmaking being located here.

The monetary provision consists of 78,000 francs annually and is provided from private donations, city, Province, and State, about one-fourth each.

Instruction is somewhat specialized, depending on the part of the gunmaking that the apprentices desire to follow. When the pupils graduate they are classed as finished workmen, and are so recognized by the manufacturers and the labor organizations. A great deal of this standing, however, depends upon the actual ability of the individual. The relation of the school to tradespeople, employers, and citizens is generally most excellent, all being interested in its development as a municipal institution.

The course of instruction covers 6 1/2 hours a day in winter, 7 hours in summer, 6 days a week, 11 months a year, during a period of 3 years, with the privilege of a post-graduate course of 1 year for class proficiency. Vacation is held during the month of July.

The academic studies consist of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, drafting.

About 10 to 12 hours per week are devoted to these studies.

An evening course consisting entirely of related academic training includes the study of industrial history of firearms, powders and their composition, manufacture of steel and iron, mathematics, and other related subjects.

This course is given 1 1/2 hours a night, 3 nights a week, 11 weeks a year, during a period of 3 years. There are no other departments of instruction.

There are about 250 apprentices in attendance during the day; the evening attendance is comparatively small.

A tuition fee is charged in this school for the entire period, but is refunded upon graduation.

The entrance requirements are that students be 13 years of age, and have finished 6 years of elementary school training. The product of the shops is both for practice and for sale. Some of the parts are sold to the factory, the selling price being fixed by the purchasers, 25 per cent of the sales going to the apprentices. The entire amount, however, is practically negligible in its application to the maintenance of the department.

The equipment in both machines and hand tools is of a very simple nature, and some apparatus as well as some processes are entirely inadequate and obsolete, judged by American standards of factory production.

The policy of the school is under the guidance of an advisory board composed of manufacturers, labor men, and representatives of the city, Province, and State.

A visitation to the large factories where the boys find employment showed that the shop organization is of such a specialized nature that it is impossible for a boy to learn a trade in actual employment. In some cases work is let out to home centers, while a very significant condition is that women work at a wage of 2 to 3 francs a day as machinists operating milling machines and similar equipment.


What is not addressed in this source is, "What did it take to move from apprentice to journeyman to master?" "How did this change from country to country?" "Did this change over time?"

Pete

http://www.damascus-barrels.com/Movie.html