User:Belaythatorder56/sandbox

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While timepieces of foreign make were mainly sold and used in the US in the 19th century, the watch repairer needed fitness for his work, which could be acquired only by long apprenticeship and familiarity with the various types of timepieces. When American watches became popular, watchmaking as a trade began to decline. Materials of every description became plentiful, easily obtained and readily used, and any difficult job was naturally turned over to the manufacturer. Still, these conditions, as regards American watches, afforded no reason why watchmakers should degenerate. On the contrary, every improvement and modification of timepieces and every additional form of movement called for higher skill in handling these delicate machines.

The idea of a school for watchmakers was first conceived by James R. Parsons (born in Michigan, circa 1847), of La Porte, Indiana. He was himself experienced in watchwork and felt that what he had spent so many of the best years of his life in learning, could be taught in much less time in a horological school. Besides, in his trade, he had found it hard to get the work done in a workmanlike manner and he saw the large and increasing field of labor for skilled workmen. Just at this time a letter from a young man appeared in one of the journals, asking if there was no school where a young man could learn the watch trade. The letter stated that the writer had started to learn the trade but was forced to give it up on account of the death of his employer. The young man had gone to a great number of the watch factories but no one would teach him.