TYPOGRAPHIC TECHNICAL SERIES FOR APPRENTICES—PART I. NO. 1

TYPE

A PRIMER of INFORMATION ABOUT THE
MECHANICAL FEATURES OF PRINTING
TYPES: THEIR SIZES, FONT SCHEMES, &c.
WITH A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF
THEIR MANUFACTURE

COMPILED BY

A. A. STEWART

PUBLISHED BY THE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
UNITED TYPOTHETAE OF AMERICA
1918

Copyright, 1918
United Typothetae of America
Chicago, Ill.

Composition by
Pupils in the Typothetae School of Printing
North End Union, Boston

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PREFACE

This treatise is the first of a series of text-books, published underthe general title of Typographic Technical Series for Apprentices,which have been prepared under the auspices of the Committee onEducation of the United Typothetae of America, for the use ofprinters’ apprentices and students of typographic printing.

As will be noted by the table of contents, only the mechanicalfeatures of type and the usual methods of its manufacture have beenconsidered here. No attempt has been made to review the history oftype-faces or the development of type-making processes. These phasesof the subject are considered in other publications of the series (seep. 36) and in supplementary reading recommended for students (p. 28).

It is not what they are but what they can be made to do under thecontrol of trained intelligence and skilful hands that makes printer’stypes of importance to the world. No tools used in modern industryseem simpler than these little pieces of metal, yet they are theproduct of the most highly specialized skill and ingeniously perfectedmechanisms. To the young printer their physical elements are mattersof first concern. An understanding of these elements may be only asmall part of his trade education, but it is important. Thepossibilities and the limitations of type can be appreciated only bythorough familiarity with the technical details and niceties providedby the modern typefounder.

A special feature of this series of technical publications is the listof Review Questions, which will be found at the end of each treatise(see pp. 29-31). These questions cover the essential points in eachsubject and will be of assistance to instructors, for examinations,etc. A list of the other titles of the series, as well as a statementof their plan and scope, will be found on pp. i-vii of thispublication.

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CONTENTS