Machinist - Training - Machinist school 1899 Light Switch Cover

Colorized photo from 1899 Original title: Young men training in the use of machinery at Hampton Institute Photographer: Frances Benjamin Johnston Location Hampton, VA This is the machinist class in Hampton Institute, they had a range of classes from farming, to machinists, carpentry about a dozen others. Every factory had a machinist department. People had to make their own parts for these machines, so classes like these were vital. People made parts totally by hand, by working the machine, there were no computers to mill things, no printers to print parts needed. If you didn't go to a trade school like this, you would have to learn it on the streets. Or I suppose apprentice with someone.