Previously I have written about the lost metaphor of the ashlar as the building brick of society. Yet there is another metaphor that has become lost over the years: the meaning of an apprentice.
With the knowledge economy a larger number of brethren who join lodges have been educated to degree level. Up until the 1950s most of the members will have followed a recognised appretiship. However these have become less and less over the years and most of the newer members will not have had the 'lived the experience' of being an apprentice.
Likewise, it has to be pointed out that many of the brethren who served an apprentiship left school at 15, and do not have a university degree!
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I've been thinking about this lately, especially in the context of an educational project I've been working on.
While apprenticeship might be waning in the traditional sense, many skills are still transferred in this manner, and many organizations that deal with educational reform in fact place an emphasis on doing rather than showing, telling, or reading about topics. See this article as an example.
I think Freemasonry can learn from this and serve as a modern example if we can get it right. This is one instance where we can regain what is lost.
There's also another way to look at this metaphor. One of the benefits of all the education we now receive is that we can realize just how ignorant we can be in so many areas. If nurtured properly, that feeling can really work to stimulate that desire for life-long learning and self-improvement that is at the heart of a Mason's progress. Every mason is both master and apprentice, and knowing when and how to serve in each role is an important lesson that can be emphasized during the mentoring process.
Men who haven't had the benefit of a formal education, and haven't pursued their own study of the liberal arts and sciences might find these lessons more difficult to fathom, and so this would be a source of frustration.
I'm really enjoying your posts my brother. Thank you.
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