SOME 4000 YEARS AGO BABYLONIAN CODE OF HAMMURABI MADE EXPLICIT PROVISIONS THAT ARTISANS TEACH THEIR CRAFTS TO YOUTH. THE CRAFTS THEMSELVES HAVE BEEN A FAMILY TRADITION IN MORE RECENT TIMES. THE INDENTURE AND THE MASTER-APPRENTICESHIP RELATIONSHIP WAS ADOPTED BY CRAFTSMEN WHO CAME FROM EUROPE. SUCH FAMOUS AMERICANS AS PAUL REVERE AND BENJAMIN FRANKLIN SERVED AS APPRENTICES. THE INDENTURED STATE HAS SERVED AS A WELFARE MEASURE AND AS EXPLOITATION OF THE POVERTY-STRICKEN. THE MASTERPIECE WAS LONG THE TEST OF THE APPRENTICE. WHEN THE PIECE WAS COMPLETED, IT WAS SUBMITTED TO A GROUP OF MASTERS WHO DECIDED IF THE APPRENTICE SHOULD BE A FREEMAN. THE MASTERPIECE CONCEPT IS STILL EVIDENCED BY CONTESTS AND PUBLIC DEMONSTRATIONS OF THE APPRENTICE'S SKILLS. PRIOR TO THE 19TH CENTURY WHEN GRADUATED WAGE SCALES BEGAN, MANY PERSONS PAID TO BE APPRENTICES OR WORKED FOR ROOM AND BOARD. A LAW WAS PASSED PLACING THE SYSTEM OF APPRENTICESHIP UNDER AN INDUSTRIAL COMMISSION IN WISCONSIN IN 1915. THE FEDERAL COMMITTEE ON APPRENTICESHIP WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1934. CONGRESS PASSED THE NATIONAL APPRENTICESHIP LAW IN 1937 THAT BROUGHT ABOUT THE APPRENTICE-TRAINING SERVICE WHICH IS NOW KNOWN AS THE BUREAU OF APPRENTICESHIP AND TRAINING. APPRENTICES ARE NOW TRAINING IN APPROXIMATELY 470 SKILLED OCCUPATIONS. MANY INDUSTRIAL SUPERVISORY AND MANAGERIAL STAFF BEGAN THEIR CAREER AS APPRENTICES. THIS DOCUMENT IS AVAILABLE AS L23.2--AP6/19/964 FOR 20 CENTS FROM SUPERINTENDENT OF DOCUMENTS, U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON, D.C., 20402. (EM)