Apprentices

Boys, and sometimes girls, between the ages of 10 to 15 could become apprentices as part of their education in the colonies in a system similar to England's. This allowed a child to learn a skill. Boys could learn a trade, like cooper, printer, blacksmith, silversmith, carpenter, miller, etc. Girls usually learned domestic skills, like spinning, weaving, sewing, candle making, etc. 

Just like the indentured servant, an apprentice normally served for 4-7 years, although some served until age 21. At first, the children would clean up or run errands before beginning more formal instruction. While they were in the home, they were furnished room, board, and clothing. 

At the end of their apprenticeship, they'd be expected to produce a product or demonstrate their skill. If they were deemed ready, they would then become a journeyman, where they could work for pay and open their own

shop when they had enough money. Two famous men who started as apprentices were Benjamin Franklin and Paul Revere. Franklin was apprenticed to  his older brother, James, who was a printer in Boston, and Paul Revere did his apprenticeship under a silversmith in Boston.

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