http://www.the-orb.net/textbooks/westciv/medievalsoc.html
It talks about the classes of the society of Middle Ages. There are priests, knights and small laborers. Then it describes the life of a child who goes to work and learn under a master by contract and aquires a technique to become a master in a town. In order to increase the level, some of the towns were even critical about the citizens dwelling in it. One must be a ruputable man or a master with great technique to live in the fussy towns. In that way, some people worked under other masters in their whole life. The life style of Renaissance was really interesting.
Here's a good website about an artist's life:
http://www.renaissanceconnection.org/artistslife.html
The website talks about how an artist work from an apprentice to a master. Every single artist, no matter the famous or the nameless ones, has to work as a humble apprentice at first. Some of the talented apprentices can become greater and more reputed artists than their masters. The website also compares the artists of Renaissance, who worked for patrons, and today, who work with much freedom.
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The old apprenticeship-and-master frame is very different than the education system in Taiwan nowadays.
In old days, kids around twelve left their family and followed a master. The apprntices lived with the master, and they worked hard and learned through working. The apprentices had learned to be independent since they were teenagers. They strived hard to learn to assist their masters, and also learned to master the technique. When they grew up, they might leave their teachers and became a greater master. Then they took in apprentices and taught them all the technique he possessed and hoped them to improve. The impartation for generations made the technique constantly prograssed.
Comparing now, we've learned in schools since we were around seven years old. Everyone has the right and the duty to go to school. We get together and learn together, and we learn how to get along with others at the meanwhile. Nonetheless, we don't apply what we learn at school until we graduate from junior high school or even college. And usually, most of us are forced to study at school, not learning what we are really interested in. Maybe I'm too young and lacking of scope to estimate that, but I dislike the system right now. I know I would have to work much harder than now if I was an apprentice in medieval times, but I really hope to go with a good master and learn something freely and earnestly.
