Stone Mason Apprentices to Learn Under French Masters

The International Union of Bricklayers & Allied Craftsmen and the Friends of Vieilles Maisons Francaises are co-sponsoring a fellowship program that will enable apprentice and young journeymen stone masons from the United States and Canada to work and study in France under the tutelage of master stone masons.

In the near future, the program is expected to be expanded to give French masonry workers the opportunity to come to the U.S. and Canada to study brick and tile craft skills, according to John T. Joyce, president of the bricklayers union.

Friends of Vieilles Maisons Francaises is a U.S. organization of supporters of the French historic building preservationist group Vieilles Maisons Francaises (old French houses).

“The craft of stone masonry and techniques for the preservation of historic stone buildings are highly developed in France,” Joyce said. “French stone craftsmen have much to teach us.”

On the other hand, he said that the art of bricklaying is more highly developed in the United States and Canada and that the bricklayers union looks forward to expanding this program “soon so that French masons can come here and work and learn with us.”