Skive Industrial Association – Vestjysk Industriforening

In 1871, Vestjydsk Industriforening was established covering the cities of Ribe, Varde, Ringkøbing, Lemvig, Holstebro and Skive.

Skive Industriforening, founded in 1871, was from the beginning a local branch of Vestjydsk Industriforening.

Skive Industrial Association

22. in May 1871, a local branch of “Vestjydsk Industriforening” was established in the city with merchant Otto Jørgensen as chairman. The purpose was to support the industry, promote sales and provide young craftsmen with a technical education. After the first six months, the association had 108 members.

Calundann was elected to the board of the Industrial Association in 1872, and from 1873 until his death in 1905 he was chairman of the Industrial Association.

Its purpose was, among other things, to run evening and Sunday schools for crafts in the city. It was a continuation of the task that Skive Borger- og Håndværkerforening had started in 1868. At this time, the school was a Sunday school for apprentices.

In the first years, the teaching was 6 weekly lessons, with room for 10 apprentices/confirmed boys. Mathematics, drawing and needlework were taught. Over time, it became an actual technical school and the need for suitable premises was urgent.

The funds for running the school came from the goods lottery, among other sources. The association also solved social tasks such as setting up a scholarship for worthy needy craftsmen and their widows.

Historical background

As a result of the Enlightenment, a movement arose in the late 18th century to help the “ignorant artisan class”. Drawing classes were established at the Academy of Fine Arts and in 1798 a society for the education of young craftsmen was founded, followed in 1800 by the Massmann Sunday Schools, where young craftsmen could receive free instruction in arithmetic, Danish, writing and drawing.

In 1838, the Industrial Association was formed in Copenhagen, which was an interest group for industrial companies – not an employers’ association. The association admitted anyone with an interest in crafts and industry, regardless of their position in life. The association was to “work for the promotion of industry in the Danish state”.

The association made no secret of the fact that it saw the guild system as an unnecessary obstacle to the development of craftsmen.

Section 88 of the June Constitution read as follows: “All restrictions on free and equal access to professions that are not justified by the common good should be abolished by law”, which resulted in the 1857 Freedom of Trade Act.

The new craftsmen’s associations (and more to come in the following years) that had emerged around the country aimed to change the law and to some extent maintain the guild provisions.

As we all know, they did not succeed and in 1862 the Freedom of Trade Act came into full force.

The Ministry of the Interior issued a circular stating that it was now a matter of forming free associations where forces could be united to improve the skills of crafts and craftsmen. These were tasks such as establishing industrial schools, holding exhibitions, distributing travel grants, establishing credit institutions, setting up foundations for the sick and elderly, distributing funeral assistance, etc.

The Industrial Association in Copenhagen stated that crafts and industry should not isolate themselves but should work together with anyone who could and would promote their interests.

West Jutland Industrial Association

The craftsmen’s associations that were formed, which were sometimes craftsmen’s and singing associations, and in other places – as in Skive – craftsmen’s and citizens’ associations, had membership requirements. In some places – such as Nykøbing Mors – craftsmen and industrial associations were formed.

The tasks listed in the circular required financial resources. For this purpose, the associations received grants for industrial or commodity lotteries. The prizes were industrially manufactured products or goods.

In 1871, the towns of Ribe, Varde, Ringkøbing, Lemvig, Holstebro and Skive joined forces to create a West Jutland lottery, and this was the start of Vestjysk Industriforening. From the beginning, Skive was a local branch of this association. The profits were to go to Vestjydsk Industriforenings Understøttelsesfond for the needy.

Later in 1873, a large goods lottery was formed – Jyllands Varelotteri, which covered almost all of Jutland.

The association was responsible for organizing industrial exhibitions in the cities concerned.

Technical school

Chairman of the Industrial Association, merchant Calundann served as principal of the Technical School until his death in 1905. Under Calundann’s leadership, teaching became more comprehensive and the number of students grew. In 1890, there were 88 students and teaching hours were extended to 25 hours a week.

in 1888, an application was made to the municipality for a plot of land to build a school.

In 1890, the foundation stone was laid for a new craftsmen’s school at Nordbanevej 6. The city council made the land available to Skive Industriforening. Pupil numbers were up to 82 pupils and the weekly hours were 25 hours (on top of a 48-hour working week). The school was expanded several times until 1932. Eventually there were 23 classrooms.

After Calundann’s death, Skive Industriforening established “Cancelliråd Calundann’s memorial scholarship, founded in 1906”.
The scholarship was to be awarded to a kind and diligent student at the Technical School, and it was to be paid out on the day the recipient became a journeyman.

The association became Skive Håndværker- og Industriforening

At an extraordinary general meeting of the Industrial Association on March 17, 1965, it was decided that Skive Technical School should become an independent institution. The Industrial Association’s assets – which mainly consisted of the school property on Nordbanevej – were transferred to the independent institution Skive Tekniske Skole.

At the same time, the Industrial Association changed its name to Skive Håndværker- og Industriforening. In the early years, the association had 5 representatives on the board of the Technical School. From 1978, this was reduced to 2 representatives.

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