History of Lath and Plaster (2011) [pdf]
Industry and craft evolution:<p><i>&gt; Starting around the late ’70s and well into the ’80s, the industry had a perfect storm brewing. The trade unions began to lose market share at an alarming rate. As a result, apprenticeship training began to slide until only a handful of trained people hit the market and they found themselves outnumbered when flashing procedures were discussed. That meant a lot of tradespeople lost the clear, simple and universal direction on flashing a window. New, untrained craftsmen thought the flashing procedure was unnecessary. Architects started to draw with AutoCAD systems and many classes on basic building practices had to shift to this new technology of point plotting and learning the software programs. Something had to give way and it did—the construction details.<p>&gt; ... While some have thought lath and plastering would die out, it continues to be reinvented while holding onto its roots. For the lather, tying of wire has given way to the modern screw gun, and modern plaster pumps would seem to make the hawk and trowel obsolete. However, the traditional tools and materials of the lath and plaster trade seem to be able to make room for modern innovations while keeping their place as relevant today as they were over a century ago. Designers are encouraged to explore new innovations and are charged with not allowing the past to die out with regard to lath and plaster.</i>