Pratt Institute - Prattonia Yearbook (Brooklyn, NY)

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Historical Sketch of Pratt Institute The following historical sketch of Pratt Institute was written at the request of the editors of ” “Prattonia? by Mr. Walter Scott Perry, who has been a director in Pratt Institute since its organization in 1887. REASONS FOR FOUNDING PRATT INSTITUTE HEN, in February, 1887, I met, for the first time, Mr. Charles Pratt, the founder of 4 Pratt Institute, he outlined four propositions which have been fundamental to the UN work of Pratt Institute. These in substance are as follows: oe 1. “I wish to found a school that shall help all classes of workers, artists, artisans, apprentices and home makers, and I wish its courses conducted in such a way as to give every student practical skill along some definite line of work, and at the same time reveal to him possibilities for further development and study.” 2. “I want to found a school that shall give everybody a chance. That is, instead of having one type of examination for entrance to all its classes, that may rule out some earnest young men and women who may not have had an opportunity for an early education, we shall have, instead, all kinds and grades of work with different entrance requirements; so that, if one cannot enter on one level, he may on some other, and learning to do one thing well as an employment, he may also be influenced to climb to a higher level by earnest study and effort.” 3. “I want to establish a school that shall not compete with the public and private schools of Brooklyn; but, through its specialized lines of work, shall supplement those schools and offer to young men and women, not only of Brooklyn, but of the whole country, opportunities for special work that shall equip them for life’s problems. And in this,” he said, “we must be content to do pioneer work, with all that such work means in effort, responsibility, and disappointment at first, through the failure of others to understand what we are doing.” 4, “T wish to help as large a number as possible to secure this type of education and I shall never feel I am doing all that I ought to do unless I can help at least three thousand young people each year toward a practical education.” Then he hesitated and said, as he often did afterward, “I would like to make the number four thousand if I dared.” In planning the Institute Mr. Pratt was guided largely by his own personal experience. He therefore made it a school where young men and women in circumstances similar to those of his own youth could have the chance that he never had; and, because he knew what they needed and why the average school then had failed to give it, he planned with an insight and a foresight that have won both wide approval and admiration. It was his wish—and to this wish the Trustees have rigidly held—that the Insti tute should reach and help all classes of practical workers ; and that its courses should be so conducted as to give every student definite, practical skill along some one line of work, and at the same time reveal to him the possibilities for development, service, and culture offered by the most commonplace tasks. CHARLES PRATT, THE MAN Mr. Pratt was a man of sympathetic nature—and although somewhat reserved—he was most cordial in manner, large hearted, thoroughly unselfish, broad-minded and far-seeing. He was intensely interested in everything that concerned Pratt Institute and gave of his time, though engaged in active business, without thought of overtaxing his strength. No detail was ever too small to receive his attention. He worked not as one to be known es the founder of a great school, but rather as one whose sole desire was to help each and every individual student toa better and happier way of living. He gave not money alone, but to a wonderful degree he gave himself to the task. At one time when asked by a friend how much money he was giving to the Institute, he replied, “Why should J ey ; ys tell how much syle iving; that i Ss matter,—the giving which counts is the giving of one’s a. ee 14

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Tribute to the Founder HEN we review the life of the founder of CE} Pratt Institute (may we say “our” Insti- tute?) its close parallel to the life of our great American, Lincoln, is apparent. The same simple faith and quiet dignity, the same plain, yet shrewd humor, which are the chief. attri- butes of the character of the one, are the outstanding features of the character of the other. Each did his best for his fellow men, with little ostentation. The adequate portrayal of Charles Pratt’s ceaseless pursuit of lofty ideals and their crystallization into actions would require the command of thought and language which constitute the ability and charm of an Emerson. peta aera None should be better able to express appreciation of Charles Pratt than those whom he has so greatly benefited—the students of Pratt Institute, in whose interests his benevolences culminated. The same far- sighted progressiveness which brought him into promi- nence in the industrial world was shown in its high- est degree by the manner in which he so unselfishly gave his wholehearted support and life to the develop- ment of this practical method of real education for people in average circumstances, even when others thought it foredoomed to failure. xat= Nothing more vividly attests the success and perma- nence of his efforts than the splendid organization of Pratt Institute and the unity with which the whole Institute is bound together, with “Pratt spirit” as the vitalizing factor. Could Charles Pratt see the sincerity of purpose which animates the Institute and the enthusiasm with which all its members do their work, he would indeed rejoice in the fulfillment of his ideals, for it is commonly recognized that the highest tribute to our Founder’s generous endeavors is the loyalty and devotion of all true Prattonians to their daily tasks. = Pree prion Tio son

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THE FIRST CLASS Mr. Pratt cared not for the praise that so often heralds a philanthropic work and in his modest way he kept his plans largely to himself; because of this he was often misjudged by those who did not beliéve there would be any call for the many lines of work th at he proposed to establish. He would frequently remark, “Somebody else has been laughing at me to-day, saying that I will never find use for one large building and why should I put up others.” Although he was full of courage, yet, when the first Institute class finally opened October 17, 1887, with only twelve students, it was felt that he would indeed be disappointed. He came to the School early the next morning and the first question was, “Well, how many students did you have yesterday?” TI hesitated, thinking that perhaps the time had come when he might be greatly disappointed, and replied, “Mr. Pratt, we had twelve students.” He did not speak for a few moments, but his eyes were full of intense expression; then he said quickly, “First rate, first rate; you knew what to do with twelve, didn’t you? Now, if we do just right by the twelve, we may have thirteen next week; and if we do right by the thirteen, we may have fourteen the week after, and that is the way to grow.” And he added, “Now if we had had a hundred or more students, you would not have known what to do with so many on the first day; some would have been disappointed and we should have had criticism. Now I think we will plan to begin with small numbers’ every new work that we establish in Pratt Institute and say very little about it until it is well under way.” The annual enrollment of all schools of the Institute is now over four thousand students in day and evening classes. The aggregate enrollment year by year, for the thirty-four years of the history of Pratt Institute, is 123,144 students, and the graduates are scattered all over the country and in different parts of the world. THE SCHOOL OF FINE.AND APPLIED ARTS It was Mr. Pratt’s firm conviction from the first that many different lines of work should be taught in Pratt Institute, but he was greatly perplexed to know how to introduce them. He made a beginning, however, in a way that showed his clear understanding of fundamentals in practical education. “One thing,” he said, “is clear to me, and that is, that drawing must be a foundation study and must enter into almost every course of study that may be pursued in Pratt Institute. Therefore, I think I shall be entirely safe and make a right beginning if we start with drawing classes. Then I will feel my way to the next subject. One problem at a time, rightly solved, will be worth much more than many ventures undertaken at the same time.” Hence the “Drawing Department,” as it was first called, eventually including all kinds of freehand drawing, design, architectural and mechanical drawing, had its beginning on the fourth floor of the Main Building, the only floor then available for work of any kind. The Mechanical Drawing Courses several years later were turned over to the School of Science and Technology. From the small beginning of twelve students in drawing there has developed the present School of Fine and Applied Arts with an enrollment the past year of 1,211 students in many and varied lines of work. Of this number 200 men and 300 women were in the full time day classes. The aggregate enrollment of the day and evening classes, year by year, since the beginning of the School, is 29,015. The total number of graduates from day courses, covering two to four years, is 2,801. Of this number 1,122 are graduates of normal courses for the training of special teachers and supervisors of drawing and manual training. Mr. Walter Scott Perry has been the director of the School since its organization. EVENING CLASSES “Here Tuem to Here Tremsenves” The day work was hardly under way when Mr. Pratt opened the few rooms, one evening, to visitors, There were about two hundred in attendance. Mr. Pratt was quite excited, and exclaimed eagerly, “Now is our chance. Call all these young people together and tell them just what we are going to do here.” The reply made was to the effect that it seemed a very difficult thing to tell “just what we are going to do.” “Oh, well,” he said, “tell them something, 15