Pratt Institute - Prattonia Yearbook (Brooklyn, NY)

Page 20 text:

The School did its pioneer work of eighteen years until the city of Brooklyn built its manual training school and similar schools were established all over the United States. The work of the Pratt Institute Manual Training High School as a pioneer school being accom- plished, the Trustees decided to discontinue the school in 1905, and to use the rooms for other lines of work that needed the same sort of support during a formative period. Among the directors of this School have been Mr. W. O. Pratt; Mr. William A. McAndrew, now Assistant Superintendent in the New York City Schools; Dr. C. Hanford Henderson; Dr. Luther Gulick, later director of Physical Training, New York City Schools; and Mrs. George P. Hitchcock. The total enrollment of the Manual Training High School, year by year, was 3,045; the total number of graduates of the four years’ course, 369. THE SCHOOL OF KINDERGARTEN TRAINING In the very earliest days of the Institute, Mr. Pratt was desirous of doing something for the promotion of kindergartens in Brooklyn. Little was being done elsewhere at that time, excepting in St. Louis and in a few other cities. In those days anyone connected with the Institute had to be prepared to assist in anything Mr. Pratt decided he wanted done, yet it was a surprise to be asked to find someone at once to open and cond uct a Kindergarten jn a house that stood opposite the present Main Building. After much searching, Miss Elizabeth Cushman was secured for the work and the first kindergarten was started that led to the School for the Training of Kindergartners. Miss Alice KE, Fitts became director in 1894; and for twenty-five years the school exercised a wide influence in the country through the excellent training of kindergartners and in maintaining high ideals in kindergarten work. The total enrollment of adults and children of the Kindergarten School, year by year, since 1892, totaled 3,194, of which number 541 have been graduated from the two year Normal course for kindergartners. THE BEGINNING OF NORMAL CLASSES FOR THE TRAINING OF SPECIAL TEACHERS One day Mr. Pratt was informed that we were training one of the most promising students to become an instructor in the classes. “Oh,” he exclaimed, “I didn’t think we were going to have classes for the training of teachers. I was thinking of this school as an industrial school only. But we want to consider carefully everything that presents itself as a new problem.” A few days later, he came in and said, “Where is the young woman you are going to train as an instructor?.”. Mr. Pratt was taken to the door of Room 42 and Miss Emma R. Brill, the first Normal student of Pratt Institute, was pointed out to him. Mr. Pratt tiptoed down the aisle of the classroom and then turned back so as to see the face of the student in question. Stepping out into the hall he said, “She seems to be a pretty likely young woman. We will watch her and see how she gets on, and perhaps it may be wise to establish a class for the training of teachers.” A short time after that, the students of the art school were called together; it was explained that it was proposed to establish a normal class and a tentative course of study was outlined, Several wished to register for such’a class. ‘The class was soon organized and it was the first class of students graduated from Pratt Institute, the date being June, 1890. From the Normal courses in Art and Manual Training, 1,221 students have been graduated; from the Normal courses in Domestic Art- and in Domestic Science, 1,013; from the Normal course for Kindergartners, 541; —a total of 2,675 graduates sent out for supervising and teaching the special subjects in which they have been trained by the Institute. These graduates have directed the special work for thousands of teachers in the public and private schools, and through them millions of children have felt the influence of Pratt Institute. THE THRIFT : Mr. Pratt was a firm believer in economy and thrift and was greatly interested in inculeating the habits of thrift in all with whom he came in contact in the Institute, and especially among children. He early formulated a plan for saving by the purchase of stamps. A desk and a small safe, with one person in charge, were located in the General Office. ‘This 18

Page 19 text:

THE PRATT FREE PUBLIC LIBRARY Mr. Pratt began early to create a reference library for the Institute students. There was no free public library in Brooklyn at the time and the need of such a library was often discussed, Mr, Pratt gave the matter more and more thought as the days passed. One morning he came to the Institute and stood just inside the north room on the first floor. This floor space at the time was used for the storage of lumber. ‘Standing firmly on his feet, with his left hand grasping the lapel of his overcoat and glancing out of the window toward the site of the present library building, Mr. Pratt exclaimed, “I have done it!” “You have done what, Mr. Pratt?” was the inquiry. “I have decided to found a free library for the citizens of Brooklyn,” he replied. 'The manner in which he said it, the emphasis upon the words, “I have done it,” left no question of his firm intention to do another great work for the people and to enrich the resources of the Institute by this most valuable gift. The Pratt Institute Free Library had its beginning on the first floor of the Main Building of the Institute. The Reading Room occupied the long section at the left as one enters the main entrance, and the stack room occupied the present General Office. The present library building, built by the Trustees after Mr. Pratt’s death, was opened to the public on June first, 1896, The circulation of books during last year was over 220,090, and the reference and reading rooms were used by 65,000 people. The children’s room was one of the first in the country especially equipped for the purpose.. The work has grown rapidly, and last year nearly 56,000 books were circulated on children’s cards. Since its beginning in 1890, the Library School has awarded 653 certificates to graduates of one year and two year courses in Library Science, giving technical training in methods of library management. About 354 graduates are now active in library work. The presiding genius in the early development of the library was Miss Madge Healy, now Mrs. Edgar A. Bancroft, who for many years was a great power, not only in the development of the library, but also in the social and neighborship work of the Institute. Miss Healy was followed by Miss Mary W. Plummer, late Director of the Library School in connection with the New York Public Library. Miss Isabel E. Lord was director for nine years, and since 1910, Mr. Edward F, Stevens has held the position of director, THE MANUAL TRAINING HIGH SCHOOL It was often suggested to Mr. Pratt that it might be well to establish a Manual Training High School in which the boys of high school age could take work in manual training and the girls, domestic science and art, in addition to regular academic studies, and at the same time fit for college in four years. He was loath to do this, for fear it would cut out some of the technical work that he wished carried on in the Institute for older students. He did not wish, he said, either to compete with the public schools or to do the work they ought to do. Manual training was then just beginning to attract attention in the country, largely through the efforts of Dr. C. M. Woodward of St. Louis, but it was quite universally frowned upon by people interested in general education. Mr. Pratt had conceived the idea of offering to the city of Brooklyn a building and a large sum of money to pay for instruction in manual training at Pratt Institute for boys and girls of the public schools, the classes to take turns in coming to the Institute. When the offer was finally made, it was considered by the School Board, but so little was the subject of Industrial Training understood that many of its members ridiculed the idea and made uncomplimentary remarks concerning Mr. Pratt, his school and his teachers. The next day the papers printed reports of the meeting, quoting many of the derogatory things that were said. Mr, Pratt was greatly disappointed and felt keenly hurt. He said, “Some day Brooklyn will wake up to the value of Manual Training. ‘Then my help may be wanted, but it will never be offered again to the public schools. I cannot be reconciled to such ridicule toward my efforts to promote industrial training, but I prophesy that the time will come when a Manual Training High School will be built in Brooklyn out of public funds, and that a building to accommodate two thousand students will not be large enough to meet the demand.”—a prophecy that long ago came true. 17

Page 21 text:

plan of teaching thrift rapidly developed into a Savings and Loan Association called ‘The Thrift,” later incorporated under the banking laws of New York State. The Thrift soon out- grew the limited quarters now occupied by the Registrar of the Institute. It was then located in a building that seemed adequate for future growth north of the main Institute Building. But, owing to the unforeseen and unexpected growth of The Thrift, the business has outgrown this building and recently there was erected a new Thrift Building at the corner of DeKalb Avenue and Ryersen Street. The total assets of The Thrift in its first year amounted to $17,267 with 349 account holders. At the end of the year 1920 there were 11,323 account holders, and the total assets amounted to $6,582.943.32. THE FIRST FOUNDER’S DAY One of the most memorable occasions in the history of Pratt Institute was October second, eighteen hundred and eighty-eight. This was the first Founder's Day, so called, when the birthday of Charles Pratt, the founder of Pratt Institute, was celebrated. This date has been celebrated every year since; but, on. that particular day, the exercises were peculiarly personal and reminiscent. Mr. Pratt had said several times that he would like to speak to all the students and he chose his birthday for the occasion. He said, “I do not want this to be a public affair. I do not want anyone present from outside of the school. I want this to be an affair of the students and teachers only,—what we might call a family affair.” On that memorable morning Mr. Pratt entered the hall, and greeted in a most friendly manner the students and the young instructors. He carried his Bible in his hand and going to the platform, he first offered a most touching and personal prayer. Then, opening his Bible, he read the familiar words from Job 28, 12 and following. He then asked the students to sing “Jerusalem the Golden,” said to be one of his favorite hymns. That Scripture quotation and hymn have formed a part of the service of every Founder’s.Day since and have become a sacred legacy because of the personal association with Mr. Pratt on that first Founder’s Day. Following the prayer, the reading of the Scriptures, and the singing came Mr. Pratt’s address which was singularly intimate, an outpouring of the heart of a man with a great ideal, rich with terse sayings, drawn from the experiences of a full and noble life and bearing upon the duties of life and its responsibilities. At the close of those simple but deeply impressive . exercises, one of the former directors, a well-known educator, exclaimed, “Should I live a hundred years, I never again expect to hear such a wonderful address touching as it has the most vital things in life.” From that notable address and others, the following quotations taken down at the time, concerning work and contentment, are here repeated. “We all need work and I want to impress upon your mind the value of work.” “Be true to your work and your work will be true to you.” “You have been taught to be faithful; to be genuine and true. Now if there is one thing I have been trying to impress on Pratt Institute, it is, that every one should be true and genuine.” “Help the other fellow. Have the desire and the capacity to serve others. ‘The more you can serve, the better you will like it.” ‘ “We are not all alike. Some have to learn courage and some have to learn application.” “Tearn to have patience. Learn to be consistent and patient. You can make life just as happy or as miserable as you like as a consequence.” “This is the way we feel about Pratt Institute. You will be our witness, our advertisement. You will tell the world that Pratt Institute is a good place to go if we have done our whole duty by you.” FOUNDER’S DAY, OCTOBER 2, 1890 Tue Lasr Worps Berore rue Instrruve, or Mr, Crartes Prarr “The world goes on, and Pratt Institute, if it fulfills the hopes and expectations of its founder, must go on, and as the years pass, the field of its influence should grow wider and wider, 19