Pratt Institute - Prattonia Yearbook (Brooklyn, NY)

Page 8 text:

Dedic ation You may not have noticed but we are nearing the end of an era: the era of the check; the age of red tape; the epoch of the G.I. Bill. With so close a perspective, it would be presumptuous to try to evaluate the importance of this golden age in the history of the search for knowl- edge. It might even be naive, speaking broadly, to think that it has even been worth the countless tons of paper that have been used to record it—in quadruplicate. Nevertheless, it has been of unquestioned signifi- cance in the lives of over 8200 Pratt students since 1944 and so, to this “era of wonderful nonsense,” to those 8200 students, and, especially to the Pratt Veterans’ Services department, Prattonia ’51 is respectfully dedicated. Mrs. Small, Mrs. Kay and thirty-eight rehabilitation students, in- cluding the wounded, the malarial, and the mentally ill, pioneered the “early days” together. Many picturesque anecdotes might be told con- i : : cerning the pandemonium of those trying times; there were a lot of ae pues ome Mira: ‘Adeline Kiselewaki(Kay) ieee a ae of tears. Suffice to ies were unique!” Then came P.L. 346 and the ever increasing influx of America’s heroes; fresh from battle and eager to learn. Each was an individual and each a new problem. Each had books to be ordered, papers to be processed, sup- plies to be obtained, grades to be recorded; all this and the V.A., too. And on and on they came. The class of 1951 is composed of nearly eighty percent veterans— an all time high. In subsequent classes there has been a rapid decline— only forty-seven GI’s registered at Pratt in 1950; a mere thirteen per- cent of freshman enrollment. And so we say we are nearing the end of an era. It was no sinecure that Mrs. Small and Mrs. Kay took on. To say that they didn’t know what they were in for would be understatement personified. Had they known they would probably have thrown up their hands and run off to war themselves. The fact that they stayed and fought their own private little war; the fact that they survived the chaos and emerged intact is reason enough for this meager tribute. And the tribute is joyfully given. Manager, Pratt Veterans’ Services Secretary, Veterans’ Affairs, The Art School

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To all the members of this Class of 1951, made up of future archi- tects, art teachers, followers of the arts in many varying fields, home economists, librarians, leather tanners, and engineers, | extend my con- gratulations. I will say this to you on Commencement Day, with a deep feeling of friendship and a hand gradually swelling in size as I greet one of the Institute’s largest classes, and one of its best. Your record has been good. Your friendly cooperation is greatly appreciated by all of us who work here for the advancement of the education of present and future students. We shall miss you. May you read Prattonia one, five, ten, or more years hence with pleasant memories of friends and personal accomplishments here. It is a task in itself to graduate in these uncertain and disturbing times. “Where shall I be a year from now?” is uppermost in all minds, and it is no fun. However, let’s look to the future with courage and confidence. Charles Pratt, President

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PRATTONIA STAFF— Bditortins@hietirss . actncles citer tere sro tenets ROBERT WOLCOTT Businessmvanag etre istercticietse ie sere anette este ker EUGENE MARCUS Art and Photography Editor................... PETER KORZAAN AssistantvAit Hditors.racitoceie ca recnie maar JEAN FORTIN Assistant Photouliditon. mit teri te taetsteteere it PETER FASANELLO KiteranyEditonscr rk eccrine eter rte NANCY POWERS Assistant Witerany Mdutor jectryara tsetse yeter ats DON KENNEDY Faculty, Advisers say. ce = nisreeiete eleteeioc)el teler= eole))=1= MARY L. WOLFE