Pratt Institute - Prattonia Yearbook (Brooklyn, NY)

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Circumstance Edward Elgar, Op. 39, No.1 Arranged by Joseph Prostakoff For many people the reception of a college diploma is the crowning achievement in life, completion of college is a dream many people have for themselves and their children. However, I feel the real value of a college educa- tion is not in the diploma, even though it’s in Latin. In fact, the diploma itself, in my inflated opinion, is at least as misunderstood as Dr. Pepper. A college diploma, even framed over your grand- mother’s picture, does not signify thirty plus liberal arts credits, one hundred or so credits in your major and a considerable dent in your finances. People don’t put themselves into hock to take the Literature of Southwest Africa or the History of Dominos or even the Aesthetics of Bowling. The key word about college, and especially a professional institute like Pratt, is experience. One comes to Pratt to get experience in his her field. You are allowed the opportunity to fail, to try, to experi- ment in an atmosphere where it won’t cost you anything. It may simply be the difference between a B and a B+ and no one was ever hurt by a letter. No matter how dismally you fail you can still return next week and fail again. Fail on the job and next week could be spent in various personnel offices around and about the city. Many times a person who’s a washout in school becomes a dynamo in the field. That’s because that little devil made so many mistakes in school he can no longer surprise himself. He’s learned his limitations. Be that as it may our college experience, like a Playmate of the Month, is twofold. The other crease of our experience is that which is learned around the classes, the before and after the classes, the getting around the red tape to get to the classes. In short, what you call your life experiences. You learn more about just plain living while in college, than just about anything else. For the thrifty-minded among you, I might add that this added extra comes at no additional cost. How would they charge for something like that anyway? Would you go to the programming office and ask for three credits of coping with deadlines? Would there then be additional requirements for gradua- tion, such as a required six credits of learning your limitations and would two hours with a nasty aunt qualify you for a waiver? Such experiences are a natural fringe benefit of your education and are just as much a part of your degree as Medieval History 102.

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Pomp and Allegro, ¢un molto fuoco 5 3 Nine

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FAREWELL TO BROOKLYN: FORMER HOME OF THE DODGERS, THE NAVY YARD, AND ME. As we end our education, I think it’s time to ponder On all the after classroom places that we used to wander. And reflect upon Brooklyn, the borough of the stars And all the interesting places, that you really are. Your namesake bridge that spans the water And carries more cars than it oughta! For culture lovers and history buffs The Brooklyn Museum had much nifty stuff. For nature lovers we had a choice Of places, we could hear her voice. Brooklyn’s own garden Botanical Where all’s real, nothing mechanical, And if this place became a bore You only had to walk next door. There resides Prospect Park Where it’s not safe to walk in the dark. For places to eat, there were no floppers We had three places to use our choppers. Juniors with the cheesecake of lead Was a nice place to break our bread. Closer to home to the Venice we'd travel Where plates of spaghetti we'd unravel. Thirdly last, but certainly not least We'd hit All Pro Chicken for our feast. Butif the day was mighty tough We'd fall into Erik’s to strut our stuff. But on looking back on our stay here It’s the little places we'll hold dear. The subway station at Clinton and Wash. With all the ambience of a marsh. The home for old ladies had plenty of style Except it got raided once in a while. In art supplies, Jake’s and Charlie’s abound, Rumor has it they're joined underground. And so in closing, let us say That Brooklyn, we’ve enjoyed our stay. But as our lives continue their run So long to Brooklyn—we think it’s been fun.