Early years Pratt Institute

pratt institute kindergarten, 1905

as public interest grew in school , demand increased school began adding new programs including pratt high school, library school, music department, , department of commerce. because of overwhelming popularity of department of commerce, department broke off main institute , formed own school, under guidance of norman p. heffley, personal secretary charles pratt. heffley school of commerce, former pratt department of commerce, having shared facilities pratt evolved brooklyn law school.

in 1891, institute’s founder , first president, charles pratt, died , eldest son, charles millard pratt, assumed responsibility of president school. in 1893, charles pratt’s other son, frederic b. pratt, elected president of pratt institute taking on elder brother. because charles pratt snr. died after college founded, frederic pratt ascribed guiding college through decades. under direction of pratt’s sons, institute able thrive both financially , critically many new construction projects , course offerings. 1892, number of students enrolled 3,900. in 1897 popular major students domestic arts.

in 1896, school opened monumental victorian-renaissance revival library interiors designed tiffany decorating , glass company , sprawling gardens outside library. library available not students general public well. pratt institute library first , public library in brooklyn 15 years. additionally, library served working classroom training of librarians , cited 1 of first schools of library science. pratt institute library made available first reading room children in of new york city.

by turn of century, school of science , technology had become pratt s prestigious , known school comprised of school’s enrollment across east building on grand avenue, institute constructed new quad dedicated engineering school. constructed on period of quarter of century, chemistry, machinery, , engineering buildings constructed in same architecture style, unifying disciplines offered school. pratt had large variety of courses dedicated women during time. of 25 courses women partake in included library science, nursing, home economics, , fashion.

by 1910, of departments of institute organized individual schools including library school, school of domestic science, school of fine , applied arts, , school of science , technology.