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Mechanics Institute student scrapbook

 Collection — Box: 1
Identifier: RITArc-0349

Scope and Contents

Mechanics Institute student scrapbook contains examinations for specific classes offered at the Mechanics Institute and Rochester Athenaeum and Mechanics Institute. There is also a few pieces of printed matter related to the school, including general announcements to students, circulars and an application. There is also an announcement dated 1888 to teachers in public schools noting that the Department of Public Instruction of New York had announced that drawing is to be made on of the regular examination studies for the state teachers' certificate. "All teachers, therefore, entering the commissioners' uniform state examination for certificate, will soon be required to pass an examination in drawing, as in other studies." It then spells out classes at Mechanics Institute available to fulfill this new requirement.

Exam questions and drawings for individual classes over two years of study: Geometrical Drawing; Machine Class; Projection: Architectural Drawing, including ornament; Freehand Drawing; Geometry; Design; Problems in Angular Perspective; and Mechanical Class.

Dates

  • Creation: 1886-1890

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open to researchers.

Biographical / Historical

The Rochester Athenaeum was established in 1829 with the "purpose of cultivating and promoting literature, science and the arts." To this end, the organization established a library and sponsored various guest speakers and performers. Still, by 1838 the Athenaeum had already merged with several institutes. Some organizations, like the Rochester Literary Company, it simply absorbed; others it merged with out of necessity. The result was that by 1838 the dominant organization in Rochester was the Rochester Athenaeum and Young Men's Association (RAYMA), headed by newspaper man Henry O'Reilly. In two short years, RAYMA had over 2,500 volumes in its collection and 409 members.

Unfortunately for RAYMA, O'Reilly left Rochester in 1842. RAYMA found itself competing for members with another Rochester institution, the Mechanics Literary Association. Formed in 1836 by William A. Reynolds, the Mechanics Literary Association was geared toward a younger audience. In 1847, the Mechanics Literary Association merged with RAYMA to form the Rochester Athenaeum and Mechanics' Association (RAMA), with Reynolds serving as its first president.

Reynolds's first order of business was to move RAMA's operations from State Street to a new location. To this end, he financed the construction of Corinthian Hall behind Reynolds Arcade, the original home of the Rochester Athenaeum. The building construction sparked renewed enthusiasm in the organization so that soon RAMA had over 2,000 members. The hall not only housed RAMA's extensive library collection, but also hosted various lectures. Many of these lectures were given by notable individuals including Salmon P. Chase (politician), Charles Dickens (novelist), Frederick Douglas (social reformer), Ralph Waldo Emerson (writer), Horace Greeley (newspaper editor), and William H. Seward (politician).

Despite its initial success, RAMA eventually fell on hard times. With the opening of the West, Rochester's prosperity was slowing. Additionally, the cost of bringing in speakers was becoming increasingly expensive. In 1871, Reynolds was forced to sell Corinthian Hall. He provided RAMA with a new space in the back room of his bank, the Rochester Savings Bank. But, when Reynolds died in 1876, RAMA was forced to vacate the space. The financial situation of RAMA had become so dire that in 1877 creditors forced the sale of RAMA's library collection.

The Mechanics Institute, established to provide needed technical training for skilled workers in industry, was founded in 1885 by Captain Henry Lomb, Max Lowenthal, Ezra Andrews, Frank Ritter, William Peck, and other Rochester businessmen and other influential citizens. The first class offered at the newly formed Mechanics Institute was mechanical drawing, held in the evening on November 23, 1885. The community response was overwhelming. More than 400 students enrolled in the Institute. Lomb was the first president of the Board of Trustees and guided the direction of the Institute until his death in 1908. Eugene Colby was appointed first teacher and principal of the Mechanics Institute. All funds for running the school were donated by the citizens of Rochester and instruction was free for the first year.

In 1886, Fine Arts classes were added to the Institute's course offerings. Included were freehand drawing, architectural drawing, and design. Tuition was $8 a term for drawing, $12 for painting and modeling. Evening classes were free. The Mechanics Institute flourished, and in 1891, it merged with RAMA to form the Rochester Athenaeum and Mechanics Institute (RAMI), bringing under one roof cultural education and practical technical training.

Extent

1 Item(s)

Language

English

Overview

Student scrapbook containing examinations and printed matter related to the school.

Arrangement

Scrapbook with tipped-in documents in roughly chronological order.

Processing Information

Finding aid created by Becky Simmons in December 2011.

Title
Student scrapbook
Status
Published
Subtitle
RIT Archives
Author
Becky Simmons
Date
1 December 2011
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
English

Repository Details

Part of the RIT Archives Repository

Contact:
Rochester NY 14623 USA