RIT Evening School records

Collection — Multiple Containers

Identifier: RITArc-0476

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

RIT Evening School collection contains the staff directory, course offerings from 1935 until 1969, school bulletins from the late 1930's until the late 1940's, workshop offerings from 1940-1960, and promotional publications released by the Evening College School. Also included are Evening School posters from the 1950's and 1960's. The collection contains records of meeting minutes of the Central Committee from 1964-1974.

Added to the collection is a student publication for the Evening School called The Image which includes 1966-1976.

Dates

Creation: 1935-1969

Conditions Governing Access

This collection is open to researchers.

Biographical / Historical

The Evening School began with the newly formed Mechanics Institute in 1885 offering Mechanical Drawing as its first class. The demand for skilled workers was high, but those laborers needed to work during the day, so evening classes were essential. Evening classes were offered for free in those early years. In the first year, the enrollment went as high as 676 evening students, and continued to climb steadily. Around 1895, the numbers ballooned to the tune of 1,110 and reached its peak in 1907 with 1,768.

Some of the classes being offered in those early years for the direct training of men and women in areas of industrial, domestic, and art efficiency were Household, Industrial and Fine Arts, Architecture, Optometry, Mechanical, Chemical and Electrical work. One year trade and teacher courses were offered in Sewing, Cookery, Dressmaking, Metal Work and Jewelry, Drawing and Technical Optics.

In 1940 the Institute offered classes all day and all night to assist in training thousands of men and women in the defense industry due to WWII.

Extent

6.5 Linear Feet (10 document boxes, 2 half document boxes, 3 small lid boxes)

Language

English

Additional Description

Overview

The RIT Evening School records contain Evening School course offerings from 1935-1969, clippings, closing exercises programs, policies, questionnaires, and other administrative documents.

Other Finding Aids

In addition to this finding aid, an inventory is available below. For more information, please contact the RIT Archive Collections.

RIT Evening School records