Pratt Institute
The Pratt Institute is a specialized, private college in New York City with campuses in Manhattan and Brooklyn. Pratt is one of the leading art schools in the United States and offers programs in art, architecture, design, creative writing, library science and other areas.
Charles Pratt (1830-1891) was an early pioneer of the natural oil industry in the United States. He was founder of Astral Oil Works in the Greenpoint section of Brooklyn, New York. He joined with his protégé Henry H. Rogers to form Charles Pratt and Company in 1867. Both companies became part of John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil in 1874.
Pratt is credited with recognizing the growing need for trained industrial workers in a changing economy. In 1886, he founded and endowed the Pratt Institute, which opened in Brooklyn in 1887.
Notable Alumni and Former Students
- Bernard Chang
- Harry Cheadle
- William Chui
- Daniel Clowes
- Jules Feiffer
- Harvey Fierstein
- Eva Hesse
- Charles Geer (children's book illustrator)
- Terrence Howard
- Betsey Johnson
- Ellsworth Kelly
- Robert Mapplethorpe
- Marcus McLaurin
- Morton Meskin
- Paul Rand
- They Might Be Giants
- Robert Redford
- Max Weber (artist)
- Robert Wilson
- Rob Zombie
- Peter Zumthor
- Jeremy Scott
Trivia
The library at Pratt Institute, opened in 1888 to serve not only students but the general public as well, was one of the first public libraries to be opened in the United States. The architect on the building was William Tubby of Brooklyn. The decoration in the building was done by the Tiffany Glass and Decorating Company.
Several scenes of the 1978 best-selling pornographic movie Debbie Does Dallas were shot in the Pratt Institute library without the administration's approval.
Some episodes of Law and Order: SVU were filmed on campus.
References
- Elbert Hubbard, 1909, Little Journeys to the Homes
- Tarbell, Ida M. 1904, The History of Standard Oil
- Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) website, Pratt Institute page
- Pratt Institute official website, History page
- Best Place To Shoot a Porno - PRATT INSTITUTE LIBRARY, The Village Voice