From Factories to Palaces: Architect Charles B. J. Snyder and the New York City Public Schools

Charles B. J. Snyder, an architect, improved the standard of school architecture in New York City by designing and constructing more than 400 public schools and additions. He worked with the Building Bureau to address the school situation on three fronts: appearance, construction, and function. His designs included re-designing schools for greater light and air, improved sanitary facilities, and quality-of-life features such as heated cloakrooms and water fountains. This book offers fascinating glimpses into the nascent world of modern education, from the development of specialty areas to the emergence of school desks with backs.

Format: Hardback
Length: 272 pages
Publication date: 30 May 2022
Publisher: Fordham University Press

Winner, The Victorian Society New York, 2022 Book Award

How a prolific yet little-known architect changed the face of education in New York City

As Superintendent of School Buildings from 1891 to 1922, architect Charles B. J. Snyder elevated the standards of school architecture. Unprecedented immigration and Progressive Era changes in educational philosophy led to his fresh approach to design and architecture, which forever altered the look and feel of twentieth-century classrooms and school buildings. Students rich or poor, immigrant or native New Yorker, went from learning in factory-like schools to attending classes in schools with architectural designs and enhancements that to many made them seem like palaces. Spanning three decades, From Factories to Palaces provides a thought-provoking narrative of Charles Snyder and shows how he integrated his personal experiences and innovative design skills with Progressive Era school reform to improve students' educational experience in New York City and, by extension, across the nation. During his thirty-one years of service, Snyder oversaw the construction of more than 400 New York City public schools and additions, of which more than half remain in use today. Instead of blending in with the surrounding buildings as earlier schools had, Snyder's were grand and imposing. "He does that which no other architect before his time ever did or tried: He builds them beautiful," wrote Jacob Riis. Working with the Building Bureau, Snyder addressed the school situation on three fronts: appearance, construction, and function. He re-designed schools for greater light and air, improved their sanitary facilities, and incorporated quality-of-life features such as heated cloakrooms and water fountains. Author and educator Dr. Jean Arrington.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780823299164