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Brooklyn in Progress: City planning (In cooperation with Pratt Inst., AIA, & NYC Housing Authority)

DATES April 23, 1952 through September 01, 1952
There are currently no digitized images of this exhibition. If images are needed, contact archives.research@brooklynmuseum.org.
  • November 1, 1951 Yesterday (Oct. 31) at the Brooklyn Museum, members of a jury selected a winning model from 65 models entered in a competition for Pratt upper classmen in the department of architecture. The problem presented to the students by the Museum was to plan the display of an exhibition of “plans for a better Brooklyn” exhibition to be shown in the Museum Entrance Hall next Spring. Selection of the plan to be followed is the first step in forming the exhibition. Pratt students in the department of architecture will now proceed to carry out the plan of the model, draught plans of the borough with suggested improvements and eventually install the exhibit.

    The winning model, designed and constructed by Emery Melasitis, shows the dramatic way in which the coming exhibit will be shown. Photos mounted on copper screening and hanging panels are features of Mr. Melasitis’ model.

    Runners up in the competition were Edward Cram and James Parkes.

    Members of the jury were: Lorimer Rich, architect, Olindo Grossi, chairman of the department of architecture of Pratt Institute; Hudson Jackson and William Breger of the department of architecture of Pratt Institute; Victor Proetz, interior designer; and Charles Nagel, director of the Brooklyn Museum.


    Brooklyn Museum Archives. Records of the Department of Public Information. Press releases, 1947 - 1952. 10-12/1951, 098.
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  • April 21, 1952 The borough of Brooklyn is rallying to save the free services of its great cultural center, the Brooklyn Museum.

    Aware for the first time that the growing financial distress of the famed 55-year-old institution threatens an end to the Museum’s pace-setting educational program for 180,000 school children, prominent educators, backed by 80 parent-teacher organizations and civic and business leaders, announced their plans for a community-wide appeal for support of the Museum during Better Brooklyn Month, April 21 to May 21.

    Spearheading the drive is the Parents-School Committee for Better Brooklyn of which Mrs. James G. Murray is Chairman. Advisers to the committee are Miss Mary E. Kennedy, Dr. Arthur Hughson and Joseph C. Noethen, all assistant superintendents of school districts in Brooklyn.

    The campaign will also benefit the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and the Brooklyn Children’s Museum which with the Museum are also departments of the Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences.

    The story behind the effort provides a warm insight into the heart of a borough of some 3,000,000 people.

    DEFICIT ON THE INCREASE

    Thousands upon thousands of Brooklyn residents visit the Brooklyn Museum each week, enjoying special exhibitions, lectures, films and free Sunday concerts. Many visitors, according to Charles Nagel, director, are unaware that the Museum has for the last few years operated with a deficit which has been underwritten from capital funds. In 1950, the deficit approached $50,000; last year the deficit exceeded $38,000; this year it is feared the deficit will be even greater.

    Few visitors realize that the Museum is not entirely supported by the City of New York. The city maintains the Museum physically. All exhibitions, art acquisitions and special programs are provided for from Museum funds which represent individual contributions and income from restricted endowments received over a long period of time. The city’s share amounts to 60 percent of the total cost of operating the Museum; the other 40 per cent of the cost is borne by Museum funds which are diminishing rapidly.

    PARENTS RESPOND IMMEDIATELY

    When brought to the attention of parents and parent-teacher groups by Brooklyn educational leaders who understand the seriousness of the situation, Better Brooklyn Month was conceived and plans for benefits were made.

    According to a committee report made yesterday by Mrs. Murray, these groups are sponsoring everything from frankfurter roasts to cake sales to dance festivals. Sums pledged, or actually collected, range from a modest ¢36 to $1,000, all from neighborhood affairs.

    In addition, students who visit the Museum regularly are undertaking activities on their own with such affairs as amateur entertainments and fashion shows scheduled to take place during Better Brooklyn Month.

    HEART-WARMING GESTURE

    "This is the most heart-warming gesture any community ever has made toward preserving its cultural interests,” declared Robert B. Blum, president of the Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences.

    “We have been reluctant to take our financial problems to the public,” Mr. Blum continued, “but the borough’s parents and educational leaders are doing it for us. For this we are deeply appreciative, particularly so when one considers that this is not a high-powered, professionally-organized campaign but a spontaneous expression of civic and parental responsibility toward an institution that has been privileged to enrich the life of a community for more than half a century. It is very encouraging to know that we have so many friends.

    SERVICES ARE ENVY OF THE WORLD

    In explaining school interest in Better Brooklyn Month, Miss Kennedy, assistant superintendent of Districts 43 and 44, pointed out that “the services of the Brooklyn Museum available to all the children are the envy of the world. The Museum is rendering distinguished service to our schools, both to the broader aims of education and to the special aims of the school curriculum.”

    Miss Kennedy also remarked that “in working to raise funds for the continuation and extension of the invaluable Museum services, the young future citizens of the borough of Brooklyn are actively cooperating in the improvement of the cultural life of their borough.”

    Dr. Hughson and Mr. Noethen agreed with their colleague and all stated they were proud of the immediate response of the parents in their areas.

    BETTER BROOKLYN MONTH ACTIVITIES

    The Brooklyn Museum and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden will be particularly active during the period of the Better Brooklyn campaign.

    On the evening of April 22d, the Brooklyn Artists Show and the “Brooklyn in Progress” exhibition, by Pratt Institute students, will be previewed by members and friends with Borough President John Cashmore and Commissioner Robert Moses in attendance. The show will open to the public the following day.

    On the evening of April 23d in the Sculpture Court of the Brooklyn Museum, Martin's of Brooklyn will present a fashion show dedicated to the Museum’s Design Laboratory. The show, “The Game of Fashion," will offer the public a first-hand view of how the Brooklyn Museum, through its unique laboratory of national reputation, influences fashion. Tickets for the show may be obtained at Martin’s, Fulton and Bridge Streets.

    During the weekend, April 26 and April 27, members of the Women’s Auxiliary of the Botanlc Garden, in cooperation with the Community Committee for the Brooklyn Museum, will display period flower arrangements in the Museum’s American Rooms of which there are 19.

    Easter Week at the Brooklyn Museum will be filled with daily activities for children on vacation from school.

    On May 1, interest will shift to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden when the May Queen will be crowned, inaugurating Cherry Blossom Festival Time and a calendar of special events.

    Brooklyn Museum Archives. Records of the Department of Public Information. Press releases, 1947 - 1952. 04-06/1952, 029-32.
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  • April 28, 1952 “Brooklyn in Progress,” a special exhibit dealing with the borough’s housing and industrial problems, opens today (Wednesday, April 23) in the Brooklyn Museum. Occupying the main entrance hall of the Museum, the show was produced and installed by senior students of the Department of Architecture of Pratt Institute in cooperation with the American Institute of Architects.

    In statements accompanying the show, which is both spectacular and controversial, the students call for interest and action on the part of citizens, business leaders and government agencies to realize the replanning suggestions which would relieve congestion in housing, on main thoroughfares and in industrial areas and bring new beauty and comfort to Brooklyn’s 3,000,000 residents.

    COVERS THE BOROUGH

    The material on display presents documentary evidence of a thorough canvassing by Pratt students of civic agencies and individual architectural sources in an effort to uncover all available data relating to the theme of the exhibition. Photographs, maps, architectural drawings and scale models are used in the show.

    Constituent parts of the exhibition include: the Brooklyn Civic Center, now under construction; public and private housing; health and education; recreation, public works, commerce and industry.

    Historical landmarks, such as the Brooklyn Bridge and such early dwellings as the Peter Wycoff house of Carnarsie[sic] Lane, built in 1641, occupy prominent positions in the show. A wealth of human interest material---scenes on sidestreets and backyards photographed by Pratt students---are importantly placed.

    DONE AS A PUBLIC SERVICE

    “Brooklyn in Progress” was undertaken to inform the public of the architectural progress in the borough of Brooklyn and to make each citizen aware of his individual responsibility in the continuation of this progress. The exhibition was origInally conceived as a result of a design competition of Pratt’s Department of Architecture, under the chairmanship of Professor Olindo Grossi. Three entries were chosen from which further elimination resulted in the ultimate design of James Parkes, senior student. In the evolvement of the exhibit, refinements to the original scheme were made as required.

    Planning and execution were done by senior students of the department under the direction of Sheldon Schorr, senior thesis student.

    Among the exhibits are four modern office models, for which students made minute furnishings including tiny decorative glass bowls and lighting fixtures.

    COMMENT INVITED

    Student design problems are purposely intermingled throughout the sequence to invite comment and analysis by the observer as a stimulus toward action.

    “Brooklyn in Progress” will be exhibited through September 1.

    The Department of Parks, the Board of Transportation, the Board of Education, New York City Housing Authority and the President of the Borough of Brooklyn cooperated in the show.

    Brooklyn Museum Archives. Records of the Department of Public Information. Press releases, 1947 - 1952. 04-06/1952, 039-41.
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