Brooklyn Continuation School

[Woodworking class at the Continuation School], 1922, V1973.6.430; Brooklyn photograph and illustration collection, ARC.202; Brooklyn Historical Society.

This photo of the week was taken in 1922. On the back (also called the verso) is a handwritten note that reads, “Woodworking class at the continuation school, where boys and girls who have to leave school to seek employment may continue their education.”

The Brooklyn Continuation School was located at Ryserson Street, near Myrtle Avenue in the Clinton Hill neighborhood of Brooklyn. It was designed for students who needed to enter the workforce rather than complete their education. In the early twentieth century, it was compulsory for students under the age of 17 who did not complete four years of high school to attend continuation school for four hours per week. The school allowed students to gain practical work skills to gain better employment. Students who entered the school first went through a preliminary course where they determined the occupational route they wished to explore. Girls and boys were offered separate courses, and the school worked with employers to place skilled students in the skilled labor force.

A 1922 article of the Brooklyn Daily Eagle describes (in detail) the course offerings at the Brooklyn Continuation School: “In the vocational department, boys are offered these courses: woodworking, electric wiring and installation, motorcar mechanics, machine shop practice, mechanical and freehand drawing, blueprinting, plan reading, lettering and sign painting. For girls, the vocational subjects are millinery, dressmaking, novelty work, beading, embroidery, lamp shade making and homemaking. Both boys and girls may study office practice, filing, mimeographing, typewriting and retail store work.” The gender separation in the course offerings reflects a norm for employment then, and also speaks to the growing number of women entering the workforce.

This 1922 photograph comes from the Brooklyn photograph and illustration collection which contains approximately 7000 items dating from the early to mid-20^th century in Brooklyn. You can view more photographs from this collection, including additional photographs from the Brooklyn Continuation School, here.

Interested in seeing more photos from BHS’s collection? Visit our online image gallery, which includes a selection of our images. Interested in seeing even more historic Brooklyn images? Visit our Brooklyn Visual Heritage website here. To search BHS’s entire collection of images, archives, maps, and special collections visit BHS’s Othmer Library Wed-Sat, 1:00-5:00 p.m. library@brooklynhistory.org