Collection: Packer Collegiate Institute Records
Description: The Packer Collegiate Institute was established as the Brooklyn Female Academy on Joralemon Street in the Brooklyn Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn in 1845. In the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Packer rose to national preeminence in female education. In 1972, the Institute shifted to a co-educational model. This extensive collection sheds light on the history of education in Brooklyn and the United States. A significant portion of audiovisual material in the collection is from the 1995-1996 school production, “Day in the Life.” The “Day in the Life” series highlights interview questions and discussions asked of seventeen students and staff at Packer Institute to illustrate the impact the school had on their lives. Interviewees are asked about academics, extracurricular activities, the building and grounds, interactions with students and faculty, and every day occurrences at Packer. Additional audiovisual material in the collection spans the period 1931-1972, and includes footage of Packer events, educational films, and a student film. The material offers new insights on students’ educational experiences and on childhood in Brooklyn.