The Yates Polytechnic Institute was founded in 1824 by John B. Yates in the village of Chittenango, New York, United States.[1][2] The large building in which the institution was located was constructed in 1814 as a tavern before it was purchased by Yates. The institution considered itself to be one of the earliest manual labor schools in the nation. The school was organized as follows: Rev. Andrew Yates, principal; Rev. David A. Sherman, professor of philology and ancient languages; Benjamin F. Joslin, professor of natural science; Jonathan Ely, professor of practical agriculture and natural science; Stephen Alexander, professor of natural philosophy and mathematics.[3]
Yates, who bore the titles of judge, lawyer, state assemblyman, congressman, and who was also the owner and investor of many local enterprises including flour mills, a lime and plaster mill, a woolen factory, stores, and dry dock and boat yards, founded the Yates Polytechnic Institute after a long time of entertaining the idea of starting a school of practical instruction.[4] His brother, Andrew Yates, who at the time was a professor at Union College, left his position and became president of the Yates Polytechnic Institute.[5]
References edit
- ^ Whitney, Luna M. Hammond. History of Madison County, state of New York. Syracuse, NY. Truair, Smith & Co., Book and Job Printers (1872). p. 675.
- ^ Smith, John E. Our country and its people; a descriptive and biographical record of Madison County, New York. Boston, MA. The Boston History Company (1899). p. 465.
- ^ Nichols, Claude A. (April 29, 1966). "Yates Union School Began as One Man's Experiment" (PDF). The Post-Standard. Retrieved June 30, 2010.
- ^ Ross, Bonnie (June 8, 2009). "A Moment in Time: July 1836 John B. Yates of Chittenango dies". Syracuse.com. Retrieved June 30, 2010.
- ^ Nichols.