Rochester Business Institute Records, 1863-2013

Summary

Abstract:
This collection consists of the records of the Rochester Business Institute dating from 1887 to 2016. The records are comprised of school newspapers, faculty and staff correspondences, course catalogs and other school publications, yearbooks, textbooks, scrapbooks, and photographs.
Extent:
22.0 Cubic Feet 18 boxes, 2 oversize ledgers, 1 bus sign, 3 oversize framed certificates, 2 oversize framed photographs
Language:
English .
Preferred citation:

Rochester Business Institute Records. [box #,folder #, or volume #]. Local History and Genealogy Division, Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County N.Y

Background

Scope and content:

The materials in this collection were salvaged immediately following RBI's closure, then known as the Everest Institute. The school's history during the 20th century is well documented by all the forms of materials in this collection, particularly after 1933 when it celebrated its 70th anniversary. Courses and course content are exhibited in the course catalogs which range from 1900 to 2005 as well as the textbooks which cover a wide range of subjects. The photographs depict classrooms, sports teams, public events, and faculty members going as far back as 1887. The scrapbooks largely contain news clippings of alumni in the mid-1900s as well as some faculty correspondence. Notable topics include the 70th, 75th, 100th, and 150th anniversaries of the Institute, the Alumni Association, school sports teams, and service members in World War Two, including participants in Civilian Pilot Training.

Biographical / historical:

The Rochester Business Institute was founded in 1863 by Bryant, Stranton & Chapman as the Bryant, Stranton & Chapman Business College (Peck 1908). Located at first in the Baker & Durand Building on North Clinton Avenue in the heart of Rochester, the school's property holdings multiplied during the late 1800s as more space was needed to accommodate the growing student body. Accommodations were obtained in several other locations including a YMCA building erected in 1889 at the corner of Court Street and Second Avenue. In 1896 it formally became known as the Rochester Business Institute.

By the early 1900s RBI had gained repute as the leading business education institute in the country and saw its student body grow from 17 students in its first year to hundreds from across the United States. The Institute began publishing its own textbooks in 1881, with courses ranging from bookkeeping and accounting to grammar and correspondence. Throughout the 20th century, new courses such as typewriting were added to keep up with technological developments, while courses such as telegraphy were dropped. The program of Teachers' Business Training Courses, established in 1907 under Dr. John Forbes, caused RBI's reputation to soar so that in 1915 it was able to afford the construction of its own building at 172 Clinton Avenue South.

Though enrollments dwindled during World War One, RBI retained its renown and the post-war period saw its student body surge as soldiers came home and began returning to civilian life. During this time RBI became one of the first schools to reformat its courses so that only students at similar stages of educational development would be in one class. World War Two was similarly disruptive, however the Institute at this time again adopted the role of pioneer in being one of the first business schools to offer Army Air Force air-crew instruction.

In 1944, RBI suffered a fire in one of its buildings, the first of a number of difficulties that would afflict it during the second half of the 20th century. Although it retained its prominence into the 60s, by the end of the 1900s Rochester Business Institute was experiencing serious financial difficulties as it struggled to compete with the more modern college educational system. In 2006 it was purchased by Corinthian Colleges Inc. and became known as the Everest Institute (Daneman 2014). In 2013 its 150th anniversary was celebrated with proclamations from Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks, Irondequoit Town Supervisor Mary Joyce D'Aurizio, and Rochester Mayor Thomas Richards. The Institute finally shut down in 2015 amid Corinthian's own financial troubles and an audit by the New York State Department of Education after it was discovered that the company had been exaggerating the job placement rates of its graduates (Lahman 2015).

Custodial history:

Donated by Sam E. Ruggeri on behalf of Carl A. Silvio, president of Everest Institute.

Arrangement:

This collection consists of twenty-five boxes divided into nine series:

Series I: Annual Catalogs, 1900-2010

Series II: Newspapers, 1887-2010

Series III: Other Materials, 1887-2010

Sub-series A: Other Documents
Sub-series B: Realia

Series IV: Yearbooks, 1950-1976

Series V: Textbooks, 1900-1950

Series VI: Bound Volumes

Sub-Series A: Scrapbooks
Sub-Series B: Ledgers

Series VII: Commencement Programs 1914-1999

Series VIII: Photographs, 1887-2001

Sub-Series A: Photographs
Sub-Series B: Oversize Photographs

Series IX: Everest Institute

Physical description:
Mostly fair, some textbooks in poor condition.
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Access and use

Restrictions:

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of the collection.

Terms of access:

Permission to publish, reproduce, distribute, or use in any current or future manifestations must be obtained in writing from the Rochester Public Library Local History and Genealogy Division.

Preferred citation:

Rochester Business Institute Records. [box #,folder #, or volume #]. Local History and Genealogy Division, Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County N.Y

Location of this collection:
Rundel Memorial Building
115 South Avenue
Rochester, NY 14604, United States
Link to repository site
Contact:
585-428-8370
lochist@libraryweb.org