Flashback Friday: Despoiled Work Of Art

With the start of school upon us, we dug this one up to remind the kiddies not to mess with old paintings!

The image shows a school principal holding a defaced portrait of Dr. Charles D. Larkins, the founder of Manual Training High School.

Taken on January 15, 1951, the photo caption reads: “DESPOILED WORK OF ART: Louis A. Schuker, principal of Manual Training High School, shows what vandals did to a portrait of the school’s founder, the late Dr. Charles D. Larkins.”

Curious what became of Manual Training High School? It was located at 237 7th Avenue (between 4th and 5th Streets), and currently is Millennium Brooklyn High School. More history about the building is available here.

The image is part of the Brooklyn Collection at the Brooklyn Public Library, and you can find more historic images like this one there or through Brooklyn Visual Heritage. The photo originally ran in the Brooklyn Eagle.

Do you have any interesting old photos of Park Slope? Share them with us at editor@bklyner.com!