Observatory. Preparatory department before 1882

This photograph of the Observatory Preparatory Department was taken by William H. Tipton, a photographer known for his work in Pennsylvania in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Tipton's work captures a pivotal moment in American history, as institutions of learning were expanding and becoming more accessible. The Preparatory Department, likely associated with a larger educational institution, reflects the era’s emphasis on structured learning and the promise of upward mobility through education. The image evokes a sense of aspiration, but this feeling needs situating in its time. Consider that access to these institutions was often limited by gender, race, and class. Educational opportunities for women and minorities were scarce, and this building may have been a place of exclusion as much as it was a place of learning. Tipton's photograph, while seemingly a straightforward documentation, invites us to reflect on whose stories are told and whose are left out of the historical narrative.