Academic year, 1899-1900
At the beginning of his final academic year at Drexel, Pittman commented: “My treatment has been extraordinarily good and the work down here, and what is to be done this year will cover all and more too than is required to help with the work at Tuskegee.” In that same letter Pittman informed Washington that some of his instruments had been stolen from his locker and he asked for money to replace what was lost. While Pittman consistently requested money from Washington throughout his time in school, the requests during his final year became more pleading and persistent.
During the Fall term, Pittman continued to maintain a hectic schedule but also seemed content with his life in the city writing that his schoolwork was “progressing and interesting.” His enjoyment was evident in one letter when he wrote, “My class on top of city hall today sketching – extraordinary!"
At the end of 1899 he was paid three dollars by the head of the architecture department to complete a “large scale drawing of the Institute’s library”. He also sold a watercolor to the Institute for “permanent exhibit."
These small monetary gains, however, were not enough to cover his mounting expenses. Letters in early 1900 hint at some agitation between the student and his protege at Tuskegee. A shortage of money created some conflicts with his landlady over rent forcing him to a new boarding house on N. 41st Street. In his final letter to Washington from Drexel, he apologized for the "trouble" he caused throughout his stay in Philadelphia. Pittman went on to explain that money Washington sent for his "carfare" back to Tuskegee had been spent on new clothes, writing he had to make "a passable appearance on the stage or not graduate." Pittman attended the graduation cermony on June 8, 1900 and returned to Tuskeegee soon after to begin his work as an instructor there.
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Documents and Images
Drexel architecture class of 1900
Close up of Pittman from class picture, 1900
Commencement book, 1900
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