New York City has nearly one million buildings (975,000 by the DOB’s count), many of them prewar constructions with historic features that require regular maintenance and repair to guard against the ravages of time and weather. Yet for New York City teens and young adults, there are few opportunities to learn the skills necessary for a career in repairing and preserving the city’s aging building stock.
The lack of available training for young people interested in masonry preservation has long been a source of frustration for Rand’s Senior Project Manager Tom Russack. So several years ago, Tom, a third-generation mason and historic preservationist who has worked at Rand since 1999, conceived and developed a program for disadvantaged and at-risk inner-city youths to learn hands-on construction skills.
The training course that Tom created and teaches is the Youthbuild Masonry Preservation Program, sponsored by the Abyssinian Development Corporation, a not-for-profit organization serving the Harlem community. The program, open to unemployed and out-of-school men and women ages 16 to 24, enables them to complete their GED and to pursue post secondary education opportunities.
Based on the curriculum from the course, Tom has written a training manual, Masonry History Integrity: An Urban Conservation Primer, for use in classroom teaching and construction trades programs. Each chapter in the book focuses on a major construction material, e.g., mortar, bricks, stones, and terra cotta; tools such as trowel, level, jointer, pointer, hammer, chisel, and hawk; and methods of construction, including caulking, repointing, patching,and plastering. Activities at the end of each chapter give students the chance to put into practice the information covered and emphasize proper safety tips.
The book not only teaches technical skills; it also promotes the importance of a strong work ethic and moral development. Tom uses examples of historic figures to highlight admirable qualities, such as Theodore Roosevelt (character), Thomas Edison (inspiration), and Winston Churchill (determination). He also includes examples of historic buildings and places from different eras to emphasize the importance of connecting the past with the present. Quotes from both famous and everyday people provide inspiration and encouragement, as do testimonies from Tom’s former students who have gone on to schools, apprenticeships, and jobs in the construction trades.
- Tom Russack demonstrates stone patching to his students.
One student, for example, was accepted into the American College of Building Arts in Charleston, SC and received a scholarship for her first year of studies. Three students received a full scholarship from the World Monument Fund for a three-month training experience in Chile, where they learned adobe construction and repair while helping residents with their English language skills. Two masonry preservation graduates are working full-time at New York City masonry restoration firms, another received an apprenticeship at Evergreene Studios for interior plaster and decorative work, and several others have received internships with the Central Park Conservancy.
Masonry History Integrity, which Tom wrote with the help of a grant from the National Park Service’s National Center for Preservation Technology and Training, is being used as the official textbook for several preservation trade programs, including courses at Savannah Technical College in Georgia. It can be downloaded for free at the NCPTT website.
Rand is proud of Tom for his work developing the Youthbuild Masonry Preservation Program and teaching students the skills and attitudes necessary to become successful in the construction trades. We’re confident his comprehensive book, a true labor of love, will serve as an invaluable guide and source of inspiration for a new generation of craftsmen and women.
