Fennell, Marie

Marie K. Fennell (1892-1984) graduated from RIT (at that time called Rochester Athenaeum and Mechanics Institute or RAMI) in 1916 with a certificate from the Department of Household Arts and Science. The Department began in 1893 with courses in cooking, sewing, emergencies, hygiene, home nursing, and physical culture. The program expanded rapidly, and Marie was accepted into RAMI in 1913 as part of the largest registration in the (then) history of the instititution. For the next 40 years, Marie compiled her scrapbook, beginning with her acceptance letter into the Institute, and ending with clippings related to her fellow alumni. Marie died in December 1984 at the age of 92 in Rochester, New York.

The Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) can trace its origins to the founding of the Rochester Athenaeum in 1829. After joining with several different Rochester institutions during the 19th century, the Athenaeum finally merged with the Mechanics Institute (founded in 1885) in 1891 to form the Rochester Athenaeum and Mechanics Institute (RAMI). The Ramikin yearbook began at RAMI in 1912. It continued for the next 33 years. RAMI changed its name to the Rochester Institute of Technology in 1944 to better reflect the university's role in the field of technical education. At that time, Ramikin was renamed Techmila. Techmila ceased publication in 1993. Marie K. Fennell (1892-1984) graduated from RAMI in 1916 with a certificate from the Department of Household Arts and Science. The Department began in 1893 with courses in cooking, sewing, emergencies, hygiene, home nursing, and physical culture. The program expanded rapidly, and Marie was accepted into RAMI in 1913 as part of the largest registration in the (then) history of the instititution. Marie died in December 1984 at the age of 92 in Rochester, New York.