Snyder was born November 4, 1860, in Stillwater, New York. He was the middle of three children born to George I. Snyder (1834-?) (harness maker) and Charity Ann Snyder (née Shonts) (1834–1919).[2] His two siblings, both sisters, were Ella G. Snyder (1857–1876) and Katy Snyder (b. approx 1865).
He completed public schooling in Stillwater, New York. In 1879, he arrived in New York City, and worked four years with builders in preparation for his profession. In 1883, he began the practice of architecture.[3]
Snyder earned two credentials from Cooper Uniontechnical schools: Cooper Union Free Night School of Science, Class C — Third-Year: May 28, 1881 — Certificate, Practical Geometry (name of record: "Charles Snyder").;[6] and Cooper Union School of Art, May 28, 1884 — Certificate, Elementary Architectural Drawing (name of record: "Chas. B.J. Snyder").[7]
Marriage and children
Snyder married Harriet Katharine (or Katherine) de Vries on September 11, 1889, at the home of the bride's parents in Jersey City Heights.[8][9]
(b. Nov. 30, 1862 - d. May 25, 1927, Brooklyn). They had two sons, Howard Halsey Snyder (b. Oct. 15, 1890, New Rochelle - d. Mar. 1970, Babylon, NY) and Robert Maclay Snyder (b. September 6, 1894, New Rochelle - d. 1945).
Career
From the mid to late 1880s, Snyder worked with William E. Bishop, a New York City master carpenter. Little is known about Bishop[10] except that he was a lifelong volunteer fireman, holding leadership positions in various fire companies.[11]
Superintendent of School Buildings
At its last meeting of the school year on July 8, 1891, the New York City Board of Education elected Snyder as Superintendent of Buildings to succeed George W. Debevoise after his resignation. Of the thirteen votes cast, Snyder received twelve.[12]
While Snyder initially oversaw Manhattan and The Bronx, the 1898 consolidation of Greater New York[13] elevated him to the ultimate role of Superintendent of School Buildings for the entire city.
School design innovations
As Superintendent, Snyder thought of school buildings as civic monuments for a better society.[14][15]
The H-plan design was first implemented by Snyder on a school (PS 165) in 1898 and was inspired by the Hotel de Cluny in Paris, which Snyder had seen in 1896.[16][17][18]
In 1896 Snyder began designing his first "H-plan," which provided two side courts. Snyder's H-plan improved the overall environmental quality by, among other things, allowing generous light and fresh air into classrooms. The plan also allowed for grand courtyard entrances.[10] It also provided areas between the wings that were safe for recreation.
The use of steel skeleton framing for buildings over four stories allowed for cheaper and faster construction, as well as an increased span of window openings.
Because of the need to produce many buildings in a short time, Snyder's office improved the design and planning ideas of earlier schools and sometimes used the same basic design for several schools.[19]
Snyder reorganized the Deputy Superintendents so that each was responsible for a single part of the building — such as (i) design and planning, (ii) heating and ventilating, (iii) electricity, (iv) plumbing and drainage, (v) furniture, and (vi) inspection and records — and each reported directly to him.[14]
Notable architecture
Note: Schools are listed by their original designation.
As Superintendent, Snyder is credited with the design of over 400 structural projects — including more than 140 elementary schools.[20] Snyder worked in several styles, including Beaux Arts, English Collegiate Gothic, Jacobean, and Dutch Colonial. He preferred mid-block locations away from busy and polluted avenues. One of his signature motifs was to design spaces for learning that would offer a respite from noisy streets and poverty.[21]
PS 28 (1861 Anthony Avenue, btwn Mt Hope Place and East Tremont Avenue) - a.k.a. The Mount Hope School, a plaque at the entrance verifies that Snyder was the architect, designing it in 1896–7, but the numeric designation on the plaque is altered
PS 32 in Little Italy area, 183rd and Beaumont- a beautiful red-brick, terra-cotta & gargoyle redstone Gothic structure
PS 50 172nd and Vyse Ave
Brooklyn
PS 95, 345 Van Sicklen Street
PS 157, 850 Kent Avenue
PS 133, 375 Butler Street
PS 130, 70 Ocean Parkway
PS 132, 320 Manhattan Avenue
PS 154, 1625 11th Avenue
Manhattan
PS 1, Alfred E. Smith School (8 Henry Street); this building featured what some believe was the world's first rooftop playground[24]
PS 3 (490 Hudson St.); built in 1905-1906 after a previous school at that site had burned down.[25] Now the Charrette School.
PS 90 (228 W 148th St. and 225 W 147th St., Central Harlem), built in 1905, the building had been abandoned for several decades, but artistic graffiti transformed the fence and walls into a shrine honoring several deceased renowned African Americans. On April 4, 2008, the City deeded the property to "West 147th Associates LLC," a condominium entity created in 2004 by the developer. With little fanfare, the developer, L+M Development Partners Inc., commenced construction of mixed-income condominiums; the aim is to refurbish the original facade and keep the "H pattern" design intact. The building is now addressed 217 W 147th St.
PS 95 (Clarkson St., South Village), now HS 560 City As School
PS 109 (215 East 99th St, East Harlem), now El Barrio's ArtSpace PS 109, an affordable housing project for artists; National Register[29][30]
PS 150; later Hunter College Model School; later MachinrefMetal Trades HS; currently Life Sciences Secondary School (E 96th St.)
PS 160 (107 Suffolk St., SWC or Rivington St.), now home to Clemente Soto Vélez Cultural and Educational Center
PS 157 (327 St. Nicholas Ave.), apartments since 1990, about to convert into a co-op National Register[31]
PS 165 (234 West 109th St.), now housing selective middle school Mott Hall II (serving 6th-8th grades)[32] in addition to the Robert E. Simon School (also called P.S. 165), which is a pre-K through 8 school.[33]
PS 168 (317 E 104th St.), now a community health facility
PS 171 (19 E 103rd St.), now PS/IS 171, the Patrick Henry School. Built 1899.[35]
PS 186 (521 W 145th St., Hamilton Heights, Harlem, 1/2 block E of Sugar Hill), in 1975 this structure was so run down that parents held protests and the city opened a new school across the street. The Convent Avenue Baptist Church bought it January 1986 with the intention of creating a new space for its M.L. Wilson Boys' Club (current name: Boys & Girls Club of Harlem, Inc.).[36] The mortgage was satisfied February 2006.[37] But, as of 2008, no improvement have been made and the building is still vacant.[38] The contract between the New York County Local Development Corporation and the M.L. Wilson Boys Club required that significant development be completed on the property within three years of the contract date.[39]
In 1922, Snyder began openly exploring retirement. He said that he hadn't had a vacation in 18 years and was tired and completely worn-out and that it was time to go fishing.[58] On July 1, 1923, Snyder officially retired. He was succeeded by another noted school architect Snyder helped train: William H. Gompert.
Death
Snyder died November 14, 1945, with his son, Robert, when they were overcome with natural gas poisoning, or carbon monoxide, or both, in their cottage in Babylon, New York. Apparently, upon retiring for the evening, the Snyders had lit the burners on the range oven to heat the rooms; but during the night the flame had been extinguished, possibly by a draft.[56] The elder Snyder was 85, the son was 51. They both are buried in a family plot in Woodlawn Cemetery in The Bronx, New York City.
^The Twenty-Second Annual Report of the Trustees of the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art. New York: M. Lowry & Co. Stationers and Printers. May 28, 1881.
^The Twenty-Fifth Annual Report of the Trustees of the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art. New York: Trow's Printing and Bookbinding Co. May 28, 1884.
^"Snyder – De Vries". The New York Times. September 12, 1889.
^Marriage Return, State of New Jersey, Hudson County
^"Designation List 377, PS 64"(PDF). New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. June 20, 2006. Archived(PDF) from the original on December 3, 2008. Retrieved April 20, 2008.
^Traveling with his wife, Snyder returned, departing from Southampton, England, arriving in New York November 28, 1896, aboard the St. Paul, New York Passenger Lists, 1820-1957.
^The BOE granted Snyder a six-week vacation with full pay. Journal of the Board of Education , 1069 (1899).
^Gray, Christopher (November 21, 1999). "Streetscapes/Charles B. J. Snyder; Architect Who Taught a Lesson in School Design". The New York Times.
^"Recommendations"(PDF). Community Board 9 Manhattan 197-a Plan. September 24, 2007. Archived(PDF) from the original on January 5, 2009. Retrieved September 2, 2008.
^Liu, Nina (August 29, 2007). "Washington Irving High School". Gramercy Area Historic Preservation Study. Gramercy Neighborhood Associates. Archived from the original on March 6, 2010. Retrieved July 21, 2009.
^Nash, Eric P. (December 16, 2001). "F.Y.I". The New York Times. Archived from the original on July 28, 2018. Retrieved September 2, 2008.
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