Bowman Technical School
setName: label: See more items in
content: Jon and Jennifer Hanson Watch and Clock Collection
label: See more items in
content: Jon and Jennifer Hanson Watch and Clock Collection / Series 4: 2016.3007 Addenda
bioghist: label: Biographical / Historical
content: Founded independently of Bowman around 1887, the American Horological Institute was established in Philadelphia yet swiftly renamed the Bowman Technical School following a move to Lancaster, Pennsylvania around 1895 due to the involvement of one Ezra F. Bowman. Born in 1847, Ezra Bowman was a trained watchmaker who favored teaching watchmaking courses instead of taking apprentices.

Ezra Bowman died in 1901, leaving the school to his sons John and Charles Ezra Bowman. John (born 1879) was trained as an horological educator, and Charles (born 1880) was trained in business administration and management. The brothers joined together to bring the Bowman Technical School to local and national success training men and eventually women to make watches. The school's core departments were watchmaking, engraving, and jewelry work, training around 100 students at a time to be skilled watchmakers and artisians.

John Bowman died in 1959, and Charles Bowman a few years later in 1964. The school was then bought by Edwin H. Parkhurst Jr, the president of Mark Manufacturing Incorporated and a member of the National Association of Watch and Clock Collectors. He kept the school running with fluctuating enrollment until his death in 1991, marking the closure of the school. The last students received their diplomas in 1992.
unitdate: label: Date
content: circa 1900s-1970s
dataSource: label: Archival Repository
content: Archives Center, National Museum of American History
identifier: label: Identifier
content: NMAH.AC.1122, Subseries 4.2
objectType: label: Type
content: Archival materials