The "Please Don't Take My Kodachrome Away - Part I" Story

It was an ordinary day. All except for the yellow and red! They happen to be the colors that identify Kodak. On January 19, 2012, Kodak filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and thus ended its reign as the giant in the photography industry; another casualty of the digital age. Kodak is synonymous with photography and has been since it was founded in 1889 by George Eastman. The name Kodak came about because the letter "K" was a favorite of Eastman's; he is quoted as saying, "it seems a strong, incisive sort of letter." He and his mother devised the name Kodak with an Anagrams set. Eastman said that there were three principal concepts he used in creating the name: it should be short; one cannot mispronounce it, and it could not resemble anything or be associated with anything but Kodak. And boy was he successful! For years and years, the brightest color in photography was yellow; the bright yellow color of a box of Kodak film.Just 20 years ago they had more than 80% of the American film market. Then came the competitors from overseas. Fuji, Sony, Illford, and so on made their impact on the film market and Kodak has never recovered its storied spot in the industry. In 1888 the first model of the Kodak camera appeared. It took round photos about 2.5" in diameter. This camera carried enough black and white film for 100 exposures. After taking your photos you would return the camera, they would make your prints, and return the prints and your camera to you. In 1892 coined the phrase, "You press the button, we do the rest." It caught on! In 1900 The Brownie camera was introduced, creating a new mass market for photography and the following year Eastman Kodak Company moved Rochester, NY where it has been ever since. And finally, in 1935, Kodak introduced Kodachrome, and color photography took off. Since that time, many "Kodak Moments" have been shared with the world through the art of Photography. Now, Kodak's is fading back to black with it's bankruptcy announcement. For me, Kodak means so much more. In 1969 I started the first photography program at Manheim Township High School in Neffsville, PA. I had only graduated from the school seven years before. The first year we had 6 students and the class was held class in the Graphic Arts room. To reach the darkroom we had to walk through the architectural drawing room. The darkroom had been a storage closet with a sink in it. The first year we had two black and white enlargers with enough space on a counter to place our developing trays. I hung a large safelight above the trays and we were in business. The students would have to buy their own black and white Kodak Plus-X or Tri-X, expose it, and develop it in the darkroom. The difference in the films was the ASA or ISO numbers (speed of the film). Darker situations required the faster Tri-X film. We had such a good time! The only problem we ever had was when a few of the teachers would open the door to our darkroom and ruin our negatives or photos with the light. The room had been used for teacher's who smoked and it took that first year for all to realize it was no longer the smoking room. As years passed, the course grew and grew. A new building was built to enlarge the high school and I got a new Graphic Arts room which had two very large darkrooms attached to it. I actually held class in the larger of the two and I had assembly tables and enough seating for a dozen students. 12 enlargers covered three walls and the final wall had a sink large enough for working stations at either end. 4 very large safelights made it seem almost like daytime. I was in heaven in that room. The class grew more and half my day was spent teaching photography. I had my classes in the darkroom while another teacher taught Graphic Arts in the attached room. And, Kodak supplies were used in my classes. By now we loaded our own canisters with bulk film. I would buy 100' rolls of Tri-X and Plus-X and hundreds of small film canisters for the students to load their own film. They still would base their choice of film on the type of project I had assigned to them. My students won many awards for their work ranging from certificates to college scholarships. Then came the advent of the digital camera. Kodak made them, but other companies grabbed the majority of the business. My black and white photography course still was popular and to this day is still being taught in the high school. At one time I had maybe 75 students a year and now there are maybe 50. The lure or the darkroom and black and whitefilm still draws the students. Kodak played a role in pretty much everyone's life in the 20th century because it was the company we entrusted our most treasured possession to -- our memories. Its yellow boxes of film, point-and-shoot Brownies and Instamatic cameras and the hand sized prints made it possible for millions to freeze-frame their world. So you see, I am saddened by the bankruptcy story coming from Kodak. To me it seems like Kodak is losing its color and is fading back to black. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - the round print at the bottom is the front and back of one from my collection. It is from the late 1800's when the prints were made round. The rear of the print says "Hackensack River from opposite the Field Club grounds 14 Jany 1890 No.40. The next couple of days will show you some of the collection of Kodak items that I have accumulated over the years.