Charlotte Russell Partridge, a professor and head of the Fine Arts Department at Milwaukee
Downer College, and her friend, Miriam Frink founded the Layton School of Art (often called
the Layton School of Art and Design) in 1920. Partridge and Frink served as co-directors
until 1954. Subsequent directors were Edmund Lewandowski (1954-1972) and Neil Lieberman
(1972-1974). The School grew to a four-year accredited institution with a peak enrollment of
about 1,500 after World War II and closed in 1974 due to financial difficulties.
