ful lack of money served as a barrier unless he could earn his way while travelling. Ordinary gainful occupation required too much sacrifice of time from architecture, so he spent an occasional evening as a prize-fighter. He did not like the reactions from punishment but architecture kept him at it; his reputation as a prize-fighter brought him the means to win architecture which in its turn has blotted out the glory of the ring. At least two have arrived in architecture by fistic performances.
Official boards are never surprised when they find the source from which architecture draws its servants. Many professions and occupations have furnished their quota to its urge. Dentistry, law and engineering have given from their ranks. In one case an undertaker is combining his necessary avocation with plumbing and while not a registered architect, he practices architecture by right of previous performance prior to enactment of statute. He has not arrived at the “heart of architecture.” To illustrate by one more case where talent, refinement and hard labor have brought a full reward in architecture: A boy was born in Egypt whose parents were notMohamedans but were natives of the Near East. There was no way for this boy to obtain primary school
ing except by acceding to the rule which required attendance at Moslem religious services. He lived in the slums of Cairo, picking up a little money in guiding tourists. From them he learned of other nations where he could be released from the shackles of class. He did not believe this, but curiosity led him to smuggle himself to Greece. There he heard of architecture, became interested and worked his way through Italy to France. He obtained some work at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts. He studied until he was admitted. He worked his way through that school and graduated. The United States appealed to his imagination but he spent some time as a draftsman in England in order to earn his passage money and to meet the requirements of the immigration laws. He is now a cultured citizen of the United States with a large practice as an architect,—a man of attractive personality with a charm in speech most unusual. The story of the architects who have reached home in architecture and who are giving unselfishly and untiringly out from their best would be a long biography. Association with these men is architecture’s reward for those who regard opportunity to serve others as a full reward and the single goal of this life.
GOTTESGAB IM ERZGEBIRGE, BOHEMIA. CZECHO-SLOVAKIA FROM THE ORIGINAL WATER COLOR BY EMIL LOWENSTEIN
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Official boards are never surprised when they find the source from which architecture draws its servants. Many professions and occupations have furnished their quota to its urge. Dentistry, law and engineering have given from their ranks. In one case an undertaker is combining his necessary avocation with plumbing and while not a registered architect, he practices architecture by right of previous performance prior to enactment of statute. He has not arrived at the “heart of architecture.” To illustrate by one more case where talent, refinement and hard labor have brought a full reward in architecture: A boy was born in Egypt whose parents were notMohamedans but were natives of the Near East. There was no way for this boy to obtain primary school
ing except by acceding to the rule which required attendance at Moslem religious services. He lived in the slums of Cairo, picking up a little money in guiding tourists. From them he learned of other nations where he could be released from the shackles of class. He did not believe this, but curiosity led him to smuggle himself to Greece. There he heard of architecture, became interested and worked his way through Italy to France. He obtained some work at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts. He studied until he was admitted. He worked his way through that school and graduated. The United States appealed to his imagination but he spent some time as a draftsman in England in order to earn his passage money and to meet the requirements of the immigration laws. He is now a cultured citizen of the United States with a large practice as an architect,—a man of attractive personality with a charm in speech most unusual. The story of the architects who have reached home in architecture and who are giving unselfishly and untiringly out from their best would be a long biography. Association with these men is architecture’s reward for those who regard opportunity to serve others as a full reward and the single goal of this life.
GOTTESGAB IM ERZGEBIRGE, BOHEMIA. CZECHO-SLOVAKIA FROM THE ORIGINAL WATER COLOR BY EMIL LOWENSTEIN
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