disadvantage in regard to questions of cost, quantities, extras, etc. We therefore believe that there should be an accredited list of building contractors whose names should be published in a college catalogue. Then the student should, at some period of his college course, spend the major part of one summer vacation in a contractor’s office.
4. Originality. The matter of creative work has already been mentioned, in connection with the study of architectural design and ornament. We believe that the development of a truly American expression in architecture can only be achieved through an evolution of forms, reflecting the manners and culture of the people, and influenced by matters of environment, climate, material, etc. We do believe, however, that this natural feeling for free and independent expression, which exists with every people, should not be stultified and warded off by the insistence of perpetuating archaeological forms. We think the spirit, therefore, of the entire curriculum should be that of a new country and a new epoch, instead of the past and the ancient or modern European world.
5. Extension of Course. We suggest that the course for a diploma in Architecture should be lengthened to five years for the regular student, and that a certificate as a draughtsman may be given at the end of the fourth year. This is in order that the name “architect” shall become a more honored one, for the profession can only acquire honor through the individual performances of its members. We do not believe it is possible for the architect of tomorrow, with his added responsibilities and duties, to receive fit cultural and technical preparations in four years. An examination of the curriculum which we have suggested makes this obvious. The extra year also gives added maturity to the student, fitting him for an earlier individual practice, and it will also, we hope, deter him from the procedure of preparing himself for practice in America by a course in a foreign country.
The above suggestions may be epitomized as follows :
1. Affiliation with architects’ offices, students to spend four months in accredited offices in superintendence and draughting.
2. Affiliation with accredited construction companies, students to spend two months in estimating and superintendence.
3. Extension of course to five years for archi
tectural diploma; draughtsman s , diploma may be given at the end of four years.
4. Present so-called Beaux Arts system of elaborately rendered plans and elevations to be changed.
5. The orders and details to be studied full-size in pencil.
6. All problems in design to be studied in perspective, as well as elevation, and presented in pencil with little rendering.
7. Problems in design to be small and practical for the first four years, and studied in relationship to the materials used.
8. All problems in design to be roughly dimensioned and annotated.
9. The thesis to be a small practical problem, worked out in a complete set of working drawings with specifications attached, and to be presented m the second half of the fourth year.
10. Antique, Mediaeval, and Renaissance decorated forms to be studied only in connection with the History of Architecture.
11. The subjects of Chemistry, Calculus beyond the elements, Physics, Applied Mechanics beyond Statics, Spherical Trigonometry, Analytical Geometry to be omitted.
12. Shade and Shadows as a science to be omitted, students to get their knowledge largely from nature.
13. Study of ornament to be based on a study of nature and indigenous and geometric forms.
14. Interior Decorating to be taught, with instruction in the nature of textiles, glass, ornamental iron, tiles, etc.
15. Practical elementary Surveying to be taught, with simple field work.
16. The design of industrial plants, with modern method of unit multiplication, and factory construction to be taught.
17. A course in housing, with its social relationships, to be taught through lectures and reference reading.
18. The science and history of City Planning to be given as an elective study.
19. A course to be given in business promotion, showing sound methods of promoting and financing building operations.
20. Extemporaneous speaking to be taught through practice in presenting building projects.
21. Last, a general change in spirit to be awakened in the schools to the ultimate end of modernizing and Americanizing the education of the architect.
4. Originality. The matter of creative work has already been mentioned, in connection with the study of architectural design and ornament. We believe that the development of a truly American expression in architecture can only be achieved through an evolution of forms, reflecting the manners and culture of the people, and influenced by matters of environment, climate, material, etc. We do believe, however, that this natural feeling for free and independent expression, which exists with every people, should not be stultified and warded off by the insistence of perpetuating archaeological forms. We think the spirit, therefore, of the entire curriculum should be that of a new country and a new epoch, instead of the past and the ancient or modern European world.
5. Extension of Course. We suggest that the course for a diploma in Architecture should be lengthened to five years for the regular student, and that a certificate as a draughtsman may be given at the end of the fourth year. This is in order that the name “architect” shall become a more honored one, for the profession can only acquire honor through the individual performances of its members. We do not believe it is possible for the architect of tomorrow, with his added responsibilities and duties, to receive fit cultural and technical preparations in four years. An examination of the curriculum which we have suggested makes this obvious. The extra year also gives added maturity to the student, fitting him for an earlier individual practice, and it will also, we hope, deter him from the procedure of preparing himself for practice in America by a course in a foreign country.
The above suggestions may be epitomized as follows :
1. Affiliation with architects’ offices, students to spend four months in accredited offices in superintendence and draughting.
2. Affiliation with accredited construction companies, students to spend two months in estimating and superintendence.
3. Extension of course to five years for archi
tectural diploma; draughtsman s , diploma may be given at the end of four years.
4. Present so-called Beaux Arts system of elaborately rendered plans and elevations to be changed.
5. The orders and details to be studied full-size in pencil.
6. All problems in design to be studied in perspective, as well as elevation, and presented in pencil with little rendering.
7. Problems in design to be small and practical for the first four years, and studied in relationship to the materials used.
8. All problems in design to be roughly dimensioned and annotated.
9. The thesis to be a small practical problem, worked out in a complete set of working drawings with specifications attached, and to be presented m the second half of the fourth year.
10. Antique, Mediaeval, and Renaissance decorated forms to be studied only in connection with the History of Architecture.
11. The subjects of Chemistry, Calculus beyond the elements, Physics, Applied Mechanics beyond Statics, Spherical Trigonometry, Analytical Geometry to be omitted.
12. Shade and Shadows as a science to be omitted, students to get their knowledge largely from nature.
13. Study of ornament to be based on a study of nature and indigenous and geometric forms.
14. Interior Decorating to be taught, with instruction in the nature of textiles, glass, ornamental iron, tiles, etc.
15. Practical elementary Surveying to be taught, with simple field work.
16. The design of industrial plants, with modern method of unit multiplication, and factory construction to be taught.
17. A course in housing, with its social relationships, to be taught through lectures and reference reading.
18. The science and history of City Planning to be given as an elective study.
19. A course to be given in business promotion, showing sound methods of promoting and financing building operations.
20. Extemporaneous speaking to be taught through practice in presenting building projects.
21. Last, a general change in spirit to be awakened in the schools to the ultimate end of modernizing and Americanizing the education of the architect.