The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-03-01
ARCHITECTS TO ART DIRECTOR
GIVE SIR c. PURDON CLARKE A
DINNER on SAILING EVE.
Ana Get Promise OF an Enlargement OF
the Architectural Collection In tie
metropolitan Art Museum-Sir Purdon
Qualifying AS an After Dinner Speaker.

@sAiN ctN = VI VI
the Architectural Collection In tile
metropolitan Art MuSeum-Sir Purdon
Qualifying as an After Dinner Speaker.
Sir Caspar Purdon Clarke, the new d.
rector OF the Metropolitan Museum OF Art,
was the guest OF honor at the annual dinner
OF the New York chapter Of the American
Institute Of Architects, held last night at
the University Club. George b. Post,
president Of the chapter, was toastmaster.
Others who sat at the guest table were
robert W DeForest, Prof Warren 7. Laird
of the University Of Pennsylvania Prof.
a. ID. + Harnlin OF Columbia, Francois d.
Mlllet, the painter; Lockwood DeForest
painter. and Daniel C.French. the sculptor.
In this country at first said President
Post. architects were not even "a necessary
evil They were either regarded as an un-
necessary luxury. ranging in point OF I'm
portanoe for below stone masons and car
penters. After l got my first job the man
who gave 1t me came back pretty soon and
said Never mind that. find my carpenter
has an architect in his shop already
Henry p. Marshall spoke OF the archi-
tectural Gusts in the museum and begged
Sir Purdoh Clarke to improve the collection
Frank d. Millet said he felt like the little
girl who, when being put TO bed by her
mother asked whether il was her own
prayer she must say or nurseys.
What are nursey's prayers?' asked
mother
My God have I go: to get up again.
replied the little girl
lie congratulated the American Institute
Of Arpbtt.gt., Of kiil Inv
the House of Representatives to incorporate
the American Academy in Rome, and the
diners drank Il toast standing to Charles
+. MCllm. promoter Of the bill.
Il have spent ten delightful days mere
said Sir Purdon when his turn caIne. and
this. | take it, is the sending or He sails
for England ON the Baltic to-day / shall
congratulate myself as well az my neigh
bors in Lonron on the future opened up
for them by the United States.
zone Of the first questions / was asked
when | came here was about my policy "a
director of the museum. My reply is,
have no policy eXcapt to do the best thing
possible in the circumstances Then | was
asked what | thought OF the New York
skyscrapers These l must say. were new
TO me Twenty years nGo. when / came
b mere, New oTk was uks any otNer CITY.
Now find the city filed with skyscra pe RI.
OF these l must say they would look better
IL they were tipped over to lean like the
towers OF Bologna let Us add that the
towers OF Bologna would look like nothing
II they were sIra yht.
In India, Persia or Turkey there are
no words equivalent to the English word
architect They have only builders there
and rnasons And even in England where
! | have been investigating the Worshipful
| honorary member. | find they were the
architects that built the Cathedrals-not
bad achievements for masons or Brother
Chips as they are called.
Il don't know whether you have here
the district surveyor as we have in England:
there one can buy him OF American
ideas are catching on in England. There,
too. it happens nowadays that two stores
out OF a block of stores are torn down. and
in thirty-six hours two new stores that
give the building an effect of resting on
nothing but plate glass are standing in
their place.
Il must suppose that tho skyscrapers
and bad building generally are due TO
hurry When an American places an order
he wants Il 10y return post. He wants
building finished in six months. IT an
English architect Gays building will take
wear to put up, one becomes at once re-
signed 10 two and a hall years. In America
you try to induce him to put it up ii ten
months
Let me say word "a TO the architec-
tural casts in the museum. ! am very
much interested in them. and when come
back ! hope to increase the collection 80
az to leave behind me = record of the evolu-
ton Of American architecture. There IL
also need here Of a collection Of designs
representing interiors so that the museum
might set a standard for people who have
money enough to initiate them. In the
Kensington museum ! have tried 70 leave
a record Of the evolution of English archi-
lecture.
Among these present were c. " Romeyn.
Owen Branand Warrington @. Lawrence.
Russell SturPis. j ". Mast, John W, lngle
and T.. L. Masqueray.