Arizona republican., 1906-02-25


 possible disadvantages. The work is intensely interesting and full of va riety and opportunity. It affords am pie scope for specialization, according to the temperament, ranging from | purely practical to the highly artistic The work is educa tionaI and broad ening in the extreme and is intimately | related to all of the other arts, and 1 with these the architect is bound to | be brought into contact. The archi, tect's relations, whether with his client | or with those who are working for him, as well as with the artists and the public generally, can always be made pleasant and sympathetic He is sure of competency, of social position, and an opportunity to earn fame, besides finding happiness in his wark and be- ing enabled to contribute to the hap piness of those with whom he comes in contact professionally. The only disadvantages so far as I know, consist in the fact that an architect cannot make a fortune by the practice of his profession and that he frequently fails to command the ap- preciation and encouragement which his work deserves, and which is given more frequently to other professions. The greatest hardship with which
 
 to the fact that the very nature of his work combining as it does the practi- cal with the artistic. prevents the aver age man from distinguishing real mer- | it and mediocrity. This is true to an extent hardly possible fin any other profession, so that the architects rec ognition as an artist comes mostly from other architects and artists. and seldom from the public. But even this | disadvantage Is a stimulus to the ar chitect never to halt in his efforts to do his best It maintains his enthusiasm. and therefore keeps him young and ac- tive"
 Mir. Allen B. Pond of Chicago. in a letter to the author. says: Tt is to be ! assured that the young man who is planning to become an architect has some natural qualifications, and in- tends to achieve success, by honora ble means and without the sacrifice of his | se.f-respect.
 The advantages offered by this pro- fession are not to be despised. Its product is concrete and visible. and it. directly reaches with it's impress la~ge number of persons, beyond the circles | of the immediate client, and oy the wide circulation oi photographs and sketches, indirectly reaches a vastly greater number In this respect ar chitecture affords a wider field than ! that offered, for instance, by the pro- | fessions of law, medicine and teach ing, or by most lines of commercial en- | terprise.
 "In common with the arts of scuip- i ture painting and music, it's product has relative individual permanence enjoyed by few industrial and and by m al is far less ephemeral than the work of i the actor, or of the musical virtuoso, | or the ordinary litterateur. is not so easily thrust aside and forgotten as i the work of the musical composer, and not so easily obliterated as the work of 1 the sculptor or painter.
 "The work offers scope for an ex- ! ceptionally high degree of creative and | imaginative faculty, ranking herein with the higher forms of literature and | music, excelling sculpture and painting, | and wholly surpassing the range of any scientific, technical, industrial, or com mercial pursuit.
 Tt imposes the necessity of solving ] puzzling mechanical problems, of de- vising ingenious exPedients and of ] coming with emeTgencies.
 Tt presents in an exceptional degree
 
 of human nature, of tact. of wisdom, and of foresight.
 Tt involves close contact with a wide range of activities and situations, and | brings one into close and often intimate | relations with individuals of exceed | ingly varied occupations, positions, and | points of view.
 ! Ut offers the opportunity to aid sig i nally in making an environment that shall contribute to the health comfort l charm, and distinction of human life
 ''To one who appreciates its scope and opportunities and who measurably meets its demand, it yields a deep sat i isfaction and a keen sense of useful achievements quite independent of fi- nancial return.
 ITO the few it brings a considerable financial return.
 Ut has some disadvantages: The status of the profession is not we'll es- i tablished in the United States. The work of the architect is to develop ere atively and critically the plan and de- l sign, to perfect the drawings and speci- fications, and faithfully supervise the construction of a desired building. The degree of technical skill, the breadth of accurate information, the painstaking foresight and the intelligent coordina- llOn, the amount or sheer ldDOr re- quired for the work in the case of buildings adapted to the complex re- quirements of modern life are wholly beyond the conception of the building public.
 "The compensation for work Of or dinary size such as must make up the bulk of the output of the average prac- titioner, is wholly inadequate. if the work be intelligently and thoroughly done. The conscientious, hard working architect, endowed with a fair degree of talent, usually gets from his pro- fession an income less than the earn ings ia small contractor. At the minimum rates, esta blished by the Am erican Institute of Architects, few arr chitects today acquire a competency for ] old age. Yet the public regards these absurdly low rates as exorbitantly 1 high.