Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-25
ARCHITECTS At BANQUET
BUSINESS SESSION HERE CLOSES
WITH SOCIAL FUNCTION.
Addresses by Commissioner Henry L.
West, Mr.. Glenn Brown, Thomas
Nelson Page and Others.

After three days or business, combined
with pleasure, the League of Architects last
night gave itself up wholly to recreation.
and the members gathered at the Willard
for a banquet that marked the close of
their annual session in Washington. 1t
was a big gathering and one representative
OF the best architectural talent. those who
take an interest in the development of ar
tistIc building all over the United States.
In fact the representation reached beyond
the borders of the United States, for the
new president of the league. J. 2. Hynes of
Toronto Canada was at the table on the
right of the toastma ster. Waddy b. WOOD
of Washington With him at the table were
Commissioner Harry West, James Knox
Taylor, supervising architect of the treas
ury: Charles NJ. Ffoulke of Washington,
LLOYD Warren of New York. president of
the Society des Beaux Arts; Thomas Nelson
Page of Washington. Representative Iuch-
ard Bartholdt of Missouri. chairman of the
House committee on buildings and grounds;
j. IL Mosher, president of the Washington
Water Color Society; Glenn Brown, secre-
tary Of the Architectural Institute OF Amer
lea. the oldest and most powerful organiza-
ton of It's kind in the country; Ernest >.
Russell retiring president OF the league;
Max Cunning of Chicago. Percy AS" or
Washington w. ID. Window, president of
the Washington Architectural Club; r. W.
Down and J. c. Hornblower. both of ash
ington Ali OF the gentlemen mentioned
spoke briefly, with the exception of MI
Ffoulke.
There were over 100 guests at the table,
which contrary to banquet custom in
washington. was a single, wide table the
length of the room. The decorations were
unusual and effective. being large pyra-
mids Of hyaCinths and other cut flowers at
intervals in the center. filled in with large
boughs of apple blossoms and with smilaX
and asparagus
Family Gathering.
The gathering was cordial, family sort
of affair. nearly all of those present being
directly Interested in architecture and Keen
ly alive TO the development of the artistic
combined with the useful in building all
over the country. Everybody could talk
shop with the assurance of being under
stood and appreciated and the younger men
of the middle west. like Max Dunning and
former President Russell were compli-
Inented by the postmaster on coming from
a part of the country where. IL anywhere.
there Is being developed distinctive school
of American architecture. combining the
unitarian with the artistic and boldly
making use in new ways OF the new ma
terial that lies closest at hand.
Thomas Nelson Page spoke of the history
OF the University of Virginia. which Will
always stand one of the finest exam
pies of colonial architecture, and gave the
credit for the work to the master mind OF
Thomas jefferson.
Glenn brown, IN the course OF MS
marks. said he wanted to take issue with a
part of Mr.. Pages statement and referred
to certain correspondence between Jefferson
and DR. William Thornton. the then archi-
tect of the Capitol, who evidently, accord
ing to the letters on record. had acted as
art critic In the construction. and to whose
views and technical skill jefferson must
have been largely indebted.
Development in Washington.
Commissioner West spoke on the de-
velopment of Washington. Like every
one who touches on that subject, he paid
tribute to the genius of Washington and
L'Enfant. through whose artistic per-
ception and far-seeing Judgment the city
was laid out the lines to which 1T
would take more than century for it
to develop. Commissioner West said the
great artistic plan had lain fallow for
almost "a century. when it was galvanized
into life, and the development went for
ward with a rush that has carried 1t to
a point where the original lines are be-
ing overlapped and 1t is the task of those
in authority to keep the development
parallel with the great first plan that
had made the city the nucleus of the
most artistic capital in the world. He
referred to the need of taking up the
center OF the city for government use.
and expressed the firm conviction that
the time will come within a generation
when the dream of years will be real
lied. and the south side of Pennsylvania
avenue from the treasury to the Capitol
and from the avenue to Che Mall Will be
owned by the government and devoted
to public buildings and parks.
Mr.. West said national pride In the
capital is growing. and he looked on
each national gathering here as a fresh
object lesson to the people of the whole
country, and another step toward the full
nllment of the ultimate desigD-to make
the city the art center of the United
States and the model specimen of civic
development for the whole world.
Greek Temple Supreme.
Continuing. he said:
Through all the ages in which the in
telIigence of maa has wrought beauty out
OF the rough Product of the quarry. the
Greek temple, with It's simplicity of treat
ment and dignity of proportion, has stood
supreme. Our fathers builded better than
they knew when they adopted this classic
style. for today these structures appeal to
Us with a perennial beauty. 1t is to be
regretted that in some instances the clas-
sic model has been departed from. l am
sure you will agree with me in expressing
the hope that in the Washington OF the
future We shall be spared architectural ex-
periments of doubtful nature. The new
marble buildings which flank the Capitol
plaza are, happily, OF style which Is per-
petually young, and in course OF time,
when the front of the Capitol shall have
been extended and an edfice for the fed
eral judiciary placed contiguous to the Lii
brary OF Congress. we shall have a group
OF public buildings worthy OF the nation
We want every citizen of the United
States TO turn toward Washington a
Mohammcdan to his Mecca, with the feel
ing that here is the embodiment of all that
IS noble, dignifed and impressive in archi-
lecture. all that Is model in social environ
ment, and all that is honest and praise