New-York tribune., 1912-04-02
HOME FOR ART IS URGED.
Sa'magundi Club Brings Various
Societies Together.
TALK OF UPTOWN SITE
Much Money in Sight for Build.
ing. but Committee Plans
Still Indefinite.

The Salinas sundi Club gathered ,o-.,,..
at dinner last nieht Representatives ~ -,
the art societies IN tho city ,ba, 49,,
joined TO make up tho National Academy
Association and work for an adeouoto a.,
exhibition building in this city. II vas ,ho
first time representatives. OF all tho soc,o,,,.
had been brought together on a socl., 90
casion, and it was hoped that there roigh,
be an announcement of progress IN The
selection of site for the new buildlnr .,
OF contributions Of money
The bill Incorporating the National Acad.
emy Association has been passed bv n.
Legislature AT Albany. and is now ip ,h.
hands of the Governor for his signature u
is known that the committee OF the ses.-
citation on selection of site has three nlacs,
under consideration. and a large amour, =,
money has been contributed toward ~,
cost OF the building. The nearest that mas
come to an announcement last night, how.
ever, was the statement Of Howard Russau
Butler. chairman of the executive con,,,i,.
tee of the association, that the site for ths
building should be sorno place between ,ha
Pennsylvania Station and the south end .,
Central Park.
MI Butler was careful TO phrase thi,
statement only as an expression o. bis
personal opinion, but IT was taken 10 mean
10y those present that the committee b.d
At least, so far agreed on a site that II wa,
definitely determined that IL should ,,a
within the north and south boundaries
named.
The guests oi the Samagundi Club rem.
k.,
Alexander president of the National Aead.
emy of Design and president of the Ma.
tional Academy Association; Herman Me.
Neil. president of the Sculpture Society:
William 4. Boring, president OF the Archl-
tcctural League: Alexander T. Van Iaer.
president OF the American Water Color
Society; Charles &. Currau, treasurer of
the New York Water Color Club: q. u.
Gibson, president of the Society OF Illus
traitors; Edwin II. Bisshiield, president OF
tho Society of Mural Painters: Bert Han.
sen. president of the Municipal Art So.
ciety; G. Grant La Fargo, president OF the
New York Chapter Of the American Tnsd-
tute of Architects: Ernest Flagg. president
OF tho Society Of BcauX Arts Architects.
and Howard Russell Butler, chairman Of
the executive committee Of the National
Academy Association.
Carlton Wiggin. president or the club.
was the chairman, but he surrendered the
place of toastnlastcr 10 Mr.. Van Laer. All
the guests made short speeches OH the
general subject Of the need Of an adequate
exhibition building in this city, and all
were agreed that the present facilities tor
a ~ inn Nr
Mcneil characterized the efforts TO hold
suitable exhibitions of sculpture as Moth
ing less than ludicrous. Mr.. Ia Fargo said.
as did all the others. that New York was
the art centre of the country and he added
that IL was necessary 10 raise the artistic
tone Of the general population Of the city
I'm order to make a beautiful city ~ place
that was now devoted only 70 commercial
pursuits and was ruled by the greed for
the dollar
In one way or another II was said by all
the speakers that the hope OF tha city sv
in raising the artistic tone and aspirations
OF the people. Attention was called 10 'ritA
example Of smaller cities and towns in
erecting buildings for art exhibitions, while
New York alone seemed not to consider
such place at all necessary. Mr.. Alex.
ander said that the organizers of the ten
exhibitions travelling around the country
had TO assemble their works Of art in
Washington. though they came first 10 New
York to make their purchases
1t seemed TO be agreed that the building
should form an uptown civic centre. as the
new county court house is expected TO be
the downtown civic centre. And there wss
no dissent from the proposition that il
would be necessary TO have the site ada
cent 10 a park, so that skyscraper would
not arise TO inclose il and shut of tie
light Ernest Flagg advanced the plan 70
place a limit on the height OF buildings
No man has a right TO build hous.
that offends the taste OF his neighbors"
said Mr.. Flagg That is an infringement
on the rights cf man"