The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1916-12-30
COMMUNICATION

To the Forum: ....
The decision OF the Fargo Board of
Education to go abroad for an Eek
pert architect is the best kind of evi-
dence of what Fargo stands most in
need OF at this time; and that is an
| expert school man to go out over
the several states and select an in
telligent expert" school board. cap
able of properly conducting the edu-
cational business of the city.
UP to about six years ago the board
never had any trouble with its build
ing operations; but when the city be-
came financially able to erect a better
class of school buildings, the board
Ignored all the architects who stood
ready to serve them and employed a
surveyor, without any architectural
knowledge or experience. to plan and
| supervise the erection of the Agassiz
school, with what results as to cost
and defects the tax payers of the city
are already well acquainted. Not be-
ing satisfied with this experience the
board wisely repeated the exploit
on the North Side with similar re-
suits. Are we now to understand that
the board has arrived at the conclu-
sion that 1t really requires an Eek
pert" architect to plan school build
ing and that the surveyor who has
been serving them to the best Of his
dpillly VI late is 10 D0 LHTOWu lhCO
the discard? II the surveyor was cap
able of planning a school building
then he certainly should be capable
now. after having had six years OF
experience at the expense of the city,
county, and state with results that
are too well known to need comment.
The newspapers, the Commercial
Club, Town Criers and other societies
have been clamoringr for the farm
org mr. nifi 10
gether as a unit to boost the interests
of the state, but have entirely over
looked the stupid and unwarranted
performances of public boards.
Let US look at this board of edu-
cation matter from a real business
point OF view, and ask the board to
state for the information of the pub
lie, what would become of the Fargo
banks if the citizens suddenly decided
to place all their deposits with an
expert banker in st. Paul?
And what would become. OF the law
yers OF Fargo IL all its citizens de-
cided to give their law business to
expert" lawyers in MINNEAPOLIS?
What would become of all the doc
tors now located in Fargo if every
body decided to call in an expert"
latay aysiEisn4f 4fro;71zsatside the state?
What would become OF all the
preachers if church subscriptions
were withdrawn and the good people
of Fargo decided to attend service
at Moorhead to listen to an expert"
preacher?
What would become of all the groc-
cry stores in town If Fargo citizens
decided TO buy their supplies OF an
expert Chicago grocer? This Is not
the end of this line of questions but
If the Fargo school board will answer
these few successfully we will be
pleased to note what they have to say
in defense of their unwarranted ac-
ton in condemning all the architects
of the city and state without giving
them an opportunity to show what
they can do. Because the board blum
dered in giving work to a surveyor"
and he naturally failed to give the re-
quired service is no reason for turn
ing down all the architects OF the
city, most of whom have proved their
ability to properly take care of such
work as may be required by any pub
lie board in the state.
Geo. Hancock, Architect.