Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-05-05
THE SCHOOL ARCHITECT

THE SCHOOL ARCHITECT
VXTHATEVER may have been the
w previous Interpretation of their
attitude in the matter of Sc
lecting an architect for the extern
sive school building program in this
city, several members of the school
board stand revealed to-day as off,
cials having no appreciation of real
public sentiment and Indifferent to
the interests of the people. The vote
at the meeting yesterday rejecting a
proposal which contemplated the
employment of distinguished archi-
tectural authority to conduct a new
competition for the choice of a man
to design the Harrisburg buildings
clearly demonstrates the utter dis
regard of certain of the directors of
anything and everything save their
own preconceived ideas on the sub
ject.
Emphasizing this peculiar stand IN
the fact of a city-wide demand of
the best that can pe obtained tor
the school children of Harrisburg,
regardless of personality, these same
directors propose, in the most con-
temptuous fashion, to dismiss from
further cooperation the prominent
citizens who have been acting with
the board-upon the boards own
invitation-in an honest effort to
procure for the city the most dis
tinguished architectural advice pos
sible in the expenditure of the big
gest loan the city ever authorized.
While this amazing move was check
ed by DR.. Keen, one of the directors,
who had been voting with the ma
jority, it manifests an arbitrary spirit
that if it is permitted to prevail,
would not only rob the board of the
advice of business men of rank and
ability, but would destroy public con-
fidence in the intention of those di-
rectors to conduct the affairs of the
board solely and only for the best
interests of the taxpayers.
The attempt to summarily dismiss
the advisory committee involved the
rejection of the support and coop
Grafton offered the directors when
they were pleading for the passage
of the loan, the approval of which
was largely the result of the activi-
ties of the several civic bodies which
pledged to the taxpayers the best OF
everything not only in the design
ing of the buildings, but in the ex-
penditure of the public funds.
1t is inconceivable that the direc-
tors would thus slap in the face
the men who helped place in their
hands the hundreds of thousands OF
dollars the board now proposes to
spend with not even a word OF
thanks for the help thus unselfishly
given.
In the light of recent events, it has
become very apparent that the time
has come when all disputation should
cease and the board give itself ovel
whole-heartedly to the disinterested
selection of an architect or archi.
tects who shall be capable and above
Ireproach. To that end, as the Tele.
graph has previously suggested, 8
new competition should be instituted
upon lines that will assure the choice
of an architect or architects whose
only qualifications shall be the merit
of the plans they submit and ability
to perform in every detail the
boards commission. In this way only
will the people of the city be con.
vinced of the desire of the schoo
directors as a whole to act impartial
ly. Such a competition could resul
only in the choice of the best maj
competing. Surely no director cal
take exceptions to such a course.
SITUATION IN RUSSIA