New-York tribune., 1920-02-08
How the League
Was Started

1t is not inappropriate to recall some
passages in the history of the Archi
tectural League. The life of this or
ganization dates from the beginning
of the renaissance in American archi-
lecture. 1t started when our great re-
forms in artistic matters were started,
and it has had great deal to do with
them. Through the courtesy of the pub
fishers we have been enabled to rescue
from the past an old copy of "The
Century Magazine" in which the earli-
est proceedings of the league were first
recorded by the late Roger Riordan.
The league was organized January 1s,
1881. Writing in March, 1883, Mr..
Riordan not unjustly began his essay
with the statement that New York was
then not merely an ugly city, but archi-
tecturally despicable. He went on to
show how among our architects
there grew up at the time an enthusi-
astic desire to improve things and how
to this end they began to get together
for informal discussion and the devel-
opment Of progressive ideas. His de-
scription of the practical steps taken
toward some sort of organization runs
as follows:
The league began some two or three years
ago in haphazard meetings IN the room of
one of the members. Here, while the host
in velveteen jacket buttoned with q single
immense bronze medal. ruled lines Il huge
sheet OF drawing paper. one visitor told of
a fine old carved mantel which he had dis
covered at Tommy Tripets secondhand
store and lumber yard Another, fresh from
sity OF an academical training for arch-
tscts. while third ventured to think that
it might be dispensed with; and the latest
conner. sauntering in just everybody was
some paradox which set the meeting by the
ears and prolonged the session for another
hour. al! were then very fond of French
architecture, and swore by Violet .le-Duc,
whose twenty volumes, bound in black and
red. nlled the handiest shelf of the bookcase
Here all the young architects in the city
became acquainted with another and
found that they had common cause and a
mission which they were called. on 20 per-
form as body. From chance GATHERINGS in
TINS room step was made toward corporate
..A'ssSHce uy the INSTITUTION OF monthly meet
1n2s at the rooms of the several members
and SO many We're anxious to attend them
that a regular club organization with fort
nightly meetings and home of it's own soon
became possible. The new society met for
few times in the hall Of its friends the
Salmagundians. but found permanent quar-
ters before long in a top-story- back in Four
teenth Street,
They had prodigious fun. The hard
Work to which the members gladly
gave themselves was carried on to an
accompaniment Of good fellowship and
laughter. The annual dinner, which
soon became fixture, was distin-
guished by it's menus, each one of
which was decorated by participant.
Mr.. Riordan cites some of the lines
which were chanted by a guest at one
cf these banquets:
Do you want receipt of that capital article
Known as the architect, artist and man?
ticle.
Then let them beat the result If they can
The classical taste of Italian palado;
Skill Of Sir christopher making PLAN
knowledge of mortars and bricks of
Paddy. oh:
knowledge Of style of I.abrouste or Duban
Judgment unerring Of pictures and pottery,
Patterns Persian might paint on pan,
Figures for friezes carved terra-cottary
Dainty designs for the face of fan,
Courage, ambition and love Of the work,
Spunh of Yankee and zeal Of a Turk
Take of these elements all that's most dur
able,
Cure al! the faults that are not quite i'm
Strain and refine just as much as can be.