The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-12-09
Frederick Haskin's Lette,
Architectural Cartoons.

cent discovery of carving on the
facade of one of the University OF
Pennsylvania buildings, depicting
Woodrow Wilson in the act Of
choking the once Mexican presi-
dent, Huerta, would suggest that
cartoons in stone may be fairly
numerous throughout the country
For awhile it was thought that
st. Thomas church here in New
York had monopoly on this kind
OF decoration, but reports of SINH
lar architectural eccentrieities are
now springing up in other cities,
while Europe is well known to be
full of them
Architects are evidently playful
fellows, and an Indifferent, unob-
serving public has given them ad-
mirable opportunity to express
their satirica1 humor Realizing
that their most magnificent decora-
tive effects receive but scant at
tenhon from the passing multitude,
they get even by slyly carving a
few Ha! hast at its expense.
The dollar sign, which recently
called attention to the existence of
such architectural jibes, has been
plainly visible over the brides en-
trance to st. Thomas church for
IL years, yet even church officials,
it seems. did not know it was there
until couple of months ago when
some extraordinarily inquisitive
person came along and pointed it
out. New York was delightfully."-
shocked. For several Sundays St
Thomas had enormous congrega-
lions. Through the week, more
over, the steps of the church were
crowded with people, anxious to
see the dollar sign" and comment
upon it's significance. Even now,
after the first shock has subsidized.
the church is still besieged with
sightseers.
Other discoveries, equally signif-
cant, soon followed. A carving
was found on the front rail of the
choir stall which showed three
sacks of the f1oppy kind familiar
lied by cartoonists as money
bags" bearing the letters ~. P. NJ"
These were recognized as the in
itials OF ]. Pierpont Morgan, who
at the time the church was built
was easily the most influential
Episcopal church member in New
York.
In the same series with the
money bags" were found another
group of intensely modern subjects
never mentioned in the Holy Bible.
They include ocean liners, dirig-
lbles, locomotives, telegraph and
telephone lines, modern bridges,
automobiles, airplanes, cotton
bales, and other articles of COM
merce and industry usually not as
ISOLATED with the worship of God.
Modern Types Portrayed.
AT the same time it developed
that the sculptures over the portico
were not copies of early Gothic
heads, as had been carelessIy sup
posed, but were modern types taken |
from Fifth avenue of today, or at |
least Fifth avenue of II years ago. |
They represent tired business men, |
dignif1ed financiers with important |
side whiskers and worried, wrin- !
killed. foreheads, drawing room |
heroes with mustaches and mono-I
cles, and sooth-shaven, clean-cut
men OF the kind appearing il collar !
advertisements.
In defending these satrical
touches in the decorative scheme
Of the church, E. Donald Robb, who
was head draughtsman of the firm
that handled the rebuilding of the
church IL years ago, declared that |
there was nothing particularly |
amazing about them.
Not only is an artist we'll within !
MS rights" he said, when he
seizes upon the people and activi- |
les of everyday life as the subject |
,or church decoration, but it would !
De far better if more church archi- |
.ects and sculptors used these sub |
ects instead of employing abstrac-
ions. Too many modern artists |
AVE been content in the decoration |
If churches and public buildings to !
ise inventions founded on old |
sculptures and to repeat the same |
decoration over again.
at is the duty of an artist 70 sup
element the efforts of the preacher
~ employing such designs as will |
all the attention of the people to
themselves as they are in contrast
o the Christian ideal. Not all |
Kings that the preacher says in
lis sermon are pleasant. Neither |
hould all the subjects employed by