Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-08-29
Hunting For Jokes
OF The Sculptors In .
New York Stonework

New York, Aug. 2s.-Devoung
va parssahour to careful inspection of
GAptIbnc buildings.in the hope Of finding
Isatire in Sstonesshas become a fad.
It. began With the discovery by q
reporter that architects had carved a
dollar sign as q twin motif to the low
ers' knot over the BRIDES entrance
to%Stt Thomas church on Fifth ave-
nue.. "A few days later some one leav-
ing the Sunday services observed for
the first time that miniature faces Of
modern men and maids of the ayenue
had been chiseled above the main
doortof the 'eaiice. A congregation
that went to pray remained to laugh.
Some of the c~aricatures wore
monocles, others wore smiles; some
were surely tired business men and
good housewives while others mani
testify were lappers and boulevar-
dieres. Everybody conceded that they
represented modern Fifth avenue
types"
One face was not SO modern, how
ever. It was q year or two behind the
times. On its nose was the unmistak-
able bulge of a rum blossom" An
other had such a bored look observ-
ers were sure twas q man who just
went to church to please the wife.
Thought 1t q Joke.
Rumors that many we'll known
buildings in New York had been sub
jected to jocose treatment by the arti-
sans, who worked upon them moved
whole focks Of people, to sally forth.
some with spy-glasses or ~lorgnettes,
to look for sculptured jokes. Archi-
tects gave interviews explaining how
humor has been practiced since the
middle ages, not in a spirit of levity,
but with the design of presenting to
the people examples of right and
wrong in thought and action, they
said. Skeptcs persisted in believing
the architects. had just had their lit
tie. joke, and zone would have been
concealed in the decorations of the
New York Stock Exchange. or a carv-
ing of Falstaff at the headquarters of
the A~nti-Saloon league.
At New Haven it was noted that.
Hardness Memorial Quadrangle
which every Yale man considers the
last word In college architecture-int
of its buildings many faces, figures
and symbols of college nfe. There waa
the placid bulldog with horned rim
med. spectacles and a ~grim-visaged
bulldog wearing a football helmet,
and there we're, many shades of Blue
history revived in stone.
Pleased With Work.
The students, unlike some Of the
parislioners of St. Thomas church.,
were pleased with the decorative
work. It is believed n6>Ya1e student
will raise a single sigh of objection
unless somebody discovers a Harvard
man craven in the structure.
Designers of Gothic buildings al
ways have been possessed Of a hui.
morous drsgting pen. Their satire
chuckles at clergy and laity have
come down through the centuries in
the stone of many Of the sober Old
cathedrals Of Europe. The medieval
Icraftsman were downright boisterous,
in some Of their ~caricatures. Gluttony
is portrayed in clerical robes on the
battlements of Magdalen college, Ok
ford. In Yorkshire church "Ec..
~clesiastical Sincerity is rendered by
two foxes, representing Nthe sporting
clergy of the middle ages, listening
to a bishops instructions. Out of
their hoods peep the heads of stolen
geese. S%ftfsss a3
Thirteenth century fun-makers4
lguffawed~ nightly at all orders OF
l.clergy IN an ornamentation of the
Strasburg cathedral depicting 'The
Funeral OF the Fox" This sculpture
created so many Irritating embroglios
among; ~churchgoers that 1t was de-
molished In the middle OF the Mines
taenth century. Wandering minstrels1
OF the mtdle; ages were satirized for
THE fondnees OF free meals. n Of the
stalls of Westminster cathedral show
ing a hddling pig.
Architects have said that many
Of America, unknown to
their congregations. contain humor-
Gus DECORATIONS. Prevailing interest, Ind
finding them Is expected to inciAAse1
church attendance.