The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1921-11-19
THE Sc HOOL

es the attempt is made to build
building of certain size for an
amount Of money totally inadequate;
to erect a building which will give
good results and entire satisfaction.
have always. and still contend that
the best and most satisfactory course
To pursue, is, that the committee hav-
Ing the matter in hand first of all con-
suit some reliable architect who has
mace study of this particular
branch Of his profession; get his
ideas and instruct him to submit
drawings and cast data of the pro-
posed structure. When this has been
completed and the actual cost ascer-
tanned, then ask for an appropriation
large enough TO fully cover the cost
of The building. BY this manner all
contentious and fraudulent remarks
will be eliminated. and the building
viii stand as a monument to the ones
responsible for its being. and as a
pride of the community.
The method usually adopted in OBJ
tanning plans for school buildings is
10 hold open competitions, thus adj
hitting SO-Called architects from any
end everywhere to compete. regard
loss of their standing or knowledge
Ct this branch Of the profession. There
/ IS no surer way to prevent the first
men of the profession, men who have
made Il study of this class of work
and who stand at the top from sub
hitting designs. therefore. the pri
mary object OF the competition, which
! is to obtain the best talent in this
class of work is defeated in the be-
ginning
/ Competition, if it must be had, is
all right ii conducted in the proper
manner, and | have always contended
/ that the best method of holding a
competition is that when building is
/ to be erected, let the committee Sc
! lect a certain number of architects
who have standing in their profess
sion, men who are absolutely reliable
and in whom they have confidence;
let each one understand at the outset
that the efforts he has put forth, the
time he has spent in working up the
design. and the cost incurred. is fully
appreciated by Offering a prize for
each design submitted, so much for
the first, so much for the second, and
so on. This method. if followed. will
not only secure the best talent in the
profession, but will be some induce
ment for the competitors to produce
the best work there is in them. Very
few committees realize to what eX-
pense an architect is put in getting
up these designs for competition:
usually committee will very leisure
~ glance over what seems to them
only few lines on a piece of paper
net hesitating long enough to study
the merits of the design, and thinking
most any one could make a few
straight lines, such as presented to
them III few moments; they do cot
realize the study, thought and time an
architect has spent, and what efforts
he has put forth to place these lines
Z to the best advantage of those who
are to- occupy the building.
] have found this to be the case in
a great many instances in my expert
ences before committees. Put before
them design which has been rem
dered by some one who may happen
to be an expert in the rendering of
water colors or pen and ink, and i'm
mediately the plan of the building is
lost sight of, they are enamored by
the outside appearance, by the many
frills and impossibilities that the ar
fist has painted and put before them.
beautiful sloping groupds, giant
shade trees. etc, when in fact in nine
cases out of ten the building is to be
built in some locality where the