Evening star., 1927-12-29
DIRECTOR CHOSEN
BY ART FEDERATION
A. B. Trowbridge Made
Executive Head as Body
Plans to Enlarge Scope.

Alexander r. TrowbridEe. consult.
INK architect Of the Federal Reserve
Board and past president of the
Architectural League of New York.
will become director of the American
Federation of Arts January |. accord.
ing to an announcement by Robert w.
De Forest of New York. president "f
the fedora ion. MIR, Trowhridge will
be the executive head of the orsaniZa
tion and will have his office at the
federations national headquarters in
the Barr Building here.
In his announcement Of Mr.. Trow'
bridges acceptance OF the post Mi.
De Forest said it has been newly Gre
ated To permit the organization to
expand it's sphere OF activity in keep
ing with the rapidly growing spirit
of art appreciation of the America n
people The federation has the dou-
bic purpose of broadening appreciation
of art in this country and offering n
stimulus to American artists through
general public promotion of the excel.
ience OF their productions.
Gifts Permit Expansion.
I'VE are happy that Mr.. Trow-
bridge. one OF The most distinguished
Of American architects. will become
the director of the American Fedora.
tion Of Arts. said Mr.. DE Forest. 1T
has long had the interest and support
of ihe Russell Sage Foundation and
recent gifts from individuals and
fnundai iions have enabled it to widen
the scope OF its work. These include
$lh0.00a from the Carnegie Corpora
fi,.,, Il
$50 from The General Education
Board The gift last named has spe.
cial reference IL industrial art.
Since the federation was estah
hshed in 1912 on the initiative of EIihu
Root. who remains It's honorary presi
dent, ii has not had an executive di
rector. Its first secretary was k'ranl.
ID. Miiiett, whose death in the Titanic
disaster was SO great "A loss 10 Ameri.
can art. Under Miss Leila Mechtin,
who succeeded Mr.. Miliett, the fedora,
lion has extended its activities and re-
sources to a point where a develnp.
ment of its orya i'm ton WAS ma lie
necessary. Miss Mechlin. the serre.
iafy. Is also the editor OF the Ameri
'an Magazine OF Art. the federation ;
magazine, and relief from the reSpuu,
SlDii!tieS OF some executive details nt
The orga nlZatlon. HOW made possible
VIII permit her to nerform MANY other
functions. and give her time to brink
abont developments in the magazine
which. under her leadership, already
occupies an enviable position among
rubtcationS devoted to matters oi
art.
Many Local Chapters.
Local chapt or the fedora zion
have been established In nearly all ot
the principal cities of The United
States and in many of the smaller
towns and villages. One of the &C.
uvi'ies OF the organization. which il
TO be still further exps nded by Mr.
Trowhridge, is a series OF loan exhibits
OF nne examples ot modern painting
and sculpture. which are taken into
many communities. in which. withon,
The efforts OF the federation, fine ar.
t!s'ic productions would he rarely &C.
cessibie.
F'orty-nve such travelling exhibitions
were circulated and shown 2s5 times
last year. The federation also en-
courages efforts looking to the estab
lishment OF local art museums. /,
has the cooperation of the Carnegie
CORPORATION, General Education Board
and Russei-Sage Foundation in man,
Of its activities.
Mr.. Trowbridge who is widely
known as practicing architect and
consultani. vas associated for sev
eral years In an architectural part ner
ship with Frederick l.. Ackerman ot
New York. He received his profes
sionat training al Cornell University
and at the Ecole des Beaux Arts, in
Paris t{a rat fsr.., ~. Il.
1895 10 become director and dean oil
the College OF Architecture at Cornell
where he remained until 1902 After
several years of special study in Paris
he entered into partnership with Mr.
Ackerman in 1905. The firm was dis
solved in 1897 and MIR. Trowhridge
opened an office as consulting archi
teci.
Has Many Interests.
Besides his work as consulting
architect on the new Federal II"
sery. Bank Building in New York
and as consuitant of the Federal Re
serve Board in the planning of SONS
- other Reserve Bank buildings anr
branches MIR Trowbridee has bee.
consulted in the construction of I;
large number nf banks. uhurches :
and other structures. including the
towering building OF the New Broad
way Temple.
Mr. Trowbridge In member oi
the Society of Beaus Arts Archi-
t@cts. American Institute OF Archi-
/ tects. National Sculpture Society an,
Phi Kappa Phi. the honorary ireeh
letter society of the architectural pro
| fessIon. lie belongs Ia the America
I Forestry Association. New YorI
/ Building Congress. Century Assoctn
lion. Dutch Treat Digtesslonists. cof
/ tee House. CITY Midway and Pomo