Evening star., 1934-07-28
ARCHITECTS SEEK
HIGHER TRAINING
Education Committee Re-
ports Plan for Three-Year
"Interneship."

New and higher national standards
for architectural education viii be
sought by the American Institute OF
Architects. which made public re-
port Of study by It's Committee on
Education Of which DR.. Charles But
Ter Of New York h chairman.
Schools Of architecture throughout
the country are supporting the plan.
To remedy what IL declared 70 be
q generally recognized defect in arehi-
tecturAl training. q three-year 'tn-
terneship" in the practice Of archi-
lecture 10 precede registration as
fully qualified architect Is advocated
By the committee.
This period. according 10 the CON-
mittee, should be under the guidance
of the elder or specially qualified
architects 10 be known as mentors.
As further preparation for practice,
employers ARE advised TO give young
architects q diversity Of employment,
and 10 encourage their interest in the
different divisions Of practice 50 that
they will be generally and fully
equipped to assume their RESPONSE
biiities as members OF the profession"
Architecture. like law and medicine,
the committee declares. needs an eX-
tragovernmental agency 10 maintain
the highest standards Of the profess
sion.
THE National Council Of Aichi-
tectural Registration Boards occupies
the key position In developing a plan
for the proper preparation for prac-
tice." the report says. 1T is the
proper unofficial agency to head the
control Of preparation for the prac-
tice Of architecture, as similar agen-
sies have done in the professions Of
medicine and law"
Urging the institute TO take the
initiative in controlling preparation
for practice, the committee proposes
10 bring about the universal recogni-
tion Of registration by the National
Council of Architectural Registration
Boards ''as the professionally ap-
proved essential TO practice" by all
schools Of architecture and by all stu
dents of architecture. 1t further pro-
poses to strengthen the national
councils position by active control Of
the personnel OF State registration
boards.
The education and training neces-
sary for entrance into active practice
OF the profession should insure a
greater degree Of familiarity with
many aspects OF practice than has up
to the present been attained by the
graduates Of architectural schools"
the report asserts.
"Three-fourths OF the 4s States now
have registration laws controlling the
fitness Of architects to practice. It is
70 be foreseen that, In the near future,
all States win have such laws.
This Is a condition which exists in
the case OF both the medical and the
legal professions. Both Of these pro-
fessions have recognized their obliga-
tons and opportunities for helpful
and proper control OF both the meth
DDS OF preparation for practice and
the practice of their professions.
They have formed extragovernmenta
agencies to this end, and are rigidly
enforcing the high standards Of prep
aration and practice which they have
set up.
THE time has come when the pro-
fession of architecture must take
similar action. To fully understand
what must be done. 1t should be real
lied that. by reason OF the Constitu-
tion of the United States, 1t is impos-
sible for the Federal Government to
license any citizen to practice any
profession. It Is a question of States
rights, and therefore 1t is unlikely
that there WITH be an absolute uni
formity OF requirements for practice
under the registration laws as those
exist or win exist in the several States.
THE extragovernmental agency
must be clothed with such professional
prestige that its findings and recon-
mendations viii be accepted by the
registration authorities as authorita-
tive and, In so far as the constitutional
requirements Of the several States per-
NIT. final in controlling the method of
preparation for practice and fitness to
practice.
THE National Council of Arcri-
tectural Registration Boards, unofi-
cially and independently of any and
all State registration boards, registers
any architects who may apply to it,
II these candidates for registration
fulfill the councils requirements. Such
registration has no legal or official
standing but, II an architect prsctic-
ing in any State wishes to practice in
another State where he is not regis
tered, and has been unoficially regis
tered by the national council. he may
request the council to present to the
registration authorities Of the State
in which he wishes to practice his
credentials with supporting evidence
OF fitness. thereby simplifying the
procedure In securing the desired
registration.
'The method OF registration pur-
sued by the council at the present
time is to make most meticulous in
Vestigation into the character, educa-
tion and other qualifications of
candidate for registration prior to ad-
mitting the applicant to examination.
The candidate is advised to present
himself for examination by his State
board.
while there is no uniformity of