Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1937-11-18
ARCHITECTS TOLD
OF MURAL IMPORT
Public Building Art Held
Greatest Program Ever
Undertaken.

The Governments present plan OF
decorating public buildings with art
works is the greatest program Of mu-
rails e"er undertaken E. B. Rowan
superintendent of the section OF
painting and sculpture of the Treas
ury Departments Procurement Divi-
sion, told the Association of Federal
Architects at the Mayhower Hotel last
night.
Speaking before the organization
10th anniversary dinner, Mr.. Rowan
said:
Il realize that some of you would
call attention to certain defects in
certain murals, but there is work of
genuine Importance being done"
Without mentioning specific criti-
cisms of Federal art projects, Mr.
Rowan commended highly, by way of
illustration, two murals on the fifth
floor of the Post Office Department
entitled Opening of the West" and
q series of panels in the Attorney
Generals Office and leading from
the Court of Honor into the Justice
Building, depicting the rehabilitation
OF a prisoner and other phases of the
work of this department.
Talent in U. S. Still Alive.
Defending contemporary painting
IN America, Mr.. Rowan said:
Talent is not dead in this coun-
try. Artists have just as much tc
say as they ever had in the past, often
more, and this is particularly true OF
sculpture"
Art is 80 closely allied to emo
ton" he said, that even picture
Of a plate of eggs and onions hac
been able TO stir him as deeply as q
madonna and child, so consummate-
ly could the inspired artist catch any
phase of life"
The annual bronze medal awarded
for the best architectural exhibit al
the National Museum went this veal
to the QuartermaSter Division of the
War Department, and was accepted
by Maj. Gen. Henry Gibbins, Quar-
termaster General.
A signal honor to Louis A. Simon
supervising architect of the Public
Building Branch of the Treasury's
Procurement Division, was announced
by Arthur L. Blakeslee, president OF
the Association of Federal Architects
Mr.. Simon, who was the organiza tion's
first president, will be presented a gold
medal and fellowship in the aSso,
citation at the January meeting
Award Certificates Made.
Certificates of award to architects
in various branches Of the Govern
ment service, bestowed for excellence
in design or drawing or painting
went to Joseph A. Parks, L. c. Nc
Clure, w. j. Hartgroves, John w
Williams, George Guppy, J. E. Eek
loft, jr; Joseph Darby. H. A. Page
A. j. Tarlnin, Julian Brown. E. B
Moore, ir; Abraham. Waronoff, H. S
Chandler, H. A. Schinley and C. H
Irwin.
The jury of awards consisted OF
Fred V. Murphy, Waddy B. Wood and
Hamilton A. Wilson, prominent Wash
ington architects.
Edwin B. Morris, architect and nov
ellst, was POSTMASTER. Guests intro
duced included Senator Lewis of Hi
nois, Representative Hobbs of Ala.
bama, Capt. G.. A. Duncan, U. S. N.
w. E. Reynolds. assistant director If
charge of public buildings, Procure
n1ent Division, Treasury Department;
Samuel H. McCrory, chief of the Blu
reau of Agricultural Engineering
Agriculture Department, and w. R
Talbot of the Construction Division
Veterans Administration. Frederick
w. H. Boettcher was chairman of the
Committee on Arrangements.