Texas State Association of Architects

THE SOUTHERN CHAPTER, A. I. A. 27

carpenter's trade. 'These men have, in some instances, familiarized themselves with a few plans and specifications prepared by architects, and have finally essayed the practice of architecture; and in most cases the community loses a good builder and gains a person too large in his own estimation for the honorable trade, and yet greatly too small for the profession he calls "Arch e tecturing."

The trade of a builder is a most honorable one, and carries with it great responsibilities; and its emoulments are always satisfactory and often large; and there is always room in any community for a good builder while there should be no room for a pretender.

It would be impossible in this paper to enter into a criticism of the drawings furnished by builders and to follow them up and examine the building erected from them; but suffice it to say, they are in almost every case crude, raw, and undigested, and even to the uneducated eye there is something that stamps them as builders' drawings, and the house erected from them is neither in design a thing of beauty nor in plan a joy forever.

The question is how shall we seek to remedy this evil. The fault lay not at the door of the builder; for he, in making these so-called architectural designs, is but supplying a demand of the public, the masses who are too often ignorant and careless in all matters of architecture, and who, thinking to save the professional fee, will expend often twice the amount of this fee in patching up mistakes in faulty plans and specifications, and inflict on the community a Dolly Varden monstrosity.

We can only hope for an improvement by the gradual education of the public to a higher standard in architecture. That this standard is improving, there is little doubt; and here in the South-land, which we all love so well, and in whose development we are peculiarly interested, there isa growing demand for better things, and the public is discriminating between good and bad architecture. This is the age of travel and observation, and much is learned by comparison. Art is now diffusing itself into everything, and this is seen in the simplest forms of household decoration; and the child of today is surrounded and educated by artistic objects that were not thought of in our boyhood days.

And so it behooves us now, one and all, to strive for this end; and with unceasing study and the careful preparation of every detail of design, both in small as in large buildings, to improve the architecture of the South, and to place it on a level with that of any other part of this land. Nature has been most bountiful and the resources of our country are unlimited; and we desire the traveler in the future to pause and admire and study our architecture as well as our history.

At this point. Mr. W. S. Smith, of Birmingham, offered a resolution looking to the strengthening of this Chapter by further obtaining a charter from the State of Alabama, which elicited considerable discussion and was finally referred to a

28 The Southern Chapter, A. I. A.

committee consisting of L. F. Goodrich, D. B. Woodruff and F. L. Rosseau., who reported that in their opinion it is inexpedient at that time to take any action, and recommended that the resolution be laid upon the table. Upon motion of Mr. Lind the report of the committee was adopted.

At this point the Secretary stated that there had been a successful attempt made by some members of the Institute to have the dictionaries make a clear distinction between the "supervision" of work by architects and the "superintendence" of work, and that it was understood that such distinction would be in future editions of the dictionaries, and that it was high time that the profession generally were dropping the expression "superintendence," as applied to their "supervision" of work; as superintendence could be furnished only by persons who remained all the while on the building, and this was clearly the duty of the cleck of the works; and the expression "superintendence" should not be used in connection with architectural service.

Mr. Helmich : In view of the fact that the evening session will be occupied by the members of the Legislature, and the amount of work that is yet to be accomplished, it strikes me that we should go into the election of officers at this morning session instead of afternoon, as formerly decided upon, and since Mr. Burke has waived his objection to proceeding before hearing the report of the Committee on the Treasurer's Accounts, I move that we hear the report of the Nominating Committees now.

Which motion was carried.

Mr. D. A. Helmick, chairman of one of the committees, submitted the following recommendation : Mr. L. F. Goodrich for President, W. P. Tinsley for Vice-President, Mr. P. E. Dennis, Secretary and Treasurer. Directors: D. B. Wood, ruff, T. H. Morgan, Tom Wood, T. H. Maddox and C. C. Burke.

Mr. Chas. Wheelock, chairman of the other committee. made the following recommendation : Mr. L. F. Goodrich for President, Mr. E. G. Lind for Vice-President, and W. P. Tinsley for Secretary and Treasurer. Directors : C. C.

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Moved by J Andrewartha that the names recommended by the Com. be considered elected unanimously [named?]

J.J. Cain was escorted [to?] the cair by Mr. J N Preston, in a few [appropriate?] remarks he thanked the [?] for the honor [confessed?] -

An address of welcome was then by J. Andrewartha

Moved by J N Preston that a vote of thanks be [accolated?] to Mr. Andrewartha for his eloquent address which was carried.

Moved that the said address was to the published and embodied in the proceedings of the convention

Moved by W.W. Lamour that the chair appoint a [Com?] on membership, which was [?] - the chair appointed Mr. Andrew.

Moved by J.N. Preston that a [Com?] on constitution by-laws be appointed. Carried the chair appointed [?] Preston, Andrewartha + Dodson.

Moved that to procure a [Com?] charter be appointed carried. The chair appointed [?] J. Larmour, A M C Nixon, O. Ruffini and the secretary

Moved to adjourn until 3 pm caused

Afternoon session 3 pm

Meeting called to order - President in the chair

The [Com?] on membership reported the following as charter members

[?] J.J. Kain of Fort Worth A.N. Dawson J.E. Flanders Dallas W.C. Dodson Waco W.W. Larmour [?] W.W. Dudley [?] Nathaniel Tobey Galveston N.J. Clayton " W.H. Lydall " J. Larmour Austin A.M.C. Nixon " J.N. Preston " S.A.J. Preston " Oscar Ruffini " Jn. Andrewartha " E. T. Heiner Houston Geo. E. Dickey " Alfred Giles San Antonio James Wahrenberger " Albert Beckmann "

Names accepted report adopted and [com?] discharged

By request the com. on constitution and by law was allowed further time to report

After discussion by [?] Dodson Preston and Andrewartha in regard to standing it was decided by vote to defer

\left margin/ Also Haggart Fort Worth J.W. Kane [dr?]

action until after the report of the [Co or?] constitution [?].

Moved and carried that the secretary read the [?] as framed by the W.A.A. to [?] the practice of architecture in various states and also a paper on architect's [protective?] association.

Moved by J N Preston and seconded by N. Tobey that the [Com?] to [procure?] charter [be?] also [?] to provide a suitable [?].

Moved and carried that the Convention stand adjourned tomorrow morning until 9:30

Second Day

Morning session January 20th 1886

Convention called to order by the President

Minutes of the first-days proceedings read and approved.

[Com?] on constitution bylaws submitted their report on motion they were read by section and then adapted as a whole.

As follows

Constitution

- By Laws -

- Rules of Practice -

The conv. also reported and recommended the before mentioned "Rules of Practice" which were adopted -

On motion of J. Andrewartha the sect'y was instructed and authorized to purchase one hundered copies of the Austin Daily Statesman containing each days proceedings and distribute marked copies [?] where they will be calculated to do the most good -

The following resolution was presented by Mr. J. N. Preston - Resolved that the following fellows shall constitute the members of the Executive Com. for the ensuing year. Mr. J. Andrewartha chair, Mr. W. C. Dodson - Waco; Mr. James Wahrenberger San Antonio, Mr. E. J. Heiner - Houston; Mr. J. E. Flanders, Dallas; -adopted-

On motion Mr. J Haggert of Forth Worth was added to the list of charter members

Convention adjourned until 9.30 pm

Afternoon session 2:30 pm

President called the meeting to order and the report of the com. on charter and [seal?] was received [&?] requesting further time in which to report which was granted

On motion it was decided to refer to the executive com. the question of drafting a final bill [repudiating?] the practice of architecture for presentation to the legislature -

It was moved and carried that this association hold its next regular meeting in Austin on the third Tuesday of January 1887.

On motion an appropriation of $75.00 was made for the purpose of procuring charter paying for [?] and [?] expenses -

The name of J J Caine of Fort Worth was proposed for membership in this [Ass'in.?] and on motion his name was added to the list of charter members -

The follow resolution was adapted

Resolved that the thanks of Texas State