Texas State Association of Architects Minutes and Proceedings

designing and constructing a single structure for an individual client, for a single fee, may produce "a thing of beauty, a joy forever," he beenfits a whole community by a permanent adornment, and the placing before all, a tangible object lesson in correct architectural style and taste, to be followed or imitated by all who may. The lack of appreciation for the profession in the part of the general public is due to their not properly understanding the position the educated architect is justly entitled to, and perhaps to a great extent to the abuses and unprofessional methods employed by uneducated and unscrupulous pretenders. Such is not the case in older countries where the profession and its requirements are better understood. IT is one of our duties to demonstrate to this unbelieving public that the architect is not born as such, nor does the art come with mother's milk, nor is it to be learned at the carpenters, or with the mason's trowel and hammer; but requires a long course of technical teaching, patient, laborious study of the master works of master minds, and constant application. Without this, the architect is a bungling apprentice, copying here and imitating there, producing architectural monstrosities, distasteful even to the uneducated eye. Unprofesssional and unscroupulous methods have borne their legitimate fruit in making the profession to a certain extent unpopular with the public. While this state of affairs exists, is it to be wondered at that we are not appreciated. Can it be otherwise. It is for us to change this state of affairs and to rid our ranks of such unprofessionals; to show the public by our work and methods that we are the representatives of a noble art; that our technical education represents invested capital; that in designing and constructing for them we are not the recipients of favors but are giving value for value, technical educated experience for fees, to often inadequate or at least not commensurate with the services rendered. The confidence of the people once gained, as a natural sequence, a better appreciation of the profession will follow, and in the end it will be classed in importance side by side with the learne professions of law and medicine. The American public is not an ungenerous one, but in a comparatively new country, where inherited wealth comes to the few, while the many are the architects and builders of their own fortunes, and after years of toil and labor, whirl and excitement, with an eye single to the acquisition of wealth, to the exclusion of all study and almost all observation of the beautiful and æsthetic in nature and art, when they come to expend this wealth, so zealously saved, in erecting and adorning their homes and beautifying grounds, they are apt to apply their buisness methods and select architect, landscape engineer, etc, as they do their tail and their shoemaker -- to make a fit; to plan and erect as directed, producing nine cases out of ten piles of brick and mortar, turrets and towers, without lines of grace and beauty -- modern Quuen Anne, American Rennaissance and other blackguardisms, so hideous in proportions, lines and colors that we are led to exclaim in the language of holy writ: "Why cumber they the ground?" And if by chance the architect proves competent and possesses the encessary indepdence of character to have his own way in applying correct rules in styles with adaptions to comfort and surrounding conditions, he rarely receives any particular credit, but is considered to have accomplished just what he paid for. However, in this respect there has been of late years a marked improvement with the growth and increasing prosperity of our wonderful country. Wealth is being more widely dissemination and with it more time and leisure to the business man to observe, study and travel -- to see all that is beauitufl in other and older countries, where successive ages have cultivated the taste for high art and correct art style. This enlightens his ideas, broadens his views and develops his innate spirit of liberality, as is evidence in late years in the improvements made in styles of design in our large cities and in the foundation and endowment of technical schools. By these institutes of technology and polytechnic schools the facilities for acquiring thorough and higher professional knowledge have been increased, and more importance attached to a thorough training as a qualification for the practice of an honorable profession. A cursory examination of the curriculum of these institutes, embracing studies which take years to master and acquire, at no small expense, should convince the most skeptical that such a profession, when honorably practiced, should be duly recognized and properly appreciated. The enactment of a law regulating the practice of architecture, which will place the capable, honorable architect where he rightfully belongs, and protect him from pernicious practices of unscrupulous incompetency, is a desideratum of which the importance cannot be overestimated, and as before remaked, it is for our association to keep this subject alive before our legislative bodies, to renew our efforts with increased energy and vigor, knowing that as the obdurate metals yield to repeated blows, so will our unremitting efforts be finally crowned with success. The steps which we have already taken to secure such laws commend themselves to all well-thinking men. That we have not yet succeeded is because so few are acquanited with the nature of our occupation, so few understand those relations I referred to. We must teach them by precept and example, and then, if we fail, we will have the satisfaction of knowing that it is from no fault of ours, but from an unappreciative public whose

mind is not yet ripe for the reception of such ideas. Another subject I would refer to as of no little importance, and which is having a demoralizing influence upon our practice and one that caused so many unjust disappointments, is that of unregulated or sham competitions. I imagine there is not a member present who has not experienced the feelings of degradation and shame attending comptetions of this kind, or who has ever submitted competitive plans for public work to committees composed, as usual, of men whose only abilities are in the field of politics, but has felt the humiliation of having to submit his chance, not to the merits of his design, but to personal or political influences and manipulations. How often do we find members of such committees, who control the choice of designs in the competitions, that are competent to form a correct judgment of a plan, and who have an intelligent comprehension of its essential features which adapt it to the purposes intended?

Competitions, as a rule, are costly; these costs are borne by the profession, and when controlled by totally incompetent men, who are not familiar with the nature of the work to be done, nor able to discriminate as to the merits of proposals for doing it, are liable to encourage chicanery and trickery, and tend to lower the standing and repute of competent competitors who take part in them. It is not absurd and unwarranted assumption for such a committee of uninformed persons to decide upon the merits of competitive plans presented by those who have made their occupation a life-study? And what private citizen do you suppose would entrust a committee of this kind with selections of plans for his own building for any purpose? How much is our profession benefited in submitting to competitions that are not decided by merit or professional ability, but by such influencers as I have mentioned, brought to bear upon the committee or persons in charge? The public must become acquainted with the fact that men placed in positions of authority through the influence of politics are not always the most suitable in the world for the selection of places for any purpose. A step towards improvement in this matter would be the adoption by our association of a code of rules under which its member will in the future take part in competitions and that they pledge themselves to strictly abide by its provisions. And a fundamental part of this code should be, that no member will propose or submit plans for competition, unless proper inducements are offered and the awards are made by a disinterested professional jury. All competitions, besides being a source of expense, inovlve a great amount of unpaid labor; no pecuniary benefit is derived by the competing architects as the successful one get no higher fee than if he had been employed direct, and the others, unless graduated prizes are offered, get nothing for their time, labor and money. As long as we find architects who rate their services so low as to respond to any and all advertisement, let the inducements be what they may, it will remain a difficult task to regulate matters of this kind. But let architects who have the welfare of the profession at heart, and a due respect for their own position, abstain from unregulated competitions of the kind so much in vogue, I believe that the sentiment of the general public will gradually change in our favor and begin to fully appreciate our position. Especially in competitions for public works which are so apt to serve purposes of political jobbery, it is inecessary that we be careful in upholding the dignity and respectability of our profession.

To place the control of competitions in the hands of well-known, disinterested, professional experts would restrict temptations to unfair dealing, and the profession not be subjected to lottery and gambling schemes, such as most members of the profession now regard the majority of competitions. A committee in charge of any such undertaking composed of uninformed persons, but honest in intention, and working for the best interests of their constituents, may with some degree of fairness insist upon full drawings and specifications, add a large amount of detail work and explanations necessary to give them a vague idea of the nature of work proposed. Such competitions entail heavy expenses, and it is not just to expect us to submit a large amount of unrecompensed labor to a mere chance of the honr (if any there be) of executing the proposed owrk; and especially so, if competing with those who are so mercenary as to consider only the question of fees, which in many cases is the controlling influence with such committees. The method of grduated premiums has not proven altogether satisfactor, as, except in rare cases, they do not represent an equivalent for the work performed; and the classifying of premiums, in such awards, by committees who have no understanding or appreciation whatever, of the work they are judging, is simply an unwarranted assumption of ignorance, intolorable to the educate expert.

Until only those who are properly qualified are allowed by law to practice the profession and are protected against the unprofessional methods and machinations of the unprincipled, all competitions will be of an unsatisfactory nature. It is, however, our duty as an association, to take such steps that may have a tendency to improve, if possible, the unfavorable conditions under which we are now placed. In countries where the essential conditions connected with such undertaking are bet-

of any magnitude. The expense to the owner is small corpared with the advantage of securing good and careful work. I have incidentally referred to the pernicious and almost universal system of letting contracts to the lowest bidder. We have all experience the evil results of this system. It is a thankless job for the architect to superintend the construction of work, when let to the lowest bidder, for less than its worth, for less than his own calculations show, should be the proper and legitimate cost. Instead of there being a feeling of confidence and trust on his part for the contractor, the contrary is the case. There is an abiding feeling of mistrust and apprehension, he is always on the qui vive and must be watchful to see that even reasonable regard is given to his plans, specifications and instructions. A plan has been suggested by which this may be remdied, and in many cases, especially in the absence of a clerk of the work, might be adopted with advantage. It is this: when the right is reserved by an owner or committee to reject any or all bids, and to award to any one, regardless of the amounts tendered, to give the work to the one who submits a mean proposal. That is to say, when there are six, eight or more proposals, take the sum of all and divide by the the number of proposals and award the contract to the bid which approximates the nearest to this amount. For these reasons: In the majority of cases where there are many proposals for the same work, we find some bids exceeding low, other ridiculously high, while others, the medium bids, more uniform. The low bidders frequently represent those who expect to make by sniding, slighting the work, using improper materials, taking a little here and a little there, and are satisfied to make journeyman's wages; the high bidders are those who, either from incompetency, idleness, or want of care, err in taking the quantities from the architect's plans, and in making their prices. As a rule the middle bidders are experienced, legitimate contractors, who expect a legitimate return for their time, labor and experience, and are careful in making their figures and can be relied upon to do careful work. Whether this plan would work, and whether it would prove satisfactory to owners and contractors, is a question I am not prepared to answer. Without committing myself as to its feasibility, I simply present it for your consideration. The increased demands of our clients in the application of scientific improvements connected with modern conveniences in house building steadily increase the duties and responsibilities of the architect; he is supposed to keep himself abreast of the times in reference to new inventions and improvements in all the mechanical branches connected with his profession. Time and labor being given to detail studies in matters of this nature constant increase, and with this naturally arises the question of proper compensation for such services. A year ago the Illinois state association of architects passed a resolution recommending a fee of 6 percent as a fair compensation for residence work; some similar resolution was passed at the last convention of our association. This is certainly a good move so far as giving individual members of the profession certain authority to deviate from the old established rate of 5 percent, if from the amount of attention and value of services they feel justified in doing so without injury to their own personal interests or state of their professional brethren. It will be a difficult matter to bind the profession absolutely in all cases to observe the regular rate, as there are time when the most honorable members of the profession are fully justified in deviating from the customary fees, which they could not insist upon with detriment to themselves. However, we all recognize the fact that the architect in the majority of cases is inadequately paid for his work, especially so in that of residences, and we must appeal to the honor of each individual member of the profession, of insisting upon proper recognition of the services rendered, and remember that the respect for our profession depends upon each individual one of us. Let it be understood that every honorable architect will be expected to live up to the reasonable charges established by this and kindred association, as closely as his situation will permit. Any person who, from interested and selfish motives, will endeavor to obtain work that another has partially secured, by offering his services at a reduced rate, or free of charge, as I have known cases, should be excluded from recognition and treated with the contempt he deserves, by all honorable members of the profession. At the same time, gentlemen, let us encourage a spirit of good fellowship among those who endeavor to honorably pursure their occuptation, be always ready to lend a helping to less fortunate brethren, and each and all of us do our best to elevate the standing of the profession. We are non of us perfect, nor is any of our work; let us therefore abstain from severe criticisms of little errors made by our brothers, and above all, not use such errors for advertising capital. Let us not forget to secure the confidence and respect of the public we must have confidence in, and respect for each other, and prove by our actions that the profession is represented by a class of educated, refined and honorable gentlemen. At the same time, there should be no hesitation in excluding from our ranks, and ignoring the pretensions of those who are not fitted education and experience for the practice of the profession, and more especially those whose practice has been of un professional and dishonorable character.

The following resolution was offered and accepted by a unanimous vote of the association

Resolved. That the thanks of this association be extended to Vice President James Wahrenberger for his [able?] and [?] address and that they be spread upon the moments and published in the next report

The President read a [congratulatory?] telegram from R C McLean of the Inland Architect Chicago

It was resolved that the Secretary be [instructed?] to return [?] thanks to the Inland Architect of the interest manifested in our good work

On motion of Burt McDonald of [?] the bill an act to regulate the practice of architect in the state of Texas be now taken up and discussed. Motion seconded by Geo E Dickey. Carried

Section 1 amended so as to read, be it enacted by the legislature of the state of Texas that it shall be unlawful for any person to practice the architectural profession as a business within the limits of this state except in the manner hereafter provided

Section 2 adopted as [?] " 3 " " " " 4 " " " " 5 " " "

Section 6 adopted as [presented?] " 7 " " " " 8 " " "

Section 9 so amnded that after the word for the aforesaid because

Section 10 amended by inserting after the word "board" of examiners

Section 11 adopted as presented " 12 " " "

The Comm on revision of the consitution and by laws architects J J Kane, Sam P Herbert, and Eugene T Heiner reported no changes necessary and [?] to be discharged from further consideration on the subject

On motion of Natl Tobey the committee was discharged

The following resolution resolution was offered by Burt McDonald of Austin

Resolved - That the uniform contract adopted by the American Institute of Archts, the Western Association of Archs and the National Association of Builders be adopted by the Texas State Association of Archts and recommended for their use when practicable. Resolution adopted

After an [?] discussion between members it was moved by Geo E Dickey that the chair appoint a committee of three member to report at the evening session upon a uniform contract between client and architect. Carried