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THE SOUTHERN CHAPTER, A. I. A. 13

son, that, like Michael Angelo of old, had greatness thrust upon him
which he did not expect, and perchance it came so thick and fast he had to
give up the ghost and leave an unfinished style for the ambitious young
men to work out, not on the conditions of Angelo at St. Peter's, that no
salary should be inserted in the agreement, but on the contrary the siren
ery of the Angelo of to-day is, "What about the commission?"

Yet it is a very important fact in this day and generation to keep up
the standard of proper remuneration for services rendered. How neces-
tary it is then that as a profession we should possess the requirements of
ability and business tact necessary in the administration of our business,
that we may be able to give our clients value received for the small com-
pensation we ask, and in the great revival which we see in the works of
the rising generation of young architects, the success of those who have
earned a reputation, has been the result of close study, actuated by
artistic aspirations worthily won among the closest competitions.

As a profession architecture can boast variety in its labors; great
scope is given the imagination and artistic mind as it is unfolded in the
studies of design and the theory of construction, the latter being the
great object of the means intended, yet not losing the artistic treatment
which should always be studied, and after the ideal is formulated on the
board, then the masterpiece on which depends the successful carrying
out of the work is the specification -- defined by one writer as "a written
statement of particulars for a certain proposed structure," to formulate
which the architect should first have a perfectly practical knowledge of
the profession. This is considered one of the most difficult branches of
the profession, a duty which cannot be delegated to the draughtsman or
any other employee. How often does an experienced practical builder
smile to himself at manyof the absurd volumes of specifications exhib-
ited to him to tender on, or execute work from, and which is often the
cause of the great difference in bids. It should be simple in language
and expressed in a clear, concise way.

As a body we have a great work to accomplish in the development of
Southern architecture. Our climate demands entirely different plan-
ning, and there is a large scope of country to be worked, our prosperous
cities, thriving towns and growing hamlets, all add to its various wants
and studies. We have not yet reached the high building craze of our
Western brethren; we have plenty of room to spread out on, and plenty
of fresh air, and our genial climate demands that we plan for comfort
and make room for the occupants without stint or cost.

Let us then, in this our second. annual convention, endeavor to assist
each other in discharging the trust in our hands, in every good word
and work, as brethren engaged in a profession, as a labor of love as well
as for the money benefits we derive, and when we meet on the bloodless
field of competition, either in Alabama, Florida, Texas or Georgia, or in
the Lookout Valleys of Tennessee, may we not forget the interests of all
as a whole, and act as if we were destitute of honorable sentiments, and
not worthy of association. Let us then co-operate with our Eastern and

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