15

12 THE SOUTHERN CHAPTER, A. I. A.

ored to do the past year, and also to bring before you such suggestions
as have occurred to me for the perfecting of our organization. The
work thus far has been mainly initiative, placing the objects of the
Chapter before the architects of the South, securing a charter, and in
general correspondence to awaken an interest amongthose we hoped and
felt would join with us in attaining our end. Our worthy Secretary has
been very efficient in discharging his duties by correspondence and
keeping before the profession in the columns of our organ, "The South-
ern Architect," the need of organization, and several times during the
past year I have addressed the members and others, impressing upon
them the importance of unity of action in this the commencement of our
organization. This large and intelligent body of representative men of
the several states before me to-day is but the advance guard of what we
hope our annual conventions will be in the future. May the best inter-
est of each and all, and of the profession in general, be promoted by our
assembly in this hospitable city of Birmingham.

As yet we are but young in the development of our profession in the
South and have had but limited means to encourage its progress as a
profession, yet I hope that the younger members will devote all their
spare time to the study and development of architecture, from a theoret-
ical as well as a technical standpoint, and endeavor to give a freer scope
to its artistic influences, than the older members had in their meager
opportunities of study.

I can remember thirty years ago, when quite a young man, I asked an
English master-workman how I could become an architect. He replied,
"Work in the day and learn the practical; study at night and learn the
theoretical; study the works of Nicholson, Pugin, Ruskin, Jones," and
uf others he named. We had not then the benefits of the superior photo-
graphs, nor the later photo-engraving work, nor the still later beautiful
and artistic photogravures to assist us, butrelied wholly on the engraved
work in the foreign journals, for as yet architectural publications in this
country were very rare, the only ones I could get being "Downing's
Country Homes," and later, about 1857 or 1858, I believe, the publications
of Samuel Sloan, of Philadelphia, which found a ready sale in the
Southern States, and really from his studies sprung those elegant South-
ern mansions still seen throughout the States, emblems of an era of re-
finement slowly passing away. But what do we now see opening to the
student of architecture? In every state technical schools with archi-
tectural studies as a part of the curriculum; architectural photographs
giving a tour through the Land of Flowers and Art; all the principal
cities of England, France and Italy photographed, so that with a few
hours of study he can explore the scenes of months of travel, which for-
merly only the wealthy and the professor could enjoy.

And not only in the old countries but in our great America the march
of architectural progress has kept pace with the spirit of the times.
And even in this country, it was one of our Southern brethren, Richard-