Washington University Saint Louis - Hatchet Yearbook (St Louis, MO)

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architecture changes to I+4 year program in '56 Students at lNashington University have the advantage of being in a large urban area where new construction makes possible the study and observation of many tech- niques discussed in the classroom. Students may also observe the problems of smaller outlying areas near at hand. Many have jobs with architects, and supervised summer work in some phase of the building industry, similar to medical students' internship, is required for graduation. just as the student gains from the metropolitan loca- tion of the School, so it is the purpose of the School to help raise the quality of architecture in the area. Eighty per cent of the students are from the local area and many will remain here after graduation, thus their in- Huence in this community will be felt in the years after they leave their classrooms. The School of Architecture has numerous plans for the future connected with the Development Program. The most obvious benefit will be an increase in faculty sal- aries which will lend itself to a general increase in the standards of the administration and the resulting in- crease in the quality and accomplishments of the School. The School is not anxious to increase its en- rollment greatly but rather to improve its offerings for the present enrollment. Increased building space will make possible the offering of a degree in City Planning and the establishment of a significant graduate program in architecture. A drawing board can present some knotty problems. Shaping up a geodesic dome can be tedious, awkward and a lot of fun.

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l Preparing for greener pastures. Beginning in the fall of 1956, new students in archi- tecture at Washington University will have the advan- tage of a full year in liberal arts courses before they begin professional work. This marks a major change in the direction already taken by the Schools of Law and Medicine. The faculty in architecture believes that students will benefit in having greater breadth of train- ing in the first year and that better architects will be graduated. The technical and professional courses to- gether with electives will be arranged in the last four of the five-year curriculum. The first course in architecture at Washington Uni- versity was olfered in 1871. However, it was not until 1881 that a degree of Architecture was conferred. There was then a dormant period of twenty years. At the turn of the century new interests were aroused, the curriculum was improved, and prominent men in the field of architecture were added to the faculty. Since that time, the School has developed to its present enrollment of 160 students with a student-faculty ratio of ten to one. The regular faculty is supplemented by architects and designers from the area and by such dis- tinguished lecturers as Buckrninster Fuller, originator of the dymaxion theory. After completion of the live- year course in General Architecture the student re- ceives the degree of Bachelor of Architecture. Z4 Dean Buford L. Pickens The student governing body is the Architecture Coun- cil. Students are encouraged to join the student affiliate chapter of the American Institute of Architects. This group conducts various activities like the publication of the Architectural Guide to St. Louis - 1955. Girl archi- tects have an opportunity of becoming members of Alpha Alpha Gamma, architectural honorary. Other activities undertaken by the student body have been the construction of the geodesic dome under the direc- tion of Mr. Fuller, and a scale model and exploratory plans for the growth of the campus under the Develop- ment Program. school of

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Afro, noted Italian artist, gives some sage advice to prospective painters. The School of Fine Arts, founded in 1879 as a division of VVashington University, from its beginning has had as its primary objective preparing students for careers in the Arts. Its outstanding collections of world art con- tribute importantly to the Schoolls educational oppor- tunities. T he relations of the School and the St. Louis City Art Museum are historic. The collecting of works of art was originally a function of the School of Fine Arts. When the St. Louis City Art Museum was founded, the works in the Vtlashington University Col- lection were loaned to the new museum and continue to constitute an important part of the Museunfs dis- plays. They are added to from time to time through gifts made to Washington University or purchased by it. The first director of the City Art Musetim, Halsey C. Ives, had previously been director of the School of Fine Arts. The education of students for professional careers in the line arts, advertising arts, and design arts now leads to the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in a number of specialized fields, including painting, sculpture, illus- tration, fashion illustration, advertising design, dress design, and art teacher education. In each instance, general studies in classes of the College of Liberal Arts support the specialized training and insure that the student will receive more than mere vocational preparation. Students of the School of Fine Arts annually cooperate with the Department of Retailing in an advertising 26 school of Dean Kenneth E. Hudson