XVI. S. H. BARRACLOUGH. 



A SCHOOL OP ARCHITECTURE. 



One addition to the engineering department for which a 

 great need exists is that of a properly organised school of 

 architecture. At present a short course of lectures on 

 building construction and the history of architecture is 

 given to certain of the students, but neither at the 

 University nor the Technical College, nor indeed in any 

 part of Australia is a comprehensive scheme of instruc- 

 tion for men desiring to follow this great profession to be 

 found. Nothing indicates the character and taste of the 

 community more than its buildings, and these again in their 

 turn react in the development of the taste of succeeding 

 generations. Few things are more worth a people's while 

 than to live in the "House Beautiful." I do not for a 

 moment argue that we have not in Sydney many fine archi- 

 tectural examples, not only in some of the larger buildings, 

 public and ecclesiastical, but also in the more limited 

 sphere of house architecture. The community indeed has 

 a good deal to be thankful for when it is remembered that 

 practically no thorough and systematic attempt has been 

 made to train the designers of these buildings. In the 

 early days there were two or three men, whose names 

 should never be forgotten, who left behind them public 

 buildings which are monuments to their artistic skill and 

 constructive ability ; and the effect of these buildings in 

 setting a standard cannot be over estimated in importance. 



Succeeding these few masters came a number of men 

 trained in the better established schools of the Old World, 

 who did much to beautify the city, and their pupils are 

 now, in many instances, ably supporting the best of the 

 early traditions. But it must also for truth's sake be con- 

 fessed that with this there is a woeful quantity of the 

 worst kind of architecture to be seen in all directions, and 

 it is folly to hope that, unless definite steps are some day 



