Of Great Architects and Their Education

The article by Sam Hall Kaplan (March 2) lists Frank Lloyd Wright as “one of the three greatest architects of this century” . . . “none of whom ever attended architect school.” That characterization of Wisconsin’s great architect Wright, if true, spoils a good story.

In 1929, when I first came to the University of Wisconsin as a sanitary engineering student, I walked up “fraternity row” (Langdon Street) past the Acacia (Masonic) Fraternity, designed by Mr. Wright. The first building on the campus was Science Hall. It was of red brick from which a white substance was leaking. It had a circular tower on its end and was one of the less-attractive structures on the beautiful campus.

When I asked about the history of the design of Science Hall, I was told that Frank Lloyd Wright had come to Madison and planned to study engineering. When he first saw Science Hall, he asked: Who designed it? The answer was: professors of the college of engineering.

C.L. SENN

Los Angeles