Crooker Shows His Hand

New York, 1895

Trying to Force the Employment of His Favorite Architect.

The state superintendent of public instruction and the Jamaica normal school commissioners are at odds over the selection of plans for the proposed building for which the state has appropriated $100,000. At a recent competition of architects the commissioners selected plans of a building to cost $80,000. They were unanimous in the selection, and apprehended no opposition from the state superintendent. In consequence, there was considerable surprise and indignation when they received a communication from him practically setting aside the selection made by them and substituting the plans of Franklin Janes, one of the competing architects whose plans they had rejected. Congressman McCormick is president of the commission. A meeting was held and a lengthy letter was forwarded to Superintendent Crooker. It is feared that the misunderstanding will tend to delay the erection of the building.

It is stated that the Janes plans, which Crooker wishes adopted, are not the same that were filed with the commissioners, but an entirely different set which the architect filed with Mr. Croaker privately.

A telegram to the Brooklyn Eagle from Albany on Monday said:

"The controversy between the trustees of the state normal school at Jamaica and Superintendent of Public Instruction Crooker over the adoption of plans for the new school is becoming quite heated. Mr. Crooker some time ago undertook to cast out the plans submitted to him by the Jamaica school board and then announced his preference for a set of plans prepared by Architect Franklin Janes of Albany. This action was indorsed by the state normal school superintendents at their meeting in this city lately. While the Janes plans have not been definitely determined upon, yet it seems likely that they will be approved by the state authorities. Superintendent Crooker found a lively communication awaiting him upon his return from New York City to-day. It came from the trustees of the Jamaica school and asked in pointed terms why he ignored them in passing upon the matter of plans for the school. Mr. Crooker has not outlined his reply to the trustees, but the indications are that it will prove somewhat caustic and altogether readable, even though it fails to bring comfort to the Jamaica school authorities."

—The Long Island Farmer, Jamaica, N.Y., Jan. 11, 1895, p. 12.