ELPAC Practice: Reading: Informational

Read the text. Answer Numbers 18 through 22.

Julia Morgan

1 Julia Morgan was born in 1872 and grew up in Oakland, California. At a time when
it was uncommon for women to pursue higher education and full-time careers, she
became one of the most successful and well-known architects in the United States.

2 As a child and teenager, Morgan spent most of her time in California, but she also
made several trips to New York to visit her extended family. She became close with
an older cousin and her cousin’s husband, Pierre LeBrun, who was an architect in
New York City. Sensing Morgan’s fascination with engineering and design, LeBrun
and his wife encouraged Morgan to continue her education. While most young
women her age were planning large parties to celebrate their entrance into society,
Morgan asked her parents if she could attend college instead. Impressed with their
daughter’s ambition, they agreed, and Morgan enrolled at the University of California
in Berkeley to study civil engineering.

3 Morgan was the only woman in her engineering program, and she excelled in her
classes. She dreamed of a career in architecture and decided to apply to the Paris
School of Fine Arts to continue her studies. Though it took her several years to gain
acceptance to this competitive school, she never stopped trying. She was eventually
admitted and quickly became successful at the institution. In fact, she graduated
with her architecture degree in three years instead of the usual five.

4 Morgan then returned home to California and began her career as an architect in
a large design firm. Among her many well-known clients was newspaper publisher
William Randolph Hearst. He hired Morgan to design several buildings, including his
largest estate, Hearst Castle. During these years, Morgan developed her signature
architectural style. She designed buildings using a variety of historic techniques
while ensuring that they remained true to their Californian roots. She loved using
redwood from Northern California and incorporating local pottery and ceramics into
her designs.

5 Working for Hearst helped Morgan make a name for herself, and she soon had
enough clients to open her own architectural practice. Her services were in high
demand following the San Francisco earthquake of 1906. Thanks to her training as
an engineer, Morgan understood how to construct buildings that could resist forceful
movement in the event of another earthquake. She provided her services to many
wealthy clients during these years.

6 But the projects dearest to Morgan’s heart were those that promoted the education
of women. She designed a series of buildings for the YWCA, an organization
that provided classes and gathering spaces for young women. She also oversaw
the master plan of Mills College, a women’s college outside of her hometown of
Oakland, and contributed six buildings to its campus.