| Harrington College of Design honored Robert C. Marks | | | | architectural destinations for research. They went to |
| with the Frances Harrington Award for outstanding | | | | cities all over the world visiting famous places that |
| achievement in Education and Interior Design. The | | | | have changed Interior Design. These seminar events |
| event took place in the Grand Hall at Union Station, 210 | | | | along with their enhanced curricula helped established |
| S. Canal St., Chicago, Illinois. Nelson Sears, | | | | Harrington Institute as the premier school for Interior |
| Communications Manager at Harrington, orchestrated | | | | Design in Chicago and as one of the leading Interior |
| the event. Never has the Grand Hall looked as good | | | | Design schools in the Country. |
| as it has for this special event. The room was | | | | Mr. Marks saw a need for educational credentials for |
| resplendent, colored lights were mounted at the base | | | | interior designers so he expanded the school to a |
| of the Greco/Roman fluted columns that surround the | | | | college offering a Bachelors Degree. The Institute was |
| room. The hall was finely appointed with wall | | | | renamed the Harrington College of Design as it |
| decorations, balloons, and an assortment of flowers. A | | | | remains today. |
| very fine dancing band that played in a manner that | | | | For years Harrington was located in the Fine Arts |
| was festive yet not overly engaging. | | | | Building at 410 S. Michigan Avenue in downtown |
| Starting out as a student at the Frances Harrington | | | | Chicago. This excellent location enabled Harrington |
| Institution of Interior Decoration, Robert C. Marks took | | | | students to take advantage of all the educational and |
| control of the school in 1959. A man of vision, Mr. | | | | cultural venues that Chicago has to offer. |
| Marks expanded the programs and course offerings. | | | | Along with Mr. Marks, six other individuals were given |
| Seeing a need for school research, Mr. Marks started | | | | awards. |
| what came to be the largest and most replete Interior | | | | For the Excellence in Design Award the following |
| Design library in the country. Further, he saw to having | | | | individuals were honored: Lucien Lagrange, Eva |
| the school accredited by the American Society of | | | | Maddox, Stanley Tigerman, and Victor Skrebneski. |
| Interior Designers (ASID) and changed the name to | | | | For the Design Vision Award the following individuals |
| The Harrington Institute of Interior Design. | | | | were honored: Mayor Richard M. Daley and |
| As time passed Mr. Marks developed educational | | | | Commissioner Cherilyn Heremb. |
| seminars in conjunction with on site tours to | | | | |