Background
Francis A. Flaks was born in 1886 Mecin, a town in what was Bohemia, now Czech Republic.
Francis A. Flaks was born in 1886 Mecin, a town in what was Bohemia, now Czech Republic.
He was educated at schools in Blovic and Pilsen, and at the age of seventeen set out alone on a voyage to the United States. In Chicago, where he eventually settled, the young man took up the study of architecture in public schools, attended classes at Armour Institute.
He acquired further training while employed as draftsman in the office of James B. Dibelka. In 1916 Mr. Flaks joined the office of Worthman & Steinbach, but left in less than a year to practice in association with Mr. Dibelka who had been appointed to the post of State Architect. Under the firm name of Dibelka, Flaks & Minchin he carried on his work for a number of years, leaving to enter the office of Schmidt, Garden & Erickson where for more than two decades he remained "an esteemed and valued associate”.