A couple of possibilities:

1.  Masons were better then, so Architects didn't have to be as anal as we
are now.  And   just in case reporters don't think we're anal, ask the
Contractors.

2.  Masons knew what they were doing then, and the Architects knew that
masons knew     what they were doing, so the Architects didn't think they
needed to be so anal.  Or   need to sharpen 10,000 turkey feathers per
drawing, in order to render every goddam    brick.

3.  The chances that this chickie actually drew every damn brick are slim, if
not anorexic,   at their most probable. Nowadays, only dinosaurs (like me)
who are too stupid  and/or  consciously anachronistic actually draw things,
especially things as exciting as brick  coursing and head joint
alignment.....mostly they're done by minions with mice.     I   can't imagine
that either the client or the firm could afford to have a big shot architect
drawing bricks on a commercial basis.  Anybody know whether HABS/HAER still
do  hand drawings, or have they slipped over to the Dark Side, too?

4.  People were shorter then.

Ralph