The San Francisco call., 1903-09-22
Fairfax H. Wheelan Delivers
Interesting Address Before
the Daughters of Pioneers
%TS HE Daughters Of California Pho
neers entertained their friends
yesterday afternoon in the par
IA lors of the Pioneer f1.el when


yesterday afternoon in the par
"A lors of the Pioneer H.el, when
programme of unusual excellence
was rendered. Fairfax Wneelan, the
well known clubman and member Of the
Merchants Association, gave a talk upon
the City Beautiful" a subject particu-
larly apropos at this time Mr.. Wheelan
has in the past been closely identified
with various movements on lines OF civic
and social progress. and the matter of
the bond issue that is now before the
people has appealed strongly to him from
the varied standpoints of a business man,
humanitarian, and a devotee Of art.
The lecturer, while pointing out the COM
mercial advantages to be gained, dwelt
extensively upon the relation existing be-
tween civic Identification and moral de-
velopment, and while the thought was ap-
parently a revelation to many of the
ladies, the fact was brought home with
such indisputable logic that it carried
conviction with it. Said Mr.. Wheelan:
In New York City, when the matter Of out
door cultivation was obtaining foothold in
the minds of the people, Abram Hewitt, then
GERS from the poorer districts TO his Office for
the purpose of locating the spots the city s
map where the juvenile inhabitants gave the
most trouble. Put your finger upon the dis
trict to which you are most frequently called
by Juvenile depredations said he to each,
and at the close of the investigation it was
Vered-indisputaoly ana without excep-
tion-that those plague spots were the tree
less and gardenless places of the district; that
where gardens hourished. or trees grew. or
a park existed. there infraction of the law
was comparatively infrequent.
Excerpts from experiments by Eastern
sociologists and teachers were read,
pointing out as clearly as undemonstrated
things can be, that wherever trees and
flowers were planted, or parks established
in the school locality, there discipline was
materially improved, and the moral status
showed development" Tiny buds grew
upon the strange new plants, and by the
gentle enforcement of restraint, these
were allowed to bloom into beauty by the
interested tykes to whose honor their
care was intrusted. Thus trust, honor,
and an interest in the things of the inani-
mate world were brought out, and a love
of the beautiful in color and form devel-
oped; and these things are an integral
part of good character, the results were
well worth the time and expense given
the experiment.
Thus did Mr.. Wheelan strive to impress
upon the guests-and that he succeeded
was evident by the warm applause given
n1m-that san francisco must do for her
children what other progressive localities
had done, and noted especially the city of
Harrisburg, where the bonding of the city
has lifted it into a plane of prosperity,
health and happiness.
OF the more material things, such as
sewers, hospitals and schools, they were
held to be such absolute necessities that
argument in favor of them was wholly un-
necessary. 1t was in the artistic progress
siveness Of San Francisco in streets and
parks-and incidentally in home gardens
that the speaker most concerned himself,
and the conclusion was reached that
money expended in parks and play
grounds could in short time be deducted
from the sums given over to excessive
police protection and the support of re-
form schools and jails.
At the conclusion of the address, Mr..
Wheelan was warmly thanked by Miss
Lucy Adams, the president of the society,
on behalf Of the members and guests,
who evidently regretted their constitu-
uonal disability to profit by the speaker s
address-by voting a straight good vote
for the bond issue. But they unanimously
agreed to get their husbands, brothers
and sons into line, and the result may be
quite as satisfactory as if the sex ques-
ton hadn't handicapped them as law
makers.
The afternoons programme was closed
with two vocal solos, charmingly rem
dered, by Miss Gussie Greenleaf Kruger
and Miss Helen Crane. The young vocal
lists were accompanied by Miss Ethelynn
Marrach, a pupil of Mrs. Mariner-Camp-
bell. Tea-and very good tea-was then
served by the Daughters, bringing to a
finale a delightful afternoon.