The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-09-18
USING THE PARKS.
nv CHARLES w ELIOT LII d. University

USING /:
BY CHARLES w. ELIOT, III. D.
How shall we secure better popular
utii zation OF public squares, gardens;
Stn,esY T'his Is a question OF concern TO
every citizen, and especially to those who
are members OF local organizatlons-or
OF national organizations ike the meri-
can Park and outdoor Art Association.
which exist to make pleasnnter co;nmu-
nifty life. ,8
One indispensable condition for the adj
eauate use OF public reservations Is secu-
rity against violence. and fear OF vio-
{lonce. and even against annoyancees, or
the sight Of rude or disorderly conduct
All public reservations whether large or
small need to be well pofced; so that
women and children can feel perfectly
safe In thcm. This Is Of course an ex-
pensiye matter neither s., G1ty X pay az
quately used by the persons who need
them, unless they, q re #intelligs1,tly and
adequately policed. public bea en-, grove
o. forest viii soon ST %, nad rePutat,on
city square or garden should be brlghtly
lighted; first because light Is the best pos
liccman, as Emerson said. just as pup-
licty is the best sa1egaara asainss ec tnf
". because every such open space should
be treated asa public parlor$ or poPuihtr
reception room. y. ". ~.
s. Again. &. 4 is useless TO provide q public
fnrest. or a4largc country park .fivc or
ten mi! es from 2theGcenters of the city, 8uIl-.
less this distance can be traversed IN an
agreeable manner a TIA low rare. Renee
well-built, decorated highways. reserved
for pleasure travel. In all such park
ways through which large reserya ! p $
are approached, there should inv al ,,y
this space should be neither paved nor
sasphalted. but turfed. az a protect
against dust and rcverber2ted noise ana
rows Of trees and shrubs This practice
has been already partially adopted 4 D 'l
should become universal.
# In every large public park ample pro,
drinking In the open air-frQp1s ga skets
IL there be no res taurants in the place.
Steady efforts should be made to.aeyelop
this ha bit among US Amercans:S - ~
&1nents should be elaborate or aIcoholitc;
indeed 1t Is mich better tina Y they shonid
not be- Tea, coffee coo oaE or mi ks VIII
rolls or toast, and jam cheese or herring
viii 90 a long way towards making peo-
pic feel comfortable and plea sed- But IT
is ;mpra cticablei fora family to spend
many hours &, OF ad 9ea Sos
eating and drinking. There tsnould pc u n
nmnlc and convenient supply of water:
there should be shelters from sun or sud
den rain: and there should 81 be- every
where u perfect tdlness. R Re- li pms
hind remnants Of food, or boxes or bot
ties should be rigidly enforced but the
habit of eating in the open air IN taM = !.
lies or companies OF riends should pc
vigorously encouraged and promoted IN
ali public reservations. Thus It is iegitl-
mate and desirable tosprovtde rustic "a
b!es and benches in all places gu l i tti4'
lunch supper parties, sittn Tor soh IKE
ground even when it Is dry. J,
a One would suppose, from the deserted
aspect of the parks In winter. thad N ne.
Engand peopa
In the open air as summer: the beauty
O. leo and snow replacing the beauty OF
foliage On the whole winter is o. lar ar
better seassn for walking in public parks ares
much more of the broad scenery Whcn
Inc leaves have fallen, Moreo yer. " IS y!
mistake to put away ones q cycie n
winter. Wherever there are we'll ma cad "a
amized roads. It. is possible to ride "a bi-
cycle very comfortably on many winter
days-part:eulnry in the early morning
before the wind has risen or the sun mas
softened the surface of the roads. need
not say that the, winter aspect q q ,tor :.
cold rain has frozen upon every Wig ana
lingering leaf, is one Of extra ordinary
beauty. Less understood IS the beauty
OF bare trees. Of the half-frozen brook.
ard Of the blue shadows In the fields Of
For children and young people the en-
{toyInent OF open-air9 scenery Is. greatly
Increased by the habit of sketching with
Win the camera In these days It Is Inn
birds and other wild creatures with the
camera tan with the gun.,I i. .
,rhe enjoyment of the populace IN large
ico,ntry parks and forests can be greatly
promoted by allowing the picking OF flow.
ers and berries; and this permission may
ey gyen pfaydffSh Pf by aeagn
carelessness. Some fragrant things ought
"a be carfully raised In the parks ex-
pressly for the enjoyment they give to
Ing people who discover them appearing
In their season. Such are the may1loWer,
the linnaea and the laurel.
In scenery parks the enjoyment of the
people can be greatly promoted by pro-
vidlng numerous foot-pnths, leading 70
tho best points of&ylew, and to seats
there provided These paths shonid IL Q,
which the underbush and other obstacles
10 passage have been removed. Seats 7
good points Of view alo very important
parts of this povision,5 The people need
10 be tempted e llnger n The parks Tor
rrea distances or enduring anything
wh CHI ca properly be called fatigue, It
As the open air and the qulet aspect Of
nature which are wholesome and refresh
3ing;'and to get the bonehttof these In
fiuences take time and q sense Of leisure
md restfulness, In like manner. In small
d disype TNtbl bic to popular enjoyment Of
midst Of d dense population should be
openaIr parlors, resorts for the feeble
and inflrrn-rather than for the strong
and tireless In all tree-planted avenues
or boulevards chairs should be provided
either BY the mupiclpaity or by persons
I who have pa q the munlcpality for the
When once convenient access by cleo
trio cars to a reservation, or.to many re-
seryations, has been provided, 1t becomes
the interest OF the Transportation compa-
Mas ~ annnllnca good ska ting on the