The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-07-21
NEWS OF THE WEEK IN SOCIETY WORLD Landscape Artists and Our City PLEA FOR BREATHING SPOTS Notes Here and There That Suggest Themselves During the
 Dull Season in
 Town.
PLEA FOR BREATHING SPOTS
BY ANNIE KENDRIcK WALKER.

D IRMINGHAM has been favored re- H gently by the visits of several land A scape artists of national fame, who announce that the parks of Birmingham are full of hidden beauty. This might be taken as a compliment, and in one sense it is, for the possibilities are indeed great.
 As conditions are new, the beauty is all unseen. The downtown parks look req sonably well. but the true park spirit has not developed in Birmingham.
 When the council appointed park com missioners some time ago. it was thought that the parks along Highland avenue would be improved at once, but nothing has been done and the commission would better not have been named.
 Parks are the beauty spots and the breathing spots of a city. city is judged to a large extent by it's parks, certainly nothing makes a better or more lasting impression. Would it not be well for the park committee of the council to look after the commissioners, and demand that something be done. At the same time, would it not be well for the council to do something 10 the Green Springs park? This Is a naturally lovely retreat, full of seen and unseen beauty, and destined to be the most beautiful of southern parks In this connection it is not out of place to suggest again that this park be made purely retreat-not play ground and amusement resort filled with merry-go- rounds, one-horse shows noise, hustle and midway features. But place for stroll ing, driving, resting and recuperating-a place for the mind to rest the eye to feast where safety and responsibility is not at discount. where the highest and the lowest can find an hour of paradise.
 Much regret has been expressed that a goodly portion of East park has been set aside for play ground and athletic field. No reflection is intended against play and athletics. They are part of a city's growth and welfare but our little parks should be kept green and made beautiful with foliage and flowers. Their mission is one of rest and restoration. Put a. fence around Green Springs park. lay off a few roads and gradually bring up the place to its highest possibility
 There Is no place for the pessimst in Birmingham. and to use popular express i. sion, he Is not a desirable citizen" 1t is much better to be an optimist Above the desk of a young woman in one of the large sky-scrapers hangs this motto: "If the outlook Is bad, look upward" It is noticed that this young woman has a smile for every one and an air of cheer pervades the office. If smiles and cheer are not found there is a cog out of gear Remove the cause. ''smile and look pleas ant" 1t is better for you, for those about you and for the world.
 Optimism is the order of the day, op- tlmism in work and business, in homes and schools, in every walk of life; it is a good seed and the harvest is abundant Optimism takes a peculiar form at times Said a gentleman few days ago, who had visited a river town: Birmingham is to be congratulated that it has no mud dy, filthy river by it's doors. Commerce is a good thing, but commerce is not ev erything." While on this point he added that Birmingham's s natural drainage was good, augmented by abundant rainfall and ever-running water, that the sewage was piped from above East to below Besse mer, where it was purified in septic tanks and burned.
 It does seem that the problems confront ing the building of fine city and district have been wisely solved by our officials from time to time. Note the handsome public buildings, schools, paved streets
 
 transportation problems have been met with equal success. All this is cause for smiles and cheer to those who reside here and are an attraction to others to come.
 Within a year nine great trunk lines will pass through our gates to contest for a tonnage which in limited area is greater than the tonnage of an entire state. The railroads are Birmingham's prophets, spending millions in improvements, and ahe work is just begun. We seem to lack nothing in climate. sanitation and reere- ation. Our mountains mngle with beau- tiful meadows, great springs well up and flow off in pebbled streams, our scenes are varying and "here we rest finds it's best application in the region of this mar vicious city.
 We have everything to make us optim- ists and little to make us pessimists The centers are evolving handsomely old and antequated is bein replaced with new and modern-the highlands are fast becoming the garden spots of the south It is only the inter-space between business and the