Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-05-04

ne eAhibt contains II Brenf Lesson Tor
us' and 1T only remains for us to say
whether we will learn II.
Very respectfully yours.
GEORGE AINSLIE, Mayor.
This invitation was written on the
blackboard in every room Of every
public school in Richmond yesterday,
copied by the pupils. large and small,
and carried home TO the parents Of the
school children. In this way the pub
lie school system lent It's effective CO.
operation to Mayor Ainslie in his ef-
forts to get the City Planning Exhibit
prominently before the Richmond pub
lie.
The City Planning Exhibit of the
American City Bureau of New York,
brought here at the expense Of the city
OF richmond. opened yesterday at so1
East Main Street for n fve-day STAY
ana during the day It was visited by
thousands Of Richmond's citizens. Di-
rector John E. Lathrop was kept busily
employed during the day explaining tho
scope and plan of the exhibit. Large
posters in the windows attracted the
notice OF tho passing throng, and in
countless cases the appeal of curiosity
proved controlling.
EXHIBIT is GOTTEN UP
WITH GREAT TIIOROUGHNESS
The exhibit is gotten up with great
thoroughness. and the first impression
OF one who goes In to inspect it is that
city planning Is decidedly n much larger
thing than many have supposed 1t to be
The information, illustrations ETC.
which constitute the exhibit are set forth
on l5i panels. each about the size Of
an ordinary door. These panels are
arranged in such a way that they can
be viewed one at a time, the visitor
moving along to the next as fast as
he has finished one and finding himself
when he has viewed No. 1874. again at
the entrance. The first thirteen of the
l54- are Introductory in their value, and
contain an analysis of the whole sub
ject OF city planning. The remainder of
the panels apply and develop the first
thirteen.
CITY PLANNING DEFINED;
SCOPE AND METHODS GIVEN
The opening panel of the 154 which
make up the exhibit is devoted to set
ting forth the definition, purpose, scope
and methods of city planning. The
purpose is given as making a city con-
venient for work. economical for homes.
healthful for home life and pleasant for
social life. It's scope is the designing
OF cities. according to the opening
panel To make this more clear a num-
Der OF things city planning is not are
mentioned. For instance it is explained
that city planning is not the organiza
tion or administrative departments. II
Is not efhc1ency In the civil service. or
economy In the purchase of supplies.
al
say. with construction rather than on.
eratlon or maintenance, telling how to
do things which. If done wrong. either
cannot be changed at all or can be
changed only al great expense. nre-
venting mistakes which make necessary
other mistakes that cannot be correct
ed. 1t determines the layout of n citv
and the location of things and thu
types and character of permanent struc-
lures, so far as these are matters ot
public interest.
The methods of procuring Intelligent
city planning are given as being tho
spread of ideas, public opinion. exnert
adFlce, constructive public action. VOL
untary cooperation, control OF private
activity whenever necessary.
CITATIONS OF CITIES WHICH
HAVE DONE CITY PLANNING;
feature OF many of the panels "a
the fact that numerous cities which
have done city planning on large and
successful scale are represented either
by photographs Of some of the pub,ic
works or by citations Of figures 10
show the achievements Of those cities
For instance, under the head of site
there Is map of San Francisco and
an accompanying illustration showing
some of the obstacles San Francisco
had to overcome in order to make tho
most of her site. City planning aims
SO the reading matter Of the exh,hit
says. to preserve all the natural ad-
Vantages of the site for use or beautv
and to overcome the disadvantages In
the cheapest and most effective way.
sanitation and health as affected hv
city planning was n part of tho ex.
nipit that received perhaps more than
the customary attention of visitors to
the exhibit yesterday. A map OF New
Orleans Is given and by the concrete
example OF that city Is shown the hear
Ing OF city planning on the contro,
Of disease. The system of sewera re in
New Orleans Is the feature OF that citv
that Is offered for the consideration OF
those who inspect the exhibit. "City
planning" 1t Is explained even takes
lies. mosquitoes and rats into considera-
tfon and how big an undertaking 1t Is
with some cities to guard against
disease is strikingly shown by the ex-
ample OF Liverpool which keens Nviri