Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-07-16
PARK JOYS ARE STILL
IMPERFECTlY REALIZED
Fairmount Is Fair and the City's
Pride, but the Latest Proposals
Show How Some of Its As.
sets Are OverIooked


sets Are Overlooked
A s 4 typical citizen" the Philadel-
"A phian is ostensibly a humble crea :
ture. Moreover, in his eyes boastful-
ness is an especial mark Of crudity.
and his aversion thereto is a source of
not little secret satisfaction, enabling
him to smile condescendingly when the
Los Angeles man cries "Climate - the
New Orlcansite, Cookery" :" the Bos-
tonian, Culture - and the New
Yorker, Wealth :"
Above the fret and stir of pompous
propaganda, blatant boosting and ag-
gressive advertising the typical, Phila =
delphian dwells sophisticated, serene or.
as the critics would say. "slow."
Occasionally from within the com
Portable fold some hereto will arise to
cry shame and to bewail the lack of
showy civic pride. If these rash re :
provers were subtle. which they sci :
dom are, they could attack a civic nerve
so tender that the lightest pressure
thereon would fire the whole populace
to crow with the rapture of California
land agent:
Say, if you must, the town is dead,
But Fairmount Park is still ahead!
That is about the way most of us
feel about it. And our emotions on
that theme constitute the significant
weakness. (or should it be called
strengthD in our alleged armor of in
difference to outside depreciation of our
eminence and distinction in so many
fields Of endeavor.
The Park is in sense a kind of
compensating symbol. 1t is by far the
largest civic playground in America.
richly endowed by nature, adorned
more or less by art, hallowed with
fascinating legendry and historic as
sociations. There is full warrant for
prizing it. But there is justification
also in examining its possibilities and
reaching the conclusion that by no
means all of them are realized.
1t Is with some such thought in
kind that the Fairmount Park Commits
sion Is considering an elaborate program
of Park improvements. The conception
is at first trifie startling. The typical
Philadelphian, with all his solid pride
in the great playground, will have to
accustom himself to the idea that the
Park is imperfect and perhaps not even
the factor in civic recreation that he
fancies it.
Thousands, of course, flock to its
lovely swards, its glades and dells.
Pleasure seekers throng its river and
its admirable roads. But this patron
age, though spectacular and impressive,
has its temperamental limitations. The
scene is animated, and yet even on the
fairest summer days it is questionable
whether that delicious note of gayety,
as distinguished from vigorous hustle,
which Ch8racterizes some pleasure
areas elsewhere. especially abroad, is
really pervasively present.
1t is not, Of course. to be expected, +,
or perhaps even desired, that Americans
should disport themselves as Latins.
The carnival spirit is elusive. In
genuously imbibed, it is delightful.
Shadowed with the slightest self con-
sciousness, it provides a saddening
spectacle. There is, however, pro-
fusion of assets in Fairmount Park
which, if properly developed, would not
only swell but vary the attractions of
the place.
At the recent meeting of the Park
| Commission it was suggested that a
| bathing beach should be established on
| some portion of the shores of the
SChuylkill. The project has already
enlisted the warm interest Of Mayor
Moore, and Director Sproule has been
asked to investigate the practicability
| of the plan and its cost.
Approval has also been given to in =
quiry into the purchase of a dredge to
rid the river of the ever increasing mud
fats. and also to the proposal to install
line of horse drawn public busses to
ply along the upper reaches of the
Wissahickon, closed to motorcars.
These projects appear so eminently
desirable and so comparatively easy of
execution that it is to be wondered why
they were not carried out long ago.
Perhaps if We were less vainglorious
of Fairmount less confidently aware of
its abiding merits, the reforms would
have been less tardy.
The bus line is particularly engaging.
The scenery of upper Wissahickon is
of it's kind incompatible. Thousands
of Philadelphians, especially those who
are auto owners, are totally unac-
quainted with it's charm, the character
of which moved even the usually i'm =
passive Karl Baedeker to call the ravinc
"a miniature Alpine gorge of singular
loveliness to be included within the
limits of city,
The proposed vehicles at least could
be made to impart something of the
carnival favor. They should be gayly
painted, designed with art as we'll as
efficiency in mind, and suggestive not
simply of transportation but OF relief
from the worldliness and hard sophis
tication of the nearby city-in a word
of an unaffected good time.
That they would be patronized ad
mits Of no doubt. The Park trolley has
served its purpose excellently. But
that was only beginning in the neces
sary improvements in transit facilitie,
through the playground.
The beach plan, as has been said
need not seriously trouble those Phia
delphians who are supplied witt
Schuylkill drinking water. Perhaps
| A.. koat laca tion for tba ha thine s,ro,,n,