Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-01-18
AS ONE WOMAN SEES 1T
Gardens Good for the Soul: Little
Gardens for individuals and Big
Gardensfor a Composite indi.
Vldual Like Uncle Sam
by SARAH ID. LOwRIE

N'eoot like OHCic osH
by SARAH ID. LOwRIE
SbNERAL years ago there was published
~ by the United States Government, under
the supervision Of the then Secretary OF the
interior McLane, most beautiful book oil
photographs of the national parks of the
country. The mere turning over of the pages
was enough to make one patriotic and eh-
alted. he pictures were pronounced by cx-
perts to be finer than anything that had yet
neeh accomplished in photography. Uncle
sam certainly could have spared no expense
TO make them the best ever" II being the
Governments idea to "enthusc' Americans
ABOUT their national parks so that they would
vote more money for their conservation and
Tor adding to the number by setting aside
more and more great spaces of forest and
river ana mountain scenery for public en-
loyment. Then the war came and another
KIND OF propaganda was In order.
>, But with the return of peace---of n sort
uncle Sam wants to open his great picture
book again and show us some of the joys and
advantages we have as American citizens.
Az least that Is what / rather gathered
today when l hear it announced at the
Woman's Republican Club that Mr.. stephen
Mather, Director Of National Parks, of the
Department, of the Interior was TO speak
10 members of the club and any of thc public
mat cared to join thep on the afternoon OF,
Monday, January 80 at O'Clock, at Grif-'
nth Hall and show the wonderful Govern
ineht slides of our national parks, lie is
mere TO speak OF conservation and the purely,
nominal entrance fee of fifty cents IS by way
of adding to the funds of the club and to
pay the few expenses incident 10 the occa-
sion. 1t will be about the greatest thing In
pictures that has ever come to Philadelphia,
ana am wondering why 90 small hall was
tnKen. IL Is the sort Of information and
illustration that IL children could be got in
terested in would help the future of the
national parks idea more than little.
W course, theoretically every one believes
IN the Governments acquiring land for pub
lie parks, but If IL is good land and likely
to be profitable for town sites or for mines.
or for hunting grounds, or for lumber, or for
water power, then the inhabitants there
abouts wish the Government would choose
some other wonder OF tn" world and leave
theirs to be exploited for private picnic
parties or for something that they could
reap the almighty dollar by holding on to.
0Cr in Wyoming this sumner DR.. Henry
~ van Dyke and some others were looking
over great stretches Of grazing land AT the
foot of the Teton Mountains with view
10 Judging whether or not it would make a
great national park. The land was already
chiefly owned by the Government not having
been homesteaded for the most part. and ~
such 1t was the grazing land for quantities
of ranches. The cattle were branded and
allowed TO Craze for months on the mo
mans land" Of the I. S. 4.
u was very convenient. and it cost moth
ing. II was felt that however great the
pleasure Of the tourists might be- over the
sc"nery, and however future generations
might enjoy the preservation of the land and
river and mountains in their pristine beauty.
il might spell rniu for more than one cattle
breeder.
suppose thrr" Is always good reason
why good thing should not b" done. II Is
Mr.. stephen Mather's business 10 persuade
tn" great American public that ther" are
even better reasons for making public parks
than for leaving them a. the private posses.
sion of the few. no matter how worthy the
few.
~ RlOCSLI enough. in the matter Of
y public parks and gardens there are al
ways SOME who urgu" for their being kept
semi private. just H> years ago many Of
IN" public squares in this town were fenced
about with iron fences. and il was argued
# III" fences were removed the mob would
rush In and dcspOil the grass and trees, and
lacking m0bs or roughS there might b" Ni"-
lent animals such mat dogs ar iuturi-
atcd bulls. Those were in the days when
roostor> Cawed on Pine street and pigs
grunr"d III the back premises of Lombard
and South streets and constant procession
Of beef on tho hOOf and lamb in the wool
trott"d stoically down Walnut and Locust
streets
Bu, when the iron fences were removed the
t"ugh> disappointed every one by sitting ike
gcmIlrf0Iks on the benches and feeding the
,ucr"ssiy" gray squirrels under the trees.
Al least if they Wcr" not toughS then there
Hr" no t"ugh~, for no one cam" but to enjoy
III" gardens and allow others to do the same.
CERTAlNlN no public building. church,
Y concert hall or theatre has given the
g pr Ian
has given 20 generation after generation of
young and old Nothing can really cOmpen-
safe one for living in the city but flash
and glimps" Of the country. and II that Hash
and glimpse can be concentrated so as 10
Civ" trees us we'll as grass, flowers as wen
QS foliage and water as we'll as paths, the
city child has foreground for his plays and
pTetends and long, long thoughts that ought
20 save his imagination from sheer atrophy.
There il nothing like a garden for giving
Una long long thoughts that come 10 his
own flower and fruit after a while. | was
talking 10 Prof. Herbert Everett, OF the
University, not long ago. and he confessed
to ING Iuat his summers recreation from III"
history Of art had been bringing bNck 10 If"
uld their original contours old New Eng
land gardens that had been turned into ten
MS courts, croqUet grounds, drying yards,
Shr .hh"rIcs and what not.
In today mail | have Il note from Miss
S0r'Hin, Of the School Of Design, telling N"
two months ON garden architectural design.
This new course will be devoted tu the
study Of garden design. with definite EN-
phasis on the architectural plan and the
design Of garden accessories. II must not y"
confused with the u1unl classes in landscape
architecture.
rI1IIE rchcduied work will be divided into
l. historical study, technical training in
. ruuDusitiUu design and architectural render
ing with also frequent visits to important
gardens, This will be supplemented by addi-
ttonal fre" hand drawing under III" faculty
Of The fine arts. The amount required will
| be dotcrmineI by the need Of the individual
! student.
! Mis-, Elsa Rrhmaun will have rharg" of
this class, Her practical experience as II
lnndscap" architect, added to an unusually
| broad training on architectural lines, will
! make rhr historical, architectural and pruc-
tral aspects Of the work equally balanced
/ and interesting. She will be assisted in spe-
| ra problems and architectural rendcrings