Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-08-01
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES Z. TRACEWELL.

/ figure which stood squarely above him
gazing stolidly into space.
y 4
Even II a portion of the entire Mall
| space Is taken up with buildings, there
| will be enough park space left, II would
seem, to enhance the sense Of openness
which Washington now enjoys.
Some Of the solid charm Of this city,
| felt by all visitors, and known by daily
contacts to it's residents, lies in the
smaller parks sprinkled around the vari-
Gus sections.
Irrespective Of the greater areas such
as Rock Greek Park, the squares and
circles and triangles have definite
function to perform.
| AS Jones settled himself In hts train,
he fell to thinking back over the many
happy hours. as child and man, which
he had spent In those parks.
Usually ne had a book with him.
He was never too busy TO spend q
| few minutes in rest on q bench, when
ever he happened to go through park.
Templeton Jones did not believe that
park systems anywhere had such COM
| Portable benches as the Washington
parks have contained for the last quar-
ter of a century.
The backs and seats required no
turning and twisting to get comfortable,
as was so often the case in benches
found in private places.
| Jones wondered IL some of the new
| tangled typss, which he had seen re-
Gently in several parks could touch
/ the old ones IN solid comfort.
! Widening of park walks, especially
| those in concrete. had not added any
thing to the appearance OF these happy
resting places, with their old trees, green
/ ND A0Wprg
II takes an astonishing amount OF
ereenery to dispel the illusion of bleak
ness encountered in q too abundant use
of white cement.
| Every park devotee, too, was forever
quarreling with the park innovations
such as the ornamental saucer and
horse shoe ring in Dupont Circle.
No artist could convince Templeton
| Jones that the present fountain. with
its nymphs. is half as good a memorial
to a man of war as the rearing eQues-
trienne group which he recalled from
childhood DAYS.
Nor was he In favor Of the huge cir
culsr walk, which, like a circus road,
runs around the circumference of Du-
port Circle
Perhaps he was lamenting the passing
Of the sense of privacy which one for
merly had. 1t was possible. in the old
days. to come there on a cool afternoon,
and spend several hours reading as
quietly as II one had been In his own
home.
As Jones train drew out from beneath
The umbrella sheds at last. some breeze
replacing the stagns Mt heat of Summer
he fell to thinking of old Omars verses.
in which the poet stated that II it were
/ possible for man to conspire with the
Creator. he would tear sthe world to bits
and mold 1t nearer to the hearts desire.
Templeton Jones thought that the re-
building program was actually such a
tearing to bits and rebuilding nearer to
the hearts desire. Here was idealism
bodily taking form. Not every one
would be able to agree with every item
In the program. Of course.
Jones had wondered about the Dis
tlict Building. 1t was absurdly ike the
| greater new building to the west. and
with q cleaning and internal ref,lrbish-
ing would be in entire harmony. II
seemed to him.
Personal ideas. however. in no wsy
/ effected the ma iesty OF the plans. as a
/ whole, in which buildings and psrkings
will be tied together in one scheme OF
beauty for the enhancing of the lowell
! ness OF the National Capital.