Evening star., 1949-05-12
d. {. Delegation Finds
Philadelphia Backyard
Plan Adaptable Here
By Robert ]. Lewis
Sfor Stoff Cosrespondenf

ceiveo here by Mayor Bernard
Samuel and conducted on a tour
Of a Philadelphia backyard i'm
provement project said today the
Philadelphia plan could be
adapted for use In Washington.
I'VE were very much interested
in the results here and believe
something along similar lines can
be gotten under way in Washing
ton" a spokesman for the group
said.
The delegation was headed by
John h. Connaughton, president
Of the Federation Of Citizens
Associations. His group consti-
tuted a Federation survey SUBJ
committee. chosen with the sup
port Of the Washington Board of
Trade.
The group of five Washington
citizens received yesterday in
Mayor Samuels City Hall Offices
will be expanded later to q total
Of Is or more persons to promote
an improvement program In
Washington, Mr.. Connaughton
explained.
Mayor Samuel told the group
Philadelphia is proud of its i'm
provement program, and that he
believes a similar plan could ben
eft any city.
He emphasized that unsightly
conditions often prevailing in
yards could be eliminated and
homes frightened with paintings
of flowers and shrubbery.
do you know what flowers
are?" the Mayor asked. They
are just as sweet as music"
In Philadelphia the program
was supported by the Citizens
Council for City Planning, whose
president, z. Walter Hudson. also
met the District group. Mr.. Hud-
son is manager of a Philadelphia
apartment hotel. and said he has
other real estate interests. His
organization has 125 member
groups. including the Philadelphia
Chamber of Commerce and other
organizations interested in COM
munity planning.
1.-THE backyard improvement
program does not take the place
of a redevelopment or slum clear
ance program" a Council official
explained. "It doesn't pretend to
be a solution to the housing prob
lem"
The model project inspected by
the group from Washington in
cluded the rear yards of Is row
houses in North Philadelphia. In
the same block the backyards OF
about As other houses face each
other, separated only by a narrow
peaved walkway.
The contrast between the Is
houses in the project and the As
other houses is mainly provided
by fairly uniform trellises, plant
ing and wire fences Of yards in
the project. Yards of the other
houses chiefly have board fences,
planting is not generally so ex-
tensive, and there is no uniform
trellis work.
The project was conceived by
McCall's magazine and publicized
as "Yardville, U. s. A." The work
was paid for by the magazine.
Most of the residents Of the Is
houses in the project own their
homes.
Representative of the magazine,
who accompanied the group on
the tour in cars provided by Mayor
Samuel, said the magazines in
terest was in promoting the idea"
of backyard improvement and in
encouraging neighborhood groups
to get together for that purpose.
"The specific plan that would be
used would be matter for the in
dividlal groups to decide for them
selves to suit their own needs" he
explained.
Besides MIR. Connaughton, the
Washington group included Karl
K. Cover, chairman of the Fed
eration's community cleanup
subcommittee; Ernest F. Henry.
chairman of the same organiza-
tion's refreation committee; Cliff
ford II. Newell. past president OF
the Federation. and Mrs. Ernest
w. Howard, chairman Of the or
ganization's public welfare COM
niftaR