ARCHITECTURE IN PARKS 



English have not developed their i^ark architecture beyond the make- 

 shift stage, for their leadership in domestic architecture might extend 

 to this field and result in beautiful combinations of park buildings and 

 gardening. 



RESIDENCES FOR OFFICIAES QUESTIONABLE 



In addition to other park buildings, many of our cities have pro- 

 vided residences for the park superintendent, head gardener, and other 

 heads of the park force, either by erecting new buildings or by retaining 

 buildings which existed on the property when originally taken over for 

 park purposes. It is a question whether it is even good business policy 

 to have such buildings a part of a park system. If such park officials 

 are worthy of their hire, it is unfair to require them to accept a portion 

 of their remuneration in this way, for many men feel it in a sense 

 demeaning to be stamped by their living quarters as a part of the park 

 system rather than as governing it. On the other hand, mediocre men 

 in these positions are frequently receiving a higher remuneration than 

 would be approved were their rate of compensation expressed in such 

 a way as to show to the auditor or the taxpayers an actual accounting. 

 In either case it is extremely questionable whether park lands should 

 be devoted to this purpose, for frequently quite large areas about such 

 residences are actually fenced off as private, or at least given so 

 strongly the character of a private estate as to tangibly detach them 

 from park areas and, in that sense, isolate considerable portions of the 

 park from public use. 



COTTAGES FOR PARK WORKiMEX INSTEAD 



A suggestion, on the other hand, which might be given tentative 

 consideration is the matter of providing cottages or community houses 

 for park employees. The objection that this would entail even greater 

 sacrifice of park area than the residences of park superintendents and 

 other executives is not so vital in this case, because quarters for the 



196 



