OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS 



69 



REPORTS OF CHAPTERS 



BOSTON SOCIETY OF LANDSCAPE 

 ARCHITECTS 



The Boston Society of Landscape Archi- 

 tects was organized January 23. 1913, with 

 twenty-seven Charter Members. In December 

 1921 it had twenty-five members, one hon- 

 orary member and one associate member. The 

 Society became a Chapter of the American 

 Society of Landscape Architects on Decem- 

 ber 21, 1914. 



It has held an average of four meetings 

 yearly. Once each year since 1915 it has par- 

 ticipated in a Boston meeting of the American 

 Society. In 1915 and in several subsequent 

 years it has held field days, visiting works of 

 landscape architecture near Boston. Meetings 

 have been well attended by members and their 

 guests and the discussion of papers and topics 

 presented has been keen. 



The business of the Societj' has been car- 

 ried on by an Executive Committee of five, 

 which has met several times each year to 

 transact its business. 



In February 1915 the Society held its first 

 Exhibition. In November 1916. November 

 1917. April 1920 and February 1921. the So- 

 ciety co-operated with the Boston Society of 

 .'Architects and others in a joint exhibition that 

 attracted considerable attendance and pub- 

 licity. 



The Society has investigated and reported 

 on pending legislation on city planning and 

 related matters and has supported such meas- 

 ures as were deemed sufficiently meritorious. 

 It has taken a positive stand against state 

 registration of landscape architects or such 

 registration of architects or engineers as 

 would interfere with the landscape architects' 

 reasonable field of practice. 



Since 1917 the Society has been affiliated 

 with the Massachusetts Federation of Planning 

 Boards and has co-operated with it in such 

 matters as securing laws permitting zoning 

 and regulating bill-boards and securing a state 

 Division of Housing and Town Planning to 

 promote local activity by Planning Boards. 

 Recently the Society has become a member of 



the New England Trail Conference, active in 

 securing responsible maintenance of foot- 

 trails and developing a system of through 

 trails, particularly in New England highlands, 

 an clement of regional planning and the re- 

 creational system. 



Special Committees have done important 

 work in many directions, notably in promoting 

 an adequate development of the Back Bay 

 Fens in the Boston park system and in pre- 

 paring for distribution jointly with the Bos- 

 ton Society of Architects an illustrated 

 pamphlet on War Memorials. 



II. 



NEW YORK CHAPTER 



Looking back over his memories and over 

 the records of the New York Chapter during 

 its eight years of existence since 1914, the 

 writer finds its history to be made up of hopes, 

 plans and aspirations more or less imperfectly 

 realized. It is of interest to note the plans 

 for the future that were subjects of current 

 discussion among members and were sum- 

 med up by F. Vitale in his program of De- 

 cember 22, 1915: 



A series of dinners to prominent artists, to 

 park department authorities and to editors. 



A public exhibition of our work. 



Greater eflforts for co-operation with socie- 

 ties of allied arts. 



Greater interest in horticultural exhibitions. 



Greater activity in the Architectural League. 



Publicity, based on accomplished work of 

 members. 



Revival of lunch meetings. 



More and better personal intercourse. 



Criticism of each other's work. 



Summer meetings and visits to works of 

 landscape design. 



Record of employes of all classes. 



Closer touch with nurserymen. 



Closer touch with schools and universities. 



Definite progress has been made in the di- 

 rection of most of these, much progress in 

 some of them. The progress continues and 

 should do so. But, to the writer, it seems that 

 by far the greatest progress made by the 

 Chapter has been in wider and closer touch 



