IV. PARKS AND PUBLIC GROUNDS. 



Another great class of problems are those coming under 

 the general head of public reservations including greater 

 and lesser parks, city squares, playgrounds and the like, 

 the mere mention of which indicates the variety of condi- 

 tions to be met. Here as in the domestic problem, we have 

 again two main factors, namely: the local and the personal. 

 In these problems, however, as we are now dealing with per- 

 sons in the mass, the latter element becomes more stable and 

 we strive to determine the wants of the average personality 

 rather than those of the special or distinctive one. The 

 Romans, as we earlier noted, showed us many vital principles 

 in such designs and not the least in their study for the dis- 

 tribution of these areas throughout the city. 



Definiteness of purpose is always to be maintained; that 

 of a great country park for a large city being to afford perfect 

 relief and rest to the tired citizen by offering to him and pre- 

 serving for him the contrast of broad restful rural scenery 

 unmarred by any of the sights and sounds of city life. This 

 involves many considerations as to the choice of the tract of 

 land, its bounds, its present scenic effect, its accessibility, 

 and the design of roads and paths through it so that the public 

 may enjoy but not destroy its beauties. Notable examples 

 of the very best of this sort of design in this country are 

 Central Park in New York, Prospect Park in Brooklyn, and 

 Franklin Park in Boston, all the work of the elder Olmsted 

 and subjects of the most careful study by all his followers. 

 Space allows mention only of such important problems com- 

 ing under this general head as public gardens, city squares 

 and playgrounds, all requiring distinctive treatment. 



The distribution of city parks, squares and playgrounds 

 brings with it the problem of connecting parkways involving 

 much careful thought as to location and details of grades and 

 so on. Perhaps the banks of a hitherto neglected sluggish 

 stream until now an unsightly dumping ground, can be trans- 

 formed by careful design into beautiful parkways. Never 

 has this been better done than in the case of the "Riverway," 

 a part of Boston's parkway system leading from the city 

 proper to Franklin Park. Beautiful and natural as this all 



