64 PARKS 



used of giving noontime talks at factories and between the acts at theatres. 

 Clergymen should be urged to mention from the pulpit the importance of 

 parks and recreation. 



Slides aid materially in these talks and a small stereopticon picture 

 machine can easily be carried from place to place. Similarly the whole 

 story may be told by the use of motion picture reels. 



Charts, Posters and Demonstrations. Posters made possibly by the 

 school children and placed in store windows always attract interest. Charts 

 containing brief facts and quotations catch the interest of some people. If 

 the particular purpose of the campaign is to extend the recreational activ- 

 ities of the park system and play administration a general play festival will 

 be helpful. 



How SOME COMMUNITIES HAVE CONDUCTED THEIR CAMPAIGNS 



A Successful Campaign in a Small Community. A public-spirited 

 citizen of Xville, a community of thirty thousand people, purchased, devel- 

 oped, endowed and gave to the city a large park of approximately two 

 hundred and sixty acres. This was the beginning of interest in public parks 

 in Xville. The next step was taken by the Common Council, which passed 

 an ordinance creating a park board under the authority of the state enabling 

 act. As soon as this board had been appointed, an expert park planner was 

 called in to make a survey and outline general plans for a park system and 

 make suggestions for the development of individual properties which were 

 to be secured. 



Soon after the arrival of the planner, a public mass meeting was held 

 for the purpose of presenting to the public the tentative plan for a park 

 system and its advantages. The publicity for the meeting was excellent 

 and there was a large attendance. The mayor presided. The speakers 

 pointed out the importance of the provision of sites for parks and play- 

 grounds to meet the needs of all people in all parts of the city not only for 

 the present, but as far as possible for the future. They showed that park 

 lands would never again be so cheap; that once acquired they would steadily 

 increase in value; that the experience of cities which have judiciously 

 undertaken park improvements has demonstrated that they pay for them- 

 selves and that adoption of a permanent park policy is more likely to bring 

 rich gifts of land and money for park purposes. 



At the conclusion of the mass meeting a resolution was adopted approv- 

 ing of the tentative plans and of the creation of the park commission by 

 the city government and heartily endorsing the proposed action to levy a 

 special tax of one mill for park purposes. The meeting also favored the 

 issuing of bonds in amounts necessary to carry out the recommendations. 



