108 PARKS 



park and recreation executive in charge. The same may as truthfully be 

 said of the majority of the incorporated places from 2.500 to 8,000 popu- 

 lation. Nearly all these small municipalities are business, social and recrea- 

 tional centers for the surrounding open country population who may make 

 almost as much use of parks and other recreation facilities provided by the 

 villages and small cities as the inhabitants of the villages and cities them- 

 selves. The only effective and equitable way of acquiring, developing, oper- 

 ating and maintaining the necessary recreation area and facilities under 

 such conditions is to make use of a larger political unit with larger revenue- 

 producing resources. The county is an admirable unit for this purpose, as 

 has been demonstrated by the county school systems and by the few county- 

 parks systems organized under such conditions. 



