454 PARKS 



the Board of Recreation Commissioners are the mayor, the entire Park 

 Commission and the president of the School Committee. In Houston, 

 Texas, the president of the Park Board, the president of the School Board, 

 the president of the Library Board, City Health officer and director of the 

 Department of the Public Welfare are all ex officio members of the recreation 

 commission. 



(d) Life Membership. 



In New Haven, Connecticut, three of the nine members of the Board 

 of Park Commissioners are life members. Membership in Colorado Springs 

 Park Commission is practically for life if the members desire to serve as 

 long as they live. 



(e) Service as Park Commissioners by Commissions Elected for Other Offices. 

 The general law in Illinois providing for the creation of forest preserve 



districts provides that when the boundaries of the district are coterminous 

 with an established political division the governing authority of that divi- 

 sion may serve as the governing authority of the district. In accordance 

 with this law the Board of Supervisors of Cook County, who are elected 

 by popular vote, serve as the Cook County Forest Preserve Commis- 

 sioners. In Wayne County, Michigan, the Board of Park Trustees are the 

 same as the Board of County Road Commissioners, who are appointed by 

 the County Board of Supervisors. 



General Comments on Formation of Park Commissions. 



That plan of selecting park commissioners which most definitely 

 removes them from the influences of recurring municipal and county elec- 

 tions and political control is believed to be most desirable to adopt in 

 principle. On the whole the appointment by the mayor has worked satis- 

 factorily in municipalities. 



Appointment by the judges of courts in theory, at least, appears to 

 be a method which has worked admirably. 



Election by popular vote is perhaps more nearly in harmony with the 

 theory and practice of popular government in America than any other plan, 

 and in practice it has met with a considerable degree of success. Outstanding 

 men and women of a community are usually willing to serve as candidates 

 for park commissions because of the nature of the service, whereas they 

 might be hesitant to enter the ordinary political contest. 



Selection of members to fill vacancies by the remaining members with- 

 out reference to any superior authority is so contrary to all theory and 

 practice of popular government in the United States that it is not likely to 

 be widely adopted. The plan is more acceptable when the appointees have 



