550 PARKS 



In the small system the superintendent must of necessity play the 

 double role of the chief executive and most of the parts played by the 

 divisional chiefs or subordinate executives in large organizations. The 

 functional activities in a small system are not greatly different in content 

 from a large system. Records must be kept, planning and construction 

 work must be done, plantations must be cared for, recreation activities 

 must be provided for and supervised, general maintenance must be carried 

 on, funds must be spent and accounted for and reports must be made. In 

 the small systems the superintendent must take personal charge of all these 

 activities and in many of the systems actually perform most of the duties. 

 He is chief executive, clerk, director of play and recreation, gardener, 

 maintenance foreman, all in one. However, even in small systems, it is 

 desirable to introduce, wherever possible, the semblance of a divisional 

 organization consisting at least of an office division, and if no other provision 

 is made for community recreation, an organized recreation division and a 

 maintenance division. Too many superintendents, even in fairly large sys- 

 tems, are expected or required to spend too much time in clerical work, the 

 result often being that full and complete records are not kept. Every park 

 governing authority in a small community that considers it worth while 

 to employ a trained superintendent should provide the superintendent with 

 an intelligent stenographer-clerk, even if it is only on part time. If the 

 superintendent is not himself a trained recreation organizer, he should be 

 provided with an assistant who is. It is highly desirable, however, that the 

 park and recreation superintendent in small communities be trained in play 

 and recreation organization and leadership. Horticultural training is like- 

 wise of fundamental importance in a unified system, not only because of 

 the constant need of this knowledge in park work but also because of its 

 possible use in the recreational program, a use that has been too much 

 neglected even in the larger systems. Trained play leaders, the number 

 depending upon the number of centers maintained, a few laborers for 

 maintenance, with possibly a capable foreman where the number of laborers 

 and the extent of the maintenance work warrants the employment of a 

 foreman, would complete the staff. 



It is often one of the unfortunate conditions in a small community that 

 the salary which the community is willing or able to pay is not commen- 

 surate with the all round training, versatility and resourcefulness required 

 in the chief executive or superintendent. Park governing authorities in 

 small communities should not hesitate to invest a goodly percentage of 

 their budget in a capable, well-trained executive. They should remember, 

 too, that this expenditure does not represent executive overhead but 

 stands for executive overhead plus the varied services rendered by the 



