CHAPTER XIII 

 THE RECREATION SERVICE DIVISION 



Inasmuch as all the different types of properties comprised in a park 

 system are intended for the recreation of the people, it follows that the 

 public department charged with the development, government and admin- 

 istration of these properties is functionally a recreation department. To 

 speak of a "recreation division or department" within a park department 

 is therefore somewhat anomalous and must be taken in a more or less 

 restricted, technical sense as applying to certain kinds of recreative service 

 in which the idea of organization and leadership predominates. 



The recreation services of a park department are general and special, 

 unorganized and organized. To the first class of services belong the use 

 of parks by the people in ways that require no organization or supervision 

 other than compliance with certain rules and regulations obeyed willingly 

 by the people themselves or enforced by guards or caretakers. People may 

 come to the parks because of their desire to secure fresh air, bask in the 

 sunshine, enjoy the beauties of nature, to rest and relax, to walk, drive or 

 ride about, to visit with friends, and to picnic. Unless there is too much 

 interference from guards and caretakers parks are also the paradise of 

 lovers. Children may enjoy full play, and the students of nature follow 

 unhindered their particular hobbies. The varied use of parks and park 

 facilities by organized groups under their own leadership, although acting 

 under a permit system of the department, may perhaps be included under 

 this type of service. 



While there are no available records of the volume of this type of recre- 

 ational service of park departments, it is perhaps a fact that its total volume 

 is far greater than the volume of service rendered under a system of defi- 

 nitely organized and supervised use. It is true, of course, that this form 

 of unorganized and unsupervised service may be greatly increased by sys- 

 tematic educational publicity through the organized service division of the 

 department. (See Chapter XIX, "Educational Publicity.") 



To the second class of service belongs the use of parks and especially 

 facilities therein where more or less definite organization of activities and 

 supervision of activities and facilities are required. This type of service has 

 greatly increased during the past twenty-five years and is constantly 

 expanding. As thought of here, it is more comprehensive than the general 

 conception of a recreation division in a park department, including not only 

 children's playgrounds, athletic fields and games, courts and grounds, 



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