250 OUR FEDERAL LANDS 



The first annual report of the new park admin- 

 istration in 1916 ranked National Park purposes as 

 "the stimulation of national patriotism" and "the 

 fostering of knowledge and health." So far, recre- 

 ation had not figured as a principal National Park 

 function. It was the beginning of the "see America 

 first" promotion, and the report stressed National 

 Parks as a factor in holding travel at home, but 

 cautioned that "the fostering of recreation purely as 

 such is more properly the function of the city, county 

 and state parks, and there should be a clear distinc- 

 tion between the character of such parks and Na- 

 tional Parks." It also differentiated National Parks 

 from National Forests. There was never a doubt 

 in the minds of this first administration of the pre- 

 cise nature of the National Parks System and its 

 marked distinction from every other land system in 

 the country. That an official definition of what the 

 country was so absolutely agreed upon should ever 

 be demanded occurred to none of us. 



Probably the first official attempt at definition 

 came from Secretary of Agriculture Houston in his 

 annual report of 1916. "A National Park," he said, 

 "should be created only where there are features of 

 such outstanding importance for beauty as well as 

 for natural marvels that they merit national recog- 

 nition and protection." 



Secretary of the Interior Franklin K. Lane, 

 official custodian of the National Parks System, was 

 far more explicit in his policy statement of May 13, 

 1918, addressed to the Director. 



