LESSON 42 
SMALL TOWN SQUARE 
HIS lesson is intended to give an opportunity 
for the study of small town parks of the type 
very commonly found in America, especially in 
the smaller towns and cities of the middle west. 
The typical park of this character consists of a 
square bounded by rectangular streets. Front- 
ing upon this lot may be either business houses 
or residences, or both. These spaces which are almost universally 
called parks should be given the less ambitious and more accurate 
name of squares. 
Discussion 
During the development of the checker-board towns and cities 
of the middle west single or double squares were rather frequently 
set aside as parks. It was sometimes expected that these spaces 
should be occupied by public buildings. In other instances it was 
the obvious intention that they should be planted with trees and 
maintained for the adornment of the city. 
Although the purposes to which such land might be put were 
undoubtedly vague in the minds of the creators, the reservation of 
such open spaces was exceedingly fortunate. No city could be found 
where such reservations are now considered too many or too large. 
On the other hand a great many towns could be found, and more 
especially larger cities, where more frequent breaks of this sort are 
now known to be highly desirable. 
The first point to be understood, therefore, is that all these 
spaces should now be kept in public ownership, and should be kept 
open and free from buildings at whatever cost. A few of these 
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