38 



to which I belong myself. It commemorates no less than 

 Brooklyn seems not to believe in saints, but it believes in 

 another order of exalted creatures, namely, the 'Mac' family, 

 three of this family, namely McCarren and McLoughlin and 

 McKinley. Brooklynites prefer these to the names of saints. 



" I congratulate the neighbors of this park on its interesting 

 name. 



" When I came to New York City, near thirty years ago, 

 my three boys were each under ten years of age. I had the 

 good fortune, after long searching for a house, to make my 

 home within half a block of a small park. It had only about 

 two acres, and the expense of its upkeep was not met by the 

 City, but by a charge on the adjacent property which added 

 something to our rents. I would gladly have paid twice the 

 added rent rather than lose this place for my boys for their 

 running out-of-doors and playing wholesome games. The 

 dwellers near St. Mary's possess, in this small park, a valuable 

 property, such to bring returns of health and recreation to 

 their children. Perhaps you pay higher rents because you live 

 near this property. Whether you do or do not, you have espe- 

 cial obligation to see that the park is taken care of. You should 

 look to it that the City government and police protect its grass, 

 its trees, its shrubbery, and its flowers. It would be well if 

 those living within a block should appoint a committee to look 

 after it and to prosecute those who damage it. Just because, 

 as I said in the beginning, St. Mary's is named after a woman 

 and a saint, it makes a demand on the courtesy and chivalry 

 of the boys who enjoy this park to pay honor to their own 

 mothers by taking the best of care of it. You should all see 

 to it, because of its name, that it is the cleanest and brightest 

 and most attractive park within the whole hundred miles 

 which bound our great city." 



After Comm. Higgins had responded, Mr. Geo. E. Stone- 

 bridge, recording secretary of the Society, said : 



' Thirty-five years ago, while I was living in the mining 

 town of Nevada City, California, a lady said to me: 'When 



