THE GARDENERS' CHRONICLE OF AMERICA 
213 
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I American Association of Park Superintendents | 
-m John F. Walsh, Jr., President, Nezv York. 
R. W. CoTTERiLL, Sec.-Treas., Seattle, Washington, i 
Vice-Presidents 
HENRY W. BUSCH, Detroit, Mich. 
HERMAN W. MERKEL, New York, N. Y. 
CLARENCE L. BROCK, Houston, Texas 
ERNST STREHLE, St. Louis, Mo. 
ALEX. STUART, Ottawa, Canada 
CHARLES W. DAVIS, Memphis, Tenn. 
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ONE HUNDRED NEW MEMBERS. 
This article is intended as a personal appeal from the secretary 
to every member of the Association, in lien of two hnndred per- 
•sonal letters, so I ask yonr iiidnlgence with the hope that you 
Avill carefully read and consider every word of this article. 
The subject is of vital importance, as it involves the future 
Avelfare and usefulness of the Association, for, as I hare men- 
i;ioned heretofore, we must eitlier increase our income sufficiently 
to cover the cost of such work as we are now doing, or we must 
■eliminate some tilings y\& have been doing, for at in-esent we 
are not financially a going concern. 
I woxild not like to see us abandon anything we have been 
■doing; in fact, I would rather have us increase our work, but I 
am sure we are getting the best of results for the amount of 
money expended and to discontinue existing features would be a 
step backward, and we ought to be going forward, which unfor- 
"tunately we are not doing. 
Our convention proceedings and bulletins are eagerly sought 
by numicipal reference libraries, public libraries and the libraries 
•of all of the principal universities and colleges and to discontinue 
their publication would be a certain loss of prestige already 
attained. 
Our otHdal oraan is the connecting link between members, be- 
tween conventions, carrying interesting articles and items and 
-such articles as the members may contribute. To eliminate this 
feature would be a loss. 
The secretary receives a salary of $150 per year, with trans- 
portation to the convention. This is not an extravagant ex- 
^lenditure. and my personal experience has been that the -$1.50 
just about covers the other expenses he has in connection with at- 
tendance at the convention. However, perhaps we can secure 
•some philanthropic or wealthy member for secretary who will 
serve gratis and this item can be eliminated. 
The above features, with the expense of stationery and postage, 
■constitutes our annual operating budget, the whole aggregating 
:at the present time about $1,000 per year. 
With a membership of less than 200, the Association annual 
income with dues at .$3 per year ($10 for a few sustaining mem- 
bers) fails to meet this budget, and. with rare exceptions, each 
year finds a number of 'iiold-over" bills awaiting convention 
receipts to pay them off and, except for a brief period each year, 
the Association is in debt, and the secretary has the most \\n- 
plcasant task of being an apologist and standina: of printers 
and publishers until the money comes in. After three vears of 
this sort of thing. I am frank to say that I am discouraccd with 
-the outlook ami want to plead most seriously with tlic niember- 
•ship to remedy this condition. 
Tliere are three ways of doing it: First — The eur.tailment or 
abandonment of work we are doing, as before mentioned. This 
T do not advise, as it would, in my judgment, threaten the future 
•of the Association. 
Second — Increase the annual dues. This. I am s\ire, would 
meet with opposition, and I fear would result in loss of members. 
Third — Increase our membership to at least 300, which M'ould 
insure an adequate annual income. This is the logical and 
sensilile way out of the diflnculty as well as being the means of 
placing the organization on a firmer basis from every stand- 
point. 
Hence, the slogan "100 Xew Members for the St. Louis Con- 
-vention," and I am going to keep dinging this into the member- 
shi|i from now until September. A membership of 300 will mean 
-an income of $1,.500 per year, which will meet our budget and 
leave a working margin for increasing our propagand.a work or 
accumulating a surplus for contingencies. 
Our onerating budget would not be increased materially be- 
cause a larce part of our expense is for printed matter, the prin- 
-cipal cost of which is for the typographical work and an increased 
-quantity would not add materially to the cost. 
One hundred new members is not at all unreasonable if our 
■members will just apply themselves to the task. A study of 
census statistics, reveals the fact that there are sixtv-five cities 
in the United States and Canada with a population of over 50,000 
in which we liave no memliers, while twenty-four of these cities 
have over 100,000 population, and surely have well-organized 
municipal park departments. It is almost unbelievable that at 
this time we have no memljers in such metropolitan cities as 
Philadelphia, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Milwaukee, Indianapolis, 
Columbus, etc. 
Then there are many cities in Avhich we are represented where 
there are other eligible members; there are many small cities 
where there is a jiark organization, and thei-e are many semi- 
public estates whose sviperintendents are eligible. There is no 
question but what there are at least five hundred eligible men 
in executive positions in park work who could be secured for 
memijers if we could just get at them properly. 
It has been customary in past years to send broadcast, ad- 
dressed to the "Superintendent of Parks" or "Park Commission" 
of every city in the country where we were not represented, a 
circular letter and application blank. This is alright in a Avay, 
but experience has proven that it nets but few members, costs 
considerable for wasted stationery, printing and postage and, to 
my mind, it cheapens the organization. 
Personal effort on the part of our members is the thing that 
will count most, for it is the personal a])peal of a friend or 
acquaintance that secures most of tlie new members of any or- 
ganization these days, so I submit herewith a plan of procedure 
which I ^\■ould like every memlier who hasn't a better one to try 
out. 
Get out your Association membership roster and study it care- 
fully as to cities in which we are not rejiresented, particularly 
in your own State or district. You probably know the name 
and title of a number of eligible men in nearby cities, and in 
many cases know them iiersonally or through' correspondence. 
Then take the time and trouble to write each of them a per- 
sonal letter something along the lines of the followine: 
My Dear Mr. ^ 
I am writing you at this time in an endeavor to interest you 
in tlu' matter of membership in the American Association' of 
Park Superintendents, an organization Avhich has been in exist- 
ence for 19 years, conqiosed of park executives and designers 
located in cities of the United States and Canada, its object 
being "the acquirement and dissemination of knowledge, theoreti- 
cal and practical, relating to the development and maintenance 
of parks by means of social intercourse and friendly interchange 
of knoAiledge between its members."' 
An annual convention is held in a city where ]>ark woik is 
being carried forward in a manner which has educational value 
to the convention attendants, pajiers and addresses are presented 
by eminent men of the craft, followed by valuable discussions, 
and best of all are the nnmeroiis man to man conferences regard- 
ing nuilual problems betv\een practical men from all sections 
of the country. 
Convention proceedings, etc., are printed and supplied to mem- 
bers also from time to time, pamphlets or bulletins relating to 
park problems, compiled from contributions by members, also a 
monthly official organ containing articles of value to every park 
man. 
:\tembers naturally pav particular attention to correspondence 
from fellow-members seeking information or ideas and see to it 
that other members are on their mailing lists to rceive annual 
reports of their de|)artu,ent. etc. Personal calls from fellow- 
members means special courlesies and opportunity to investigate 
and inspect. These ti'ings count. 
The admission fee is $10, which includes tlu> first year's dues, 
which are $."i per year thereafter. You are mi doubt eligible for 
nnunbership in our Association, and I should be very glid to have 
yon affiliate with us and if possible attend our next annual con- 
vention, which will be at St. Louis in September. 
If you are interested, I shall be pleased to recommend you for 
admission, and will have our secretary forward you application 
blank and printed matter pertaining to' the Association. 
Hoping to hear from you on the subject at an early date, I 
remain, Yery truly yours, etc. 
