262 
PARK AND C EM ET ER i' 
Plan for a Small Town Park 
At Milford, N. H., a town of 3,500 in- 
habitants, an unusually progressive school 
committee working with the townspeople, 
has awakened public sentiment to the lit- 
tle recognized fact that rural communities 
need parks and playgrounds in their way 
as much as, if not more than, urban cen- 
ters of population. Not only has active 
interest been aroused to these civic duties 
and responsibilities, but, realizing their ina- 
bility to complete such a project at one 
time, the committee has sought the advice 
of Francis Asbury Robinson, landscape 
architect, of Boston, who, after a sum- 
mer's study of the town's recreation needs, 
has submitted a solution in the form of a 
comprehensive plan and report for future 
development which may be followed 
through changing administrations without 
prejudicing the integrity of the result. 
It has been only recently, however, that 
the smaller communities have come to un- 
derstand that it is not only cities that must 
provide such open areas for their inhabi- 
ants, but towns as well. Definite areas are 
beginning to be set aside by progressive 
towns like Milford where people may go 
for recreation and for the mere enjoyment 
of seeing beautiful scenes and learning 
more, perhaps, of birds, trees and flowers, 
with which Nature has so bountifully en- 
dowed them. One of the most important 
factors in the country park, however, is the 
provision of playfields for the boys and 
girls in the community. In the country, 
perhaps, even more than in urban commu- 
nities, the need is urgent for directing the 
energy and enthusiasm of youth into chan- 
nels which shall create within them a 
higher and better appreciation of the world 
and their own relation to it. 
Endicott Park, which is the name given 
to the triangular strip of land under con- 
sideration, is situated near the center of 
the town, just in back of the high school 
and covers an area of about 1014 acres. It 
is bounded on the south by private grounds 
and the cemetery, and on the other two 
sides by the winding Souhegan River, 
which at this point widens out, affording 
pleasant views of the residential section of 
the town, and beyond the meadows the 
distant foothills of the White Mountains. 
-A. narrow strip of land on which the high 
school is located connects the park with the 
main highway. It is of varying topography, 
but of two quite distinct kinds, a large flat 
area toward the south separated from an- 
other flat table land to the north by a steep 
embankment which runs practically through 
the center of the property and then at both 
its extremities along the southwest and 
southeast shore of the river. 
In an area of this kind, which depends so 
much for its beauty upon the natural ad- 
vantages of location, vegetation and scen- 
ery it possesses, Mr. Robinson strongly 
urged that the first consideration and the 
dominant factor in any schemes for de- 
velopment should be to preserve in-so-far 
as possible all the existing features that are 
of value and interest consistent with the 
uses to which it is to be put, so that in the 
end man's handiwork will be seen as little 
as possible. He feels that in the topography 
practically no change should l^e made, par- 
ticularly as this property is divided natu- 
rally into two large flat areas, which, with 
a little grading, can be used admirably for 
playground purposes. 
The upper area the landscape architect 
would divide into three distinct parts: (1) 
a playground near the school for the chil- 
dren at recess and older girls at other 
hours where high planting will seclude 
them from view; (2) football field, track, 
and two miniature diamonds for the small- 
er boys, and (3) tennis courts which com- 
mand excellent distant views. 
The lower ground he finds most eco- 
nomically and naturally to divide itself into 
an area for a full sized diamond oriented 
in the reverse position from the one now 
adopted, in order to take advantage of the 
shape of the ground and the position of 
the sun. In addition, he suggests two se- 
cluded areas for small girls’ and small boys' 
playgrounds with apparatus where play 
may be supervised most carefully. 
On the shore of the riv.er a bath and 
locker house, with provision for boating, 
would be provided where a fine sand beach 
offers splendid opportunity for bathing. 
In the pine grove, which separates the 
upper and lower levels, a rest house for 
picnic parties with sand boxes nearby for 
the smaller children has been su.ggested 
where shelter may be found. 
Winter sports and school gardens also 
would have their place in this well ordered 
scheme. 
In order to reap the full benefit of the 
playgrounds as planned, particularly where 
apparatus is installed, it becomes an abso- 
lute necessity for some sort of intelligent 
supervision. Play without some guidance 
is sporadic, even harmful, and certainly 
ineffectual in producing the most salutary 
results. Children in the country, where so 
seldom they have such direction in their 
expression of the natural play instinct, re- 
main practically impoverished amidst in- 
calculable wealth of opportunity. The ex- 
pense for proper supervision is so slight as 
compared to the great increased value of 
the product, not only to themselves and 
their families, but to the communitj- at 
large, that few towns can afford to do= 
without it. 
Provision would be made for an encir- 
cling roadway entering from the main 
highway through dignified piers and gate- 
way. 
About the school building and the various 
play areas appropriate plantings have been 
suggested, and thinning of the existing 
growth along the shore recommended to 
open up views of tbe meadows and distant 
mountains. 
With such a comprehensive developm.ent 
definitely recorded before them, the people 
of Milford, because of their ambition and 
energy, may look forward to the future as- 
sured that their foresight will provide their 
town with healthier, happier and more effi- 
cient citizens for the next generations. 
The Obituary Record 
William Boon, 66 years old, general man- 
ager, secretary and treasurer of the Oak- 
wood Cemetery Association of Syracuse, 
N. Y., for sixteen years and a well known, 
resident, died September 23 at the family 
residence, after a ten days’ illness. Mr. 
Boon was born in England, but had lived 
in Syracuse thirty-seven years. For more 
than twenty years he was connected with 
the Robert Gere Bank and sixteen years 
ago became identified with the cemetery 
association. Besides his widow, he is sur- 
vived by a son, William Frederick Boon; 
two daughters, Mrs. Louis Baker Phillips 
of Scranton, Pa., and Mrs. Alice Spinello 
of Syracuse, and two grandsons, Harold 1 
Boon Phillips and Louis Baker Phillips Jr. 
Charles Byrne is now superintendent of- 
the cemetery. 
