PARK 
AND CEMETERY. 
198 
PENSACOLA PLANS A COMPLETE PARK SYSTEM 
City planning and park development 
on broad and comprehensive lines are 
being recognized as necessities by an 
increasing number of progressive cities. 
Nearly all of the larger cities and many 
of the smaller ones have more or less 
official city plans. 
The general city or park plan would 
seem to be particularly necessary for 
cities that are in the range of tourist 
travel. Pensacola, Fla., has recognized 
the value of a complete park system 
as a civic asset by employing George 
E. Kessler, of Kansas City, Mo., to 
prepare a general plan for a park sys- 
tem. The work was done under the 
joint auspices of the City Council and 
the Civic League, and the accompany- 
ing plan indicates a thoroughly feasible 
and sufficiently complete scheme of 
park and boulevard embellishment that 
seems thoroughly warranted and reas- 
onably essential. 
The final most important scheme of 
boulevard connections and encircling 
of the city may be carried out without 
physical difficulties, and while the prin- 
cipal water front is apparently out of 
the question, there is a considerable 
very picturesque line of possible water 
front development along both bayous 
that will do much to compensate for the 
loss of that immediately on the city’s 
front. 
The natural beginning for all im- 
provements in Pensacola is on Palafox 
street, and in fact in the central sec- 
tion of the city. The part of Palafox 
north to Wright requires special con- 
sideration. 
As a fine means of communication 
around the city it would be necessary 
to use Gregory street eastward from 
Palafox Parkway, and directly on that 
street reaching the point of land at the 
mouth of Bayou Texar. At this point 
there is one of the best water front 
views on comparatively high ground 
overlooking a great stretch of water 
and fairly close in town. 
It is feasible to carry an encircling 
driveway and a fringe of park upon the 
westerly shore of Bayou Texar through- 
out its entire distance along the platted 
area of the city to the north. Mr. 
Kessler says in his report that it would 
be a very great misfortune for the 
present, particularly for the future good 
appearance of Pensacola, if use is not 
made of the opportunity for this drive- 
way and parkway improvement along 
these two water front lines. 
The planting plans cover the sugges- 
tions for this entire improvement, and 
it may be worth while calling attention 
to the fact that some use is made of 
some of the palms, both native and ex- 
otic. While the native palm, or rather 
the palm native to the peninsula of 
Florida, is in no sense a shade tree, yet 
Those who are interested in the de- 
velopment of the art of ornamental 
gardening will be glad to learn of the 
fact that the School of Agriculture of 
the Pennsylvania State College has re- 
cently adopted a four-year course in 
Landscape Gardening. This adds one 
more to the very small number of state 
colleges and universities which are of- 
fering professional training of this 
character, and marks another step in 
the rapid growth which is being made 
at this institution, especially along agri- 
cultural lines. 
This course is the result of the work 
of the Department of Horticulture. In 
common with other departments, and 
other institutions of like nature, the de- 
mand for specialization is being felt, 
and is becoming productive of such 
changes as are here taking place, viz., 
the subdivision of the field of horticul- 
ture into its component parts — Pomol- 
ogy, Olericulture, Floriculture, and 
Landscape Gardening. 
The outline of the course indicates 
that it is characterized by the same 
care in the consideration of the relative 
propositions of theoretical and practical 
treatment of each subject as is common 
along the gulf coast it is recommended 
to somewhat emphasize the sub-tropi- 
cal character of the climate and show 
some of the forms of the tropics. 
In the western section of the city, the 
plan suggests the acquisition of four 
blocks for public playgrounds. 
throughout the courses offered by this 
institution. During the first year and 
a half the studies are confined to the 
general scientific subjects common to 
all courses. At the middle of the sec- 
ond year, however, specialization be- 
gins and is continued throughout the 
remaining two and a half years. This 
takes the form of six one-semester sub- 
jects in architectural, mechanical and 
freehand drawing; four one-semester 
subjects in engineering; four in horti- 
culture; four in landscape gardening; 
and one in forestry. Drawing is given 
partly in the School of Engineering and 
partly by the Department of Industrial 
Art. The subjects in horticulture, 
landscape gardening and forestry are 
given in the School of Agriculture, and 
surveying and general engineering are 
given by the School of Engineering. 
This course, as it is stated, is de- 
signed to “offer an opportunity for 
preparation to those who desire to adopt 
ornamental gardening as a profession.’' 
It is to be offered for the first time in 
the fall of 1910. Any inquiries ad- 
dressed to the School of Agriculture, 
State College, Pa., will receive prompt 
attention. 
19 09 
GENERAL • PLAN 
PARK SYSTEM 
PENSACOLA FLORIDA 
GENERAL PLAN FOR PENSACOLA PARK SYSTEM. 
Georg-e E. Kessler, Kansas City, Mo., Landscape Arch. Heavy Black Lines 
Show Proposed Boulevards, and Black Squares Indicate Present Parks. 
SCHOOL of LANDSCAPE GARDENING 
