56 
PARK AND CEMETERY 
I 
MassacHxisetts Conference for Town and Village Betterment 
The Massachusetts Conference for Town and 
Village Betterment, which met in Boston on May 
4 ; was significant as showing the wide scope of 
village improvement work as interpreted in Massa- 
chusetts. The subjects discussed and which have 
been discussed during the past meetings of the 
Conference include many things beyond the mere 
environment and its improvement. They show that 
the local societies in Massachusetts are aiming at 
the citizen himself as the real objective, and that 
these societies are finding pleasant and profitable 
work in reaching prospective citizens through the 
schools, playgrounds, gardens, and by other pro- 
cesses most of which are of recent development. 
Mr. George E. Johnson of Hyde Park in his 
paper on playgrounds for country children showed 
the great need of such institutions in the country 
where they are ordinarily considered as unneces- 
sary. He described the Andover Play Schools 
where he was formerly located as superintendent of 
schools. These are conducted by a local society 
and in their work they recognize the value of the 
play instinct in children and aim to give them op- 
portunities for gratifying this instinct. This is the 
real work of children and its proper recognition 
and use, Mr. Johnson says, develops the natural 
abilities and broadens the senses of children. 
The Round Table Conference which followed Mr. 
Johnson’s paper was in the main a discussion of 
of ways of interesting and employing country chil- 
dren to their advantage, with particular refer- 
ence to those things which take the place of the 
old home industries which have disappeared under 
the factory system. Professor Charles Eliot Nor- 
ton, the founder of the Ashfield experiment, told 
about the work there and why it was established. 
Pie said that they found that Ashfield was losing its 
population and that it had lost practically every- 
thing which made it an interesting place in which 
to live. Professor Norton thinks that the main 
need of the so-called decadent village is for some- 
thing which will make life more interesting, as 
interest in life and in one’s environment is in his 
mind an absolute essential. Eor this reason he 
established the custom of giving prizes on Labor 
Day to the children who have done successfully 
practically anything which a child may do in con- 
nection with his environment. This includes the 
collection of flowers, minerals and woods, and the 
making of such articles as canes, seating chairs, 
sewing and other forms of manual employment. 
The value of sloyd for country children was 
shown by Mrs. W. W. Ollendorff of West Medway 
and Mr. Edward E. Bradley of Lincoln. They both 
brought out that sloyd is a means of securing em- 
ployment which is interesting and helpful to the | 
boys. Mrs. Ollendorff’s experience was par- | 
ticularly interesting because she showed that at an 
expense of fifty dollars from twelve to sixteen boys ! 
have been occupied during the winter with satis- | 
factory results. Mr. Bradley entered upon the 
work simply as a means of bringing himself into j 
closer contact with the boys in ways which would 
appeal to them. 
The Cohasset Guild Hall, described by Mr. How- 
ard Key Bartow, was established for practically the 
same purpose. 
Mr. Henry Turner Bailey told how many things 
the schools are now doing for the boy which were 
formerly prohibited. He said that he "was himself 
once punished for using a red pencil by having his 
hands tied behind him. Now color and drawing are 
both taught in the schools. Once boys were 
flogged for whittling in school, while now they 
whittle and do many other things which develop 1. 
the ability to use tools. Most of the things which 
boys considered worth while and which form an : 
essential part of a boy’s life were formerly pro- ' 
hibited. They are now a regular part of the cur- i 
riculum. ' 
Rev. Henry C. Kimball of South Weymouth ' 
described the value of the federated church as a i 
social factor. He explained that at present churches , 
in the rural communities are usually the main force ! 
tending towards differences and disintegration. ! 
Eederated in the true sense, they might do many 
things from the community standpoint which 
would be helpful and which would increase their 
hold on the people. Among other things he said 
that they should be able to provide a sick room 
equipment; day and Sunday kindergartens for chil- 
dren ; a village parish house, which would serve 
as a social center; gymnasium; public baths and 
swimming tanks; neighborhood guilds, which 
would meet the needs for mutual improvement and 
helpfulness ; a community nurse ; courses of lec- 
tures and concerts ; etc. 
Mr. George L. Munn of Easthampton described 
the Easthampton method of celebrating the Eourth 
of July. He showed how the men and boys that were 
usually Fourth of July problems have been made 
useful by a simple method of directing their ener- 
gies. One of the worst characters has dignified a 
new and gorgeous uniform and successfully di- 
rected a large body of boys who were given a place 
in the parade. Every element in the community 
was given some part to perform and was required 
to perform it well. 
