PARK AND CEMETERY 
AND LANDSCAPE GARDENING. 
Vol. XXI Chicago, September, 1911 No. 7 
The Philadelphia Convention of the A. A. C. S. 
The twenty-fifth annual convention of the Association 
of American Cemetery Superintendents, which has just 
concluded its proceedings at Philadelphia, and of which 
a full account is given in other columns, probably sur- 
passes in general interest any of its former annual gath- 
erings. It is hard to conceive that any organization of 
its character could do more for the permanent benefit 
of its country in twenty-five years of existence than what 
has been accomplished by the cemetery superintendents’ 
association. It is not too much to say that its influence 
has verj'- materially contributed to the progress of land- 
scape development throughout this broad land, and the 
program prepared for this recent convention emphasized 
the fact that the educational idea is still paramount as an 
■essential principle of the association’s work. While most 
of the leading cemeteries of the country and many smaller 
ones are represented in the ranks of its membership, to 
effectively reach the cemetery managements of the latter is 
still a serious problem. However, there are signs of 
progress in numerous smaller burial grounds, showing 
that the leaven is working, and it may be happily assumed 
that every year will witness a more rapid advance in the 
improvement of the rural cemetery. 
Ng Ng 
Public Comfort Stations 
While many of the larger cities are giving more or less 
attention to providing “public comfort stations,” notably 
Washington, San Francisco, New York, Chicago, etc., 
this very necessary municipal problem is still very much 
in the background. It might be said that in this respect, 
we are away behind the up-to-date modern municipality 
in foreign countries. It is quite an expensive proposi- 
tion at this late day, but altogether an essential one, and 
no city-planning or city-improvement scheme should be 
admitted to serious consideration that does not possess 
adequate provision for such conveniences. From both 
the sanitary standpoint and also that of appearances such 
structures in our public parks have usually been reflec- 
tions on the management, and totally unworthy of the 
environment;, whereas it is quite possible, even when 
isolated buildings, to make them architecturally attractive 
and to harmonize with the surroundings. The same 
strictures apply in a greater or less degree to our larger 
cemeteries; the need of such public accommodations is 
really more important than provisions for other natural 
requirements and therefore should certainly receive the 
necessary attention. 
Ng Ng Vg 
Renewed Activity in the Billboard Problem 
The bill passed by the recent New York legislature, 
and which became operative on September 1, by which 
the wayside scenery of the state might be cleaned of 
billboards and such forms of advertising, resulted in an 
active campaign on the part of the Automobile Club of 
America, and other associations interested, to rid the 
highways of obnoxious advertising. A large amount of 
legal destruction has already been accomplished, and so 
far as public thoroughfares are concerned, there is no 
Teason, under such a law, for any commercial signs to 
be seen in the future in New York state. If all the states 
could be induced to pass fairly and justly restrictive leg- 
islation on this phase of public advertising, a solution of 
the property rights versus public welfare problem, as it 
relates to the very obnoxious billboard, would soon be 
reached. It is very unfortunate that court decisions on 
the question should differ so widely, and it would seem 
that such differences should not exist. The Tacoma way 
of revoking the licenses of dealers selling liquors, beer 
or other intoxicants which were advertised on billboards 
within the city limits, is worthy of consideration in other 
communities. 
sg Ng 
Park Conditions in New York City 
New York City’s parks are publicly talked of as a dis- 
grace, and while the park commissioner admits the facts 
he claims that he is “doing his best.” Realizing the politi- 
cal conditions which have usually controlled the public 
works affairs of that city one does not wonder, and may 
often indulge in the wish that park conditions may re- 
main just so bad until the citizens gather strength enough 
to demand a change, and that the money contributed by 
them for municipal purposes shall be intelligently and 
honestly administered. The nation’s so-called metropolis 
is woefully behind in both the care and development of 
its park system as a whole. As a city it does not seem 
to understand the purpose of parks under modern in- 
telligence, and there is no doubt whatever, as between 
the two cities, Chicago could give New York some valu- 
able information on the subject as well as show results 
from far better methods. The people of Chicago are 
alert nowadays to prevent malign influences from inter- 
fering with their parks, as was evidenced in the recent 
public condemnation of certain appointments made in park 
officialdom, in the West Side and Lincoln Park systems. 
“Keep off the grass” signs are much too much in evidence 
in the New York parks, which belong to the people after 
all, and children’s playgrounds are few and far between 
as it were. It is to be hoped that the new superintendent 
may be able to stem the unfortunate prevailing current. 
Ng vg vg 
Value of Attending Conventions 
It is a matter of frequent comment that at so many 
important association conventions the attendance of mem- 
bers and others interested is not what s’nould have been 
expected, or possibly what it might have been had the 
importance of the gathering and the information to be 
obtained been seriously considered. At the meeting of 
the American Association of Park Superintendents at 
Kansas City, which was recorded in the August issue, 
the attendance was far from what might have been ex- 
pected, and could the park commissioners and officials of 
the country have realized the inspiration and instruction, 
which must necessarily result from the opportunity that 
was presented of examining a park and boulevard system 
that in many respects is unequaled anywhere, we have 
no doubt of its effect. The benefits always to be derived 
from an interchange of ideas on subjects of common 
interest with men of wide experience in park develop- 
ment and management, and all that broad subject stands 
for today, should be a compelling influence on the at- 
tendance, and it is a short-sighted policy on the part of 
the officials “higher up” that they do not interest them- 
selves more seriously in convention matters. 
