10 
PARK AND CEMETERY 
IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATIONS 
CONDUCTED BY 
FRANCES COPLEY SEAVEY, 
- 
SOME FOREIGN WORK AND WORKERS. 
The Metropolitan Public Gardens Association of 
L.ondon, England, has been called “the most import- 
ant Improvement Association in the world,” and its 
work certainly justifies the expression. 
In the United States, the first work of Improve- 
ment Societies is to “clean up;” abroad, this stage 
has been passed and with clean streets a fixed fact 
and the garbage question finally and satisfactorily dis- 
posed of, the primary work of such organizations is 
recreation. So we find that the objects of this great 
Society, as set forth at its in- 
ception in 1882 is to “supply one 
of the most pressing wants ot 
the poorer districts of London 
by providing breathing and 
resting-places for the old, and 
playgrounds for the young, m 
the midst of densely populated 
localities.” 
The work of the Association, 
as announced in its annual re- 
port, is as follows : 
“To endeavor to secure for 
purposes of health and recrea- 
tion, available vacant plots of 
ground, large or small, within 
the Metropolitan area; to ob- 
tain the right of laying out, and 
planting and seating, all dis- 
used burial grounds, waste 
places and enclosed squares. 
These, according to the circum- 
stances of the case and the re- 
quirements of the locality, will be laid out either as 
gardens, or as garden and playground combined, or 
as playgrounds pure and simple. 
“The first will be merely resting-places, designed 
principally for adults, well provided with benches ; as 
far as is consistent with economy they will be made 
attractive by means of grass and flowers, shrubs and 
trees. 
“Second — Garden and playground. Here the 
comfort and pleasure of children will be studied. There 
will be broad stretches of concrete pavement or gravel 
paths, interspersed with shrubs, trees, grass and seats. 
“Third — The playgrounds will be exclusively for 
the use of children, who will be watched over by some 
intelligent man in charge of the ground, who, during 
certain hours, would be able to instruct the children 
in simple gymnastics. 
“Before laying out each ground for its special pur- 
pose, the Association arranges for its permanent 
maintenance, either by securing its transfer to the 
London County Council, or Local Authority, under 
the Open Spaces Acts or by obtaining special annual 
grants from public bodies or private individuals, in 
which case it retains the maintenance in its own hands, 
e. g.. Tower Gardens, etc. But the Association stead- 
ily declines to make the permanent maintenance of 
any ground a charge upon its general funds, which are 
wdiolly required for laying out, and other purposes.” 
This Association has during the eighteen years ot 
its existence “carried out 400 undertakings of the most 
varied character, all of which are intended to contrib- 
ute to health and happiness.” (Miss Dock’s words 
are too apt to be replaced by any others). 
A report kindly furnished by the Secretary of the 
organization serves to further elucidate its objects and 
w'ork. He says : “Its aim is to provide public gar- 
dens, gymnasia and playgrounds for children, in poor 
and crowded localities ; to plant trees and place seats 
in thoroughfares, and to promote any move tending 
to improve the health and physical welfare of the peo- 
ple. The Association has itself laid out and opened 
105 gardens and playgrounds, besides assisting in a 
far larger number of similar schemes in conjunction 
with other societies and with individuals ; it has se- 
cured the placing of seats in certain railway stations 
w'here they were conspicuous by their absence ; has se- 
cured the opening of the playgrounds on Saturdays 
(the one day of the week, being a whole holiday, on 
which they can be most thoroughly enjoyed) of more 
than 200 schools which were formerly closed ; and has 
secured and laid out as public gardens about 120 
TOWER GARDENS, EONDON, ENGLAND. 
