PARK AND CEMKTERY 
248 
PLAN FOR SCHOOL GROUNDS, EXCELSIOR, MINN., BYgFRANK H. NUTTER. SCALE, 1 INCH = 36 FEET. 
SCHOOL GROUNDS, EXCELSIOR, MINN. 
The accompanying diagram shows a plan for the 
planting and improvement of a small school ground, 
prepared for the Excelsior Improvement League, Ex- 
celsior, Minn., by Erank H. Nutter, of Minneapolis. 
The school building is a substantial brick structure, 
standing on the brow of a hill, with a plateau in front. 
The rear elevation and outbuildings beyond are quite 
prominent, and the vines and thick trees were de- 
pended on to give more privacy and shelter. 
The graveled playgrounds are quite small, but the 
village “commons” on the lake shore, a few blocks 
away, furnish room for the regular sports and games. 
It is the intention of the league to arouse the in- 
terest of the school-children in the beautifying of 
their grounds and to secure their co-operation in 
planting specimens from the neighboring woods and 
fields, while local nurseries, of which there are sev- 
eral, could contribute to the cultivated varieties. 
The planting plan in detail is as follows, as shown 
by the numbers on the accompanying diagram : 
I, Trees now standing and to be retained; 2, Elms; 
3, Kentucky coffee tree ; 4, Cut-leaved maple ; 5, Hack- 
berry ; 6, Basswood in clumps ; 7, Group of willows ; 
8, Catalpas; ii. Bed of small cultivated shrubs; 12. 
Bed of large and small cultivated shrubs, mixed; 13. 
Bed of small wild shrubs : 14, Bed of large and 
small wild shrubs, mixed; 15, Belt of small native 
trees and mixed wild shrubs. 
CONNECTICUT IMPROVEMENT SOCIETIES 
As befits the advanced position held by Connecti- 
cut in the public spirited work of civic improvement, 
its individual clubs are content with nothing less 
than the best in every line undertaken and are gen- 
eraly found ambitious in their choice of work. 
The Eairfield association was organized for the 
purpose of tackling the problems of light and water 
for the town. At its first meeting a committee of 
five was appointed to make a house-to-house can- 
vass for new members with the strict injunction that 
everybody solicited to join should be given to un- 
derstand that membership meant work. The avowed 
purpose of the Stonington Society is “to do what- 
ever is possible to improve and beautify the borough 
and its suburbs.” Part of its work is placing pictures 
in the railway stations. This seems an excellent 
idea and suggests the desirability of using photo- 
graphs illustrating the chief points of beauty, his- 
torical interest, church, school and residence ad- 
vantages, and possibly commercial advantages as 
well. This would appear a desirable and legitimate 
advertising scheme for any and every town. It is a 
method that will meet with the approbation of the 
traveling public because a set of neatly mounted, 
well-made photographs each accompanied with a 
legible description will sensibly diminish the ennui 
of waiting passengers. p. c. S. 
