259 
PARK AND CKME-TERY. 
tional advancement of the outdoor arts as represented 
by landscape design, architecture, sculpture, and the 
closely allied industries of floriculture and horticulture, 
and so long as they carry with them an educational 
value there is justification for government appropria- 
tions in their behalf. It is certain that most thinking- 
people will agree with this, and it would appear as 
though a permanent exposition at Washington, while 
fulfilling manv of the better characteristics of the mod- 
ern World’s Fair, would also serve as a national centre 
from which local expositions might draw inspiration 
and to an extent resources. 
MODEL CITY The resolutions passed at the Buffalo 
A1 ST. LOUIS, convention of the American League for 
Civic Improvement in August last, pe- 
titioning the commissioners of the Louisiana Purchase 
Exposition to make provision for an exhibit of munic- 
ipal art and the science of modern city making, have 
liorne ahundant fruit, "and prospects are very bright 
for one of the most instructive, beneficial and unique 
exhibits ever yet presented in any country. The sug- 
gestion immediately took hold with both press and pub- 
lic, and the organizations interested in municipal im- 
provement in all lines readily responded. The result is 
that the directors of the Fair will adopt the project. \ 
sub-department is to he created under the Social Econ- 
omy Department of the Exposition, devoted to munic- 
ipal art and science, with possibly a reservation of some 
ten acres for the purpose. Upon the assigned area the 
effort will be made to display every feature of highly 
developed modern city building possible, including the 
engineering and architectural requirements together 
with the decorative and artistic details necessary to dis- 
play in harmonious relations the model city. Types of 
streets will be constructed, arranged to show in section 
the methods of disposal of subways for every purpose, 
and these streets, of varying though perhaps familiar 
types, will be combined in their laying out to present 
the most beautiful and convenient ground plan for the 
platting of a city. In fact the ground plan of a citv 
will be presented suggesting appropriate arrangement 
of streets, locations for municipal and public buildings, 
public squares. l)Oulevards and parks, and in every con- 
struction, l:)uilding and detail of the project, the object, 
that of showing the necessity and advantages of the 
model city for this twentieth century civilization, 
science and art will combine to compel conclusions de- 
signed to lead to a broader puljlic appreciation of what 
it all means in our municipal existence, and thus lead to 
effective reform in all our future. The project is very 
comprehensively discussed in a recent issue of The 
Criterion by Wr. Charles Mulford Robinson, author of 
“The Improvement of Towns and Cities,” wherein the 
magnitude of the undertaking and its grand possibili- 
ties are ver}- interestingly suggested. In 1896 the Uni- 
versity of Pennsylvania sent INIr. Albert Kelsey, a Phil- 
adelphia architect, to Europe for a year to make a spe- 
cial study of modern city-making. The complex sul> 
ject took hold of Mr. Kelsey to the extent that he has 
since been making an exhaustive study of the matter 
on both sides of the Atlantic, and to him must be cred- 
ited the initiative, and the indefatigable labor which has 
led up to the present status of the project. Mr. Kelsey, 
who is president of The Architectural League of Amer- 
ica, has the cordial supjx>rt of the profession, and it ap- 
pears certain that the “Model City,” at St. Louis, as an 
educational feature of that exposition, will have a 
broader and more practical influence than can be 
readily estimated. 
Schools We have yet to learn where any well 
a.nd Outdoor considered effort in the direction of in- 
teresting the children of the public 
schools in the cultivation of flowers and plants has 
failed. On the contrary, where intelligently directed 
and controlled the work of the boys and girls has in- 
varialrly proved their aptness in elementary horticul- 
tural efforts, and besides, their intense love of nature 
as represented in the field of their labors. The pam- 
phlet recently issued from Carthage, Mo., detailing the 
successes of the past two years and the work for the 
present year, certainly testifies to the valuable aid that 
may be enlisted in the cause of a general improvement 
of home surroundings from the public schools. More- 
over, as has been previously asserted in these columns, 
a more sustained effort should result from the use of 
the children in this work, after they have received such 
careful instruction and training as shall develop the 
faculties always ready to respond to the call for nature 
study and work. It is a most promising matter for the 
future of the cause that many of the state agricultural 
colleges are taking up the question of nature study in 
the schools, and furnishing the teachers with in.structive 
literature, to be by them digested and imparted to their 
scholars. This should become general, thereby adding- 
still further usefulness to such state institutions. An- 
other report, recently to hand, in the above connection, 
is that of the Home Gardening Association of Cleve- 
land, O. One feature of the work of this organization 
is to distribute flower seeds at a nominal cost among 
the children of the public schools, a method which has 
been highly successful, judging from the experience of 
two years. In 1900 various seeds to the extent of 48,- 
868 packages were sold, which increased in 1901 to 
721,673 packages. In the work of the society the school 
teachers have nobly assisted, and so much public inter- 
est has been excited that the park commissioners free- 
ly lend a hand .by such planting schemes as will en- 
courage and promote the growth of this valuable 
youthful enthusiasm. Such results should serve to ex- 
tend the study of nature and home improvement 
throughout the public schools of the country. 
