6 
PARK AND CEMETERY. 
RECREATION FEATURES IN HARTFORD PARKS 
Extracts from the Reports of George A. Parker, Superintendent of 
Parks, and S. W. Dixon, Supervisor of Recreation, Hartford, Conn. 
QUOITS. 
Scotch Quoiting is a real man’s game, and has 
many followers in Hartford. It is surely interesting 
to see the players tossing the great discs with an 
accuracy and precision all their own, and which 
puts them in a class by themselves. It is a far su- 
perior game to the ordinary ring or horsehoe, al- 
though more people seem to play the later easier 
type. The games are played evenings and Satur- 
days chiefly at Pope Park. 
CROQUET. 
Croquet is played in various parks in connection 
with picnics, parties, and by those who are waiting 
for a tennis court. Persons who are unable to pur- 
sue vigorous games are apt to en.ioy croquet, and 
many who formerly considered it of little interest, 
now see in it much of value. 
3. Public recreation publicly owned, 
which is either free or furnished at cost 
or nearly so. 
The cost of municipal recreation has 
been met up 10 the present time by appro- 
priations expended in part by the “amuse- 
ment committee’’ of the City Council, 
partly by the “Board of School Visitors” 
and partly by the “Board of Park Com- 
missioners,” and once an appropriation has 
been made at the request of the “Juvenile 
Commission,” and all paid out of the city 
treasury. 
Many things should always be main- 
tained at public expense, such as scenic 
beauty, roads, walks, shelter, water, toilets, 
and the raretakino- and nolirino- and all MAY FESTIVAL. GOODWIN PARK. HARTFORD, CONN. THIRTY-FIVE MAYPOLES 
ana tne caretaking ana poncing, ana all IN USE; MILITARY BAND ON STAND IN CENTER. 
“CAMP FIRE GIRLS,” SERVING DINNER 
GOODWIN PARK, HARTFORD, CONN. 
Gradually and almost unconsciously rec- 
reation work has come to be a part of 
park work. It came first, because parks 
were open grounds and recreation needed 
open grounds ; but as the work has gone 
on, the realization has come that park and 
recreation requirements are so closely re- 
lated and united that neither can be suc- 
cessfully maintained without the other. 
What, then, is now meant by recreation? 1 
Much has been written about "Municipal 
Recreation,” especially during the last ten 
years. At first it meant play for children, 
but its meaning has expanded until now it 
includes whatever is done during the leisure 
hours of the people as individuals, or as 
groups, or as a whole. It has three di- 
visions : 
1. Private recreation which takes place at 
home or socially with friends and neigh- 
bors, and to which the public has no part. 
2. Public recreation owned and ex- 
ploited for private gain. 
AT ONE OF TH'E FOUR FIREPLACES IN 
things needed for the public recreation fa- 
cilities for children under 16 years old. 
The recreation activities of the parks 
have increased about 40 per cent each year 
during the last five years. At the begin- 
ning of the present year it seemed very 
necessary that a specially trained and ex- 
perienced man in recreation work should 
be employed. S. Wales Dixon was engaged 
for the place. 
The following extracts from Mr. Dix- 
on's report tell of some of the more un- 
usual features of recreation in addition to 
the usual park activities of baseball, foot- 
bal, golf, tennis, etc. : 
BOWLING ON THE GREEN. 
Interest in this ancient game has steadily in- 
creased. both with players and spectators, and now 
with the two successful clubs organized and the at- 
tendant good-natured rivalry existing, the game is 
sure to grow with each succeeding year. Many new 
friends were enlisted during the past season. The 
greens are located in Colt Park. 
FLAG DAY. 
This event was celebrated at the north front 
of the State Library and a great crowd of people 
were present. Schools and other societies partici- 
pated, and part of the audience were seated on 
park benches arranged before the entrance. New 
York City’s Park Commissioner was the speaker of 
the day. 
JULY FOURTH. 
The Municipal Celebration of Independence Day 
was entirely held on park areas. A program con- 
tinuous from 8 a in. to 10 p. m. and which was 
arranged to include groups of all ages (even the 
elderly folks) was carried out in full. Baseball, 
tennis, golf, athletics, wrestling, kite flying, Boy 
Scouts and folk dancing consumed the morning 
hours, while a regatta on the beautiful basin of 
the Connecticut River off Riverside Park, a band 
concert and daylight fireworks, were held in the 
afternoon and brought out a great throng of people, 
while the evening fireworks and band concert 
brought out a still greater crowd — a total for the 
day of fifty-two thousand four hundred. 
DANCING ON THE GREEN. 
Probably the most beautiful feature of all recrea- 
tive activities were the parties engaged in dancing 
on the green at Goodwin. Bushnell and Colt Parks. 
The schools and the Central Labor Union danced at 
night, under a canopy of varicolored lights. Bands 
were in attendance and friends in great numbers 
enjoyed the occasions. 
PLAYGROUNDS. 
Parks, no matter how much of a beauty spot 
from the standpoint of lawns, flowers, shrubs and 
trees, are still more beautiful when graced by the 
presence of a sunny group of happy children at 
play. All parks contributed their share of area for 
this purpose, and some idea of playground popu- 
larity may be gained by the fact that the attend- 
ance of children and others older, passed well 
beyond the two hundred thousand mark, and cov- 
ered a period of about four months. 
