by Peter T. Trenchard, President Illinois Association of Park Districts

Now that the Illinois Association of Park Districts is completing 50 years, it is a good time for directing attention to the past of the organization. In so doing, many activities and changes that have occured may be brought into review and acquaintance may be renewed with many events and people who have played a part in the life of the organization. An examination of the past may also provide an intelligent basis for anticipating the needs of the future.

As an official service agency for the park boards of Illinois, the Association has proved itself a successful medium through which the park conservation, and forest preserve districts officials are able to speak with a single voice, especially before the State Legislature; the interests of park boards are furthered; park and recreation facilities are improved and extended; better methods of operation are promoted, and through which information and experience on park problems are gathered and circulated.

First efforts on behalf of the Association took the form of letters and questionnaires sent out to park district officials on March 9, 1928, by Mr. A. D. McLarty, then executive secretary of the Illinois Municipal League. These pertained to the possible creation of an organization of park district officials on a statewide basis and, at the beginning, as a park district section of the Illinois Municipal League. A summary of results of the communications were sent to park officials on March 30, 1928, with an invitation to attend an organizational meeting in the Rose Room of the Sherman Hotel in Chicago, May 17 and 18, 1928. The replies in dicated widespread interest in a possible state park organization. At that same time, a letter of invitation was also sent out by Judge Charles F. McKinley, then president of the Small Parks Association of Cook County.

Dr. Joseph Cullen Blair, then head of the Department of Horticulture at the University of Illinois and President of the Urbana Park District who shared the dream of forming a statewide group, was asked to serve as president protem and was elected as the first president. Subsequently, he also served the Association in various capacities throughout the years while maintaining a "fatherly" interest in the program and welfare of the Association.

Mr. A. D. McLarty was elected first secretary and served continuously as such until July 1, 1943, when he resigned to enter the U.S. Navy Service. He was a man of high ideals, trained in political science, who gave faithful and conscientious service to the Association during his tenure.

In June, 1953, the Association became a full-time organization, with a full-time secretary.

Miss Marjorie M. Dickinson, Springfield, Director Emeritus of the Illinois Association of Park Districts, recently received a special citation, which was awarded her by the National Recreation and Park Association at their National Congress, "for 40 years of distinguished leadership and service to her Illinois Association of Park Districts."

Miss Dickinson was born in Griggsville, Illinois, July 17, 1895. She received her early schooling at both the Griggsville and Hannibal (Missouri) highschools, and received her B.S. Degree in 1925 from the University of Illinois in accounting and business administration.

She served the Association as Secretary, Executive Director from 1928 to 1966 and currently as Executive Director Emeritus. Past President Soldwedel stated, "No one has given more outstandingly and continuously of valuable service to the Illinois Association of Park Districts than Marjorie M. Dickinson. A note of her life and many activities will serve to remind us of our good fortune in having had her long and devoted service."

Most of the financial support of the Association has come from membership dues, which have been based on the quadrennial equalized assessed valuations of the districts. The schedule of dues has been revised five times in the course of the years. Formerly park boards were asked to contribute to a legislative fund every other year but legislative expense is now carried by the general budget.

An examination of the Association budgets since the beginning gives evidence of ongoing financial strength of the organization. From 1928 a figure of $2,500 by comparison the budget adopted for 1977 was $243,425.00.

As expressed in the first constitution of the Association, the purpose was "to serve as a mutual agency for cooperation of park, forest preserve, conservation districts of the State in the practical study and in the opportunity for discussion of park district problems; park policy and administration; gather and

Illinois Parks and Recreation 30 January/February, 1978

circulate information and experience on park district affairs; to secure legislation beneficial to and to oppose legislation injurious to the park districts."

Illinois is the only state in the union that has adopted laws to permit the establishment of special districts with elected officials, organized as municipal corporations, with power to levy taxes, to provide park and recreation services for local communities.

These laws, the first of which were adopted by legislation in 1896, have made it possible for these public services to advance with the demand of the times. The laws have provided local districts authority to provide and operate many diverse recreation facilities, some of which are swimming pools, indoor ice rinks, airports, zoos and convention halls.

The Association provides many services to its members including legal and legislative, communications through the Illinois Park and Recreation magazine and periodic reports.

In addition to the Annual Conference which attracted 2,384 persons in 1977, seminars and regional meetings are sponsored on finance, planning, recreation programs, and etc.

Advice and counsel are available through our field service program and the results of surveys and studies are used by member districts in planning and policy making.

Through the Association health and life insurance is offered for the staffs of member agencies on a group basis.

With population pressures, increasing leisure time, energy crisis, and growing concern for a better environment, the growth rate of agencies concerned with parks and recreation has also increased. The challenge for the future will be for order in growth, efficiency in management, the ability to obtain sufficient open space, and construct and operate recreation facilities to fulfill the aspirations of people seeking park and recreation services.

The Association is a vehicle to bring together all agencies in Illinois and to provide the unity to meet the challenges of the future.

Illinois Parks and Recreation 31 January/February, 1978