I don’t think that I engaged to write an article, did I! I don’t think I am qualified to do it very well nor could I give the necessary time to it at present. I am in advanced convalescence but owing to professional obligations accumulating during my illness I could not justly do so. I suppose that you want to have the article underway with reference to the newspaper reports that Senator Stanford intends to have a {sensational} opening ceremony next Spring. He has not communicated this intention to us. In truth we have heard nothing from him for several months. Still the report is probably {well-founded}. I would advise you, if you think it important {to proceed}, to begin with an interview with Senator Stanford in Washington. If you then conclude to go on we can aid you in respect to drawings.

I think that I should add that there are difficulties in preparing an article at this time which I can explain only at some length and confidentially. I hope that you are to be in Washington, making {sure} of the Senate. If so, why should you not see the Senator yourself, explain your intentions and ask his advice? If you should find him in the right humor he would be pleased and you would afterwards understand the matter and the present situation much better than you could in any other way. You would find him a very interesting variety of man and would, perhaps, come to realize better than I could ever make you what I mean by difficulties. (The fact is that the University is not planned).

Yours Truly

To the first inquiry of your letter of the 10th instant, I have the honor to reply that I knew Miss Bullard while she lived with her lamented father upon Prospect Park, Brooklyn; of her interest in his work there, and of her promise as an artist. I understand that her father was accustomed to advise with her and avail himself of her assistance in his official duties. In the present advanced condition of the construction and planting of your parks in Bridgeport, if Miss [242]Bullard is willing to assume the official responsibilities of her father with regard to them, I should presume her to be qualified to do so, and advise her appointment as his successor.

To your second inquiry, I have to say that there is a very large amount of work going on in London in the transformation of many old commons, church yards and vacant spaces into public recreation grounds. This work is being done by an association acting co-operatively and conjointly with various branches of the local government. The Earl of Meath who last year made a tour of the public parks of the United States, and whose report of his observations has been extensively quoted by the press, is at the head of the organization. I am an Honorary Member of the Association and printed minutes of the meetings of its council are regularly sent to me. From them I observe that the council in its discussion of questions, both of improving the grounds under its charge and of their maintenance, is chiefly guided by a landscape gardener who is a woman,—Miss Wilkinson. This lady sits with the council in all its meetings, takes part in its debates, and is apparently in direct superintendence of all its works, which, although not strictly speaking works of landscape, are numerous widely scattered, of much public importance, and I should judge much more difficult of superintendence than those of your Board.

I beg to offer one suggestion. The employment of a woman in this position being unusual its operation will be watched with much interest, and for a time, there are likely to be misunderstandings and misjudgments about it. There may be also attempts to prejudice the public against the arrangement by those whom it will at times, become the superintendent’s duty to displease. If Miss Bullard is to be entrusted with the responsibilities of her father, the question of her success is likely to turn mainly upon her ability to use her judgment promptly, confidently and with decision, fully to the limits within which her father was authorized to do so, and your Board should be prepared to trust much to her discretion and to support her against any possible prejudice due to the novelty of the situation in which she will be placed. It would, in my judgment, be more prudent to give her greater freedom of discretion in all matters of her duty, rather than less than you would be prepared to give a man under similar circumstances.

Respectfully Yours.